Help! Tractor buying advice for new land owner

[SrChf]

First post. Hi everyone. Amazing forum here - thank you for having me.

I read through as many threads as I could in hopes that I wouldnt have to bother anyone with a new thread but couldnt find one that seemed to hit my questions, so here goes.

I bought a 5 acre wooded plot with about 1 acre cleared with a house on it. The 'yard' is a somewhat hilly, stumpy mess of weeds, roots, heavy clay soil and lots and lots of trees (tulip poplar mostly ~2' to 5' diam, but some heavier, harder hardwoods (oak, beech, gum, hickory, etc).

What I want is an all purpose tractor that will enable me, in time, to dig up and regrade the yard, pull up stumps, mow the grass (once I actually get some), remove downed trees and drag away and/or buck and lift big sections away at a time with a loader) some new gravel roads, and dig drainage ditches for water management (right now it seems all points lead water straight to the house!)

Is there such a tractor and implement set that I could buy that could get this all done?

I would say my question is primarily two-fold:

What implement set would I need to get all this done, then what brand/model numbers would best serve me for (of course) as least cost as possible. My budget, I'd say, is about 20 to 25k which is a HUGE expense for me, but with rice and beans meals I could possibly pull it off without going bankrupt.

I need this sooner than later, so I am prolly condemned to buying new. I dont have the luxury to be patient and wait for used sales to come along. My wife hates the property already (as it is so ugly) so I need to git bizzy!

I have started on the work using rental equipment, but its adding up so fast (about $800 to $1000 a weekend) for JD 310's and skid loaders that in 20 weeks, I will have spent it all on rentals! I plan on dying here - so one thing I have on my side is time. (one item of note: I noticed she has been notably happier now that work has started - so, as long as I am chipping away at it, I think I will have kept the peanut gallery satisfied. )

Thanks y'all. I know this is a tall order of a question.

Cheers!
Jason

PS - JD is running a 0% financing for 48 months, AND there is a JD place just down the road, so, naturally that is enticing, but I want to make sure that I dont miss out on a better opportunity with other brands!

I live in Edgewater MD (just south of Annapolis)

 

[Western]

I would suggest not getting "color" fixed unless your dead set on a certain one (brand). You have been renting a few, so you should have a little feel for what you like/dislike.
Name brand is super and comes at more cost for the logo.

Mahindra and Kioti make good machines as do the top 3

I would say something in the 35-45 HP range if it where me.

A 45Hp if your going to use it as a "dozer", which isn't recommended much, but you can get allot done if your gentle. 35hp (what I have now) works for the small stuff I deal with on 15 + acres. A Backhoe is great on stumps if you don't mind parting with that much cash. For me personally it is better sense to hire a dozer after I locate all the trees/stumps I want removed.

Take your info to several dealers and explain what you need and have them recommend some implements and compete for your business, it wont take long until you find the "bling" you like and you will have a good idea what you really need.

 

[284 International]

I'm sure you will get many responses to this posting, and I'm not at all an expert. I just wanted to point out a few things first.

If you've been using a big backhoe/loader like a 310, and skid steers to do dirt work like grading and excavating stumps and so forth, and are going to need 20 weeks to do it in, you might end up dying before you get done using your tractor to do the jobs... (I don't have any clue how old you are, obviously I'm being facetious.)

If those machines aren't letting you do the job quickly enough, in other words, a smaller and much lighter machine definitely won't help. It may be that the time you've got the machine is much less than you'd be able to use your own tractor for.

Not knowing how much you want to get done and how quickly makes it tough, but I'd strongly suggest renting (or hiring) a bulldozer and just obliterate all of the stumps, downed trees, big rocks and whatnot that will be a holdup for your small tractor in a day. At least get the area around the house cleaned up to where you can work on it. Then, buy your used JohnKuboHollindra for, say, 15 to 20 thousand dollars and do your more precise grading, mowing, and other projects that you can piecemeal your way through.


Part of the reason I suggest that route is that some of your tasks are about as far apart as one can go: Mowing the grass tends to be something better done by a lightweight machine with non-aggressive tires. For digging and grading and pushing, the opposite is true: The heavier the better, so long as it will fit in the space needed, and more aggressive tires tend to give you more traction.


As far as implements go, for digging out 2' diameter stumps, around here a backhoe is the only thing capable of reasonably doing the job in a sensible amount of time. Then you're stuck with a backhoe on your machine. I don't own one, I've always just rented it since I use one so infrequently. Supposedly some come off quickly and easily. I have no clue.

A box blade is a big rectangular thing with a blade at the back and ripper shanks to tear up the soil and let the blade scoop and pull it up. It works well for removing layers of dirt and moving them somewhere else. You'll likely want one of those. If your ground is tough, go smaller. If it's soft and light, go a bit bigger, but a good rule of thumb is to cover the tire tracks at their widest setting, then add a couple inches. I prefer going on the small side because it lets me go deeper per pass, or faster; that's simply my preference. You can also use them to pull out (smallish) roots that have run up along the surface of the soil with the rippers down, rip up rough fields or sod in preparation to level and plant grass, and so forth. A good box blade is a very versatile tool. It also makes a nice complement to a front end loader, because they are pretty heavy (You can add weight to the box blade if needed, too) and compact, so balance the weight up front of the loader without adding too much additional length.

You will want a front end loader. Probably make sure the width of the bucket matches that of the box blade.

I made a set of forks for my bucket, and they're really useful. You can slide them under logs or branches, or lash tree trimmings onto them to move into a burn pile.

For now that will probably do all that you need. Luckily, the box blade and pallet forks are about as cheap as implements get. After that, buy a decent riding mower once you get a lawn in. Or put a mower on the tractor, or whatever.

I have read that there are good promotions on new machines right now. I've never bought a new car in my life, let alone a tractor, so can't help you on that. They all look super-expensive to me. But you may be ahead to finance a package at 0% with all the implements you want rather than acquiring as you go, but for what you're talking about I don't think you'll be needing that much in the way of attachments.

You asked for specific models, and I'm sorry, I can't tell you any new models. If the John Deere guy is close and treats you well, you may as well start there. Some places will bring a machine out for you to test drive. Some of your process may dictate what model you need. If all the stumps are pushed out and into piles, and you can cut roads at your leisure, and one at a time move logs from the pile to wherever, or out of the woods, you can get away with a much smaller machine. The littler tractor may also fit through the woods a lot better. It doesn't take much size increase at all to make it more difficult to thread your way through trees. If you have to get a machine capable of rooting out big stumps, you're going to be tighter going between or around trees, rocks, or whatever other obstacles you have.

Good luck, wish I were more help.


Edited to add: Western beat me by a bit, I typed too slow!

 

[TripleR]

In my opinion, you really can't get better advice than that given already. We rent bigger equipment when needed and have just paid for a dozer and driver or skid steer as there is much more to doing a good job than equipment. We had a Bobcat 864 on an exchange for quite some time and got a lot of work done as my son is a good operator, but the difference in the amount of work done by him and the 864 as opposed to when the owner was running it was considerable.

Good luck.

 

[Localmotion]

Hi SrChf

Ok, I'm not from your side of the pond, but it seems to me that there is some good advice here from 284 and Western which I would like to add too...

Please do not get hung up on machine colour or name - many of the well known names actually outsource production of their smaller machines in the hp range you will be looking at (just because it's green and says JD doesn't necasserily mean it is their original design)! Westerns advice of Kioti is a good one, but I would also consider even cheaper machines such as Jinma which cost far less to purchase, are easy to maintain and cheap on parts.

We ourselves operate an agricultural contracting / ground care business in Spain, and (belive it or not) use a 20hp Siromer 204S (same as a Jinma 204) fitted with grader boxes / ploughs and of course frontloader. You will read lots of negative comments about Chinese tractors, but I can testify that with nearly 2000 hard hours on the clock we have had no major problems! Much of the work we use the machine for is the same as you describe - it is the main machine we use for scrub clearance, mainly because it is so cheap to repair if we damage it! I admit the HP is on the low side, but has not been a major issue to us, despite regually using a 2 metre grader blade to lay roads etc...

As has already been said by 284 - take your time in deciding. Hire the heavy equipment first - backhoe, excavator etc to get the really heavy jobs done, and then decide which tractor and implements best suit your needs for the next 5 years!

If you want, have a look at some pics of the equipment we use on our website: www.localmotion-spain.co.uk or go to youtube to watch some of our videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/LocalmotionSiromer?feature=mhum
(Youtube is also an excellent way of getting "demos" of any machine you care to see at work!)

Most important of all - enjoy your land and have fun

 

[Reg]

First post. Hi everyone. Amazing forum here - thank you for having me.

I read through as many threads as I could in hopes that I wouldnt have to bother anyone with a new thread but couldnt find one that seemed to hit my questions, so here goes.

I bought a 5 acre wooded plot with about 1 acre cleared with a house on it. The 'yard' is a somewhat hilly, stumpy mess of weeds, roots, heavy clay soil and lots and lots of trees (tulip poplar mostly ~2' to 5' diam, but some heavier, harder hardwoods (oak, beech, gum, hickory, etc).

What I want is an all purpose tractor that will enable me, in time, to dig up and regrade the yard, pull up stumps, mow the grass (once I actually get some), remove downed trees and drag away and/or buck and lift big sections away at a time with a loader) some new gravel roads, and dig drainage ditches for water management (right now it seems all points lead water straight to the house!)

Is there such a tractor and implement set that I could buy that could get this all done?

I would say my question is primarily two-fold:

What implement set would I need to get all this done, then what brand/model numbers would best serve me for (of course) as least cost as possible. My budget, I'd say, is about 20 to 25k which is a HUGE expense for me, but with rice and beans meals I could possibly pull it off without going bankrupt.

I need this sooner than later, so I am prolly condemned to buying new. I dont have the luxury to be patient and wait for used sales to come along. My wife hates the property already (as it is so ugly) so I need to git bizzy!

I have started on the work using rental equipment, but its adding up so fast (about $800 to $1000 a weekend) for JD 310's and skid loaders that in 20 weeks, I will have spent it all on rentals! I plan on dying here - so one thing I have on my side is time. (one item of note: I noticed she has been notably happier now that work has started - so, as long as I am chipping away at it, I think I will have kept the peanut gallery satisfied. )

Thanks y'all. I know this is a tall order of a question.

Cheers!
Jason

PS - JD is running a 0% financing for 48 months, AND there is a JD place just down the road, so, naturally that is enticing, but I want to make sure that I dont miss out on a better opportunity with other brands!

I live in Edgewater MD (just south of Annapolis)

I would characterize that as general site work - i.e. back hoe.
With the construction industry still DOWN a used 110 that you can learn on and beat the heck out of could make a lot of sense.
Distressed sales of these are still available - check auctions, check re-po yards.

With a bit of luck you might be able to sell it in the next housing/construction boom for more than you pay for it - right before the worm turns (again).

If you decide to keep it as a TRACTOR you are already ahead, take the hoe off and you have a PTO right there ready and waiting, though by then you may just want something for "estate maintenance" (Gee, I just LUV that marketing term).

Shiney and new ?
I wouldn't, you WILL bang and scratch it.
Best to get the WORK part done on a used machine.

 

[SrChf]

Great recommendations all, thank you!

In summary: Don't insist on the big three. Check the less known off brands for more bang/buck. Don't fall for pretty paint colors - it'll get scratched up anyway. Continue renting till the big stuff is done. When I do, get one with a loader, backhoe and grading box minimum. Maybe a forklift for the logs. Buy a small used riding mower for the grass cutting. ( I noticed the big three charge 2200 to 2700 for a mower deck - for which I could get a decent, new riding mower from sears with! and have an easier time mowing, and not rut up the yard).

So, assuming used or new main or off brand, what other make/model numbers would be a good fit for the lighter, long term "estate maintenance". Keep in mind, I do intend to take down a tree or two every so often, say - every quarter, over the next 5 years. So I need something that can dig up those stumps, grade over the stump hole, negotiate well through the woods, drag the tree to a gravel road, and once bucked into bucket lengths, lift, haul and stack the logs for lumber, wood projects or firewood. My goal is to eventually have those 5 acres fairly cleared save for the best, prettiest trees. Like I said, I would eventually spend the same amt over time if I rented a big machine once a quarter ($4000 yr x 5 years = 20k) so I cant shake the idea of buying something that can do it, albeit slower, now.

Another problem I am having out here weighing into my decision - it friggin rains every 3 or 4 days here, almost without fail, so by the weekend when I am free to have delivered a weekend rental and do some work, the soil is nearly always too saturated to do anything with. If I owned the gear, I could bang out a few hours after work on days that occasional days the ground happens to be workable to at least make some headway.

 

[284 International]

I'm not sure you need a backhoe; that doesn't mean you wouldn't like one. What you would rent (the 310 etc) will be much more capable than whatever is on the back of your tractor. That may factor into your decision making. Also, if the ground is moist or soft there, you may be able to dig stumps with the loader, especially if you cover it with stump remover and let it sit for awhile first.

This is what I was talking about when I was referring to the pallet forks. They're cheaper elsewhere (I made my own) but that gives you the idea. They're handy and versatile.

You're the only one who can decide whether money paid for convenience in your own schedule for the project, or for someone else or a more efficient piece of equipment is more important to you.

I wish I could tell you specific models. Something like a Kubota L3240 or B3300 or John Deere 3320 or 3520 ought to be fine, and work in your trees.

Is SrChf "Senior Chief?"

 

[schoolsout]

good advice so far, but I have a feeling if you are trying to get rid of 2-4' stumps with a tractor (and no backhoe), you're going to be disappointed.

 

[Western]

( I noticed the big three charge 2200 to 2700 for a mower deck - for which I could get a decent, new riding mower from sears with! and have an easier time mowing, and not rut up the yard).

See, you already have a "farm" noggin, that to me is good logic. Two tools for different jobs. and if one is "down" you still have the other.

I understand your thoughts on having "big" toy's, for trees and such. If I understand your last post this I would offer-

Spend some quality time in your woods with a can of marking paint, mark what you really want to keep and maybe a few possibles too, once their gone they are gone.

After you get a good 99% idea of what you want removed or reduced, I. E. the "big" stuff. Have a few Dozer/ clearing operators come out and give you a free bid.

5 acres isn't much to a good dozer operator and the ones in your area are used to the climate and have workarounds usually. Say you hire one for $5k (that would be high for where I live) to clear the bulk off and do the heavy work. You end up with allot of fire wood to use or sell, a better professional job and $5k less hard work on your shiny new tractor. Then you can work till your hearts content refining the whole place, the "detail" work.

I actually have known very few farmers and ranchers that don't occasionally hire out work on their places to which their tractors and equipment don't serve the proper job description.

You can do allot with a 35-45+ hp with FEL and implements as the other guys have mentioned.

I'd personally love to have a B-hoe, no reason really. I can think of a couple of times it would be "cool" and if I needed one for my business , I'd have one, but I don't need it if I can hire it done for far far less overtime. Same applies to a Bulldozer.

Like said before, you my find a great deal on one somewhere, if you like it, buy it. In my part of the world tractor implements are still bringing good dollar, but it may be hugely different in other parts of the country.


Remember the movie "The Jerk" with Steve Martin? He said he had a "special purpose" same goes to most pieces of farm equipment and it would be very expensive to have every thing you "need" even if you didn't!!

Nothing worse than having something around you don't use much, but still have to maintain, cept maybe a girlfriend