Buying Advice Calling Tractor Gurus!!!

   / Calling Tractor Gurus!!! #11  
Never figured I qualified as any kind of "guru"; least of all a tractor guru. But Boggen's comments seem spot on to me. A subcut might "do" your work, but it's just too small and chores would take forever. A new 30-40 hp, larger sized CUT would have your work requirements covered like a blanket, but you won't find a new one from the top manufacturers in your price range.

So your options seem to be a) go smaller and work both it and yourself a little longer and harder; b) go with a secondary brand and maybe get more size and horsepower for your money; c) go used. I guess you could also consider the great financing packages available now on new equipment. There are obvious pro's and con's to each approach, of course. What makes sense for one person may not work for the next guy.

In complete agreement here. We used a BX2200 or BX2660 for this for several years to get out of driving one of our "real" tractors from another farm and you can probably find old posts of mine in support of it. In spite of the fact I am retired, there is such a thing as too much seat time.

We kept our BX2660, but finally decided to buy another tractor to live here with it.

OK, I am getting as much seat time as I use to, but I am getting a lot more done.

If I had to have one tractor, it would not be a SCUT.
 
   / Calling Tractor Gurus!!! #12  
I'm no Guru, but I think I have exactly the tractor you should get. I have 10 acres, a few animals, and do just about what you list. I have a Kubota B3030. It is 30 hp with a FEL, 4wd and hydrostat transmission. All of those have been essential for me. Most of the time, the tractor is more than I need, but there have been times when I probably would have over worked or broken anything less. The hst is essential for FEL work, and also with the rear finish mower I have used on my lawn for the last 4 years. However, I recently bought a lawn tractor for mowing because I got tired of changing back and forth from finish mower to brush hog during growing season. I don't know how I managed without a FEL before I got this. I use it mostly for lifting or moving heavy things - it has saved my back. I recently trimmed a lot of trees, and used the fel to push the limbs into piles and move the piles around. I plowed 1 mile of road during a couple of heavy snows last winter using a 6' angle blade. I lived for over 20 years with a lesser tractor and no fel. I've had this tractor 4 years, and it is the best investment I have made.

It will cost a little more than you indicate you want to spend, but I assure you it will be worth it. (Oh, and get the industrial tires.)
 
   / Calling Tractor Gurus!!! #13  
One item that was not specifically mentioned in any of the prior posts is hydraulic remotes. At the minimum two for any implement needing hydraulic assist.
 
   / Calling Tractor Gurus!!! #14  
You will defiantly will want axillary hydraulics, like idaho2 stated. You will also like to get a loader and 4wd. Did you consider the Massey Ferguson 1500 or 1600 series. From what you plan on doing with the tractor a hydrostatic transmission will do you just fine. Spend the extra money and get exactly what you want. It will be worth it.
 
   / Calling Tractor Gurus!!! #16  
You will defiantly will want axillary hydraulics, like idaho2 stated. .

Agree but those can pretty easily be added afterwards. Key is getting the best tractor for the buck to start with. Bonus if it comes with a couple of rear remotes but most sub 30 hp tractors tend not to have those as standard. About $300-400 for a kit to install and about an afternoon to accomplish the mission at least on Kioti's.
 
   / Calling Tractor Gurus!!! #17  
Well, I have 13 acres, and have owned both a sub cut, and a small CUT so I guess I'll throw in some comments. The minute you talk about reclaiming fields, and old roads, you should move beyond the sub-cuts. They are tough beasts for sure, but quite fragile in the rough stuff underneath, and lack the size, and ground clearance you really need for what you have planned. I have a small Kubota B series now, and it has worked out very well for me on my land. I have moved rocks, made compost, rough mowed with a rotary cutter, chipped brush, worked on my trails through the woods, etc. with mine. It, and possibly the next larger B series Kubota, or any other tractor that size would be the limit I would want to mow finished lawn with, and actually, I'm not too sure I want to finish mow with mine. If I had planned from the beginning to have a backhoe I would have started with the larger B series since there is a meaningful step up in backhoe performance from mine. If I had planned on mostly finish mowing I would have chosen a BX, and held my breath a lot in the rough stuff, and I've found my B to be so much more stable, and useful off the lawn that I doubt I would ever go back there for all around use though as a companion to a larger tractor you just can't beat a sub-cut as TrippleR has found along with others. In your particular case I would look for a new / used B7800, B3030, or another brand that size. I only mention Kubota numbers because that is what I'm most familiar with. A used "L" series sure wouldn't be out of the question either, just forget about mowing lawns with one, and I would forget about that anyway. Every now, and then a 3pt implement will give you a hard time when installing, or removing. I was having such a time recently, and also had been thinking about getting a mid mounted mower for it, and it occured to me that not only do you have to worry about the hassle of mounting the mower, you have to reinstall what ever you have been using all week on the back every week when you mow............ naw, don't think so, and it sure doesn't sound like you will be wanting to leave the finish mower on all summer either. Keep them separate, and you will be a happier person.
 
   / Calling Tractor Gurus!!!
  • Thread Starter
#18  
WOW you guys are awesome! Thanks so much for all the feedback / opinions. I went and visited a john deere and a kubota dealership today and have taken the SCUTs out of my list. The BX and 1000 series lines just look too small.

I took a good look at the JD 2320 / 2720 (for some reason there are no 2520s left in New England) and the Kubota B2320 / 2620 / 2920 / 3300SU ... and in a moment of weakness the Kubota L3200 :D Most of these come in new with a loader a little over my stated price points, but like I've read It's easier to do less with more.

As suggested I am going to look at other brands, New Holland seem to interest me. Also I will look for closest dealerships in the area.

Thanks again for all the info, I'll be sure to post an update when I have chosen one.
 
   / Calling Tractor Gurus!!! #19  
some additional things to think about.

a bare bones tractor vs next size down tractor with full options added on. to get approx same price.

many additional add-ons, can make or break it for me. nice comfy spring or like seat. that can help take the freaking 1" to higher speed bumps. if it was not for a nice seat. remember tractors do not have any sort of suspension in them. so when you go over that little rock / log / through that dirt hole. you fill every single little thing! *ochers*

having additional hyd rear hook ups min 2, is almost need for what you want or will need to do,

with say TNT (top and tilt) for 3pt hitch as well. the hookups yes. but the TNT can make a good amount of difference to in over all time you do in say grading drive ways. you do not need TNT but if ya getting older and hoping on / off tractor to adjust 3pt hitch arms and top link all the time. it can get rather time consuming and rather hurting the old bones.

for me, working in very morning or at night. is almost a must. and that is "rear work lights, and front work lights" i am not talking about front head lights like a car or truck, (tractor should have these at least) but the front and rear work lights. do come in very very handy. for example just about done finishing up something for good. and work 30 minutes longer past night to finish it up. then having to load everything up and take it back to the shed. those lights are just TOPS vs trying to hunt things down with a flash light. the lights are normally up on the ROPS (roll over protection system) or if cab on the very top of the cab pointed down around tractor. most of these lights i have seen. seem pretty easy to adjust with just climbing up on tractor and giving a slight tug in direction you want them to shine.

your tranmision and clutch options.
shuttle shift ((lever possibly near stearing wheel or peddle perhaps) to quickly go from forward to reverse without ever having to push in a foot clutch peddle and change gears. it is a big time saver, and foot saver. when i say foot, after being on a tractor to a point were it feels like your foot has been cut off from pushing in clutch so many times. ughs. as far as time. it takes time to come to a complete stop push in foot clutch and change gears, being able to use a lever or peddle to just go from forward to reverse without doing a full complet stop saves a lot. well your manually most likely says you are suppose to come to a complete stop before going from forward to reverse or vice vs. but once ya run tractor for awhile you can get pretty good at a nice smooth transaction without a full complete stop.

I honestly do not need road gear. since tractors do not go out on the road. but having ability to have say hi and low gear, and then another shifter for say 1-4 for a total of 8 possible gear settings for forward and same for reverse. can give you a lot of options to really fine tune how fast you go and use the power of the tractor when doing stuff.

with notes from my last reply and others. your most expensive stuff will be tractor itself the FEL and backhoe. all other implements / add-ons. are small change to them majority of the time. though they all can quickly add up!!! there are a variety of third party options for say rear and front work lights, rear remotes. that can be cheaper at times. but you need to be half way mechanically inclined to be able to do some of these things yourself for addon's most of it, is fairly pretty simple once ya understand this and that. but if you do not know. it can be a rather steep battle at times.

for me, left and right brake split peddles are a must. i can to easily get into situations were they are needed. and for me the peddles need to be on one foot while the other foot operates the throttle or something else.

your 3pt hitch implements. one can slowly obtain over the years and as time and cash allow. word of advice on implements, plan to have a nice spot to set them when not in use if there not in the shed. then make sure you have flat ground without grass and weeds growing up and around them. rear work lights come in handy hooking / unhooking ((hint hint)) at night. and would advise spending time making an area if need be for implements. ((night and day difference)) both on hooking / unhooking them, but also maintaining them (greasing, and like)
 
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   / Calling Tractor Gurus!!! #20  
nice nice nice. Great thread!
 
 
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