Is this a bad idea?

   / Is this a bad idea? #1  

charliepff

Silver Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
240
Location
Harpers Ferry, WV
Tractor
2516 Mahindra w/backhoe
Hi everyone,

I have been pricing tractors for a while. I have found a 30 hp with TLB and a 25hp sub compact with TLB. Both new and great prices. We have 4 acres on the side of a mountain. The house and yard are on 3/4 of an acre. The rest is heavily wooded with lots of downed timber. The yard also has a lot of stumps and needs finish grading. It also takes the state two days to open our roads in a snowfall. I was looking at buying a Mahindra 3016 and using it to do all the big work for the next few years. Then when I get the property straight, trading it down to a 2516 or other brand equivelant model. The 30 hp would be a little big getting around in the woods and the smaller of the two would probably work, just take a little longer to do the jobs. We do not need to cut grass with it since we really have no grass right now. We would probably buy a used rider later on anyhow.

What do you all think? I have a lot of huge oak stump and massive rocks to dig and move. Along with dragging timber. I could definately use life experience on this one. Thanks everyone and have a great evening.
 
   / Is this a bad idea? #2  
I have a 45HP tractor that gets around great in the woods. To me, it sounds like you might need a little beef before you only have the maintenance to do. :2cents:
 
   / Is this a bad idea? #3  
:thumbsup:
 
   / Is this a bad idea? #4  
I have a 45HP tractor that gets around great in the woods. To me, it sounds like you might need a little beef before you only have the maintenance to do. :2cents:
I tend to agree with magicheater. I have a Kubota L4400. The final decision will be yours. One suggestion: Review all the specs in regards to any tractor or implements that you might buy, thus ensuring that they will be able to handle all the tasks and needs that you need them to perform.
 
   / Is this a bad idea?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks everyone,

I think the wife (boss) and I are going to drive them and see what we feel comfortable with. We are looking at buying two more wood lots in the future. I agree the maintnance part is a definately a little later on. We bought too small last time and I do not want to do it again. If I need to move in size next time, I would rather go down then up. Thanks again and I appreciate the input. I want to do this right. Hopefully :confused2:.
 
   / Is this a bad idea? #6  
With the terrain you have I suggest buying a used skid steer with metal tracks with a grapple bucket to pick up rocks and logs. Seeing my friends neighborhood in the area and having a 40plus hp 4wd tractor with loader myself, I would get an industrial piece of equipment.
 
   / Is this a bad idea? #7  
Guys on TBN love to spend other peoples money and always seem to advocate bigger is better. That said, I managed a hillside 4 acre clearing project with a 20hp TLB (Kioti) and it worked just fine. Yes bigger will be faster but also much more expensive and less manuverable and take up more storage space for both tractor and implements. For my purposes, adding a grapple was worth more than ten extra horsepower. Figure out whether you need to get the work done as fast as possible (if so hire in an excavator) or if you can take your time (small CUT based TLB works great).
 
   / Is this a bad idea? #8  
Get a 20-25 HP TLB and invest in a root rake for the FEL with a grapple and you can do anything you need with it. Kubota BX 22 or BX 25 or equivalent
 
   / Is this a bad idea? #9  
One other thought on your problem. Have you looked at what it would cost you to bring in a dozer and just take a few hours to clear all of your stumps and downfall and push into a pile. Sometimes it is just worth the cost to get the job done with the proper equipment. Around my place you can get a dozer for $80-90 per hour usually with a 4 hour minimum. Unless you are going to try to leave lots of trees, so many that a dozer cant work thru them, this might be the way to go. Most dozers are at least 8 feet wide so unless you plan to have trees less than that, they could selectively harvest any thing you need and leave the area level. Get one that also has a root rake to put on the front and he can root out those roots and surface rocks for you also with out piling up a lot o dirt with it.
 
   / Is this a bad idea? #10  
One other thought on your problem. Have you looked at what it would cost you to bring in a dozer and just take a few hours to clear all of your stumps and downfall and push into a pile. Sometimes it is just worth the cost to get the job done with the proper equipment. Around my place you can get a dozer for $80-90 per hour usually with a 4 hour minimum. Unless you are going to try to leave lots of trees, so many that a dozer cant work thru them, this might be the way to go. Most dozers are at least 8 feet wide so unless you plan to have trees less than that, they could selectively harvest any thing you need and leave the area level. Get one that also has a root rake to put on the front and he can root out those roots and surface rocks for you also with out piling up a lot o dirt with it.

X 2. For a one time job like the OP has (lots of huge oak stump and massive rocks to dig and move) contracting it out to someone who has the heavy duty equipment designed and sized to handle just such a job is more than likely to be very cost effective plus (and it's a not inconsequential plus) you don't subject your own equipment to a lot of stress that will definitely "age" it if not outright break it. Factor that in with the fact that it's going to cost quite a bit just to operate your own equipment considering the extra hours you'd have to work at getting the job done and the contracting out starts to get more and more economical. The right sized equipment can do a job like this in a small fraction of the time that you could do it yourself.
 
 
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