OldNOrnery
New member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2011
- Messages
- 14
- Tractor
- Kubota B7500 JD X500 JD570 JD 3320
I think I need a new tractor, though I probably also need more know-how.
I have 10 acres in California's wine country, all up and down slopes. I inherited my brother's little 2003 Kubota B7500D 4WD and FEL with a motley set of mis-sized attachments. It's been a great beginner's tractor, but I feel stymied. I've found after a couple of years' use that I could use more PTO hp, more weight, a wider wheel base to be safer, and access to appropriately sized attachments for tilling/grading/discing.
I already have:
chain harrow - beside the FEL, the one attachment that works!
Kubota B 40C rotary tiller - Some jokester sold this to my bro. Doesn't have the right length drive shaft and collar for the B7500 PTO, so it's essentially counter-weight for FEL use. Otherwise, it's a nice tiller.
Gearmore L-48-40-XB-Z rotary mower. Works fine but is too long to be optimal for hilly, uneven ground.
Spike tooth harrow - Would work okay on flat ground with deep soil, but needs either a weight or a 3 point system that carries it lower. Doesn't have good ground contact.
Gearmore offset disc. Too heavy for the B7500. Turning around on a slope is a thrill, even with the FEL carrying weight.
My needs in order of hours usage are:
1. FEL for managing 11 tons of compost/year (horses). Used weekly. The little FEL I have is fine, but a foot wider and more capacity would be a time saver.
2. Mower for about 6 acres of hilly land with lots of obstructions (trees, fencing, roadway, infrastructure, washboard ground from old orchard terraces). Used weekly from April - mid-July and then again in October. I think a flail mower would be best over uneven ground because of it's short depth.
3. Plow/tiller/subsoiler for loosening soil so I can gradually grade away the washboards. Would use in Nov.-Dec., March-April.
4. 3 point scraper for grading away the washboards and also grubbing sod off about 3 acres of hilly land. Would use in Nov.-Dec., March-April.
5. pulling a chain harrow. Used weekly. ATV can manage light raking but need tractor for aggressive tines
6. assorted barn and landscape jobs besides trenching (we rent and wreck trenchers because of a layer of river cobble under the top soil).
A compact tractor with a FEL and enough hp for a flail mower, subsoiler and scraper are my priorities. Recommendations for minimum HP?
I have 10 acres in California's wine country, all up and down slopes. I inherited my brother's little 2003 Kubota B7500D 4WD and FEL with a motley set of mis-sized attachments. It's been a great beginner's tractor, but I feel stymied. I've found after a couple of years' use that I could use more PTO hp, more weight, a wider wheel base to be safer, and access to appropriately sized attachments for tilling/grading/discing.
I already have:
chain harrow - beside the FEL, the one attachment that works!
Kubota B 40C rotary tiller - Some jokester sold this to my bro. Doesn't have the right length drive shaft and collar for the B7500 PTO, so it's essentially counter-weight for FEL use. Otherwise, it's a nice tiller.
Gearmore L-48-40-XB-Z rotary mower. Works fine but is too long to be optimal for hilly, uneven ground.
Spike tooth harrow - Would work okay on flat ground with deep soil, but needs either a weight or a 3 point system that carries it lower. Doesn't have good ground contact.
Gearmore offset disc. Too heavy for the B7500. Turning around on a slope is a thrill, even with the FEL carrying weight.
My needs in order of hours usage are:
1. FEL for managing 11 tons of compost/year (horses). Used weekly. The little FEL I have is fine, but a foot wider and more capacity would be a time saver.
2. Mower for about 6 acres of hilly land with lots of obstructions (trees, fencing, roadway, infrastructure, washboard ground from old orchard terraces). Used weekly from April - mid-July and then again in October. I think a flail mower would be best over uneven ground because of it's short depth.
3. Plow/tiller/subsoiler for loosening soil so I can gradually grade away the washboards. Would use in Nov.-Dec., March-April.
4. 3 point scraper for grading away the washboards and also grubbing sod off about 3 acres of hilly land. Would use in Nov.-Dec., March-April.
5. pulling a chain harrow. Used weekly. ATV can manage light raking but need tractor for aggressive tines
6. assorted barn and landscape jobs besides trenching (we rent and wreck trenchers because of a layer of river cobble under the top soil).
A compact tractor with a FEL and enough hp for a flail mower, subsoiler and scraper are my priorities. Recommendations for minimum HP?