Tractor Sizing What size do I need?

   / What size do I need? #1  

jthakwvu

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Long time lurker here and about to purchase my first tractor. My question is more of what size do you guys think I may need as opposed to what brand. I'll worry about that later.
I'll try to give as much details about the land as possible. I have about 4 acres of lawn all on an incline that I have been mowing with a riding lawn mower for the past 7 years but I thinks it's just too much ground as that machine died this year.
I also do some landscaping and could use a bucket along with a MMM. Also, I'm closing on a 101 acres Oct. 1 and I have included an aerial map below. Everything not covered by trees is well maintained and decently level with a fair amount of fruit trees.
I would consider the dark green area to be "lawn" and the rest is cut for hay. The tree covered areas is all rugged terrain but I probably won't do much with the tractor there. Maybe some brush hogging behind the "lawn" area. The lawn area looks to be about 10 acres. The fields maybe a generous 15-20 acres.
Will obviously need either a rotary cutter or get into the hay cutting for the fields. So that would put me with needing a finish type mower, rotary cutter, FEL and probably a hoe in the future.

I'll be financing the machine and looking for 0% interest deal and would hate to go over 20k on just the tractor and mower for now. Will had the other attachments as I go. I know I'll get a better deal if I combine everything into a package butim just looking at the monthly price to stay low for the time being.

I was strongly considering a SCUT (John Deere 1025 with 60" 7-iron auto-connect deck and a rear blade combo for about 14k) but after a lot of reading, it seems that may be too small? So, what do you all think? Thanks in advance! image-3867058770.jpg
 
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   / What size do I need? #2  
The 4 acres of lawn and the 101 acres tend to place opposite needs of what tractor size to recommend. If the 4 acres lawn is open and relatively free of trees and shrubs, then I would be looking at a 30 pto horse power tractor. I would suggest looking at a rear mounted finish mower to hold down cost and getting the front loader with the tractor. The front loader will prove to be very valuable.

Carefull shopping should get you the tractor, front loader and rear mount finish mower as a package. If you purchase from an out of state dealer you can avoid sales tax and still stay at your $20k limit,(Barlows Kubota in Kentucky for instance).
 
   / What size do I need? #3  
$20K doesn't seem to buy much these days. My sister lives on our maternal grandparents 115 acre homeplace. Her husband has more money than God. He just spent $60K for a new Kabota and bat wing mower. My advice would be to satisfy whatever need you have as the need arises and as resources can allow.
 
   / What size do I need? #4  
I have about 4 acres of lawn all on an incline

I also do some landscaping and could use a bucket along with a MMM.

Also, I'm closing on a 101 acres Oct. 1 and I have included an aerial map below.

The lawn area looks to be about 10 acres.

The fields maybe a generous 15-20 acres.

Will obviously need either a rotary cutter or get into the hay cutting for the fields. So that would put me with needing a finish type mower, rotary cutter, bucket and probably a hoe in the future.

I'll be financing the machine and looking for 0% interest deal and would hate to go over 20k on just the tractor and mower for now.
As soon as you change your mind and try to haul a decent sized tree out of the woods you'll want a bigger tractor. You should plan on starting with about 40HP.

0% interest is worthless if the ride doesn't fit your needs. As written check with Barlow's, also try Messicks. Remember what you don't spend on the tractor can be spent on implements, or party girls.

And cutting hay on "small" acreage has generally been viewed here as an excellent way to get rid of excess money. The equipment is expensive.

For instance at the upper end of your need:
Messicks has what reads like a very nice Kioti 50C w/ 500 hrs W/ CAB but not HST, for $18.5 asking
usedview.ashx


And get a ZTR for your 10 acre golf course.
 
   / What size do I need? #5  
You said a mouthful there. It seems to me that most farming/logging operations are expensive hobbies that allow middlemen to pay terrific executive bonuses.
 
   / What size do I need? #6  
Are you going to build and move to the new property or keep both properties. How close are they? Will you be able yo drive or trailer equipment back and forth?

if you are never going to log out the woods, you go lighter than if you are going to log and build a road thru the woods.

for the price of a mmm, you may be able to get a dedicated mowing machine with about a 60 inch mower. Then get a tractor loader for the 100 acres with the balance of your budget.

There are a lot of different ways to go.
 
   / What size do I need? #7  
if your adding 100acs you really need 2 tractors.1. a 25hp compact with a mower deck an loader to mow your 4acs.2.a 50hp or better tractor to tend to your 100acs.
 
   / What size do I need?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
I will be keeping both properties, might build on the 100 acres later down the road. I live on the 4 acres now and the 100 acres has a small house, a garage, barn and storage shed. The properties are about 7 miles apart.

I figured trailering between the two or just store the tractor at the farm and follow the advice on here and just get a dedicated mower for the 4 acres.

50hp?, that's a big machine for sure. Thanks to the hay cutting advice, I think I would rather use the 15-20 acre fields for a deer food plot.

I went to the local Kubota dealer this evening and looked at the L3800. I think it's a 30hp to the PTO. I have seen some nice package deals with the tractor, FEL, rotary cutter, box blade and trailer for around 22k. Seems like a pretty good deal.

Thanks so far for the replies.
 
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   / What size do I need? #9  
If you purchase from an out of state dealer you can avoid sales tax and still stay at your $20k limit,(Barlows Kubota in Kentucky for instance).

You can avoid the sales tax, but WV charges a "use tax" that is the same amount as sales tax. If you don't pay it, and get caught, it's tax evasion, and can be felony. I wouldn't want that sort of advice connected to me, even if it's only via a forum.
 
   / What size do I need? #10  
If you will be moving ROUND hay bales you will need a tractor with 50-hp and a Front End Loader, minimum.

Small round bales are 1,000 pounds, larger ones 2,000 pounds. Loaders for 50-hp tractors will generally lift around 2,000 pounds to full height, when new. You will probably need to stack them two high at some point.

With a 50-hp tractor/loader you can pull 72" and 84" implements.

Trying to work your fields with 60" implements behind a L3800 will get old after day three. It could be done but other work on your property calls every minute you are in the seat.

L3800's LA524FL FEL has a lift capacity of 1,500 pounds, when new. Not enough for Round Bales.

I suggest browsing the HAYING FORUM here on T-B-N. There are twenty-seven pages of Thread Titles in the Haying Forum.

You probably would not drive a truck with 50-hp. Why consider a tractor with less than 50-hp when tractor will pull 400 - 1,400 pound ground contact implements over uneven ground and power some of the implements through the PTO?
 
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