garden/subcompact/compact for my needs?

   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs? #1  

QuasarZ

Silver Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2014
Messages
104
Location
Western WI
Tractor
Previous Branson 2400H. Looking for new
Hello everyone, new here and have a questions about the most suitable equipment for my needs.

I have 6.5 acres that I will be building on this spring that is evenly split between woods and grass/field. I will have about a 1500 foot gravel driveway. So I know for sure I will need something to mow and plow/blow the snow. There will be a lot of brush/scrap stuff Ill slowly be clearing out in the woods over time. But once that is complete I don't foresee much clearing besides the occasional fallen tree. So basically I need to mow, snow plow, haul firewood, maintain driveway, and probably move mulch/dirt etc in the future.

The bobcat CT122 seems like a nice size between the true subcompact and compact but they aren't making them anymore, however I do have a bobcat dealer really close. Would the kioti equivalent of CK20 be comparable? I also have a cub cadet dealer close so I was researching those but it seems cub cadet isn't making them, they are now all yanmar? If I get a yanmar will the cub cadet dealer service it?

Any info is appreciated. Thanks!
 
   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs? #2  
The Kioti CK20 and the CT122 are the same tractor. You can get Kioti in gear or HST. The BC is only HST. Not a bad choice if you can only have one machine to do all. A better, albeit more expensive approach, is to get a GT to mow with and a CUT for the bigger stuff (like the CK/CT). Other good "tweener" sized tractors would be the Mahindra MAX series and the TYM T2xx series. I think LS makes something in this size too, as does Kubota with their smaller B-series. I wouldn't be afraid to go Yanmar either. Many have lots of good things to say about them.

If it were me and money were no object, I'd go with a JD X700 series for mowing (may be snow blowing too), and a Kioti CK35 with bolt-on grapple and 2 rear remotes. The weight of the CKs, I think, makes them too heavy for mowing, but is ideal for loader, Brush management, pulling, ground engagement.

I have a CK25 gear with filled tires. Weights about 5000 lbs. It compacts my yard. So, I keep it off unless chore demands its capabilities. For mowing, I've been using a JD425, but just recently upgraded to an X739. I've always used the JD's for snowplowing too. They are just way more maneuverable in tight places. Won't handle as big of attachments as the Kioti will, but the agility more than makes up for it. And I am less likely to run into things and tear them up since the JDs don't have loaders and are a much smaller footprint.

For mulching and compost spreading, I used the loader on the CK to fill a dump trailer behind the JD. Keeps the big tractor out of the yard, yet my wife and I can easily spread 10 yards of mulch in a day without killing ourselves (relatively). Her on the JD; me operating the loader. We place piles on the edge of the beds and then come back and spread them with rakes and pitch forks. Where I can I just dump the piles with the loader, but that's mainly on the outside working in from a field where I don't much care about compaction.

Also, the X739 (HDAP tires, no chains) is way better in the snow than my Kioti (R4s, no chains). Will go through 8" of snow up steep hills without a problem. Any deeper and ground clearance stops you. The Kioti won't climb the hills in the snow and is really dangerous on steep slopes in those situations. I'm sure chains would make a difference, but that is why I went from the 425 to the X739: to avoid dealing with chains.
 
   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs? #3  
Ratchet Rake, LLC - Rip and Dig, All Terrain Rake, Snow Edge, Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction atta

I think your looking at the right size. You should determine whether you want a stand alone mower or want to use the tractor with either a mmm or a rear finish mower. A stand alone mower can be purchased for about the samemoney as a mmm. The advantage is you can keep whatever attachments you have been using on the tractor and not drop them when it comes time to mow.

I opted for the mmm. Its a trade off but something to consider.

I think a B series Kubota would be in your size range for the uses you describe. But there are a number of good brand choices. Regardless, take a look at Ratchet Rake as a tool that I think would be extremely useful to your situation. It would help prepare lawn area as well as help clean up woods and brushy areas.

I have the original ratchet rake that attaches to the loader and also have the Rip n Dig.
 
   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs? #4  
I've done everything you need to do for the last 17 years with a 16 h.p. 1982 MTD lawn tractor, lol.
So any scut would do everything you need to do while giving you a front end loader. And has a low purchase price so you can buy some implements.
I went with a B2620 (about same size as the CT122) just to have the extra ground clearance when I'm pulling firewood out of the bush.
 
   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs? #5  
With your acreage I would skip the sub compacts and go up to a compact tractor with close to or about 30 HP. One thing that you will find is that there will be more uses for the tractor than you can foresee right now. A little heavier tractor will help with everything that you listed. I would consider a 3 point mower, as an underbelly is a pain to have to keep putting on and off every time you want to work in the woods. You will also appreciate the increased loader and 3 point capacities when working on your driveway or using the loader.
I have 1/3 the length of your driveway (500 ft) and acreage (2) plus another 2 that I mow for a neighbor that I can use for whatever. My Kubota BX25 is just about perfect for my needs, but occasionally I wish I would have gone a little larger and bought a B model. The low center of gravity won me over to the BX for use on my hills.
With about 3 acres of woods, if you have ash trees, they will all soon be dead, if not already so. Branches of all kinds fall constantly with every storm and Spring cleanup is a guaranteed thing. If you have a Kioti dealer close by, take a look at them. Let your dealer help you find the right size tractor but keep in mind that he hasn't seen your place. I do believe that first time tractor buyers have a tendency to want to buy undersized. Tractors also look much bigger in a showroom but they keep shrinking the more you actually use them.
 
   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs? #6  
Just buy one tractor that will do all jobs. Buying a gas rider is a waste of money. Once you have a diesel cut/scut, a gas lawnmower will collect dust.
 
   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs? #7  
The mid mount mower is not a pain on my B. It's a drive over deck. Couldn't be any easier.

I mow two acres, snowblow and grade a 300 foot driveway, till a garden, lift 9 foot long up to 19" diameter maple hardwood logs, maintain just over a mile of bushroad and haul my firewood out with a small dump trailer and I can't see any need why I would have had to spend any more than I did on my B2620.
 
   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Thanks for the replies. I have a Massey Ferguson, kubota, JD, and New Holland dealers close by. There is kioti that is 5 hours away which is a bummer. Branson dealer is about 2 hours.
 
   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs? #9  
I have a Massey Ferguson, kubota, JD, and New Holland dealers close by.

All good solid tractors. You cannot go wrong with any of them.

Once you start to visit dealers and actually discuss tractors you will find four dealers, each with multiple tiers of product, amply confusing.

Sub-compact tractors usually have 9" ground clearance. If you will be in woods regularly, consider if this is enough ground clearance for the work you want to accomplish.
 
   / garden/subcompact/compact for my needs? #10  
I am going to make 2 suggestions for you with the acreage that you have. First, I think you will find the cut to be more useful than a sub compact. I do not have your acreage and I have a CK20 Kioti. With all the snow and other work I do, I am so thankful I bought it. I do not think a sub compact would go through deep snow. Second, if you have 2 or more acres of grass to cut, you will enjoy a zero turn mower. I have a Scag and it cuts the grass in half the time as my tractor. If you leave a front end loader on your tractor and try to mow with it, you must be very careful near buildings and/or trees and shrubbery when making turns.
 
 
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