Buying Advice Thoughts on New Tractor?

   / Thoughts on New Tractor? #1  

FranklinTN

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Franklin
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Have 18 acres, a 4 acre pasture with overgrown field grass. 3 acres of other open space around the house, driveway, barns, etc. that is currently finish mowed.
The rest of the property is wooded and unkept. These days I feel like a part-time lumberjack cutting down trees and cleaning up all the old, downed limbs.

My question here is how large or small for a new tractor do I go?
Essentially narrowed down to Kubota (L3301 maybe) and JD (3038E?) as a start. Doubt I should go smaller, but should I go bigger?

My uses, now and possibly future:
Field Mowing
Ground Leveling
Hauling (rocks, limbs, tree stumps, mulch, dirt, etc.)
Mulch Spreading
Moving Large Rocks
Planting Large Shrubs/Trees
Fence Maintenance Pulling out old posts
Driveway Leveling
Push/Pull Stumps
Till for a garden
Plow or turn over 4 acre field, or more depending no how much tree clearing
Hay/Bailing
Creek edge trimming
Creek widening
Chipper/Shredder and/or wood splitter
Auger
 
   / Thoughts on New Tractor? #2  
How much tractor operating experience do you have?

How flat/hilly is your land?
 
   / Thoughts on New Tractor? #3  
The predecessor to the L3301 was the B3300 SU, a tractor-loader package.

I owned and operated this B3300SU for 400 hours. I sold B3300SU for my current (Grand) L3560. Same horsepower, twice as heavy, wider stance, lots of bells and whistles standard. Much more capable tractor, more efficient to operate, safer to operate, just a smidgeon larger than the L3301. Weight is the key factor.

The optional attachments I would consider:

FEL (Front End Loader) LA805 with SSQA (Skid Steer Quick Attach) L2296 Heavy-Duty, Round-Back Bucket.

R4 Industrial Tires, usually paired with a tractor equipped with an FEL.

Ratchet Rake attachment for the L2296 bucket.

Bucket Spade attachment for the L2296 bucket.


These tasks are within the capability of L3560 with above options:

Ground Leveling / minor
Hauling (rocks, limbs, tree stumps, mulch, dirt, etc.)
Mulch Spreading
Planting Large Shrubs/Trees
Fence Maintenance Pulling out old posts
Driveway Leveling / minor


L3560 is capable for following tasks but implements required:

Field Mowing 6' or 7' PTO powered Rotary Cutter (Bush Hog)

Ground Leveling - Disc Harrow with 18" or 20" diameter pans + FEL bucket adorned with Ratchet Rake.
Driveway Leveling (same)
Till for a garden (same)
Plow or turn over 4 acre field (same)

Chipper/Shredder and/or wood splitter

Auger


Equipment other than L3560 needed for the following:

Push/Pull Stumps >3" = Tracked Excavator
Creek edge trimming = Tracked Excavator
Creek widening = Tracked Excavator
Moving rocks > 2,000 pounds = Tracked Excavator

Hay/Baling
 

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   / Thoughts on New Tractor?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Fairly flat land, tons of rock! Lots of cedar trees.
Tractor experience, very little. Have owned land just never this much. Experience with large garden tractors, somewhat mechanical.
 
   / Thoughts on New Tractor? #5  
Fairly flat land, tons of rock!

You really need the L2296 HD, RB bucket with SSQA attachment.

LINK: https://www.google.com/search?clien...#q=Kubotra+L2296+bucket+site:tractorbynet.com

You really need a Ratchet Rake.

In addition to the Ratchet Rake you may want a Tooth Bar for digging. The RR is better for rock removal, but you cannot dig with it. Tooth Bar turns your bucket into a fair digging tool in rocky "soil".

LINK: https://www.google.com/search?q=too...ChMIxe2vtLnrxwIVBCuICh2T4QbY&biw=1280&bih=703

You may want a grapple with SSQA attachment.
 
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   / Thoughts on New Tractor? #6  
Grapple is great for cleaning up trees and limbs, drive up, grab it and go. Use mine to pick up everything. Very handy for cutting trees. Pick up and cut at waist height.
 
   / Thoughts on New Tractor? #7  
It depends on your budget, but you could do the work with the size tractor you stated, but slightly larger would be a little better in the long run. I feel you are in the right range. There are online comparisons between these two basic models you listed. However, I would suggest you also look at a couple other brands like Massey, Kioti etc. just for your own reference/price comparisons.

Definitely get the SSQA for your FEL and I would recommend a set of forks for moving large rocks, stumps, brush etc. they are very handy and a lot of bang for the buck.

Btw, get your rear tires filled and have some weight or attachment on your 3pt when using your FEL.

For minor land leveling and driveways a land plane works great though pricier than a boxblade which would also work for you. You can build up your attachments over time once you get a tractor and assess your continuing needs. Look up piranha tooth bar.

A backhoe really expands the work capability of a tractor for the type of work you outlined, but others would suggest to rent or do without. In my case the backhoe has been really helpful.

Btw, welcome to the forum.
 
   / Thoughts on New Tractor? #8  
I'd bump up the size one, especially if you want to run hay or a chipper, those 2 you mentioned are a little on the light side as well. Consider other brands as well.
 
 
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