Buying Advice First Time Buyer

[Farmer Matt]

Hello,
My wife and I lease 2.5 acres and farm vegetables (row crop production). We see ourselves getting up to about 7 acres in the future. We've worked manually for two seasons now and well its time for a tractor.

We are trying to find a tractor that can fulfill the following needs...

-48" center to center (rear tread), with back AG tires as narrow as 12"

-Something around 50Hp since we will try to use this tractor for everything. Everything means mowing down our cover crop, discing the fields once or twice a year. Tilling the soil, forming beds and transplanting vegetables. Using an undercutter bar to help harvest root crops and sweet potatoes. From time to time we might use a loader to spread some compost around but the priority is mow, disc, till, transplant...

-We'd like a creeper gear which will greatly help for transplanting. Or a tractor that can go as slow as a creeper gear can go...

-has 4WD

We've been looking at Kubota's mostly. Specifically the L4701 and are starting to look at the MX series. But we are open to other types of tractors too.
Any input will be helpful.

 

[jeff9366]

Hello,
My wife and I lease 2.5 acres and farm vegetables (row crop production).
We are trying to find a tractor that can fulfill the following needs...

1) -Something around 50Hp since we will try to use this tractor for everything. Everything means mowing down our cover crop, discing the fields once or twice a year. Tilling the soil, forming beds and transplanting vegetables. Using an undercutter bar to help harvest root crops and sweet potatoes. From time to time we might use a loader to spread some compost around but the priority is mow, disc/till, transplant...

2) -We'd like a creeper gear which will greatly help for transplanting. Or a tractor that can go as slow as a creeper gear can go...

3) We've been looking at Kubota's mostly. Specifically the L4701 and are starting to look at the MX series.
We are trying to find a tractor with approximately 48" center to center (rear tread) {outside-to-outside?},
with back AG tires as narrow as 12"

But we are open to other types of tractors too.

1) The large rear wheels on tractors provide tremendous mechanical advantage when PULLING. You will be able to meet your objectives to mow, till, transplant with a Kubota L2501 if you wish. You probably want a PTO powered Roto-Tiller for 2 acres to 3 acres, or for 7 acres in multiple crops, rather than a Disc Harrow. Both implements are soil mixing tillers in different forms. A Kubota L2501 will power a 54" or 60" wide roto-tiller easily.

Tractor weight is as important as tractor horsepower for the tasks you have defined. Once you have operated a light tractor under load for a few hours, then move to a heavy tractor, the value of greater weight is a REVELATION. The heaviest small tractor produced by Kubota is the L3560. I own/operate a Kubota L3560, my second Kubota and third tractor overall. Each tractor heavier than the last.



2) Creeper gear today is the Hydrostatic Transmission (HST) which produces maximum torque at creeper speed. You can creep at 1/100th mph with HST, under load, as routine. ( Cruise control is a productive option if you will operate at creep speed for long periods.)

Most tractors in the sizes you will consider are sold with HST transmissions. Almost all are equipped with 4-WD as standard, MX series being somewhat the exception.



3) *L2501 has rear width of 55.1" and a Category 1 (size) Three Point Hitch
***L3560 has rear width of 59.8" and a Category 1 (size) Three Point Hitch
***L4701 has rear width of 62.4" and a Category 1 (size) Three Point Hitch
***MX series has rear width of 69.7" and a Category 2 (size) Three Point Hitch (Ag rear tire width: 14.9")

***WIDTHS ALL WITH R1 AG TIRES

Implements sized for the Category 1 (size) Three Point Hitch are produced in the greatest volume, are more available at tractor dealers and are more competitively priced than larger, heavier implements sized for the Category 2 (size) Three Point Hitch.


LINKS: Compact Tractors | L2501 | Kubota Tractor Corporation

Tractors -'Grand L' --60 Series | Kubota Tractor Corporation

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/308251-disc-harrow-selection-18-45-a.html?highlight=

tractor weight Vs Tractor horsepower site:tractorbynet.com - Google Search


Photos: Expect you will desire a Three Point Hitch mounted Cultivator.

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the TBN Forum Matt. Jeff makes a lot of good points. I would recommend that you test drive each one you are thinking about before making a decision and make sure the feel is right for you.