Tractor Sizing How to size a new tractor

[lhfarm]

Greetings - We have a 54 acre "future retirement" farm, 10 acres of pasture/yard, the rest rolling woods located in central Indiana. Currently run a '64 Ford 4000 w/FEL and a '64 Cub Lo-Boy. The Cub was just retired as my lawn machine by a ZTR. Have been thinking about trading one/both for a new/used CUT, but just starting to look. The real focus is on a replacement for the Ford.

The Ford was a 45hp when new gas machine. I have used it to bale a few acres of hay, road (gravel, steep drive) and trail maintenance. I have collected a pretty extensive pile of rusty implements (post hole digger, bush hog, plow, disc, scoop, etc.). Need a backhoe - adding one is what made me start looking at a replacement.

So, I think the 4000 is about the right size (hp wise). Would a 4WD and a diesel lower my HP requirements?

Thanks,
Barry
Lawson Hill Farm

 

[Whiskey]

lhfarm


<font color="blue"> So, I think the 4000 is about the right size (hp wise). Would a 4WD and a diesel lower my HP requirements?
</font>

For the size of property you have I don't think having a diesel and 4WD is going to lower your HP requirements

Can you give us a little insite on what you will be doing with the tractor and how your property is cut up...how much is going to be mowed with the tractor, how much driveway and work in the wood's with the new machine, does it have to be nimble to manuver in the wood or can you get a big tractor in and around your woods?

Maybe we can better help answer your queestion.

 

[lhfarm]

The property is on rolling hills. I maintain about 10 acres of pasture. I currently am trying to raise praire grass, but will do an occasional mowing and less occasional baling. But I do need something big enough for the baler. I bush hog and sometimes grade trails through the other 40 acres of woods.

I have two small (1/4-1/2 acre) farm ponds to maintain (would love to have a BH for cleaning up shore line) and a 1500' drive (gravel) that brings you up 250' from the county road to the house. In addition to grading, I need to clean drainage ditches along the drive. Another reason I NEED a backhoe.

The 4000 is about as big as I would go for getting around in the woods. Many of the trails are actually abandon RFD wagon roads. I need something big enough to haul the occasional log out (I have a real respect for the dangers assoicated with this) and powerful enough to pull a wagon full of firewood up steep grades.

I have a number of trees to plant (I NEED a backhoe - practicing selling the idea to my wife!) and some site preperation for a new barn to park the tractor in.

I really like the idea of CUT size, 4WD and quick FEL/BH removal.

Barry

 

[Whiskey]

lhfarm:

I'm going to be talkin' out my backside on some of this, so some of the others will chim in.

Most everthing you talk about you can do 30-35 HP and I would stick with 4WD, the closer you stay to 35 the better and implaments in the 6 foot width work better,

It's the bailing and haulin' the occasional log out. From what I understand you need more HP for bailing this is the part I'm talking out my backside, I don't have a clue about bailing hay.

Maybe I should have said 35-40 HP, that sounds better to me now that I've typed all this /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[twabscs]

What size/model baler do you have? For 50+ acres and the possibility of doing some hay work, I'd move more toward 50+ HP. Maybe the Kubota 5030L? I eventually felt that my TC40D was too small for my 40 acre place.

 

[BB_TX]

lhfarm - There are a lot of knowledgeable people here with a lot of experience. But I would recommend talking to the various dealers about what the minimum size CUT would run the specific baler you have. Obviously, balers can run from very small to very large. You may be out of the CUT range.

 

[lhfarm]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( lhfarm - Obviously, balers can run from very small to very large. You may be out of the CUT range. )</font>
All my stuff can be called antique! The baler is an IH model square baler from the 60's. I suspect that I may be near the top of the CUT range. I tried to find someone to do the baling, but no one wanted to bring equipment up our drive. So I need to have the option of doing baling.

There aren't any dealers of any color in the nearest town, but I suspect a trip to a few dealers might be in order. I'm trying to be very slow and steady in my approach to this. Seeing all the pictures and hearing about how much fun folks here have with their CUTs is making it tough not to rush into buying something!

Barry

 

[BB_TX]

<font color="blue"> how much fun folks here have with their CUTs </font> /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Hush. Our wives might read that. We keep telling them this is work and we MUST have these toys, oops, tools to do that work. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Keith_B]

If you don't need 4WD I would go with a 2WD about 50 HP and get a loader on it. There are lots of good value priced tractors, JD has the 03 series, there are the Farmtracs, Mahindras. You should be able to get a utility in about the 45-50 HP range with a loader for $18,000 or less.

 

[Varmintmist]

You can run a older SMALLer baler with a CUT. If it is PTO driven 40ish HP would probably be a good idea, a heavy 35 will work also.

Eaisest way to find out is go to the dealers and ask if X machine will run your baler. It is that simple.

Tha baler is your biggest implement so if you are going to bale, then you need to size the tractor to it. A 35hp machine will run everything else you have without any trouble. If a 35 will run your baler, then you know how small you can go.

The thing is, if you are only doing 10ac, do you really want to bother?