Another newbie looking for advice, JD or Kubota

[Cityboyfarmer]

I am shopping for a new farm tractor. I am looking at the JD 5105 FWD with a 522 loader, and the Kubota M4800SUD with the LA10025R1 loader.

I own 37 acres in central Ga. Some fairly steep slopes, some gentle slopes, some flat. About 25 acres cleared, the rest in hardwood bottom.

Looking to fence in at least 20 acres and plant in coastal bermuda and other forage. I have a big mess to clean up as pines have just been harvested. After I hire a bulldozer to dig up stumps, I will have lots of tractor work to do, harrowing and planting etc.

We will be keeping horses for my daughter and some beef cattle for our consumption. Once the fences are up and a barn built, we will be looking to board horses for additional income.

So, are these size tractors adequate? Which brand do you guys prefer?

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Both are great! It might get down to dealer support and ergonomics. You might be able to get them to bring the units out for a demo.

Have you ruled aout a large frame CUT? They are quite capable and might offer some advantages for your type of operation...

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

OK, I'm gonna have to "skin my ignorance" as my dad used to say! What is a large frame cut? I'm in the learning stage and don't know all the terminology yet.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

NO PROBLEM!!! That's why this is here!

CUT = compact utility tractor; the ones you are looking at are utility tractors. They are somehat larger/heavier.

For some things, a utility is just the thing. But in tight places, and all, a cut can sneak in and do a great job. I am NOT saying you are wrong to look at at a utility, but it would also be good to look at a CUT.

A large frame one like a Deere 4120-4720 would still easily handle a 6' medium duty (what you and I would call heavy duty) rotary cutter. You can handle round bales, just about anything the utility will do short of actually pulling a baler (which the models you cited probably aren't ideal for, and your property size isn't suited to either...)

A CUT is probably something your wife might be inclined to use (although that might be just the thing you want to avoid /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif - guess who gets more seat time at my house...

Anyway, I am just throwing out a suggestion. take a look at them at your dealerships. Check out the websites, They list what attachments are suitable.

Have FUN!

 

[firtol88]

My vote should be obvious.

The 4?20s deserve a look.

 

[frank_f15]

1st of all WELCOME TO THE FORUM! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif and 2nd, oth will be more than adequate for your uses, have you sat on them and tried them out? one might feel better to you than the other.

 

[Ronny_Clark]

I own a JD 5105 MFWD,with a 522 FEL and absolutely love it. It handles very well and has done every job I have asked it to do. I looked at the kubota but they were about 2 grand higher than the JD. Very comfortable and is a horse. Good luck tractor shopping. Dont think you can wrong with either one.

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Which brand do you guys prefer? )</font>
Well, I prefer Kioti, but you're asking about Deere and Kubota, and they're both excellent machines.
I would only suggest that you get the most HP and weight you can get for the ground engaging work you're going to inevitably be doing. Weight for traction, and HP to pull larger implements to cut down on the massive amount of time you'll need to do all those acres. You're post holing won't be such an issue as the dirt work will, but if you get undersized, you'll have a hard time pulling a good sized set of discs, a larger boxblade etc.
I think the range you're in now is pretty decent, I wouldn't go any less.
For my purposes, and future plans, I want the heaviest tractor I can get, so I look to Kioti, Mahindra, Zetor for weight as they usually are heavier than comparable models.
John

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Looks like I'll be going green primarily for the location of the JD dealer, which is 7 miles away. The reliable Kubota dealers are an hour away. There is a closer Kubota dealer, but their dependability is questionable.

Anyway, the delivered price for the 5105 with the 522 loader is $23,197. The dealer also offered to sell me the 5205 for exactly $1000 more. From my research this seems pretty fair. What do you guys think?

 

[thcri]

I think your getting a pretty good deal. But I would also do some more thinking on spending the extra 1,000. Me, I would do it especially if this is a rig you are going to keep for a long time. That 1,000 extra over twenty years is not much.

murph