Tractor Sizing tractor size ??

[Fredex]

Re: need 4wd for the farm. Tell us more about what you plan to do on the 12 acres. Then tell your dealer the same thing and ask him/her what part of that a 4wd 1552 could do that a 2wd 471 would not be capable of. My guess is that the extra weight and larger rear tires will make the 471 just as capable. And the FEL will be stronger. Perhaps not quite as handy in close quarters but not a large difference. I would size the tractor for the heaviest duty - 60 miles of mowing.

[AndyMA]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Joe thanks for your input
the mowing is actually a state walking / biking trail and is very clean &amp; very flat - tis why I thought about the finish mower. )</font>

I don't think I've ever seen a finish mower used on a road side, always Bush Hog or Flail. I agree with the rest of the posters, the machine you are considering is too small.

Andy

[highboard]

Fredex,
as for the 12 acres - would mostly use the same "8' finish mower" (try &amp; kill 2 birds here), box blade, landscape rake, fel &amp; disc.
6 - acres yard / pasture, 6 acres grove with soft &amp; deep sugar sand on sloped terrain (4wd stuff)

[Fredex]

Well, I admit I don't have experience with the "soft sugar sand" you mentioned. Therefore I will back off and say "I don't know" on the question of the need for 4wd on the larger utility tractor. I get along just fine with 2wd utility machine of same approx size as the MF 471 using implements similar to yours, but I have loam &amp; clay, no soft sand. With the CUT in your conditions I would agree, 4wd, larger UT, can't say. Any neighbors you can compare with about the larger UT machine?

[highboard]

well I'm now thinking about a DK55 CAB &amp; FEL, its only about 1K more than MF 1552 and appears to be a bit more heavier duty w/ touch more HP. The Dyna tranny on 1552 sure seemed nice though.....

Getting a "blessing" on the DK55 from you folks sure would give me that warm fuzzy feeling.

also still thinking about the Rhino FM100 finish mower since the trail is so clean &amp; flat.

[JoeinTX]

Well, that does sound nice for the money.

I know nothing about the Kioti, other than that it is the same ballpark as what your looking at, but the Kioti pilots around here like them a great deal.

As for getting anyone here's "blessing", we probably rate higher in our own minds than in all reality... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[KiotiJohn]

The DK55 cab is really a lot of tractor for the money. Great features. I love the rear outside hitch lever which is also available on the DK45S and DK65S. Sure makes hook up a lot easier.

John

[highboard]

well I got the DK45CAB w/ FEL, grapple, Kioti 7' finish mower, rhino SE7A brushcutter, BB, Rake, pallet forks.

mowed trail 1st time last week with SE7A, took 13 hours 60 mile round trip and full tank of fuel plus 7 gallons. hauled 2 - 10 gallon tanks in FEL bucket. mowed 10 & 12 acre grove, did some BB & rake work, cleaned brush w/ grapple & unloaded several Lifts of PVC pipe, used 7' SE7A for counterweight - need to fill rears. hoping to mow trail in 12 hours next time. it was pretty high & thick since last mowing (other contractor) was over 4 weeks ago.

now looking for disc/sickle mower. need to mow along lake bank & possibly use under grove trees in lieu of herbicide. need to tilt 15 deg below horizontal to clean lake bank. possibly use for 60 mile trail?????

anyhooo, just wanted to let everyone know which way I went. did appreciate everyones input.

DK45CAB is great!! Althought I did have the A/C replaced after only 6 hours.....