What to buy?

[barticus73]

I have a Cub Cadet 7272, 27hp 2wd tractor with a Cub 476 loader. I own a 40 acre farm with another 60 acre parcel 5 miles away. I am in need of a backhoe of some type for routine chores around the property such as installing drain lines, cleaning ditches, general digging duties, etc. I know I could rent one but would rather own my own now. My dilemma is what to buy. My initial thought was to sell the 7272 and buy a new CUT in the 30-40hp range set up as a TLB. This was feasable as the money from the cub would be a down payment and I could finance the rest hopefully at zero percent which many are currently offering. Well, seems noone wants a used 2wd tractor so this option has been shut down.(Tractor been listed for 3 months now in various places without any offers, lol). I called around about getting a backhoe for the 7272 but it seems difficult to find a submounted hoe for this unit and the price I would likely be around 8 - 9 thousand if I did. Plus the hoe would be a little one with 6'6" digging depth. My other options running through my head are(I would like to stay under $10k, if feasable):

1. Used older TLB such as a Case 580 (May be too heavy for my needs?)

2. Used Skid Steer with quick attach hoe(Favorite option so far as I could use the skid steer for other jobs such as cleaning out the barn, etc. How well do used ones hold up though?)

3. Used Mini Excavator.(Never used one but see them in this price range on Ebay, etc all the time)

If I bought something used in this price range I would keep the 7272. Any reccommendations?

 

[Soundguy]

I like 1 or 2

1, Gives you the drawbar power of a larger tractor if you need it.. 40 - 100 ac is quite a bit of land to manage with a 27 hp tractor.. thus a larger AG tractor.. perhaps with a QA backhoe might even be nice. ( 100 ac is a big place for a 27hp tractor to play in.. )

2, A skid steer is always usefull.. if you like them.

Soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I like 1 or 2

1, Gives you the drawbar power of a larger tractor if you need it.. 40 - 100 ac is quite a bit of land to manage with a 27 hp tractor.. thus a larger AG tractor.. perhaps with a QA backhoe might even be nice. ( 100 ac is a big place for a 27hp tractor to play in.. )

2, A skid steer is always usefull.. if you like them.

Soundguy

Skid steers are THE way to go IMHO. Just a couple blocks away from the office is a BobCat dealer. We use their product and services quite a bit. With a GOOD skidsteer you can rent attachments (like a backhoe) that give you flexability unmatched with any other piece of equipment. Skidsteers are getting bigger by the day. High HP models, especially track mounted versions will do what a small bulldozer struggles with.

 

[barticus73]

FWIW I also have a Farmall 544, approx 50hp.

 

[patrick_g]

If you mow the place or spray it or do anything requiring lots of seat time stretched over a considerable path length then a skid steer is not a good choice. Skid steer doesn't do 3PH. There are tasks that the skid steer will do well (or better) but a decent tractor can do most of those and almost as well in many instances.

I have 160 acres and a 40 horse tractor. There are very few tasks that I can't do with it that a larger tractor would do much better (not just a bit faster.) Dragging a huge disk to create fire breaks in fewer passes was one of the only that come to mind. Four wheel drive is mandatory for a smaller CUT. A practical rule of thumb that is approximately right in the 20-50 HP range is that a four wheel drive tractor will usually do the same work that a 1.5 times as powerful two wheel drive tractor will do. For example a two wheel drive tractor with 60 HP is about equally capable to my 40 HP four wheel drive. MANY two wheel drive tractors don't have front end components (spindles etc.) that are beefy enough to handle HD FEL, pallet fork, or hay spike duty. I see a lot of two wheel drive tractors retrofitted with FEL but too spindly to allow much work between breakdowns.

A skid steer is a wonderful piece of equipment to get after you have a tractor and the implements you need and still can't do all you want that the skid steeer is good at. A decent CUT will do most of what a skid steer does but a skid steer can't do most of what a good tractor can do.

Pat

 

[Soundguy]

That piece of info changes my prev reply then.. Leaning more towards the skid steer.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[chas in me]

OK guys, I'm new here. What do TLB and CUT mean? I know I'm going to smack my head when someone tells me.
Thanks,
Chas

 

[barticus73]

Tractor-Loader-Backhoe


Compact Utility Tractor

 

[citytransplant]

OK guys, I'm new here. What do TLB and CUT mean? I know I'm going to smack my head when someone tells me.
Thanks,
Chas

TLB = tractor, loader, backhoe
CUT = compact utility tractor

Hey, stick around. Three months ago I did not know what TLB and CUT stood for either. These guys and gals here have taught me a bunch.

 

[Fredex]

Since you already have the 544 along with the Cub, I would go with the skid steer. Use the cub for finish mower work & other light duties; the 544 for field farming; the skidder for heavier loader work & backhoe, etc.