Suggestion for 16 acres

[Billy_S]

I am very familar with Ft Collins. If you need a good, honest but not necessarily cheap place to get your car worked on, Mountain View Tire. Jim McWilliams is the owner.

[patrick_g]

jkruer01, I have a 40HP Kubota (with cab) and it has been ideal for me. It was indispensable in house bulding. Larger tractors are harder to manuver in tight spaces (if that is an issue as it was for me) and significantly smaller tractors wouldn't do eveything I do. I have 160 acres, ten ponds and run cattle.

I have a friend with a JD of about 30 HP or slightly less and I drove it for a while with a brush hog. I'm sure it would not do what I need done but something of that size or even smaller would probably be OK for youi if you aren't going to do extreme dirt moving.

Be careful about buying used tractors. I have various friends with older tractors they got for "GOOD" prices. There is more maint but the worst thing is that in three separate cases guys bought tractors suited for row cropping but with FEL installed. Those tractors were never intended for lots of shuttling back and forth doing FEL work and the front suspension components were never designed to carry the load. I have a stronger front axle on my 40 HP Kubota that lots of the 100 HP row crop tractors.

If you buy a brand X (I may take flack for this) you are likely to eventually regret it because of parts availability or no mechanic available who has good experience on your unit. Stay in the top 10 brands and you will have fewer regrets and dificulties. JD and Kubota are clearly in the top 10.

Unless you end up doing a lot more and different things than you mention I can't see why you would need more than 30 HP (with 4 wheel drive.) When I have a job that greatly exceeds my tractor's (and or my) capability I borrow a friend or hire a contractor. I have jobs that I can do with my tractor that might take a hundred hours or more but be within my and its capability. The job might be a single day with a decent dozer and operator. Depending on my personal schedule I might hire the dozer. What I am saying here is that no mater how much tractor you buy there is always some tasks better hired out. Buy a tractor that does all of your routine tasks and realize you may need to rent equipment or operators some times.

I will be renting a trencher. I could (and have) dug trenches for gas, water and electrical with my FEL but it isn't always the right tool. Due to my having a cab I can't fit my tractor with a Kubota backhoe, yet another tradeoff.

Pat

[jkruer01]

Originally Posted by patrick_g

jkruer01, I have a 40HP Kubota (with cab) and it has been ideal for me. It was indispensable in house bulding. Larger tractors are harder to manuver in tight spaces (if that is an issue as it was for me) and significantly smaller tractors wouldn't do eveything I do. I have 160 acres, ten ponds and run cattle.

I have a friend with a JD of about 30 HP or slightly less and I drove it for a while with a brush hog. I'm sure it would not do what I need done but something of that size or even smaller would probably be OK for youi if you aren't going to do extreme dirt moving.

Be careful about buying used tractors. I have various friends with older tractors they got for "GOOD" prices. There is more maint but the worst thing is that in three separate cases guys bought tractors suited for row cropping but with FEL installed. Those tractors were never intended for lots of shuttling back and forth doing FEL work and the front suspension components were never designed to carry the load. I have a stronger front axle on my 40 HP Kubota that lots of the 100 HP row crop tractors.

If you buy a brand X (I may take flack for this) you are likely to eventually regret it because of parts availability or no mechanic available who has good experience on your unit. Stay in the top 10 brands and you will have fewer regrets and dificulties. JD and Kubota are clearly in the top 10.

Unless you end up doing a lot more and different things than you mention I can't see why you would need more than 30 HP (with 4 wheel drive.) When I have a job that greatly exceeds my tractor's (and or my) capability I borrow a friend or hire a contractor. I have jobs that I can do with my tractor that might take a hundred hours or more but be within my and its capability. The job might be a single day with a decent dozer and operator. Depending on my personal schedule I might hire the dozer. What I am saying here is that no mater how much tractor you buy there is always some tasks better hired out. Buy a tractor that does all of your routine tasks and realize you may need to rent equipment or operators some times.

I will be renting a trencher. I could (and have) dug trenches for gas, water and electrical with my FEL but it isn't always the right tool. Due to my having a cab I can't fit my tractor with a Kubota backhoe, yet another tradeoff.

Pat

Good information. Thank you. Can you get a cab on a 30hp tractor? Would you recommend it?

[Doc_Bob]

Originally Posted by patrick_g

Be careful about buying used tractors. I have various friends with older tractors they got for "GOOD" prices.

My used tractor was 3 years old and 168 hours. I don't think that is what you mean by used
Bob

[patrick_g]

DocBob, Used? The previous owner didn't hardly warm it up!

jkruer01, I didn't want a cab but my wife insisted and approved the extra expense. Her first priority inj a cab was protection from chemical sprays. The best laid plans... and the wind shifts and you are enveloped in a plume of dangerous chemicals. The cab helped with that but as it turned out the A/C in summer and terrific heat in winter and the weather proof wind free and DRY environment are just pure luxury.

With stock sometimes you just have to go out no matter what the weather. Instead of having to change into dry clothes 3 times a day during a freezing rain and risking your health it sure is good to have a nice warm cab. In summer when it gets too hot and humid I start to wilt working outside. I tend to look for jobs to be done with the tractor so I can be out and be in A/C.

There was a down side. I can't have a FEL on this cab model. My tractor with cab can't be fitted with a Kubota hoe and after market things even with sub frames added often result in broken tractors so I have to refrain. I can't load the tires and have to use cast iron wheel weights. No biggy but that was another small surprise.

If you envision wanting or needing to be working with your tractor in inclement weather then a cab is way ahead of a surrey top on your ROPS.

Pat

[Doc_Bob]

Originally Posted by patrick_g

DocBob, Used? The previous owner didn't hardly warm it up!

Yes, but I have put on 108 hours in 3 months, so I have started to warm it up
Bob