Buying Mahindra 5545 4WD and implements

   / Buying Mahindra 5545 4WD and implements #1  

BubbaBillyBob

Bronze Member
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
50
Location
Rockbridge, MO
Tractor
Mahindra 5545 4wd
All--

Between now and Saturday, I will contract for a new Mahindra 4WD 5545 with a backhoe, FEL, box blade, 5' HD brush hog and a 22' H&H EX HYD/ELEC (tilt bed) trailer with a steel frame upgraded to 8" steel (from 6"), a 10,000lb Superwinch and a wooden deck. Both the tilt bed and the winch can be controlled with a "wired" remote or a wireless remote. I'm all in for $42,137.

While out driving the other day, my wife spotted a 2005 Kamatsu SK 1024. It has 1100 hours on it and has two FEL (one with teeth). I picked it up for $13k. The day before yesterday, I operated it in a field a friend owns. In rather bumbling but ever-improving fashion, I dug a trench about 30 feet long and 3 feet deep and then backfilled and smoothed it over. The 70hp diesel started and ran smooth as silk both when both cold and hot. No smoke. No oil drips. (I inspected the previous owner's concrete apron upon which it had sat.)

So, I think I'm set.

I'll use both machines on 80 undeveloped acres we own deep in the heart of the Ozarks, high on a ridge. First use will be clearing a bit for the actual home site and then some judicious "run between the keeper-trees knocking the brush down a bit" and then brush hogging. I could really use that thing that attaches to the front of the FEL which is ideal for cutting and pulling up brush. What's it called???

I explained all my intended uses of the 5545 to the dealer as we discussed tires. I thought ag would be the way to go, but he said he thought R4 would be better as they tend to provide more stability while traversing slopes sideways. True or false? I will not be using any ground engaging equipment. This is definitely not farmland since 55 acres of it is vertical and the rest is pretty rock filled. (Typical Missouri Ozarks.)

I have a lot of tractor experience, as I test drove a 4025 in the dealer's parking lot a few months ago: Advice not only welcome, but solicited.

--Bill
 
   / Buying Mahindra 5545 4WD and implements #2  
I could really use that thing that attaches to the front of the FEL which is ideal for cutting and pulling up brush. What's it called???

R4 would be better as they tend to provide more stability while traversing slopes sideways. True or false? I will not be using any ground engaging equipment. This is definitely not farmland since 55 acres of it is vertical and the rest is pretty rock filled. (Typical Missouri Ozarks.)

TractorData.com Mahindra 5545 tractor dimensions information

Some reason you are considering a 60" Rotary Cutter/Bush Hog, rather than a 72" or 84" Rotary Cutter? TractorData.com shows your rear tire width as 72.5". This spec is always with R1 tires. With R4 tires your rear tire width will be ~~78" to 80"~~ Even with your primary use being in woods, having to maneuver between trees, 72" would be my 'woods' choice, still well within R4 outside-outside tire spacing.

That "thing" is a Ratchet Rake. You can buy it from the T-B-N store, button at the top of this page. About my favorite attachment.
The standard clevis shackles have worked free on me twice. I like this 2 X $2.99 upgrade: 3 8" Shackle Clevis Safety Pin Peerless 1 Ton WWL | eBay


TRUE: R4s will be slightly more stable due to greater tire footprint on the ground. R4s are at least 6-ply. You will appreciate R4s great puncture resistance, especially sidewall puncture resistance, operating over sharp rock.

Box Blade is a ground contact implement. In time you will want others. (Perhaps a Sub-soiler will be next.) Make sure the Box Blade under consideration has a weight of at least 150 pounds per foot of width. For your rock, 200 pounds per foot of width would be better.

MONROE TUFLINE SUBSOILER: Subsoilers | Tufline



FINALLY, SOMEONE BUYING ENOUGH TRACTOR THE FIRST TIME. (Smarter than me.)
 

Attachments

  • DSC00451.JPG
    DSC00451.JPG
    3.4 MB · Views: 203
  • DSC00178.jpg
    DSC00178.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 493
  • DSC00127.jpg
    DSC00127.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 481
Last edited:
   / Buying Mahindra 5545 4WD and implements
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Jeff--

Thank you for the explanations. I'll check to see if there is a heavy duty box blade available from my Mahindra dealer.

Your R4 explanation is better than his.

Ratchet Rake!!! Thanks!

I'll think about upgrading to the wider rotary cutter, too. I'm sure I'll hire out to the locals now and then. I'm not interested in doing a lot, though! One of the crew that hauled my Komatsu from where I bought it to where I have it stored tried to hire me . . . twice! I told him I didn't even know how to operate it, which was almost true.

--Bill
 
   / Buying Mahindra 5545 4WD and implements #4  
Standard Box Blades are pretty generic. If the weight per unit of width is there any will satisfy. Box Blades need to be a tad wider than your tire width, so you can make repeated pulls in the same space. Any 1,200 pound implement is going to be somewhat costly.

WOODS has a particularly good reputation for robust Box Blades which Woods make for heavy construction use as well as residential/farm use.

WOODS: Product Details 80"

Product Details 84"


(Temporarily blocked due to reports of company closure): Heavy duty box blade box scraper with lockable floating tailgate - Everything Attachments 84"
 
Last edited:
   / Buying Mahindra 5545 4WD and implements #5  
Pretty easy way to tell is a box blade is "heavy duty" is to measure the side plates...if they aren't 1/2" wide, it ain't heavy duty.....bobg in va
 
   / Buying Mahindra 5545 4WD and implements #6  
My biggest point between the two isn't the metal even though the HD is thicker.. its that you get the HD QH style hook up... instead of cat pins you get inserts between to plates.. much longer life and less stress on an Aframe with heavy blading
 
   / Buying Mahindra 5545 4WD and implements #7  
and I prefer the R4s on this model if your main concern will be loader work. It has plenty of weight to get the traction it needs.. the one downfall has been pointed out and it makes the stance a bit wide
 
   / Buying Mahindra 5545 4WD and implements #8  
When it comes to the 5545, it's really an odd tractor. While everyone's needs are different, and with mine being delivered with issues kind of leaves a poor opinion on the model but here are a few things that you should be aware of. It has a hand clutch for pto engagement. Very hard to get used to. There is a cable linkage for low and high range that is sloppy and always has to be brought into neutral to start the tractor. While I have big feet, getting on the factor was awkward with the way the floor was designed. Mine couldn't run a 5' bush hog on steep grade in 2nd gear low just cutting tall grass it would almost stall. The tractors lowest speed was very fast for the woods at pto rpm. Tires fully turned in was just over 72" and feel very unstable with the r1 on hills. The brakes on the tractor felt very weak. The linkage for the parking brake was always a concern about rolling away. While mine had issues and if you still decide on the 5545 please check 4wd upon delivery. The tractor is great at loader work and if you decide to purchase it I hope you have better luck than I did. In my opinion the tractor didn't have enough hp for its weight. I downgraded to a 2wd 4550 with no loader and with it being 3500 lbs lighter I can actually utilize my implements at all of the low ranges on any grade and it feels like I have twice the power. I will be getting another tractor with 4wd and a loader but after my 5545 experience I will not be going back to Mahindra.
 
 
Top