Tractor advice needed

[diggerd]

I'm thinking about trying to get into beach cleaning. The beach cleaner mfg says they recommend a tractor with atleast 60 hp. It will be mfwd for obvious reasons but would like some advice on what machine. I was thinking between the tn 60 and tn 75. The unit will be new as I will have to trade in my ASV posi track. The co that was producing beach cleaners for skid steer type machine isn't anymore. It will have a cab with heat and ac but am cluless on the other stuff. Should I get remotes? How many? Front or rear or both?My wife has horses so it will be used around the house also fire wood,fence posts,manure,snow removal and other stuff. I realize either tractor is overkill for the size of property that I have(5 acres) but can only afford 1 machine. I think the mfg says 60+ hp because the cleaner weighs 3k and loaded with debris it's 6k. What do you guys think?

[howierd3866]

I have been wanting to get into beach cleaning also. We do rightaway mowing for diff.gov. and though to tie this into its also.Of some of our tractors are the tn75 which we like. I would get a 3 way value just in cast in furture you need to pull a batwing.As for what one I would go with the tn75 more power.Dont know what kind of sand you have but good luck with it.The company thats does it around here uses a TV 145 NH I was wanting to use one of my larger tractor TS110 so I didnt have to buy one.

[Nelson Dairy]

One thing to keep in mind is that when most people recommend a specific hp, they are typicaly be refering to pto hp. The tn 60will be 50hp and the tn 75 will be 62hp. I might would think about going up to the tn85 just so that you know that you will not be under powered.

[diggerd]

Thanks for your input guys. The person I spoke with says the cleaner only needs 8 hp to work. The reason for the 60+ hp I guess is dragging a loaded cleaner through the sand (6K) How many gph do you think a tn 75 burns? What is the difference between all the models tn td etc?

[Reg]

Cherrington ?

I looked at them a while ago, had a half baked idea to do horse tracks as well as beaches.
Trouble is,,, the machine is only the machine (obvious).

They are quite large & heavy, also need a large tractor to go to sites with them, so the opportunity radius is limited.
I suggest you do the market survey first, figure which towns/municipalities already have one/some, who already has the business, whether or not you can get some of the existing business, etc.

[Reg]

PS
BTW, it is SEASONAL and the demand is probably all in the one week just before the beaches open.
That pretty much dictates that you would want (something like) horse track work to fill in.
Hmmm, where else are there large loose sandy areas that need cleaning ?

[diggerd]

Originally Posted by Reg

Cherrington ?

I looked at them a while ago, had a half baked idea to do horse tracks as well as beaches.
Trouble is,,, the machine is only the machine (obvious).

They are quite large & heavy, also need a large tractor to go to sites with them, so the opportunity radius is limited.
I suggest you do the market survey first, figure which towns/municipalities already have one/some, who already has the business, whether or not you can get some of the existing business, etc.

The one I was looking at was made by Barber. The horse arena was an idea also. The sate does some beaches but they use a piece of fence. Even if it was a once a year thing on most beaches it wouldn't be bad. It would be a side gig for me.

[Mark_in_NH]

Originally Posted by diggerd

It would be a side gig for me.

I am picturing $20K + for a (used) suitable tractor, never mind a new one and I suspect another $20K for a beach cleaner. Never mind the transport equipment ie. truck & trailer, you may already have those. This is "my opinion only", but thats a he11 of alot of money to invest on a "side gig" I would want some (alot of) confirmed work lined up before I took a $ 50k plunge, but thats just me.
Good luck in your adventure, I truely hope your plan works out. I love the ocean and getting paid to drive up and down the beach would be a blast. I would be very envious.

[Reg]

Originally Posted by Mark_in_NH

I am picturing $20K + for a (used) suitable tractor, never mind a new one and I suspect another $20K for a beach cleaner. Never mind the transport equipment ie. truck & trailer, you may already have those. This is "my opinion only", but thats a he11 of alot of money to invest on a "side gig" I would want some (alot of) confirmed work lined up before I took a $ 50k plunge, but thats just me.
Good luck in your adventure, I truely hope your plan works out. I love the ocean and getting paid to drive up and down the beach would be a blast. I would be very envious.

My thoughts too.
Even if the tractor is an upsize/upgrade and has more/better uses than what the O/P currently has, the Beach cleaner would have to pay for itself (somehow, at least in my concept of a business model).
My guess, if it can't pay itself off in 5 years it is a bad deal.
If it can pay itself off I would probably be OK with putting in 100 hours of on the job time to get it paid off, i.e. no "wages" for me out of the proceeds.
I might even "swallow" the running costs and maintenance expenses too, it would depend how bright the (very local) prospects looked.

[Opti-Mist]

Originally Posted by diggerd

Thanks for your input guys. The person I spoke with says the cleaner only needs 8 hp to work. The reason for the 60+ hp I guess is dragging a loaded cleaner through the sand (6K) How many gph do you think a tn 75 burns? What is the difference between all the models tn td etc?

Kind of "Rule of Thumb" figure a half pound of fuel per horsepower-hour. If the work requires the tractor to put out 70 PTO HP and you run that way for an hour you will burn about 35 pounds of fuel. If the fuel weighs 7 pounds per gallon you'll burn 5 gallons. The less load per unit of time the less fuel burned.