How heavy is too heavy to mow?

[75H2]

Just about ready to pull the trigger on my first tractor . ( I feel like a little kid the night before Christmas) Looking at a low 20ish HP SCUT. Just to be safe I thought I give one last look at mid to 20 HP CUTS which are a frame size larger. I have a 3.5 acre yard to look after. The next year or more will involve alot of dirt moving as we are building a new home and moving. The yard has a fair slope and a "step" half way through.

Here is where I'm at. I like the idea of a larger tractor to get the work done easier. But, once done my tasks are limited to mostly mowing and a 300 foot drive to maintain.

I'm concerned about how much weight is too much in a mowing capacity. I currently have septic & don't want to crush the drainfield or end up in the bottom of the tank. I'm all confused, "she who must be obeyed" has given the green light for the larger (more $$) of the two tractors. With mower & loaded tires probably looking at 2600 lbs. or more.

If you were me would you go for the lighter SCUT or the mid sized CUT

 

[john_bud]

First off, the mid-20hp tractor is still a scut. I think (but am not sure) that CUT starts at 30 hp and utility (UT) at 45 hp.

You can mow lawn with a 45 hp tractor. Just get the turf tires or the even larger "super" turf. The thing you do is to maximize the contact area of the tire to the ground, that minimizes the contact pressure.

While I am a larger tractor proponent and feel heavier is better to boot, if the tractor is mostly for mowing - you should start off without fill in the tires.

So go and get the larger tractor with large turf tires and you should be good to go.

And go confident that all my advice is guaranteed*.


jb




*guaranteed to be advice - not "good" advice! lol

 

[dqdave1]

New Holland has a class I tractor that is a scut; then they have class II and class III cuts. Class II is middle size frame and class III is largest frame. Class III starts at a TC35, Class II starts at 29 HP or used to. I have a TC 29 and would recommend this size tractor for your needs. If you get a FEL , I would load the tires.

 

[MrJimi]

How about you mow the yard with the mower of your choice and string trim over the septic tank?
I would do that
Jim

 

[2manyrocks]

I guess it's obvious that either way, don't run your tires lengthwise in the drain trenches. I'd suggest you stay off them entirely until the ground has settled and that may be several months.

You haven't said how much land you need to cut or what you plan on doing.

 

[JoeinTX]

"You haven't said how much land you need to cut or what you plan on doing..."

75, is your entire piece the 3.5 acre yard you mention or is there more to it?

Any chance of buying two older units, one larger and one smaller, for each of the specific jobs? I don't mean 25 year old stuff, just a few years old and enough off the new price that you could have both for the same dough.

" How about you mow the yard with the mower of your choice and string trim over the septic tank?
I would do that"

Agree and this is what we have always done with our septic system. We mow right up to and along the tank and leech line but never over it effectively dividing the patch into two.

 

[390GT]

My wife mows the lawn with a class II boomer, turf tires, 72" MMM rear discharge. Does a great job. Greg

 

[chh]

We use a 33 hp tractor on the yard. A MF 1433V with FEL and loaded R4 tires. Never has been a problem over the septic tank or drainfield.

 

[75H2]

Thanks for all the feedback. Here is a some more detail. Considering 2 units, both red. One 23 HP roughly 1600 lbs with mower. Next 28 Hp 2700 lbs with mower. When finished I'll have 3.5 acres to mow. Not enough to justify an old farm tractor. I'm on the outer edges of suburbia & farmland. Don't want to park a big old tractor in the back yard. The contractor will do most of the rough grading & tre removal. I mentioned a "step" in the yard. The lower half is where I'll need to spend some time. There is a 50 x 70 "excavation along a slope that I'm going to fill and grade off over time. This is the major reason I'd want a larger tractor. Well that and what kind of man doesn't always want machinery one size bigger that what's necessary.

As far as soil conditions go the lower corner of the yard can stay soft after some rain. That may change after the grading is done. 90 of the yard is dry / solid.

Another point. The 23 HP unit is about 4 incles lower. I have some mowing which will require mowing on a slope. Any big difference in stability betwen the 2?


Price difference is 5K, yes, money is a consideration. But, the bad voice on my left shoulder is telling me I can finance for 5 years

 

[drtydeed]

75, Your 23 HP machine will mow that property in approx 2-2.5 hrs with a 60" mower. Not sure what kind of soil conditions you have, but, if it's wet and soggy you won't want anything heavier.