I need your advice

   / I need your advice #1  

trook

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
458
Location
North Central Mississippi
Tractor
JD 5075E Cab
Please bear with me. I would like to keep my situation brief, but I can't because you need to know the following information to assist with my particular dilema....

I have been using a JD 4320 open station 48/40hp for the last 4 years to maintain 85 acres of personal property. This includes approx 25 acres of brush cutting pasture and trails, driveway maintenance, FEL work, etc. I also have a small business on the side that consists primarily of brush cutting. I also own and use a 14k gooseneck 22+2 trailer pulled behind a Silverado 2500 diesel that hauls my JD4320 with FEL and MX-6 to and from jobs very well.

When I purchased the 4320, I REALLY wanted a cab tractor to fight the deep south heat and dusty conditions, but the budget would not allow it. As I have continued to bush hog, I decided about 2 years ago that my next tractor will have enough HP to efficiently handle a pull behind 10-ft rotary cutter. This is due to the limited time I have to cut my personal property as well as one particular client who just hired me to cut 15 acres on a routine basis. A 6ft cutter on 15 acres every 6 weeks takes a large amount of time and I am dreading extended time in the upcoming Mississippi heat!

Here is my delima: I have the opportunity to trade my tractor for a slightly used JD4720 with a CAB! It has 66/56 hp which much better than what I currently have and is enough to use a 10ft PULL BEHIND cutter in all but very tough conditions (which I normally do not face). However, I fear that I would be somewhat limiting my future use because of the 56 PTO HP. Therefore, I have also been considering an OPEN STATION 5083e, with 69hp at the pto primarily for the efficient use of a 10ft cutter. I would love a 5083 cab, but the budget will not allow it either.

Therefore, I will list the basic pros and cons of each:

4720 pros:
CAB, CAB, CAB
can use my existing trailer and attachments with no issues
much quieter and more comfortable than the 5083 open station
great maneuverability works well with small property maintenance
cons:
light weight frame may not handle a pull behind 10 ft cutter as well as a larger frame tractor
adequate but somewhat limited HP may cause me to drive slower in tough, tall or thick pasture grass

5083 open station pros:
69 pto hp will handle a 10-ft pull behind cutter with no problem
the epto will save much fuel when using a 6ft cutter and will reduce vibration and increase driver comfort
more FEL capacity
more 3ph capacity and much better traction/pulling ability
the look and feel of a "real tractor"
cons:
I will still have to fight the deep south heat
I will still have to fight the extremely dusty conditions
I will still have to fight the wasps and bees
I will probably have to remove the FEL to load the tractor and MX-6 onto my 22+2 14k gooseneck trailer

One option I am considering is to buy the 4720 cab knowing that I can always trade when I can afford a 5083 or 5093 cab and get much of my money back since I will be buying the 4720 cab used. Besides, one could argue that they would rather stay in a cab with a 6ft cutter significantly longer than using a faster 10ft cutter with an open station tractor.

I am not considering a 8ft cutter. There simply is not enough time savings between a 6 and 8ft. So, given my particular situation which I have described above, which would you choose, and why, if you could only choose between the following:
1. used JD 4720 cab, 4wd and FEL with 66/56 hp with 100 hrs
2. JD 5083e open station with 4wd and FEL 83/69 hp new tractor

I believe the price between the used 4720 cab and new 5083 open station will be fairly close. For argument sake, lets just say the price difference is not a consideration.
 
   / I need your advice #2  
It sound like your cutting is much closer to mowing than brush cutting which in my view includes heavy briars saplings etc.

If the 5hp per foot guide is accurate, the cab tractor will handle the pull behind 10 foot cutter just fine. I would get the cab!
 
   / I need your advice
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Yes, the "brush cutting" I refer to is primarily grass and no 6 ft jungles with 2 inch saplings. The grass I typically cut may sometimes be fairly tall or thick, but any saplings will primarily be 1" or less. If I have anything severe to cut, I will borrow my father-in-laws 15 ft batwing with a 125hp tractor.
 
   / I need your advice #5  
I would do the cab. How do you haul a 10 foot mower plus a tractor?
 
   / I need your advice #6  
I would not care if it took a little longer if i had the cab .
 
   / I need your advice
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I would either drive the tractor and 10ft cutter to the job (7 miles) or just pull the cutter behind my truck. I don't think I would be able to use the trailer.
 
   / I need your advice #8  
56 PTO HP vs. 69 PTO HP. Is 13 more HP really worth the comfort of a cab? The whole point of owning a tractor is to have fun. That's hard to do when it's 95 degrees and the Yellow Jackets are chasing your butt! If my shed door was higher, a cab would be the first thing I'd buy for my 4300.
 
   / I need your advice #9  
I would either drive the tractor and 10ft cutter to the job (7 miles) or just pull the cutter behind my truck. I don't think I would be able to use the trailer.

For years I have driven my little 29 HP NH 5 miles at 13 MPH to bush hog my farm...I am sure your new tractor would go a bit faster than 13 MPH...I would drive it if I were you....I tried using a trailer and by the time I hooked up the trailer, loaded the tractor, strapped it down...then reverse all that to unload it...I would have already been there and well under way mowing had I just driven the tractor ...
 
   / I need your advice #10  
I have to agree with Brin. It doesn't take that long to drive your tractor 7 miles down the road. Having the cab tractor would be a big plus++++++. Even if it didn't handle the 10 foot cutter, you still have the 6 foot cutter to use. Good luck with your decision.
 
 
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