opinions please

[merlebo02]

I have recently bought 150 acres that I plan on building a home on and using the rest to piddle .. It has 2 lakes ( 1.8 acre and 4 acre), 75 acres of timber and 75 acres of pasture.. It is completely fenced in and over the past few years has had cows on it.. I plan on having a garden, few fruits trees (pears, peaches, and apples), deer hunting and MAYBE a few cows There is some old cross section fence rows that I plan on removing and cleaning up around the house site.. Now that you have my goals/needs I would like help making a decision on tractor and implements that I will need.. I will mostly use the tractor for bush hogging (probably 10 ft?), moving brush/logs, gardening, driveway maintenance, food plots for hunting, possibly moving around hay if I get cows..


Currently I am leaning to the Kubota M7060 or M6060 with a front end loader/grapple.. What is everyones opinion and thoughts?? Is this enough tractor or to much tractor?

 

[MF283]

7060 would get my vote, i'll take over powered any day than being under powered.

Ronnie

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Wow, sounds like a nice place. Will need lots of power, I'd go with the larger.

 

[4570Man]

It sounds like a pretty good match although smaller would probably work. I might get banned from TBN for even mentioning smaller and tractor in the same sentence. I highly recommend you get a grapple. What is the price difference? Obviously bigger is better.

 

[oosik]

IMHO - the slight difference in power between the 7060 or 6060 should not be the major concern. What are the price differences. Are both tractors open station or cabbed. Both tractors will use the exact same implements. If price is not a concern I would definitely go with the 7060.

However - if buying the 7060 means you will not be able to afford some necessary implement - then it may be worth while to consider the 6060.

I have a similar situation to what you are looking at - 80 acres, forested, two lakes( 5 acre and 18 acre), mile long gravel driveway, home, outbuildings and my 6040 has always been more than enough tractor to complete any job I've started.

 

[TripleR]

We have a similar setup and use an M8540HDC 12/12 pulling a Woods DS1260 10' pull type cutter. We also have a grapple as well as a tree/post puller, box scraper and some other stuff. We have hills and also use to run between farms a lot, so after trying a 79HP, we bumped up in HP. At that time, you couldn't get the 70HP in 12/12, so you should be OK with the M7060, the M6060 is a nice machine, but I much prefer a bit more HP at least for our uses.

I would go with a third function or diverter for the grapple and a minimum of three rear remotes, we only have two on ours. I got three on my last new tractor along with TnT.

The M has a decent seat, but I bought an air ride base recently, just haven't put it in yet; certainly not necessary but nice.

I am obviously a Kubota fan, but always recommend shopping all brands, testing etc., before buying.

Good luck either way you go.

 

[merlebo02]

it is a difference of 63 vs 71 HP.. cost difference is $2000-$2500..I am for sure getting a cab, I have 3 small boys that will be riding in it with me everytime it's turned on I'm sure.. What all implements do you use remote hydraulics for?? I can't think of any implements I will be using that I would need them..

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Got the remotes. You will want a grapple with that much woods.
3rd in front, at least 2 in rear.

 

[TripleR]

Our rotary cutter is a pull type, so we need one for that, but I think it comes with one anyway.

I won't use a tractor without a hydraulic top link.

As I mentioned, I got TnT on my last tractor as I find it great when using a box scraper or blade. Our box scraper is a Land Pride HR3584, so with the TnT and hydraulic scarifiers, all three get used.

For a long time, I kind of scoffed at the need for rear remotes, but with the passage of time am a convert. We used our M8540 for several years using only one set, now I wish we had three. Buying them at the time you buy the tractor rather than having them added is cheaper.

Of course we run into the old need/want conundrum as our uses will differ.

When we bought our M8540 we had to take what was on the lot as our Case CX80 went toes up right at the worst possible time and we couldn't wait to have one ordered or any addition of options. As a result we didn't get all the features we wanted.

I understand the cost consideration, I almost cried when I bought my last new tractor, so all have to figure out what is right for our present needs as well as those in the future as best we can then determine if our bank account can stand it. That's why we still run two of our grapple tractors off the rear remotes instead of third function, don't have weights or cast centers on some etc.

This is a TnT on a smaller version of our HR3584: Kubota Top-n-Tilt Kit with Land Pride HR2572 Box Scraper - YouTube

 

[2ndhalf]

First, Welcome to TBN. Second, I'm Jealous! sounds like a hunter/fisherman paradise. That is a lot of land and I would go with a large tractor. Nothing less than 70hp. My FIL has a 70HP IH and it seems about the right size for what you describe. Also would get a Cab.