Backhoe, garage, or bigger tractor????

[DaryleD]

Gents, here is the situation that I am letting myself agonize about. I am toying with several ideas to spend all of my money. I could put up a garage, buy a backhoe for my TC30, or buy a bigger tractor to get more pto horsepower to eventually run stump grinders, wood chippers and things that I don't have enough pto power to run well now. I'm not sure that I like the idea of a backhoe sitting outside in the winter, but I do not have a perfect spot to put up a garage either ( 33 acres and not a real good spot; hilly, ledge, view out of the bay window blocked or property lines that I have to stay 30' from and last but not least, saving several acres out of it for the children, incase they want to build when they get older). Bigger tractor would mean not any money for at least a couple years to buy the implements that I want. I would like more loader lift capacity as well. What would you do? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif How much more tractor would you buy if that is what you would do? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Your wisdom is appreciated as always.
Daryle.

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I could put up a garage, buy a backhoe for my TC30, or buy a bigger tractor to get more pto horsepower to eventually run stump grinders, wood chippers and things that I don't have enough pto power to run well now. )</font>

If you buy the backhoe, you'll be buying it for a tractor that's underpowered for your needs by your own description. I would first get the tractor I needed and then get the implements based on that tractor even if I had to wait. Also, backhoes are great when you need them, but most of the time for the average property owner, they are expensive pieces of equipment sitting unused. I prefer to rent a backhoe when I need it.

For your property, I'd think about a 40-50 hp tractor. How much tractor depends on how much wallet you have. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[rdln]

build the garage

 

[slaveToHorses]

Depends on how big a chipper you want.
I have a bearcat 8" hydraulic feed chipper. I run it with a JD 2355 which is about 52 PTO hp.
It handles it just fine but when I feed it a big tree trunk I have to modulate the feed speed to
keep the revs up. Personally for this size chipper I wouldn't
go much down on hp. Also the chipper is like 1400 lbs so any
smaller tractor might have a problem moving it around on the 3pt.

I wouldn't go smaller than a TC45 sized machine for a chipper
like this. By the way the chipper is AWESOME! Hydraulic feed is
really the way to go. This is my 3rd chipper. It is so much safer
than a regular feed chipper and being able to control the feed speed
and the thusly the chip size is a great benefit.
Also the hydro feed crushes branches as it goes so you don't have to do as much pruning.

Just my 2c.

Hey folks I own 3 john deeres but the newer TC's are great tractors.
I am currently looking at them compared to the 3x20 series. Very hard choice indeed.