Big or Bigger? Opinions Please

[frank_f15]

think u might want to stay in the MID RANGE 30hp should be more than enough for your tasks.

 

[Soundguy]

Overkill? Naaaa... You are no where overkill with what you listed... the biggest machine you hit on was a tc33d or similar model... You are talking pto hp in the mid 20's.

If you want that 5' rotary cutter.. I would imagine you want around 25 pto hp... might get by with that tc29... If you go to a 4' cutter, the tc 24 isn't bad.... all are ok for the other taskes.. like loader, snow and driveway maint.

If you want just big enough for the 5' hog.. I'd guess the tc29.. just don't think you are gonna mow 3' heavy wet grass at 2" sapplings with it in 3rd range, taking a whole swath at a time...

Overkill is hard to figure... I started w/ 3 ac, and wanted a compact tractor like a tc18.. when i went to the NH dealer, I instead picked up a used beefy NH 1920 for the same money practically as a new tc18 with some options... same money.. just 33hp vs 18 hp.. etc... glad i did, as I picked up 10 more acres the next year.

Naa.. overkill is looking at a ford 8000 ( 105 PTO hp ) and having 13 ac... ( there is a guy down the road selling one in great condition for elcheapo.. .. those big ag tractors just don't hold value against compacts.. etc... )

Soundguy

 

[slowrev]

Sounguy,
You are right about the compacts holding their used value up there... for now, in 10 years it may be an entirely different story. There will be a lot of well used compacts out there on the market then.

 

[755inNY]

I am not familiar with all the brands/models you list except for the John Deere models. You segragated the 4210 from the 4310/4410 as mid vs. big boys but the 4210/4310/4410 are basically the same size tractor frame just different HP and hydraulic capacity.

Anyway...., I think you need to be in the 25 PTO HP or greater to be happy doing all of the things you listed. Smaller may get the job done but more time and possibly frustration. The weight is a concern for mowing but not necessarily a significant one unless your ground is soft much of the time. You will want the weight for maintaining your dirt road. The lighter weight tractors will not do a very good job of scraping and grading as the tires will lose traction quickly.

Jeff

 

[755inNY]

<font color="blue"> "You are right about the compacts holding their used value up there... for now, in 10 years it may be an entirely different story. There will be a lot of well used compacts out there on the market then."
</font>

The same thing could have been said when I bought my new JD 755 in 1988 (4WD, HST, 60"MMM, FEL) for about $11,500. I should be able to get at least $8,000 for it today. Not bad for 1200 hours and 15 years of use.

Jeff

 

[yellowsocks93]

The big ag tractors really hold there value. They hold their value the best even better than the compacts. As for tractors I would recommend a John Deere 790 or 990 if you really want power. I have a 4300 also and its a nice machine that has held up well. The 60 inch 7 iron deck ir cuts great and does not tear up the grass when turning. Cut a lot better than my new 272 grooming mower but that give a pretty good cut. I am happy with it. I would look at a 4310 or 4410 with the power reverser or hst trans. You will want 25 to 30 PTO horsepower because once you get going in a task you will really notice the extra power when using the loader etc. I have noticed a big difference in the power of my 4300 and 990. The 990 is way more powerful and has a lot of torque. I would take a John Deere over a NH, Kubota or Massey because of JDs excellent parts department, service, and resale value. Just my 2 cents!

Nick
990 4x4 turf, 272 mower, 430 loader, 25A flail

 

[DieselD]

I'll hit on the one thing that got me. The Chipper, Buy this first and then get the correct sized tractor for it. Those are the real HP robbers.
I like both shades of orange.
Danny

 

[stvman]

Neophite, The more I read your posts the more you sound like me! I have been so set on one tractor only to get down to the dotted line and find something I didn't think of which has me rehashing everything. There is (to me) such a close pricing diffrence say between a 2910 and a 3130 but to look at them side by side you say to yourself 880#loader capacity 1600# loader capacity (723 loader) I would have to be nuts not to go with the 3130

I think for me anyway I keep looking at say the tc35d and say I wish the operator platform on the 29d was more like that. Or I look at a 3130 and say why the long nose Kubota you saw the advantages of wedging the nose on the L35/48's why not the Grand L's.

Then there are the mechanicals I love the smoothness of the 3130 but sorry I DISPISE! the treadle pedal for the hydro. I love the operator platform on the tc35d and the JD4310. For me the two pedal system is far superior, but I feel Deere an NH have a way to go to catch Kubotas hydro. As far as Loaders I think the NH LA series is the one to beat.

Now all I need is about fifty grand and a good fabricator /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Neophyte]

755inNY,

Yes, the 4210/4310/4410 are very similar in size and the 4310/4410 are nearly identical. However, the 4210 weighs in at around 2675 lbs as opposed to the 4310/4410 that weigh in around 2900 lbs. For the sake of grouping, the 4210 seemed to be closer to the TC29D/TC33D (2500 lbs) in terms of weight. The 4310/4410 seem to be more in line with the Kubota L3X30 series (3300lbs) and TC35D (3250 lbs).

It's one of the reasons why I like the TC33D. You get 27HP PTO in a 2500lb tractor as opposed to the L3430 (27HP PTO, 3300lbs) or the 4310/4410 (25HP/28HP PTO, 2900lbs). You are getting the power but not the extra 400-800lbs of weight, which I don't want for finish mowing. I realize the extra weight is typically desired for other applications but I will be mowing a majority of the time. It's also why my second choice might be the 4310/4410 over the L3X30 series. Similar PTO HP but 400lbs less tractor weight.

For that matter, I was originally afraid to make the move from the B7500/B7800 to the TC33D because of the extra 900lbs of weight. Moving from the TC33D to the TC35D would add another 800lbs of weight. A total of 1700lbs from where I originally started.

Of course, all of that is assuming everyone weighs there tractors in similar fashions! Probably a big assumption.

 

[DieselD]

The heavier the better, I wouldn't worry about the weight.
I ride over my lawn with my 8k loaded diesel pickup without leaving a dent.And the tires a alot smaller on that than a tractor.
Im in peoples yards all the time with a compact tractor and heavy equipment its all good as long as it dry.
Danny