Do I really need a tractor on 1.5 acres?

[Sid Post]

I'm thinking of a sub compact but would this be the best choice? I have a Massey furgeson gc1705 with a midmount in mind, that's at a very nice price,and a loader is the cost of a new mower. Therefore I'll end up buying the loader for certain with the machine, and thankfully they are cross compatible.or should I just save my money and rent one when necessary? Hopefully with the tractor I'll sell the lawn mower, but I'm not certain yet

Something to consider, a used older tractor like a MF 265 or IHC/McCormick W-4 is $3k~$6K if you wait and watch sales for something clean like a parade tractor that was painted ~8 years ago. A heavier tractor will serve much better working a gravel driveway and turning clay soil. Implements for this size tractor on the used market are pretty cheap at estate auctions and similar places.

For cutting a "golf course green" lawn, the smaller tired tractors like the [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] BX are nice but, in the rougher parts of your yard will be problematic for a smaller tired tractor like the BX. The good news is that a [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] BX can be had relatively cheaply if you wait and watch places like TractorHouse.com. I turned one down that had ~30 hours on a BX2380 with a [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] tiller and rear leveling blade in addition to its 60" deck.

Those little Massey "GC" tractors are a good option IF you have a good local Massey dealer. Whatever you do, avoid the Atwoods/TSC/Lowes/HomeDepot diesel tractors. Where are you going to get one of them serviced or spare parts when it breaks down?

 

[jjp8182]

Given how much information it s already here I'll just a few thoughts/observations from having transitioned from a riding mower to a tractor on about ~3 acres (with a garden of similar size to yours) several years ago:

- a larger/heavier tractor won't always tear up the yard more than a lighter/smaller tractor. In my case it actually did less because the higher weight is spread over a larger contact area, and the 72 inch mower results in fewer trips through the yard than with the smaller riding mowers. Btw once a certain deck size is reached a mid-mount mower can start to become more expensive per unit of width than a 3pt finish mower....

- if you read enough tractor forums you'll likely come to the conclusion that tractors shrink once you get them home and become familiar with them. Mine sure seemed to do so as well, but for my property, the size & cost of the tractor it still works for me (besides the "shortfalls" & limitations I've run into would require a MUCH larger machine ....or potentially something other than a tractor).

- when you have limited time having an appropriately sized machine to accelerate the work can also help prevent injuries and/or damage to the property & equipment - which in turn can be a tremendous time/money saver. Losing several days to recover personally or having to slow-down because a machine is too hot/overheating can also be outright frustrating in addition to any time/money costs....

- if you can identify the tasks and the time you have to get them done you can back into the size of implements and then size of tractor that makes the most sense for your situation. Sometimes though there might be hard limits like fitting through a narrow space, or loader loads that can't be made smaller that will drive the tractor size up or down.

Last thing to consider: while you'll be paying the initial cost up front you'll have the usage of the equipment for years/decades to come. One of the things that drove me to buying a tractor was the riding mowers were lasting me about a year for every $1,000 spent - and the riding mowers also didn't allow me to fully maintain my property (e.g. they couldn't mow the pastures, very limited/no help in cleaning up storm damage or limbs being naturally shed by the trees).

BTW I'm also averaging about 70 to 80hrs of use each year - at least during the drier months the colder/wetter ones can get wet enough that I can tear up the yard just walking through the yard so the tractor generally spends a lot of time parked during those months.

 

[Hermio]

Hi everyone, forum newbie here. Recently I moved to a new property, much bigger than my last. However after seeing our neighbors down the street playing with their bx, I'm questioning if we need one (a subcompact)


We're only on 1.5 acres, it's mostly flat. There are some big dips and ruts down the rear end of the property, but nothing extrodinary. We do have a large garden just above that, and a rocky driveway that I'm considering levelling.

We do use a cub cadet xt2 46in, and this is more than adequate for mowing. However I've found it hard to turn with (seriously who in their right mind decided permanent difflock is good for a lawn mower???) And during the rainy season often times the mower will get stuck,or slide around tearing up the grass. Or most likely just bog down due to the water. Meaning mowing is a chore that will take 2+ hours


I'm planning to start a 120M x 20M garden, however this all clay soil so it's necessary to use a large tiller, of which is extremely expensive.


Preferably something to mow with during the wet, so 4wd is very much preffered.

And planning to modify the garden bed/generally move dirt ect.

I'm thinking of a sub compact but would this be the best choice? I have a Massey furgeson gc1705 with a midmount in mind, that's at a very nice price,and a loader is the cost of a new mower. Therefore I'll end up buying the loader for certain with the machine, and thankfully they are cross compatible.or should I just save my money and rent one when necessary? Hopefully with the tractor I'll sell the lawn mower, but I'm not certain yet

Do you "need" it? No. You can rent what you need for occasional tasks. But it might be fun to have one anyway.

 

[Hermio]

Hi everyone, forum newbie here. Recently I moved to a new property, much bigger than my last. However after seeing our neighbors down the street playing with their bx, I'm questioning if we need one (a subcompact)


We're only on 1.5 acres, it's mostly flat. There are some big dips and ruts down the rear end of the property, but nothing extrodinary. We do have a large garden just above that, and a rocky driveway that I'm considering levelling.

We do use a cub cadet xt2 46in, and this is more than adequate for mowing. However I've found it hard to turn with (seriously who in their right mind decided permanent difflock is good for a lawn mower???) And during the rainy season often times the mower will get stuck,or slide around tearing up the grass. Or most likely just bog down due to the water. Meaning mowing is a chore that will take 2+ hours


I'm planning to start a 120M x 20M garden, however this all clay soil so it's necessary to use a large tiller, of which is extremely expensive.


Preferably something to mow with during the wet, so 4wd is very much preffered.

And planning to modify the garden bed/generally move dirt ect.

I'm thinking of a sub compact but would this be the best choice? I have a Massey furgeson gc1705 with a midmount in mind, that's at a very nice price,and a loader is the cost of a new mower. Therefore I'll end up buying the loader for certain with the machine, and thankfully they are cross compatible.or should I just save my money and rent one when necessary? Hopefully with the tractor I'll sell the lawn mower, but I'm not certain yet

When it is dry, a zero turn mower will cut your mowing time down to about 1/3 of what a lawn tractor will do.

 

[Diwali]

A fascinating topic! And the vast majority said ‘yes’ you need a tractor (as I do!).
For my 5 acres I have a 50hp Case IH with FEL that I bought 7 years ago for less than $4000 and never once regretted it (although a backhoe would have been the icing on the cake). It won’t cut lawns but I have a Craftsman LT2000 17.5hp with 48” deck which has manicured the lawns perfectly for 16 years in all weather and doubles as a mini tractor for light jobs (towing, pulling etc).
This is a combination that might work for the OP - a good second hand tractor with FEL and a separate mower for lawns.

 

[pipefitter]

I bought a used BX23 almost 20 years ago. I only had two acres, but was planning a job that would have required renting one, so I bought it for around $11,000. MMM, loader and backhoe, about 300hours. I'm on 6 acres now, much of it wooded. It now has about 1100 hours, and gets a lot of use. Pretty sure I could get back most of what I paid for it. If you want it, get it, and maintain it. You won't be sorry.

 

[jiggseob]

Wow.... 14 PAGES of free advice on how to spend your money... worth every penny you're paying for it...

You do not mention if you have snow removal to do, if thats part of your gig you will need a loader, or at least a 3pt blade.

I have 1.5 acres. 2 @ 20x75m gardens - off site at the family farm. And because I'm in Canada I have more months of snow removal than grass. I use a [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] B6200 with rear mount mower, FEL, and Muratori 48" tiller with hydraulic side-shift. The tractor does only spring/fall tilling in the gardens, between the row tilling during the growing season is a Troy-Bilt Horse rear-tine.

If your garden has lotsa room, and you can get your 48" tractor between the rows, that will do. But the way my gardening goes, I do not have the space for 60" between rows - 48" tractor plus 6" each side for the garden plants to bush out. So [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] tills the whole gardens spring and fall, and the Troy-Bilt walk behind rear tine tiller 18" wide does between the rows during growing season. If thats the way you go, take your time and get a GOOD QUALITY rear tine tiller, they are a dream to use compared with a cheap front-tine.

When I bought my tractor - used - it did not have a belly mower. That option was $4k at the dealer. I bought a gently used 3pt 3blade finishing mower for $750. If your ground is uneven, and lots of turning and maneuvering around stuff, spend the extra and get belly-mount. If your mowing is like a big square football field, a 3pt rear mount mower is fine.

If your primary tractor task is mowing and likely to encounter wet condition while mowing, make sure to get "turf" tires, not "ag tires" or "combination / construction" tires.

Get the loader. In addition to moving dirt and landscaping, using the loader to pick up and move stuff around the property and on/off the pickup truck is indispensable.

My two cents... based on 30+ yrs of being on this acreage, brush-clearing, building a house, landscaping, and just keeping the jungle at-bay. I made a HUGE mistake in purchasing my [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] tractor. I should have bought it 10 years sooner, and not bought the series of Wal-mart grade lawn tractors that preceded the Kubota.

 

[Twist Trees]

Keep in mind you're querying a crowd, many of whom would justify owning a tractor while living in a condo. Admittedly, I count myself among their ranks.

 

[m5040]

I would recommend a Power Trac. I have [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] tractors and PT and used the Power trac's 10x compared to the standard 3pt hitch tractor. They articulate and will drive, repeatedly, across your lawn with no to minimal damage. They come as a loader with a quick attach and everything works out front where you can see it without turning around. Remember the standard tractor configuration was developed in the late 1800s and is obsolete for utility work (the only thing it does better is pull plows through the dirt). The Power trac has 4x4, power steering, rear engine (no counterweight needed) and as stated, a loader with quick attach and numerous attachments that are driven by hyd motors, no drive shafts to connect.

Power Trac

Compact Tractors, Slope Mowers, Articulated Tractors, Tractor Attachments, Trailer Packages

www.power-trac.com

 

[cfb]

That being said, the BX does not handle rough terrain or inclines well.

Hello Sea2Summit,
I'll comment to our original poster, but first, your comment here quoted caught my eye as I was considering the BX series, but now leaning to the B2601 or Deere 2025R. Would you expound a bit on the poor handling you experience. What tires do you have? Does it slip? or unstable on a slant? In my back 2 acres of woods, I have some definite hills to navigate with some wet season shallow creeks. My tractors are smaller so I was figuring the larger, 4WD would be the solution to haul out my small trailer of wood. Thank you.

In general, I wish, in hindsight, I bought bigger, but money dictated and I thought I went bigger. So that would be my advise now. I have a Ford 16HP diesel and an Ingersoll 448. They have turf tires and I keep chains on all year which is great as it helps in the woods and also prevents slipping up wet grassy slopes in the yard and also in rototilling and snow plowing. I don't need bigger for mowing or rototilling, but do for plowing and hauling. But each of these are over 30 years old and parts are hard to find for the Ford.
I would also recommend looking at the features of the tractor. eg. Treadle foot control vs two separate pedals. Or loader control on the fender or loader? I know we want to make a good decision due to the expense of these units but as many have said, you will probably be happy with whatever unit you get.