help a damsel in distress

[tdenny]

Bunny,

I have 5 acres and have plenty of things to use my tractor for - but eventually I will be mowing most of it. I have a 24 hp tractor and that is more than enough power to run a rear mower or belly mower as well as a brush hog. The B7100 you mentioned would probably be fine for what you are after. How thick is the brush? Is your land hilly or flat? Do you do any other landscaping type activities? I use my tractor for many other fun things such as moving piles of gravel, bark, rocks, etc. - as well as using it to move other heavy objects around, leveling the ground in areas, digging fence post holes, and on and on. So as others have mentioned I'm sure you might find more uses than you think.

Although you might think that the responses to your question are somewhat vague (I asked the same question before) these fine folks will provide you with tons of information. They just need specifics in order to formulate detailed opinions. Let us know if you make a decision. We may all be unable to come to a general consensus - but we all love tractors (any or all)./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[RichZ]

OK, Bunny, I'll be more definitive! For your needs I'd say you need at least 25 hp, but you'd be better off with 30hp or more. You say your land is sloping, so you'll need more power. Also, I think a 4 ft brush hog is too small for your property. Go with at least a 5 ft, it really will cut down on your mowing time. I also suggest a rear mounted finish mower over a mid mount. Mid mounts are much harder to remove, I have a rear mount, and I've never regreted it.

Now ask yourself how much you want to spend, and as I said before what other uses you may have for it. You're sure to discover more uses as time goes on. Don't be afraid to go used or even vintage. Vintage tractors are very reasonable, easy to maintain and have a lot of power. I have two vintage tractors (see the vintage forum, I just posted pictures). And don't be afraid of maintenance of used and vintage tractors. Most farming areas have independent tractor mechanics who are very reasonable. I live near the Vermont border, depending on where you are located, I could reccommend my mechanic who is excellent.(By the way, I'm not assuming that because you're a damsel, you aren't mechanical. I use a mechanic for my tractors!) I'm in Cambridge, which is right next to Bennington.

 

[rmorgan]

IMHO, you are not crazy to spend less if money is a critical factor, and not crazy to spend more if it is not. These machines do hold their value remarkably well. Also IMHO, More tractor is usually better, UNLESS you have a lot of tight quarters to operate in--then the bigger machines can be a hindrance. For what it's worth, I have a NH TC33D, hydrostatic xmsn, four-wheel-drive, with Bush Hog 60" cutter and 60" NH belly mower (and miscelleneous other stuff). Because hydrostatic xmsns gobble horsepower, the nominal 33 is an effective 30-ish. I've been very pleased with it. It excels at rough cutting and does a good job finish cutting (no compact tractor will do as well as a machine designed exclusively for cutting grass), and is very comfortable to drive for extended periods. I can almost always mow in second range (of three) without any engine lugging. The seat is well sprung, and moves fore and aft to accommodate operator height.

The difference between 48" and 60" cutters is substantial, and I think the only reasons to get smaller mowers is tight quarters or a shortage of HP.

Have fun!

 

[cowboydoc]

Bunny,
You need something in the 30-40 hp range. Get as big as you can afford. Having mowed alot even a foot bigger makes a huge difference mowing that much ground. If I was in your situation I would buy a JD 4400 or 4500 and then get a 6' finish mower to pull behind. As you've said you can also use your riding mower. That will do the areas the 4500 can't reach. With the slopes I think you will be better off to widen your wheels and the 6' mower will let you widen them enough to provide good stablility.

The one thing I disagree with Rich on is buying a vintage tractor. Don't do it unless you are very well versed in driving a tractor. The JD will drive just as easily as your car and you will have far less trouble operating it compared to a vintage. All the controls are push button and you will have a tremendous ease of use.

 

[knucklehead]

I'm not in consensus with myself! I agree with Rich, and with the others. The only thing I would not do is buy a newer, smaller tractor (<20 PTO hp). We are contemplating older, newer, and even two (small & big for lawn & woods). My wife got out of the van at the JD dealer today and walked right over to a 790 (30hp no-frills model with bucket) and said - "I'd get on that and mow or shovel snow; that's not too big". Guess that would be smaller one.

See what I have to put up with, fellow TBN'rs? /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[bunny]

so, boys, basically, there's no difference between green, blue, and orange other than pigmentation in the paint and personal comfort? And a 30 hp JD is better than a 16 hp used Kubota, because although 16 hp will do the job, it'll take forever to finish. Right? And finally, are they all priced about the same comparing apples to apples? I once heard that JD is overpriced--Thank you all so very much. I'm trying to "cut" my mowing job (wink, wink) and I'm the nervous type. Do I have it right?

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>basically, there's no difference between green, blue, and orange other than pigmentation in the paint and personal comfort?</font color=blue>

Well . . ., maybe./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif That's a matter of opinion, too./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

<font color=blue>a 30 hp JD is better than a 16 hp used Kubota, because although 16 hp will do the job, it'll take forever to finish. Right?</font color=blue>

Right!

<font color=blue>are they all priced about the same comparing apples to apples? I once heard that JD is overpriced</font color=blue>

Apparently from what I've read on this forum, the pricing may be comparable in some areas, but in my neighborhood, the John Deere dealers arrogantly act like they're doing you a favor if they only take a few thousand dollars extra./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

If you've been reading much on this forum, you know they all make good tractors, so your personal opinion is as good as anyone else's. And, if you're buying new at least, your relationship with the dealer is as important as the brand of the tractor.

But, naturally, in my opinion, Kubota is the only way to go./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[MrP]

<font color=blue>Apparently from what I've read on this forum, the pricing may be comparable in some areas, but in my neighborhood, the John Deere dealers arrogantly act like they're doing you a favor if they only take a few thousand dollars extra.</font color=blue>

Same in my neck of the woods. The JDs are usually about 15% more.

Asking if Green, Blue or Orange is better is likely to start a long complicated argument... er... uh... discussion.

I would sugest taking a close look at the Kubota L3710 HST, R4 tires and FEL. You can put a 72" MMM on or pull an 84" RFM. In addition, you can pull a 72" and maybe even an 84" brush hog.

HST: The hydrostatic transmission makes the tractor very easy to operate. You can control your speed and back up with a simple press of the pedal.

R4 tires: These are the tires that are a cross between Ag tires and turf tires. If you have hills to deal with, the R4s can give you traction that turfs may not. In addition, you don't do the kind of turf damage that you get with Ags.

FEL: With a place your size, you will find a thousand an one uses for the FEL. I have had my tractor for three years and the loader for 1 month. I have found more uses for the tractor in the last two weeks than I had for the last 3 years. In addition, with a 30+ HP tractor the FEL makes the tractor much easier to sell. It's just an all around good investment when you buy a compact tractor.

 

[s1120]

<font color=red>your relationship with the dealer is as important as the brand of the tractor.</font color=red>

Bird is right on the money here. Go to a few local dealers. Sit on some tractors, talk to a few salesmen. If they talk down to you, or ingnore you now, how will they treat you when you have a problem. What tractor fits YOU best? They are all a little different, so a good tractor just may not be comfortable for you. So just get out there, kick some tires, and enjoy.

 

[rozett]

Bunny, I would not limit your choices to green, blue, and orange. Cub Cadet makes a very nice 30 HP tractor with hydrostatic drive that is equal in quality and reliability to the others. Cub Cadet is the choice of many landscape contractors. I bought a slightly used 36 HP Cub and have been very pleased with it.

You can find the dealer nearest your zip code at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.cubcadet.com/DlrSearch.jsp>http://www.cubcadet.com/DlrSearch.jsp</A>