Help with choosing tractor, implements NEWBIE?

[flusher]

I have searched all over this site - great advice, but I would like some more info.

Just purchased 15 acres - nothing on the land but a steel barn. About 8 acres are mowable, which are 4 months over grown. There are some steep hills on the property - but don't necessarily have to be mowed. I will not build on this property for 7 years.

I am interested in these 3 tractors with implements

1) BX 2350 - mmm and 4' hog $11099 23hp
2) BX 2660 - mmm 4' hog 13025 25hp
3) JD 2305 - mmm 4' hog 12797 24hp

Have not wheeled and dealed with any of them yet, if possible??? I am concerned about hp and weight or should I be? Do I need both mowers.

OR should I just get a pull behind hog for the quad? Any advice would be great. I also don't know kubota (name) vs. deere (name) if one is better than other.

John

I was in your situation about 3 years ago. Bought 10 acres of flat pasture land with weeds and two dozen old almond trees. My first tractor was a Kubota B7510HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto) with the LA302 FEL (4-ft wide bucket).

The 7510 was fine for the work I needed to do after my house was constructed (paver block walkways, paver block patio, landscaping). I mowed the weeds with a 4-ft wide King Kutter rotary mower (aka brush hog, about $650 from Tractor Supply).

However, things change. Late last year I decided to put a hay crop on 7 of my 10 acres. Traded the 7510 for a Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD) with the ML250 FEL. Got a good deal. My monthly payments for the 5525 are about $100 lower than for the B7510.

Lately I've been accumulating haying implements.

So, it's up to you. With 15 acres a small tractor like the ones you're eyeballing now might satisfy all your needs forever. But be prepared for changes that might come in your tractor needs.

 

[Bigfoot62]

If you can afford it, go with a 6 foot brush hog and a little larger tractor. If you can't, you can't and that is fine. However, it is rare for someone to say I wish I had bought a smaller tractor. However, several of us have said I wish I would have bought a larger tractor.

^ +1
Well said. Buy enough tractor, the first time.
One word of caution, though. Don't buy a 6' hog unless you have enough PTO hp to turn it. One of my neighbors has an older 35 hp that he is running a six-footer on, and he needs ANOTHER new clutch. I would reccommend at least 45 PTO hp.

And, if you are going to EVER have a loader, buy FWD.

As far as wheelin' and dealin' goes, ABSOLUTELY! When I was shopping around for my TN70A, I contacted about a dozen dealers. I found almost $6000 difference in price. It pays to shop around!

 

[Soundguy]

Quoting 45hp for a 6' hog is a little excessive for anything less than heavy / sever duty mowing..e tc.

I've ran 6' hogs on my ex NH1920 32hp diesel, and my 134ci / 33hp gas fords.. no problems in non-jungle type mowing.

soundguy

^ +1
Well said. Buy enough tractor, the first time.
One word of caution, though. Don't buy a 6' hog unless you have enough PTO hp to turn it. One of my neighbors has an older 35 hp that he is running a six-footer on, and he needs ANOTHER new clutch. I would reccommend at least 45 PTO hp.

And, if you are going to EVER have a loader, buy FWD.

As far as wheelin' and dealin' goes, ABSOLUTELY! When I was shopping around for my TN70A, I contacted about a dozen dealers. I found almost $6000 difference in price. It pays to shop around!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Quoting 45hp for a 6' hog is a little excessive for anything less than heavy / sever duty mowing..e tc.

I've ran 6' hogs on my ex NH1920 32hp diesel, and my 134ci / 33hp gas fords.. no problems in non-jungle type mowing.

soundguy

Not sure I'd go quite as far as saying "excessive". More like "more than adaquate in most cases". I run 47HP and 6' as a combo. In all but the worst of conditions, it's cruising along with minimal load, and I can throttle back a little when needed, or, carry a little higher ground speed allowing more acreage in same amount of time.

In thick grass and weeds, 47 hp takes it in stride where the 41HP of the 3000 Ford I owned would struggle. It's better to have just a bit more power than you'll need than not enough at times. With hp at the minimal end of the spectrum, you can't afford to let grass and weeds get too far out of hand. With a little reserve power, a couple weeks of rainy weather or a busy spell at work, and you're still able to get the job done.

I did some mowing around home yesterday in tall, lush fescue where 32 hp on a 6' mower just wouldn't have been able to hack it. And that grass wasn't even knee deep. It had 47 hp barking loud.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Not sure I'd go quite as far as saying "excessive". More like "more than adaquate in most cases". I run 47HP and 6' as a combo. In all but the worst of conditions, it's cruising along with minimal load, and I can throttle back a little when needed, or, carry a little higher ground speed allowing more acreage in same amount of time.

In thick grass and weeds, 47 hp takes it in stride where the 41HP of the 3000 Ford I owned would struggle. It's better to have just a bit more power than you'll need than not enough at times. With hp at the minimal end of the spectrum, you can't afford to let grass and weeds get too far out of hand. With a little reserve power, a couple weeks of rainy weather or a busy spell at work, and you're still able to get the job done.

I did some mowing around home yesterday in tall, lush fescue where 32 hp on a 6' mower just wouldn't have been able to hack it. And that grass wasn't even knee deep. It had 47 hp barking loud.

i'd have to agree. i have a 27hp tractor running a 5' light duty brush cutter and my fields can make that old tractor huff and puff, sometimes even at the point where the tractor wants to choke down. all this running in 5th gear high (8x2 transmission). if i dropped it back to 4th gear low, well i dont think i'd ever get done! i think the next bush hog i get is going to be 6' medium duty at the LEAST and more then enough tractor to go with it. we try to stay on our fields at least 2 times per season(2 times in fall, 2 times spring, etc.). this summer has been an exception though, in almost 3 weeks you could hardly tell anything had been cut! we dont plant or till these fields, but just keeping them cut is a job in itself. i swear they get thicker and thicker every year!

 

[Soundguy]

To be fair.. i said 'a little excessive'.. not just 'excessive'. For average conditions 8hp per foot is way more than adequate... this sounds like exactly what you said, just phrased differently:

Not sure I'd go quite as far as saying "excessive". More like "more than adaquate in most cases

yes.. if you let it grow up and out of control, and / or want to drive fast, you need more HP per foot... No arguments there.

soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

To be fair.. i said 'a little excessive'.. not just 'excessive'. For average conditions 8hp per foot is way more than adequate... this sounds like exactly what you said, just phrased differently:





yes.. if you let it grow up and out of control, and / or want to drive fast, you need more HP per foot... No arguments there.

soundguy

Depends on what you consider "average". If average is clipping pastures that get cut 8 or 10 times a season and never get beyond a few inches tall, that 6HP per ft rule applies. But most "average" mowing I see and hear of is more like 2 or 3 cuts per season and well beyond the capabilities of 30/32 hp on a 6' mower when used at anything approaching a respectable speed. (4 mph + or -) That ISN'T "out of control", but just typical mowing. It may end up being out of control if you only have marginal power in conjunction with a mower that's at the extreme upper size limits for that power. I'd hate to think about having to go out mowing on an underpowered tractor, plodding along in 1st or 2nd gear for hours on end. It's common to see 30 to 35 hp tractors around here with 5' mowers for the most part. I just don't see being boxed into a corner with a mower that's streching the tractors practical limits under even the lightest of conditions.

 

[Soundguy]

. It's common to see 30 to 35 hp tractors around here with 5' mowers for the most part. I just don't see being boxed into a corner with a mower that's streching the tractors practical limits under even the lightest of conditions.

As with everything opinion based.. it's all mutable... time is to. some people may actually like seat time.. and most people I know mow slower than I do.. I don't particularly mind a brisk mowing speed and a few bumps... The spring ride seat on my tractor is a real plus.

FWIW.. the dealer reccomended mower on that 32hp tractor I mowed with was a 6' mower. I opted to buy a 5', thinking I'd stay in the real power range... Luckilly I bought a few old fords to stick the 5' mower on, and instead used my stepdads 6' mower. The 32hp diesel spun the 5' like it wasn't back there.. i ran in 3/3 most of the time.. which was quite fast on that 12x4 tranny. Weeds 2-3' taller than the canopy went down with ease. About the only thing i ever mowed that made me drop into the '2' range was a full 3' tall thick lush grass.... Of course.. i still say the NH 1920 I'm refering to was way more tractor than ford touted it as... It would blow a tc30 away with one injector disconnected..

I never felt 'boxed' in or anything close to stretching the practical limits of that tractor in anything other than outright jungle undergrowth... and even then.. you could still mow it down faster than you could safely look for obstacles in front of you.. IE.. sometimes a lower 2 or (gasp)1 range was selected just to be able to find the hidden stumps and junk in the 3' tall grass..e tc.

In any case.. the hp rangees have been posted in this thread.. all the way from adequate to ideal, and the owner knows what to expect from a mower at the upper end of a tractor.. or having surplus tractor to spare.. etc.

I don't see a downside either way.. smaller tractor CAN get the job done, perhaps at a reduced speed... having a larger tractor gives you plenty of headroom , and opens doors for other larger tasks, but cost more, and more to maintain.

I own on both sides of that equation... my ford hundred series are not what i would term as 'awesome' at moving round hay bales,( adequate at best ) mostly due to reduced size and weight o f the tractors in relation to the bale size.. however.. they get it done... I'm actually surprised about the smaller 660 handling them...not so much about the 850... On the flip side.. I've had 9.5hp per foot of cut on a mower and knew I was wasting time with the overkill of hp, vs a larger mower, vs MY conditions.. and when it's all said and donw.. that's what counts.. the posters mowing habits and conditions.. not any of ours. What's average to many of us.. is likely not average to the original poster. What's average to a paid profesional mower is likely not what is average to the rest of us that mow our own land, vs letting it grow out of control.. then have to hire (FWJ) to come mow it for us.. thus what you see as average may well be inflated

soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

As with everything opinion based.. it's all mutable... time is to. some people may actually like seat time.. and most people I know mow slower than I do.. I don't particularly mind a brisk mowing speed and a few bumps... The spring ride seat on my tractor is a real plus.

FWIW.. the dealer reccomended mower on that 32hp tractor I mowed with was a 6' mower. I opted to buy a 5', thinking I'd stay in the real power range... Luckilly I bought a few old fords to stick the 5' mower on, and instead used my stepdads 6' mower. The 32hp diesel spun the 5' like it wasn't back there.. i ran in 3/3 most of the time.. which was quite fast on that 12x4 tranny. Weeds 2-3' taller than the canopy went down with ease. About the only thing i ever mowed that made me drop into the '2' range was a full 3' tall thick lush grass.... Of course.. i still say the NH 1920 I'm refering to was way more tractor than ford touted it as... It would blow a tc30 away with one injector disconnected..

I never felt 'boxed' in or anything close to stretching the practical limits of that tractor in anything other than outright jungle undergrowth... and even then.. you could still mow it down faster than you could safely look for obstacles in front of you.. IE.. sometimes a lower 2 or (gasp)1 range was selected just to be able to find the hidden stumps and junk in the 3' tall grass..e tc.

In any case.. the hp rangees have been posted in this thread.. all the way from adequate to ideal, and the owner knows what to expect from a mower at the upper end of a tractor.. or having surplus tractor to spare.. etc.

I don't see a downside either way.. smaller tractor CAN get the job done, perhaps at a reduced speed... having a larger tractor gives you plenty of headroom , and opens doors for other larger tasks, but cost more, and more to maintain.

I own on both sides of that equation... my ford hundred series are not what i would term as 'awesome' at moving round hay bales,( adequate at best ) mostly due to reduced size and weight o f the tractors in relation to the bale size.. however.. they get it done... I'm actually surprised about the smaller 660 handling them...not so much about the 850... On the flip side.. I've had 9.5hp per foot of cut on a mower and knew I was wasting time with the overkill of hp, vs a larger mower, vs MY conditions.. and when it's all said and donw.. that's what counts.. the posters mowing habits and conditions.. not any of ours. What's average to many of us.. is likely not average to the original poster. What's average to a paid profesional mower is likely not what is average to the rest of us that mow our own land, vs letting it grow out of control.. then have to hire (FWJ) to come mow it for us.. thus what you see as average may well be inflated

soundguy

But.... answer this with a simple yes or no.... Didn't you part ways with the 32HP Ford because, even with a 6' mower, it was too slow about mowing your 13 acres?

Higher hp give you the flexability to mow faster OR slower, where lower power doesn't give you that same choice.

OP's "specs" and requirements state he has "8 mowable acres, some hilly" that are "4 months overgrown". that leaves the door open for many possibilities. But I'd still favor something in the 45 hp range. That's just a nice handy size.


MORE POWER!!!!!! Arghhhhhh!!!!!

 

[Soundguy]

But.... answer this with a simple yes or no.... Didn't you part ways with the 32HP Ford because, even with a 6' mower, it was too slow about mowing your 13 acres?

Absolutely.. without a doubt, 100% YES. When i went to 6 day work shifts with some doubles I could no longer afford to devote 6.5 hrs to mowing each week... 3 hours was much better.

Higher hp give you the flexability to mow faster OR slower, where lower power doesn't give you that same choice.

I was originally goin to get a tc48 and a 7' mower.. but the deal on the 7610s came up, and it was so much more tractor, and opene dup the possibility for a 10'-12'-15' mower.. that really appealed to me.. at the time.. I had more money than well.. time. .. glad the mowers were affordable though, as I kinda overspent my budget on the tractor a little.

OP's "specs" and requirements state he has "8 mowable acres, some hilly" that are "4 months overgrown". that leaves the door open for many possibilities. But I'd still favor something in the 45 hp range. That's just a nice handy size.


MORE POWER!!!!!! Arghhhhhh!!!!!

I admit.. I'm a power junkie, and I'm also a fan of not having to swap out rear implements alot.. or at all.. thus the multiple tractors.. even if most of them are old. I realize that option is not feasable for the average non tractor collector though. I usually try to throw out both opinions.. IE.. what you can 'get by' with and what would be nice. In this case, I have no arguments that the large mower ont he smaller tractor is in the 'get by range.. IE.. only suitable for 'average'.. or shall we say mild to medium conditions.. in heavy conditions.. speed will be sacrificed, or cut width.. or both.. etc.

soundguy