Buying Advice It works ok...

[XSKIER]

GC1715 60” deck 60” blade
$15,500
1526 60” deck 60” blade $23,500
1735M 72” deck 72” premium blade $32300

John Deere 1025r was $16,000 before rear blade and talking with sales guy the tag on it is their lowest price no negotiation so I stopped there.

That's not a bad price for the R. If you are using a rear the blade, the position control three point is worth the extra G note alone. Deere financial, and equipment insurance coverage, is the best there is. Might be "cheaper" than you think, all things considered.

 

[Bob88]

That's not a bad price for the R. If you are using a rear the blade, the position control three point is worth the extra G note alone. Deere financial, and equipment insurance coverage, is the best there is. Might be "cheaper" than you think, all things considered.

But both 1025R and GC1715 only have 60” decks and 60” blade would be about all they can handle so would being HST make up for less width is that really worth the extra cost? And I still say they are on the small side for my use.

 

[dodge man]

I have a Kubota BX which is a subcompact. Something like that woukd work for you and even though it only has a 60” deck it sounds like ir woukd cut your mowing time. Don’t get hung up on the deck size to much. Right now I’m debating on if I should up size to a compact tractor. For my mowing needs the BX is good but for snow removal and end loader work I wish it was bigger.

 

[Bob88]

I have a Kubota BX which is a subcompact. Something like that woukd work for you and even though it only has a 60” deck it sounds like ir woukd cut your mowing time. Don’t get hung up on the deck size to much. Right now I’m debating on if I should up size to a compact tractor. For my mowing needs the BX is good but for snow removal and end loader work I wish it was bigger.

That’s the other thought a loader will take longer than my snowblower to move a big snow however I think a small snow would be fine. The more I read about sub compacts it seems people usually end up wanting bigger later on I’d rather not do that although they hold their value well buy once cry once.

 

[Bob88]

Perhaps you should consider brands with four equal size wheels with work done primarily in front.

Brands: Power Trac, Ventrac/Steiner. Stability on slopes is much greater with rear engines and four equal size wheels.

Power Trac and Ventrac/Steiner brands have dedicated forums here on T-B-N. Click the FORUMS button, then cursor down.

Power Trac: ThePowerTrac
- YouTube

Ventrac: ventrac - YouTube

Steiner: steiner tractor - YouTube

I have looked at the ventrac but dealers for them are not close and I feel a tractor will be easier to obtain and maintain in my area.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I don稚 think a Zero turn will work with my hills unless I have a death wish and I will be lucky to afford a tractor alone.

If you have been mowing it with your 2 WD JD 850, a zero turn will have no problem at all. You will need to step up to a commercial grade machine though, one in the 800+ pound range with large tires and serviceable HST transmission. However, a zero turn mower wont help you with snow removal.

Why not just keep your current back blade, snow blower and mower and get a 4 WD HST tractor that can use them. I would get a FEL regardless of the equipment because they are so handy to have.

There are lots of good brands of tractors now and the biggest selling point for most folks is how comfortable and operable they are. All the other bells and whistles are of no value if you cant sit and work comfortable on the tractor. So go set on all the tractors in your immediate area and get a feel for how well they fit your particular frame size. Then go look for the best deal on the ones that you feel comfortable with.

 

[dodge man]

For me a rear blade and a FEL works good for snow removal. It when you start getting several inches of snow, say 5 inches and more, that they don't work good and a blower works better. If its just a couple of inches of snow a rear blade is really fast. When the snow is deep, the FEL bucket works, it just fills up fast. If you get something like 24" of snow, the FEL still works but then it gets really slow.

 

[Bob88]

For me a rear blade and a FEL works good for snow removal. It when you start getting several inches of snow, say 5 inches and more, that they don't work good and a blower works better. If its just a couple of inches of snow a rear blade is really fast. When the snow is deep, the FEL bucket works, it just fills up fast. If you get something like 24" of snow, the FEL still works but then it gets really slow.

This year we have gotten more snow than average I think a FEL and rear blade would work well for me I’m sure I will miss the snowblower at some point but I feel a HST and 4x4 with blade and FEL will more than make up for snowblower just stuck on whether or not I can be ok with Sub compact vs compact.

 

[Bob88]

ignore the truck and trailer but this picture gives an idea of how steep my driveway is and the hills are about the same. Here is current tractor

 

[Bob88]

here is some snow clearing pics from Tuesday night.