I've thrown a few post here for JD and Case CUT and sub CUT to get opinions. I think my age is getting in my way and I'm over thinking EVERYTHING and then double guessing myself.
I have 10 virgin acres at the lake. I'll be working only 4 of it.Already paid someone to do and initial brush cutting. Slope is mostly mild 5 degrees to maybe 30 degrees. Basic duties will be mostly brush cutting/ hogging the same area weekly, Post holes, Some loader work, mostly moving gravel and maybe attempting to push down a small tree. Maybe snow removal, but I have 2 smaller units that work well for that.
I've been looking at used 15 to 20 hp 4x4 tractors with loaders. Price at $8000 to $13000. But would a 2 wd 30 to 40 hp tractor work just as well? I remember when I was younger running my dads Case 8xx and 970 (i think) in the early 70's. Those tractors were big to me at that time and easily pulled 16' of cultivator. But it was FLAT ground.
Now throw into this a 2 wd 1970 ish IH Cub lo boy??? Lower HP but CHEAP.
I guess 2 wd - some kind of Dif lock may be a good idea??
Reason I'm asking these questions, I find it hard to shell out $10000 for a very minimal use tractor. A Lo Boy is so much cheaper if it would fit my needs.
So, let me know what you think!!!! I really like the Lo boy idea. OPPS - doesn't look like cubs have rear PTO.
You can get a lot of work done with a 20hp 4x4 tractor with FEL on a place as small as yours. I have 10 acres of flat pasture land. My first tractor was a new 2005 Kubota B7510HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto, 4WD, power steering, hydrostatic tranny) with the LA302 FEL (4 ft wide bucket, 800 lb lift). Price: $12,600 plus sales tax. I used 4-ft implements with this tractor (brush hog, box blade), a $300 used Yanmar RS1200 rototiller and a $140 KK subsoiler/middle buster combo. I mowed, toted tons of material, excavated for paver block walkways and a paver block patio, installed the landscaping around the new house. You should have no problem finding an equivalent used tractor in your price range.
I also have a nice 1964 MF-135 diesel (45 hp engine, 37 hp pto, 2WD, gear tranny) that I bought in July06 for $3600. FWJ's advice was instrumental in my selecting this little gem. It's set up to squat low for work in the orchards around here. It's been thoroughly cleaned, rewired, and repainted. Engine, tranny and hydraulics are solid.
My big tractor is a new 2008 Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, partial constant mesh tranny, power steering) with the ML250 FEl (6-ft bucket, 2960 lb lift). Traded the 7510HST as part of the deal since it served its purpose the 3 years I owned it. I plan to put 7 acres into hay and the 5525 will be the tractor to run the plows, discs and the baler.
Old age--what's that? I'll be 67 next month. Tractoring's keeping me young.
