Buying Advice JD 4520

[dannylink]

I am in process of buying a new tractor and am considering the JD4520. With HST, extendable links and FEL the price is $30,000. I will use it to bush hog approximately 35 acres and general farm work. Is this a good tractor and is the price a good one?

 

[om21braz]

I'm far from the best to be answering your post, but it seems to me if cutting 35 acres is the primary task - I'd be looking at a 5000 series. For the approx. the same money, you'll lose hst - but gain a heavier machine with more hp which = bigger cutter, etc.. I say this "assuming" a possible haying operation?

 

[jenkinsph]

I am in process of buying a new tractor and am considering the JD4520. With HST, extendable links and FEL the price is $30,000. I will use it to bush hog approximately 35 acres and general farm work. Is this a good tractor and is the price a good one?

I am happy with mine but alot depends on what you are doing a little better breakdown on the tasks at hand and description of property would help us help you.

I like the 4520 for the close quarters I work in and feel the ehydro is hard to beat. So far it has been a good powerful compact tractor much like the 110tlb in size and operation.

Pricing sounds about right to me and I suggest you consider a cab too.

 

[ddivinia]

I am in process of buying a new tractor and am considering the JD4520. With HST, extendable links and FEL the price is $30,000. I will use it to bush hog approximately 35 acres and general farm work. Is this a good tractor and is the price a good one?

4520 is a good machine - I have a 4520 cab.

How big a mower are you planning on using?

What kind of terrain?

Any other uses?

D.

 

[mburke121]

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with the previous post on the 5000 series tractors, but I'm a big fan of the 4000 series tractors with eHydro. Unless you're haying or planning to do some serious ground engagement work, the 4520 with eHydro transmission is a very versatile and capable machine.

I have been mowing about 8-10 acres with a 6' rotary cutter behind my '09 4720, which has about the same PTO hp as the 2010 4520. The 4520 would easily handle a larger cutter.

It takes me about 1/2 hour or so per acre to mow my hilly terrain with lots of obstacles. I feel very safe mowing near my ponds, and around obstacles with the eHydro. I was not as comfortable with my old manual tractor, which was my main driver for upgrading.

If you plan to do any heavy work with the FEL, I highly recommend liquid ballast (i.e., Rimguard or CaCL) in the rears. This tractor with the 400CX loader will serve you well, in my opinion.

 

[dannylink]

I use a 6' rottery cutter son open pasture land. Limited hills which are not steep. Terrain gets alittle rough where cattle have walked when it was wet this winter. Will do alittle bucket work now and then - probably use tractor about 50 hrs per year.

Let me add alittle more about my tractor buying. About 6 yrs ago I bought a Kubota 3400 new with bucket. Manual transmission. 3 yrs later traded for a Kubota 3940 with manual transmission. Both were good tractors. NOW, I have sold that tractor and am buying a yet bigger tractor with discussions between the Kubota and Deer on best price. Currently the Deer have Kubota beat by about $1400 but Kubota will drop their price a $1000 if I pay cash instead of financing. The Kubota 5740 is a 59 HP and Deer a 60 HP. Mainly moving up to get the HST which both have. Should have gone HST when I bought the 3940 but am a slow learner. Neither of the tractors being considered have cabs for can I justify the extra $5500 when I use the tractor so little per year???? Probably when I get older or in 3 yrs whichever comes first I will be selling this tractor and buying one with cab. As I said I am a slow learner.

 

[om21braz]

Thanks for the additional info Danny! I can now retract my 5000 series post and you'll be well served by the previous advice given by others.

 

[jenkinsph]

Danny,
Consider that you still get a good percentage of the money spent on a cab at resale, so all is not lost. For mowing pastures a cab is a great thing to have. You might consider how much cleaner you will be coming in from the field, less dirt and dust on you and in your lungs.:thumbsup:

 

[ddivinia]

Get a cab tractor. Life is too short for open station tractors. Especially mowing 35 acres with a 6' mower. Moving hay in the winter, etc.

A landscape rake does a good job of smoothing up those areas where cattle really tear things up. I like it better than a box blade most of the time.

D.

 

[dannylink]

A landscape rake will smooth out rough ground where cattle have walked? Never heard of this but willing to try. I have a few areas where water seems to stand during wet times and the cows walk through and sink down 6" or so. Makes for rough riding.