Looking for a tractor not sure if we need as big as I think.

[WM75Guy]

Acres does not determine tractor size. Task determines tractor size. Take a good look at your property and peer into the future. Determine what you need to do now and in the near future.

PTO hp determines what 3pt attachments you can operate. The rule of 5 hp per foot of cutter is minimum hp. I run a 6' cutter with 50 hp (40 pto hp) and sometimes bog down in tall thick grass. If you mow with a 20 hp and a 5' cutter it may work but you probably won't be happy with the results.

Weight is important if you want to pull with the 3 pt or push with the FEL. Most tractors run out of traction long before hp. The more hp, the more weight. 4WD helps in FEL work and gets a stronger front axle.

FEL lift capacity is determined by the model number of the FEL which is pared to the tractor model. My TC40DA (40 hp) with the 16LA FEL can lift 2000 lbs. max. A 20 hp tractor may lift 600-800 lbs.

Look at your tasks, talk to folks with similar tasks and see what they use. A smaller tractor may fit your budget and if you need something bigger occasionally, rent it.

 

[Pete Judd]

Unless I missed something, It looks like you need to mow a half acre now but will be build it up to a few over the years. I have a 18 hp with a 5 ft brush hog, and a 5 ft finish mower. Works great for those tasks. If I need something bigger, I call on friends, or rent. A lot cheaper to break rental stuff than stuff you own and maybe only use once or twice in your lifetime. Pulling big stumps is for the most part not something that wheel tractors are designed for. Used to do it when we could get the blow up stuff at the feed store 50 years ago. A good CUT should get you through, very handy for a lot of other things as well. Just my 2 cents.

 

[oz in SC]

I am slowly clearing out the land,hopefully will get another two acres into grass.

Then there is the 2-ish acres of bottom land we haven't seen in 5 years...:laughing:

THEN there is cutting paths through the pines to get back and forth.

Not to mention the driveway and a veggie garden.

This is the ad for the L275,not much to go on.
KUBOTA 4x4 TRACTOR WITH LOADER DIESEL

 

[whistlepig]

Acres does not determine tractor size. Task determines tractor size. Take a good look at your property and peer into the future. Determine what you need to do now and in the near future.

PTO hp determines what 3pt attachments you can operate. The rule of 5 hp per foot of cutter is minimum hp. I run a 6' cutter with 50 hp (40 pto hp) and sometimes bog down in tall thick grass. If you mow with a 20 hp and a 5' cutter it may work but you probably won't be happy with the results.

Weight is important if you want to pull with the 3 pt or push with the FEL. Most tractors run out of traction long before hp. The more hp, the more weight. 4WD helps in FEL work and gets a stronger front axle.

FEL lift capacity is determined by the model number of the FEL which is pared to the tractor model. My TC40DA (40 hp) with the 16LA FEL can lift 2000 lbs. max. A 20 hp tractor may lift 600-800 lbs.

Look at your tasks, talk to folks with similar tasks and see what they use. A smaller tractor may fit your budget and if you need something bigger occasionally, rent it.

Acres can determine tractor size. Too small of a mower sized to fit a smaller tractor will have one spending more time mowing than they would want to.

 

[Soundguy]

they are all variables. 100 ac of narrow spaced orchard would not warrant the same size tractor as 100ac of open hay..

use, task and AC, and future use has to all be looked at.

that said. I often find that the single best tractor for a situation liek that is really 2 tractors..

IE.. usually something smallish and new with options.. perhaps a large scut/small/medium CUT, 4x4, hydro, with a loader, PLUS a larger, cheaper, older 2wd tractor to do heavy drawbar or pto chores. with the price of old iron as low as it is.. it's usually cheaper to buy a big old one, and a small / medium new one and cover all your bases for about the same money as buying a large medium one that neither does the big tasks well, and is a lil big to do the small tasks well.

such is not ALWAYS the case however. there are other options such as rent per task items if you have a few things you need done.. like trenching, but don't need a fulltime backhoe. ( or.. would an oldie with a hoe attached.. or a 3pt hoe do the job? is it worth 2500-4000$ to have it always available? or is it better to pay 250$ per shot?.. how often it's needed, and what it needs to do when needed is the key... i wouldn't want to use my smallish woods 6500 3pt hoe to dig a swimming pool.. i'd rather just pay the rental guy a days rent and operate pay to bring in a case 580l or larger hoe for a day.. bust out the job and leave.. vs setting there for days digging with a lil hoe.. then again, needing to run 50' water line, i don't want to go rent a hoe or trencher when my woods 6500 3pt jobber will do it with spades..)

soundguy

 

[jenkinsph]

they are all variables. 100 ac of narrow spaced orchard would not warrant the same size tractor as 100ac of open hay..

use, task and AC, and future use has to all be looked at.

that said. I often find that the single best tractor for a situation liek that is really 2 tractors..

IE.. usually something smallish and new with options.. perhaps a large scut/small/medium CUT, 4x4, hydro, with a loader, PLUS a larger, cheaper, older 2wd tractor to do heavy drawbar or pto chores. with the price of old iron as low as it is.. it's usually cheaper to buy a big old one, and a small / medium new one and cover all your bases for about the same money as buying a large medium one that neither does the big tasks well, and is a lil big to do the small tasks well.

such is not ALWAYS the case however. there are other options such as rent per task items if you have a few things you need done.. like trenching, but don't need a fulltime backhoe. ( or.. would an oldie with a hoe attached.. or a 3pt hoe do the job? is it worth 2500-4000$ to have it always available? or is it better to pay 250$ per shot?.. how often it's needed, and what it needs to do when needed is the key... i wouldn't want to use my smallish woods 6500 3pt hoe to dig a swimming pool.. i'd rather just pay the rental guy a days rent and operate pay to bring in a case 580l or larger hoe for a day.. bust out the job and leave.. vs setting there for days digging with a lil hoe.. then again, needing to run 50' water line, i don't want to go rent a hoe or trencher when my woods 6500 3pt jobber will do it with spades..)

soundguy

Soundguy,
An excellent post that covers about half the threads I read on TBN. Nothing like a lttle common sense.:thumbsup:

 

[Soundguy]

good thing it only takes a lil.. as I don't have much more

 

[TripleR]

they are all variables. 100 ac of narrow spaced orchard would not warrant the same size tractor as 100ac of open hay..

use, task and AC, and future use has to all be looked at.

that said. I often find that the single best tractor for a situation like that is really 2 tractors..

IE.. usually something smallish and new with options.. perhaps a large scut/small/medium CUT, 4x4, hydro, with a loader, PLUS a larger, cheaper, older 2wd tractor to do heavy drawbar or pto chores. with the price of old iron as low as it is.. it's usually cheaper to buy a big old one, and a small / medium new one and cover all your bases for about the same money as buying a large medium one that neither does the big tasks well, and is a lil big to do the small tasks well.

such is not ALWAYS the case however. there are other options such as rent per task items if you have a few things you need done.. like trenching, but don't need a fulltime backhoe. ( or.. would an oldie with a hoe attached.. or a 3pt hoe do the job? is it worth 2500-4000$ to have it always available? or is it better to pay 250$ per shot?.. how often it's needed, and what it needs to do when needed is the key... i wouldn't want to use my smallish woods 6500 3pt hoe to dig a swimming pool.. i'd rather just pay the rental guy a days rent and operate pay to bring in a case 580l or larger hoe for a day.. bust out the job and leave.. vs setting there for days digging with a lil hoe.. then again, needing to run 50' water line, i don't want to go rent a hoe or trencher when my woods 6500 3pt jobber will do it with spades..)

soundguy

Or two new tractors, two used tractors or...:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[slowzuki]

Got two now myself, the only thing better would be three! Shhhh don't tell my wife!

 

[beppington]

My dad has 16 acres, about 10 of which are pasture, & it still takes him several hours to mow it all with his 40HP (engine HP that is) Mahindra 4110 & a 6' mower.

While you can prob get away with smaller, it's prob gonna take longer to do your tasks.