Suggestions for 6 - 16 Hilly Wooded Acres?

[General Lee]

>An RTV 900 or 1100 would work well too.

timswi, do you think an RTV 500 would be too small?

If you have a hilly area, I wouldn't recommend Kubota's RTV 500. I can't speak for the 900 or 1100 though. Will the 500 climb hills?.....Yes but you need good traction because the 500 lacks power to make up for loss of traction. The 500 will haul, pull and transport but add hills into the mix to get jobs done.....well it doesn't do so good in my opinion.

 

[timswi]

If you have a hilly area, I wouldn't recommend Kubota's RTV 500. I can't speak for the 900 or 1100 though. Will the 500 climb hills?.....Yes but you need good traction because the 500 lacks power to make up for loss of traction. The 500 will haul, pull and transport but add hills into the mix to get jobs done.....well it doesn't do so good in my opinion.

In low range, my 500 would climb trees, ran out of traction way before I ever ran out of power, even hauling a load or plowing snow...High range, not so much.

 

[Martian]

Now this road were going down sounds like Bobcat territory. If you need a bucket to haul stuff around a lot of power and still a budget check this out:
Bobcat 3450 4x4 Utility Vehicle (UTV) - Bobcat Company

Put a bucket on it, blade, broom, mower, you name it. Pretty neat machine, built it kind of like the ToolCat's little bro and it is cheaper than a ToolCat and specs out similarly to a 1100. If you really want a UTV I would consider this or if you really want to go out on a limb and try to go with the ToolCat - that is more industrial than anything we've talked about. 2000 in the dump bed - 2x the 1100 and 825i, tow 4000 - 2x the 1100 and 825i, and and can lift 1500 with the loader that neither of them can do at all. And you can put nearly anything on the FEL because its a SSQA and its a bobcat. But if you do want all the great of the ToolCat you'll pay at least 2x more than any UTV you would get. Where talking ~$45000

If you do want to go back at looking at tractors though I would say at least a 2720 Deere or a B2920 Kubota but I would prefer a 3x20 Deere or Grand L series Kubota. And so you guys don't say it for me I would prefer the Deere:laughing::laughing:

 

[General Lee]

In low range, my 500 would climb trees, ran out of traction way before I ever ran out of power, even hauling a load or plowing snow...High range, not so much.

If I remember correctly you got your 500 squared away with servo adjustment and timing. I haven't done mine, been meaning to, just haven't done it. I have a love hate relationship with my 500 :laughing: I don't need a road rocket, just need it to have a little more grunt.

 

[timswi]

If I remember correctly you got your 500 squared away with servo adjustment and timing. I haven't done mine, been meaning to, just haven't done it. I have a love hate relationship with my 500 :laughing: I don't need a road rocket, just need it to have a little more grunt.

I did...High RPM adjustment and the servo adj made a world of difference....Need an inductive timing light (i think that's what it called) I bought a Sears professional TL with a built in tach...Big difference..Not a RZR but much improved...I would recommend the tuning, an hour well spent.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

If bulk material needs moved and general land work needs done, then a CUT/SCUT with an FEL might be the better call...Buy the tractor and get the UTV later...That's what I did.

I to did the buy tractor(s) first then bought a RTV. My first thoughts when I first read your post was that you were describing tractor vs RTV work.

 

[timswi]

I to did the buy tractor(s) first then bought a RTV. My first thoughts when I first read your post was that you were describing tractor vs RTV work.

Different equipment..Different uses, as I'm certain that you well know...The tractor and the RTV do work well as a pair for many projects.

 

[farmboy12]

Chiming in a little late.

I spent the weekend at a friend of mine's 350 acre working farm. They have about 250 wooded..100 cleared. About 200 acres of the 350 are swamp, the rest is fairly hilly. They have numerous animals and plots of crops. They also have a farm store.

They have a 2000 Polaris Ranger 500 4x4. This thing gets worked hard. They bought it used a few years ago and it now has 650 hours on it.

In just the short time I was there, we:

-Hauled half a cord of wood in one bed load.
-Pulled a bundle of about 8 old christmas trees, with 5 of us on the ranger, through mud at fairly high speed.
-Picked up multiple harvested deer.
-Hauled plenty of christmas trees in the bed.
-Took 4 of us spotlighting through mud and hills.
-Hauled 700lbs of deer corn, plus 3 people out to numerous feeding areas.
-Hauled pallets.
-Went to the gas station at full speed down the road.
-Pulled out 2 stuck atv's.
-Main mode of transport for all of us.

We rode this thing hard. We are a bunch of teens, ranging from 15-19. This is what they do with it all the time. My friend told me the only problem they've had with it was a rear end issue, they just replaced the whole rear with a used one for $200. And they have a punctured tire, that we plugged last night.

Definitely a workhorse, they always pick this over there regular atv's. Check out the Ranger series, they have great performance and speed but can also work.


Kyle

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have an RTV 900 and love the diesel engine, the full hydraulic system with dump bed and the tractor like transmission. I havent had the hard to shift problems like some folks have reported. I do have to pull the pressure release nob to shift gears if on an incline but other than that, it shifts easy and has plenty of power in L and M range, not so much in H range but it still climbs my little hill to my house even in H, just have to back off the throttle a bit and it increases the power which is contrary to normal thinking. I have pulled dozens of sweet gum saplings out by the roots with it up to about 3" in diameter when the soil was damp. I love my winch which is indespensible for fence building. I can stretch a full roll of netwire to the breaking point with it without a problem and the hydraulic dump bed will dump anything that I have put in it without a grunt from full with rocks to full with dirt. I have the ATV type tires and traction is not a problem. The only negative is that the frame is so stiff that if you side cross ditches, it will teeter totter on you and just spin in the air till you hit the differential lock to pull you on thru. I dont have a soft soil conditions even in the spring areas, it pull thru easy without bogging but it is heavy and if you have soft clay, make sure you get a winch on it as someone said, it is a brick with wheels.
It just sips diesel. I have put over 80 hours on mine with only 2 refuels and that was refueling at 1/4 tank on the guage(it was full when I bought it) I bought mine used with 63 hours on it for $8500 which I think is a very good price. It was just like new then. It is a 2006 model and I have had only to replace the battery on it, and do the 50 hour service when I got it. I suppose if I had to haul people I would look at the 1140 like John Thomas but that long frame has to be pretty hard to maneuver in the trees. Mine is not easy as the turning radius is huge on it (another negative I suppose) but I wouldnt trade mine for a gold monkey. My BIL has a gator and I way prefer may RTV over it. I like the high roll bars as I can step in and out without whacking my head on the roof. I still have the cuts on my head on the roof from using his to feed his cows while he was away for Thanksgiving. The roof is just a bit lower than head height, just right to hit you in the top of the head when you reach into the bed for something when getting out of the driver seat. Also go for the glass windshield, they dont scratch up like the plexiglass.

 

[BradGad]

Thanks for all your suggestions, folks. I'm actually feeling less sure what I want than I did at the outset, but that's probably OK... I just need to digest this a bit more, and spend some more time on the property (we're not even completely moved in yet).

Martian, do you know what's a decent price on that Bobcat 3450?

Thanks again.