Next size

gavinfred1 · Feb 16, 2012

I purchased a 3540 last year and think i made a "mistake" of not going big enough. Reason being I purchased another 28 acres for a total of 70 acres around the house and 50 down the road. 80 acres woods and 40 tillable total. Does anyone have any insight of the next size I should get? I am not going to farm but will have larger food plots and more to take care of. And I will get a grapple very soon!

bigbull338 · Feb 16, 2012

your best next step up would be an MX5100HST 4X4 w/LA844 quick taych loader.

crazyal · Feb 16, 2012

Since you own the 3540 already I would try it so I could get an idea of how big you really need. The large GL or MX line may be fine but you could find that even they are not enough and you need something like a 70 to 85 range M. It really depends as to what your idea of "take care of" really means.

Martian · Feb 16, 2012

That's a lot of land for that size tractor if you plan to do anything more than maintain it, as you seem to want to do. I would skip the MX and the large GLs and go straight for a utility tractor. There's no comparison in the work they do. I'd look for whatever Kubota makes in the 75+HP range - sorry don't know Kubota model numbers very well.

MHarryE · Feb 16, 2012

I traded my L3710 on a L5740 last May. Tremendous increase in capability for the general stuff I use it for but I have access to several larger tractors (up to 155 HP) for more serious work. My L5740 is a real nice size and HP for the type of stuff you are talking about if you don't intend to get into serious farming.

TripleR · Feb 17, 2012

Tough call, personally I would want nothing less than the MX5100 with the L5740 being my real preference. We also have a M8540 for those things our L5030 won't quite get it.

bigbull338 · Feb 17, 2012

TripleR said:
Tough call, personally I would want nothing less than the MX5100 with the L5740 being my real preference. We also have a M8540 for those things our L5030 won't quite get it.

you an i think alot a like.even though he could get a M8540 HDC ROPS 4x4 w/fel for $39,000 or under.

nue2farm · Feb 17, 2012

I must be doing something wrong.... I have over 200 acres that I "maintain' with a L3130. May take me longer but it has done all I have asked of it for the last several years. Granted, when I win the powerball for a few hundred million

, I will most likely go up in size a little....

TripleR · Feb 17, 2012

bigbull338 said:
you an i think alot a like.even though he could get a M8540 HDC ROPS 4x4 w/fel for $39,000 or under.

Decisions, decisions ain't it great.

nue2farm said:
I must be doing something wrong.... I have over 200 acres that I "maintain' with a L3130. May take me longer but it has done all I have asked of it for the last several years. Granted, when I win the powerball for a few hundred million , I will most likely go up in size a little....

Heck, I have done pretty much the same or worse, but it is far from ideal at last for me. My brother and I row cropped 160 acres with a Ford 600, but that sure wouldn't be my choice now.

I like tractors about as much as the next guy, but there comes a time after several long days that "seat time" turns from fun to real work; course I am pretty old and worn out.