Need Suggestions on Tractor for Removing Cedar Trees

[ovrszd]

The V417 is a 2009 model, was a demo with 44 hours, paid $52,000, delivered, in September, 2010. It has about 630 hours now.

But you get what you pay for, this machine will lift over 5,000 pounds 17 feet high, push or pull its self out of any stuck in the mud situation and does everything I would need a tractor for. I have owned several tractors during my 73 years, so I have a good basis of comparison.

I think that's the key for anyone's purchase. Will the product do what I need it to do?? I can see great advantages for the Versahandler. Just not advantages that I would use on a daily basis. I see too many limitations for what I do. Biggest is no underbelly clearance. But sounds like it works great for you and that's what's important!!!

 

[Piston]

I'm going to suggest something a little bigger than a CUT, I would recommend a utility sized tractor. I have done a lot of land clearing with my L series Kubota (CUT), mine is an '02 L4610. It is going to be directly comparable in performance as any of the larger L series when referring to FEL capabilities. It only has 39pto HP whereas the largest L series I believe have right around 52, but that won't make a difference for FEL performance.

I suggest going with a utility sized tractor with a hydraulic clutch. Not that you can't do all of what you want with a smaller CUT, but when a larger tractor will do 'more' and on top of that, I think it would be more useful for you once you get to the leveling and planting stage for your pasture.

Regarding price, I purchased my tractor used, then added 4 rear remotes, a 3rd function valve for the FEL, a dedicated grapple, then purchased heavy duty and good quality used implements that would be very useful in your situation, such as a hydraulic feed chipper, a heavy box blade, a beast of a stumpgrinder, a heavy duty rotary mower, as well as a few others (see sig) and after adding everything up, I still have less than 30k in this package.

Try not to spend all your budget on the tractor, you'll find that there are a lot of implements out there that could help you immensely (as well as be a lot of fun) that you may not be able to purchase if you spend it all on the tractor.

I'm not sure how long the cedar stumps would take to rot, but I imagine you would want to pull them out with the tree, rather than leave them. If leaving them is an option, then look into the "turbo saw" which is a saw that attaches to your PTO and can very quickly take down all your cedars. However, with this saw, I think a CUT with HST would be preferred.

I do like the idea of the tree puller, and I would like to add one to my arsenol, however, I've pushed over many many trees (a lot bigger than your referring to) with my grapple, and the advantage there is that you can push over a bunch of trees, push them into a pile, and pick up the entire pile all at once and go pile it.

If your going to burn, a decent tractor with either HST or hydro clutch, and a grapple, really is all you need. However, there are 3 point implements that can help you a lot as well.

Check out this link for a bunch of pictures of land that I cleared with my tractor and grapple.
http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=61752.0

I do think that a CUT tractor would do everything you need, but I would recommend a utility as I think it would do what you need, quicker.
Also, click the link in my sig to my grapple, and you'll find many pictures of what a grapple can do (some repetitive to the other thread)

I like your outlook, Rome wasn't built in a day.....Brick by brick...

 

[johnnyvol]

I was always taught that it was rude to ask someone what they paid for something, so let me just ask you what price range I would be looking at for the L4060 HSTC like yours. The idea of a cab appeals to me because I figure I can put more hours in the seat if I'm not roasting or freezing or fighting off skeeters and bees.

Not a problem for me. My L4060 HSTC w/LA805 loader& 6' sq. bucket was just north of $36k. I'll be adding the third function on the fel for $900 at the 50 hour service.

This is my first tractor with the cab and I am very pleased. The cab is everything I hoped it would be.

 

[Piston]

Not a problem for me. My L4060 HSTC w/LA805 loader& 6' sq. bucket was just north of $36k. I'll be adding the third function on the fel for $900 at the 50 hour service.

This is my first tractor with the cab and I am very pleased. The cab is everything I hoped it would be.

JOhnny,
That sounds like a great tractor for that price. I'd be very happy with a brand spankin new fuel sipping luxury tractor for that kind of money :thumbsup:

 

[johnnyvol]

JOhnny,
That sounds like a great tractor for that price. I'd be very happy with a brand spankin new fuel sipping luxury tractor for that kind of money :thumbsup:

Thanks. I've bought three from this dealer and I've been shopping for my first cab tractor for about two years. I think he may have been glad to have finally sold me one.

It really does sip the fuel but I've got the first regen coming up anytime now and I'm expecting that to burn a bit of diesel. It'll be nice to see if the fuel economy changes much after a few regenerations of the Tier IV.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Hey Pappy, Sounds like you are in a very similar situation to what we have, acreage NE of Dallas with lots of cedars. We have found our Kubota L5740 to be just about perfect. We did get the extra remotes to run the grapple and 3 sets of rear remotes on the back to add Top n tilt later and possibly a batwing. We got a 6' brushhog and even just mowing the 15 or so acres around the trailer takes some time. The grapple has been great for working brush piles and moving the downed cedars around. Although after reading this thread I'm a little envious of the tree puller! It sounds like you have way more experience with tractors than we did but don't go too small! I had to be talked into this tractor but it is amazing how small they get when they are out of the showroom and on your land.

You are just up the road from me. I'm down near Lavon.

I'm weighing the advantages of having a bigger tractor with more weight but a shuttle transmission vs. a smaller tractor (40 - 50 hp) with an HST transmission. Having HST on my garden tractor, I know some of the benefits of HST and would really like to have it for loader work. In the Kubota, for example, I think the L5740 is the largest tractor they offer with HST. But it may be out of my price range even without a cab, especially if I add at least 2 rear remotes (or 3) and the 3rd function on the FEL. I could go down to the MX5100 (3,775 pounds) and save some $$, but that's about the same weight as the L3940HST.

I drove an LS 5030 the other day and it was nice, well built and offers dual rear remotes, QA loader and self leveling bucket as standard. But that's a shuttle tranny too.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

. . . Try not to spend all your budget on the tractor, you'll find that there are a lot of implements out there that could help you immensely (as well as be a lot of fun) that you may not be able to purchase if you spend it all on the tractor.

That's exactly what I'm trying to do - save some money for the right implements. A bush hog and box blade for sure. And I think you have convinced me on the grapple.

I'm not sure how long the cedar stumps would take to rot, but I imagine you would want to pull them out with the tree, rather than leave them. If leaving them is an option, then look into the "turbo saw" which is a saw that attaches to your PTO and can very quickly take down all your cedars. However, with this saw, I think a CUT with HST would be preferred.

I intend to plow a lot of the area once it's cleared, so I definitely want to pull the trees out and burn them. I don't need any stumps and roots remaining to wreak havoc in the future.

Check out this link for a bunch of pictures of land that I cleared with my tractor and grapple.
http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=61752.0

Very impressive. You're dealing with much bigger trees than me. My cedars are small potatoes compared to yours.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Not a problem for me. My L4060 HSTC w/LA805 loader& 6' sq. bucket was just north of $36k. I'll be adding the third function on the fel for $900 at the 50 hour service.

This is my first tractor with the cab and I am very pleased. The cab is everything I hoped it would be.

Thanks very much for that info. I haven't seen the L4060, but I assume it's the new model year equivalent to the prior L3940 or L4240 with some new features.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Since you mentioned bush hogging, This is the 7' rotary mower that I use. Out front where you can see what you are cutting!
View attachment 323078 View attachment 323079 View attachment 323080 View attachment 323081

The V417 is a 2009 model, was a demo with 44 hours, paid $52,000, delivered, in September, 2010. It has about 630 hours now.

But you get what you pay for, this machine will lift over 5,000 pounds 17 feet high, push or pull its self out of any stuck in the mud situation and does everything I would need a tractor for. I have owned several tractors during my 73 years, so I have a good basis of comparison.

Is that mower hydraulically driven instead of PTO driven? From the pics, I can't figure out what powers it. It wins the "cool" award, for sure. Very nice. Sure would be handy for mowing ditches and embankments.

 

[Piston]

I'm glad your already leaning towards a grapple, it's absolutely the best attachment you can buy for any type of woods work, and a lot of people will back me up on that I suggest buying one of those even before the rotary cutter or box blade, even though all of them really go well together. My point is, if I could only have one implement to work with, it would be a dedicated FEL grapple.

With smaller tress like the cedar's your talking about, you'd be able to drive right up to the tree with the grapple just a couple feet off the ground, and just push them right over and out of the ground. Once you get a handful of them down, you simply back up, make a quick pile, and pick up the entire pile and bring it where ever you want. It's also useful for numerous other things. In fact, if you get a grapple when you purchase your tractor, you will find that you have very little need for a bucket in the first place.

Since you'll be doing a lot of plowing, that is another nudge towards a utility tractor vs. HST compact.

You can also check out this thread for some more ideas on pushing over trees with the grapple....
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/282691-whats-your-technique-removing-trees.html

 

[Xfaxman]

I think that's the key for anyone's purchase. Will the product do what I need it to do?? I can see great advantages for the Versahandler. Just not advantages that I would use on a daily basis. I see too many limitations for what I do. Biggest is no underbelly clearance. But sounds like it works great for you and that's what's important!!!

Yep, it works great for me, it is the most amazing machine I have ever had! The low ground clearance has never been an issue, probably because the short wheelbase makes it less likely to get high centered.

It is a “GADA” Machine! :thumbsup: (go anywhere do anything.)

It has 4 wheel steering that gives it a 10' turning diameter and crab steering to move sideways at a 45 degree angle.


The bucket is 6' wide.

 

[Xfaxman]

Is that mower hydraulically driven instead of PTO driven? From the pics, I can't figure out what powers it. It wins the "cool" award, for sure. Very nice. Sure would be handy for mowing ditches and embankments.

Yep, hydraulic motor:


You can see the hydraulic hose connectors on the boom, in this Tree Puller picture.

 

[Piston]

xfaxman,
How is the visibility with that compared to a tractor? Not referring to FEL vis but all around visibility? I really like those things and if they weren't so pricey I'd seriously consider one for my next purchase.

 

[KYDan]

You are just up the road from me. I'm down near Lavon.

I'm weighing the advantages of having a bigger tractor with more weight but a shuttle transmission vs. a smaller tractor (40 - 50 hp) with an HST transmission. Having HST on my garden tractor, I know some of the benefits of HST and would really like to have it for loader work. In the Kubota, for example, I think the L5740 is the largest tractor they offer with HST. But it may be out of my price range even without a cab, especially if I add at least 2 rear remotes (or 3) and the 3rd function on the FEL. I could go down to the MX5100 (3,775 pounds) and save some $$, but that's about the same weight as the L3940HST.

I drove an LS 5030 the other day and it was nice, well built and offers dual rear remotes, QA loader and self leveling bucket as standard. But that's a shuttle tranny too.

If you are looking at a Kubota in the 50+ up range and do not have to have a cab check out the mx5100 HST it is a good value for the money and a real workhorse.

 

[flusher]

Xfaxman and Ovrszd, I can only sit and drool at Xfax's Bobcat and Ovrszd's tree puller. I've seen stump bucket attachments before, but never a tree puller.

Ovrszd, I'm amazed that so many modern tractors don't come with rear remotes. Back on the farm 40 years ago, all of our tractors had rear remotes (usually 2 sets), because we had a lot of pull-type equipment (chisels, one-ways, offset disks, etc.) that required a hydraulic cylinder for height control.

And I'm also amazed at how expensive they are to add as an option.

Not that expensive. My dealer installed triple remotes on my 2008 Mahindra 5525 for $700 when I bought the tractor new 5 years ago. It's his design, not an overpriced OEM add-on. You get a lot better value for your money if you plan ahead and have extras like hydraulic remotes, skid steer quick attach, cab, etc. included as part of the tractor purchase package.

 

[Piston]

Flusher,
You got a great deal on those remotes! I added 4 rear remotes to my tractor, and didn't even have to pay for the 8 QD fittings @ about 30/set, and I ended up spending well over a grand for my setup, and that is doing all the work myself!

 

[Xfaxman]

..............

I'm weighing the advantages of having a bigger tractor with more weight but a shuttle transmission vs. a smaller tractor (40 - 50 hp) with an HST transmission. Having HST on my garden tractor, I know some of the benefits of HST and would really like to have it for loader work. In the Kubota, for example, I think the L5740 is the largest tractor they offer with HST. But it may be out of my price range even without a cab, especially if I add at least 2 rear remotes (or 3) and the 3rd function on the FEL. I could go down to the MX5100 (3,775 pounds) and save some $$, but that's about the same weight as the L3940HST.

I drove an LS 5030 the other day and it was nice, well built and offers dual rear remotes, QA loader and self leveling bucket as standard. But that's a shuttle tranny too.

Are you familiar with the Quick Attach attachment system for grapples, buckets, tree pullers and other things on the on the FEL? Not to be confused with a QA Loader, where the complete loader comes off.

This is the back view of the Kubota quick coupler, commonly called a SSQA (Skid Steer Quick Attach).


Front view, Bobcat SSQA.


You need to make sure that whatever tractor you get has this system on the loader arms.

 

[Xfaxman]

xfaxman,
How is the visibility with that compared to a tractor? Not referring to FEL vis but all around visibility? I really like those things and if they weren't so pricey I'd seriously consider one for my next purchase.

Compared to a tractor, not as good. Blind spots, right front and right rear.

But I solved that problem with this 7" monitor.


Pretty bad to the front when carrying a round bale.


Notice the cattle guard next to the hay bale, can't see it from the seat.


This is where it is, safe to go across.


Went across, pulled the reverse lever, the monitor switches to the camera mounted next to the right tail light.
Backed up until the red stop line was on the edge of the cattle guard.


This is where I stopped

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Are you familiar with the Quick Attach attachment system for grapples, buckets, tree pullers and other things on the on the FEL? Not to be confused with a QA Loader, where the complete loader comes off.

This is the back view of the Kubota quick coupler, commonly called a SSQA (Skid Steer Quick Attach).
View attachment 323241

Front view, Bobcat SSQA.
View attachment 323242

You need to make sure that whatever tractor you get has this system on the loader arms.

Yes, I am familiar with the SSQA. The LS 5030 I looked at had that as standard (plus the self-leveling feature). I know it's an option on the Kubotas and others. And, yes, it's a definite "must have" feature for whatever tractor I buy.

BTW, I just realized where Meridian, Ok is. I was born and raised in Frederick and went to college in Weatherford. Not sure I've ever been to Meridian, but I've been to Elk City many times.

 

[Xfaxman]

.................

BTW, I just realized where Meridian, Ok is. I was born and raised in Frederick and went to college in Weatherford. Not sure I've ever been to Meridian, but I've been to Elk City many times.

Good deal! :thumbsup: I know were Dallas, TX is. I have been there many times.