Tractor Sizing Need to Upgrade

[mx1alex]

I'm sure there's been a few thousand of these types of threads but here ya go...

We recently went from a 10 acre place to a 65 acre place (about 20 acres of pasture), so I'm needing to upgrade from my 18hp Yanmar 1401D to something bigger.

To start out, things I know I want: FEL, and 4x4. (I have a couple of steep hills to navigate to get to the back pasture).

The only thing really have to do is mow (brush hog), but I would like to be able to plant 3-5 of food plots, use it to help with cutting firewood, blade drive way, move gravel, and I'd really like to be able to move round bales of hay.

The hay thing seems to be my limiting factor right now. From what I have read I would need something 50hp or bigger to move hay with a FEL. I had a buddy who is a service guy at John Deere tell me a 5055E would work for what i want and they had one on the lot for $37,000. Quite a bit more than what I was looking to spend. I'm looking more in the $25K range... maybe $30.

I'm pretty open to brands. I have dealers of most the major brands within an hour of me. Can buy new or used but leaning towards new with some of the financing promos going on and I'm picturing this thing being my tractor for 20 years or better.

Your thoughts? As mentioned earlier it seems moving the hay is going to be my biggest obstacle and might be something I just won't be able to do. Right now I have somebody else mow and bale my hay and he takes a 1/3 and I sell him the other 2/3. We don't have cattle now but would like to have some in the future and I'd like to keep that 2/3 and be able to move it around for when we do have cattle. I could have the guy who bales the hay leave it in a spot where I wouldn't have to move it far. Just be able to move it through a gate basically. Price wise and 90% of my use wise I think I'd be fine with a 40-45hp tractor.

And since I know everybody likes pics here's my yanmar. I'm gonna miss this machine.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

How much do your round bales weigh? That sounds like the heaviest task and would dictate the loader size and thus the tractor size. Are you looking for a quickattach bale spear or a bucket spear? The distance from the loader pins makes a big difference in lift capacity. Nice machine btw! You should keep it as a backup!

 

[mx1alex]

How much do your round bales weigh? That sounds like the heaviest task and would dictate the loader size and thus the tractor size. Are you looking for a quickattach bale spear or a bucket spear? The distance from the loader pins makes a big difference in lift capacity. Nice machine btw! You should keep it as a backup!

Most of that is to be determined but would probably get a quick attach bale spike and I guess I could have whomever cuts my hay just make sure they stay below say 1,000 lbs.

I'd love to keep that little Yanmar. I can't even express how much confidence I have in that machine. Always starts up, have never got it stuck, it's labeled as 18hp but it easily outworked my John Deere 318. Unfortunately it's just not big enough for what I need now. I think I paid $3,200 for it and it came with a tiller, blade, brush hog, and finish mower. Thought I did pretty good!

 

[coobie]

Kioti,LS or mahindra tractors are a great value for $$ spent.

 

[dusty3030]

I second the vote to keep the Yanmar.

Kubota MX 5100 / MX 5200
John Deere 5055E
Mahindra 5530
LS U5030
Kioti DK55
Massey 1655

There is a list of about the size that would be perfect, especially if you kept your Yanmar and implements for smaller jobs.

 

[dave1949]

Welcome!

Ya, keep the Yanmar. It's probably going to be worth more to you than what you sell it for.

There are 3pt bale spears that don't have to be 3pt quick attach compatible. That would move bales but not stack them. 1000 lbs is not much for a 3pt lift ability which would get you into a smaller tractor. Counter balance the bale with the FEL, scoop some stone or dirt up in the bucket.

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
From Northwest Alabama. For sure keep the Yanmar if you can.

 

[MrWhippy]

Agree. You should keep the Yanmar. If you want an economical bigger tractor for WAY less than $37,000, Look at the CNH Workmaster series. I have a WM 55 (55 hp, 48 at PTO) in 4X4. It's a fantastic tractor--we have almost 400 hours on it. We pull a 10 Woods mower, although I believe you could go up to a 12ft batwing.

There's a WM 65 and 75 too.

With FEL, our WM 55 was in the 28K range.

 

[ovrszd]

No disrespect intended. I think you should continue to let your neighbor hay your ground. If he's doing it for only 1/3 you are getting a great deal. Secondly, if you intend to get cattle, how many and where are you going to run them?? You are either going to limit your existing hay ground for pasture or run a very small number of cattle. Either way you are limiting the heavy work load on the tractor. Can't see you needing anything bigger than 40-50hp. And I'm the guy that's always saying "buy big".

As for the Yanmar, why would you consider selling it?? You will "give" it away in a trade deal for a new tractor. Actually could probably save some money by leaving it home. And it will come in very handy for those small jobs like your blading picture.

Keep us posted on your decision. We love to watch people spend money. Pictures of course.

 

[George2615]

I wouldn't trade the Yanmar in but if you decide to sell you should still get what you mentioned you paid for it then add that to your new tractor purchase price. Many brands are available in the size and price range you're looking at.