Tractor Sizing Buying new tractor, not sure what to get.

[jeff9366]

RE: Cab tractor for OP

It can take a year or more to get used to retirement.

In retirement if it is too hot, raining, or too cold, don't tractor that day. Every day is a weekend day. Three hours work during summer mornings is enough. Naps are not frowned on.

So, perhaps, a cab is not necessary.

With an HST (Hydrostatic) transmission the children and grandchildren can experience operating the tractor.

 

[jeff9366]

First a little background…..

I inherited the family farm.

I am a college professor just a couple of years from retiring.

No land cost, no land mortgage. Probably some reasonable defined benefit pension. Will be selling substantial ag land.

This OP, while wanting to be prudent, can afford whatever he wants.

 

[Iwannafish]

No land cost, no land mortgage. Probably some reasonable defined benefit pension. Will be selling substantial ag land.

This OP, while wanting to be prudent, can afford whatever he wants.

Yes, I have a good pension plan. Yes, the land is paid for along with a very nice metal shop and steel implement shed. This was an operating cotton and corn farm until December when my father passed away. I grew up on the front apron of the shop. I drove tractors, spray rigs, cotton pickers and combines on the place until I went back to college in my late 20's, and still worked with Dad during the summers just for something to do. Now that Dad is gone, I don't have it in my heart to let everything go. I am selling about 1000 acres of irrigated, land formed, sandy loam cropland, but am going to keep the headquarters (shop) and some hunting acreage nearby. I will need a tractor, but just to play with. I will not be farming with it, or trying to actually "work" with it. I am planning on using it 5 or 10 hours a week, primarily to tend to a few hunting holes and food plots, and maybe a garden for a hobby. I plan to spend a lot of time crappie fishing after I retire!

While I have extensive experience with tractors in the 200 hp range, I have never even driven a utility or compact tractor other than a riding mower...... That is why I was asking the forum my original question. How many horsepower will it take to do this. Will a 50 hp mfwd pull a four row, 3 point disk deep enough to matter?

 

[jeff9366]

A 50-hp tractor with 4-WD will pull a HEAVY Tandem Disc Harrow with 22", possibly 24" diameter pans. Both will cut 8" to 10" deep. Both will cut through sod; the 24" pan disc will cut through sod readily.

If you buy a Disc Harrow with 9" spacing between the pans it is the deeper cutting option but will leave soil rougher than 7" - 7-1/2" pan spacing, which is spacing used for smoothing after land has been turned with a moldboard plow.

You may also wish to consider Three Point Hitch mounted Offset Disc Harrow, which are used in lieu of plows. Offset Disc Harrows require considerably more tractor power than Tandem Disc Harrows of the same pan diameter. I have NO personal experience using an Offset Disc Harrow.

Monroe Tufline is in Columbus, Mississippi.

LINKS (2): Agriculture | Tufline

How to select WIDTH is covered in this LINK:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/308251-disc-harrow-selection-18-45-a.html?highlight=

If you buy 22" or 24" pan diameter Disc Harrow you can likely do without a plow if the ground has been broken once with a plow in the past. For uses speced in your Post #1 I would purchase notched pans, front and rear.

 

[OrangeToys]

I am selling about 1000 acres of irrigated, land formed, sandy loam cropland, but am going to keep the headquarters (shop) and some hunting acreage nearby.

Just out of curiosity, why not rent the land out and keep it? Land value is only going up, amd they don't make anyone of it.
But this is coming from someone that only has 3ac and wants the 1000ac and wouldn't ever sell.

 

[Iwannafish]

Just out of curiosity, why not rent the land out and keep it? Land value is only going up, amd they don't make anyone of it.
But this is coming from someone that only has 3ac and wants the 1000ac and wouldn't ever sell.

Reason 1: There are other heirs involved.

 

[arlen4720]

Are you partial to John Deere?

 

[Iwannafish]

Are you partial to John Deere?

Sure, I am "partial" to JD. But I have used Case, IH, Case IH, Massey, and Ford tractors. Around here, farmers tend to use JD, and that is all we were using lately. There are more Deere dealerships in the area, and my family has done a lot of business with the area Deere dealers, so that is the way I was leaning. If prices and specs are similar, I suspect I will go with a Deere.

 

[jaydee325]

For scale, I'll offer my experience. I have 5 acres and when I was tractor shopping, I was in the SCUT range. Ended up with a CUT in the 40 hp range (LS R3039H). Glad I went bigger!

Now scale this up to your acreage. I'm thinking you want to be in the utility range (75 to 100 hp). Consider the years you will be using this tractor. When you are older, a cab I think will be very much appreciated.

Don't go low or economy end. You have worked hard and deserve something that you will enjoy every hour of the week you are in the seat.:thumbsup:

 

[jenkinsph]

A 50-hp tractor with 4-WD will pull a HEAVY Tandem Disc Harrow with 22", possibly 24" diameter pans. Both will cut 8" to 10" deep. Both will cut through sod; the 24" pan disc will cut through sod readily.

If you buy a Disc Harrow with 9" spacing between the pans it is the deeper cutting option but will leave soil rougher than 7" - 7-1/2" pan spacing, which is spacing used for smoothing after land has been turned with a moldboard plow.

You may also wish to consider Three Point Hitch mounted Offset Disc Harrow, which are used in lieu of plows. Offset Disc Harrows require considerably more tractor power than Tandem Disc Harrows of the same pan diameter. I have NO personal experience using an Offset Disc Harrow.

Monroe Tufline is in Mississippi.

.

Jeff,
I have a 4520 compact now and when I lived in MS we had a variety of tractors from 20 to 160 hp. That ground can be tough to plow and it is easy to stick a tractor deep (ask me how I know). It will take a 60 hp tractor to do a good job with your disc.


Iwannafish,
As you can well imagine how large a tractor you need depends on how much time you have to spend on these tasks. I don't think your budget of $40,000 is near enough for new equipment since the implements would be more than half of that in cat 1 sizes. I strongly recommend you buy a cab tractor with mfwd in what ever size and brand you decide on. There is a balance between the amount of time it takes vs. the cost of larger high production machinery that you will have to work out in your own mind. Nothng cheap about having to replace equipment and good luck with the sellers remorse and soon to be buyers remorse.

I would agree with others that a separate mower for the lawn areas is the way to go. An 80 hp tractor also seems like a good size with cat 2 implements.