Where does it stop?

[jeff9366]

And the engine horsepower of a Mahindra 1538 shuttle shift is.....?

 

[DK35vince]

Even something like a BX is probably 1000 pounds heavier than a mower.

My zero turn weighs 1600 lbs. It's heavier than a BX without a loader.

 

[dickfoster]

And the engine horsepower of a Mahindra 1538 shuttle shift is.....?

38 of course. They all seem to work the horsepower into their model numbers in some way. The Mahindra 1500 series 1538 is a Mitsubishi built 38 horsepower while their 2538 is a TYM (Korean) built 38 horsepower. The 1500 series is supposed to be a little bit nicer with a better seat, enclosed hydraulic lines on the FEL etc. I'm a real greenhorn so don't know a whole lot about tractors, YET. But this board sure helps a lot.

 

[AxleHub]

Deezl Smoke,

You've grown up around farm tractors so you know plenty about big project work.

But if you're doing projects for yourself and for some hobby money . . I'd suggest a different route . . Small project work. Think about all the developments created and are being built with 5 acre building sites. Then think how many guys arw running around with skid steers and zero turn mowers. My point is the middle ground. Just last week I watched this pretty lawn being assasinated by a landscsper's skidsteer. The job needed a subcompact tracror that could easily work on the lawn but be able to move big rocks and mulch. And neither a zero turn lawn mower or a skid steer were the good choices for it. Or clearing snow on long blacktop or concrete drivewats and sidewalks to be able to do a job moving cut down cut up log trunk pieces. Again not a good skid steer environment on lawns or blacktop driveways.

So lets talk about cockpit size.
1. Flat floor is imperative
2. Wider gap between control levers on each fender and the operator . . and more gap space with fall/winter ciats and expanding waistlines from when you wee 35 years old.
3. Leg room
4. Easy access brake pedal on the left and no treadle paddle hydro control but 2 pedals spaced for boots or feet larger than a size 9
5. Ability to have both 3pt hitch and backhoe on at same time.
6. A true Mulching deck option that has no discharge and DOES only require 55 total inches of width yet uses 6 blades.

I could list a long list of things that might include Kubota bx models . . . But the above list is for the Massey GC1700 series only.


A long list of features that allows a sub compact to act like a lawn mower in beautiful fashion yet handle the steep slopes and sidehills. Then turn around and till the ground . . Do post hole digging or haul loads of landscape block/rock/mulch/feature rock and not harm the lawn doing it.

And its easy to trailer.

Let lawn maintenance people do their thing with their zero turns and skid steers. While you can do the jobs they can't touch and still say "yes" to customers who want some standard things too.

But in the end . . You'll have a unit that does your things very well but doesn't push you into the tyoes of work that bigger tractors and skid steers have to take.

 

[Deezl Smoke]

Deezl Smoke,

You've grown up around farm tractors so you know plenty about big project work.

But if you're doing projects for yourself and for some hobby money . . I'd suggest a different route . . Small project work. Think about all the developments created and are being built with 5 acre building sites. Then think how many guys arw running around with skid steers and zero turn mowers. My point is the middle ground. Just last week I watched this pretty lawn being assasinated by a landscsper's skidsteer. The job needed a subcompact tracror that could easily work on the lawn but be able to move big rocks and mulch. And neither a zero turn lawn mower or a skid steer were the good choices for it. Or clearing snow on long blacktop or concrete drivewats and sidewalks to be able to do a job moving cut down cut up log trunk pieces. Again not a good skid steer environment on lawns or blacktop driveways.

So lets talk about cockpit size.
1. Flat floor is imperative
2. Wider gap between control levers on each fender and the operator . . and more gap space with fall/winter ciats and expanding waistlines from when you wee 35 years old.
3. Leg room
4. Easy access brake pedal on the left and no treadle paddle hydro control but 2 pedals spaced for boots or feet larger than a size 9
5. Ability to have both 3pt hitch and backhoe on at same time.
6. A true Mulching deck option that has no discharge and DOES only require 55 total inches of width yet uses 6 blades.

I could list a long list of things that might include Kubota bx models . . . But the above list is for the Massey GC1700 series only.


A long list of features that allows a sub compact to act like a lawn mower in beautiful fashion yet handle the steep slopes and sidehills. Then turn around and till the ground . . Do post hole digging or haul loads of landscape block/rock/mulch/feature rock and not harm the lawn doing it.

And its easy to trailer.

Let lawn maintenance people do their thing with their zero turns and skid steers. While you can do the jobs they can't touch and still say "yes" to customers who want some standard things too.

But in the end . . You'll have a unit that does your things very well but doesn't push you into the tyoes of work that bigger tractors and skid steers have to take.

Good thinking. Lots of competition for lawn mowing already. And, that's the job timing that would interfere with farming anyway.

The 4520in my link ended up being sold, which is probably a good thing as it would require a much larger trailer and tow vehicle.

So you dont like the kubota pedal? I guess I have not spent any real time on one so perhaps it would get frustrating with muddy size 12s.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[AxleHub]

Good thinking. Lots of competition for lawn mowing already. And, that's the job timing that would interfere with farming anyway.

The 4520in my link ended up being sold, which is probably a good thing as it would require a much larger trailer and tow vehicle.

So you dont like the kubota pedal? I guess I have not spent any real time on one so perhaps it would get frustrating with muddy size 12s.

Thanks for the reply.

Grass cutting is not a focus in my opinion for hobby money but msybevshould be forbyour own needs. But being able to cross back and forth across lawns is a key ability.

As far as Kubotas . . I spent from 2006 until end of March 2015 planning that I would buy a Kubota BX . . and then I met the back story of the Massey GC1700s. Why do I say the "back story"? Simple, I was finding out information myself on the Massey that the dealers (3) I contacted . . didn't know. Just a pile of things that were advantages.

And I discovered that 2 separate hydto pedals was much easier on my knee than the tredfle paddle. And then I discovered how I could easily create 3 more inches of leg room than anyone knew about.

I think the kubota bx units are great and if I was 35 or 40 again they would be rather competitive with the GC products on several points. But I'm not 35 or 40 anymore and my knee really does very well on the Massey GC. AND THE the massey came out with the new dl95 loader and cb65 backhoe in late 2014 and thatbwas a big benefit.

But I'm not posting about brands . . What I'm posting about is that a subcompact with some unique differences can offer you a flexibility that some will not understand unless you see and feel it.

If you need a cut . . The kubota b series or the massey 1700 series (note not GC1700 series) are great units. I'm just suggesting that for projects you are considering and for generating hobby money . . Being equipped for what competitors are not . . Allows you to make non stress related hobby money. Just my opinion. Besides you already know well what big tractors can do

 

[jenkinsph]

Deezl Smoke,

I use a 4520 compact and a 110tlb to build lawns and small projects, custom tractor work on small acreages. I use riding mowers or garden tractors to maintain lawns. Rarely do I need a sub compact tractor because they are not the best for mowing and their capability as a loader tractor is very limited. Hard to make any money with a tiny tractor but they are handy to have around a suburban lot. Your use and needs should dictate the correct size, figure this out first and decide what you need, a 6 hp mower or a 600hp field tractor. Lots of sizes in between.

 

[k0ua]

Well I just bought one. A Mahindra 1538 with shuttle shift. I started out with HST but I got the gear because much of my property slopes. Many who should know, say hilly terrain can be sometimes be a problem for HST. Even my dealer who was pushing HST before said I'd be better off with the shuttle shift. However I won't be doing a lot of FEL work requiring a lot of back and forth like mucking out horse stalls. It also shaved a thousand bucks off the price. But seeing as how you're in Florida I doubt you have any hills or slopes to contend with.
I also started out shopping lower power but ended up with the 38. I'll probably see more like 35 at my altitude, another problem you don't have.

Having owned 2 gear and 3 hydrostatic tractors, I would disagree with "many that know" and anyone else that says hydrostat is not good for hills. Hydrostatic tractors excel at tackling hilly terrain. And I know what I am talking about, I live near Branson Missouri, and we have two kinds of ground here, up hill and down hill. If you want any flat ground you have to make it. I have had one gear and two hydrostatic tractors here, and let me tell you, Hydrostat is far easier to operate and far safer. I have no idea where the idea that a hydro is not safe on hills comes from.

 

[4570Man]

I'll take my HST over a gear any day. A HST is far superior to a gear on hills.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Having owned 2 gear and 3 hydrostatic tractors, I would disagree with "many that know" and anyone else that says hydrostat is not good for hills. Hydrostatic tractors excel at tackling hilly terrain. And I know what I am talking about, I live near Branson Missouri, and we have two kinds of ground here, up hill and down hill. If you want any flat ground you have to make it. I have had one gear and two hydrostatic tractors here, and let me tell you, Hydrostat is far easier to operate and far safer. I have no idea where the idea that a hydro is not safe on hills comes from.

I totally agree. I cant imagine how a gear tractor would be better than HST on hills. Just compare a geared automobile and one with automatic transmission operation on hills. It is almost impossible to start off a geared machine on a hill without it rolling backward (or forward) prior to releasing the clutch. If you are close to or up against an object that you don't want to mangle, this could be an issue with gear but no issue with HST. Some folks say HST stalls going up hill, but I don't find that to be any more true than with gear. Many folks don't know how to properly operate HST to gain power while reducing speed and just try to jam the HST pedal to the metal when climbing a hill which is WRONG.
I have gear and HST and find that HST is better for just about all activities. I also like the treadle pedal better than the 2 pedal versions. I don't have to raise or move my foot to work them back and forward but I suppose that is a personal thing. I hate driving my brother in laws NH with the 2 pedal system, especially since it tends to creep a bit between shifting from pedal to pedal. I don't have that problem with my treadle pedal.