25HP HST tractors and low range speed.

[Olympus]

Those are all good points. The only advantage you get with a mid mower vs a rear finish mower is better maneuvering around obstacles like trees. And since you don't seem to have a lot of obstacles, you could buy the tractor, backhoe, and a rear finish mower.

There is no such thing as one machine that does everything great. You'll end with one machine that does everything "so-so". If you're alright with that, then give it a try. For me, I learned early on that having the right tool for the job is well worth the time savings and ease of use. But there's certainly no right or wrong philosophy. Like I said, I mowed 3.5 acres with a JD 750 and a rear finish mower. Did it work? Yeah. But was it easy or the best/most productive way to get it done? Nope! It only took me a couple summers to realize my neighbors were blowing through their yards on their zero turns in an hour and drinking beer all afternoon while I spend almost 4 hours grinding gears on my tractor and finish mower just to get my yard mowed.

 

[jdom84]

Like I said, I mowed 3.5 acres with a JD 750 and a rear finish mower. Did it work? Yeah. But was it easy or the best/most productive way to get it done? Nope! It only took me a couple summers to realize my neighbors were blowing through their yards on their zero turns in an hour and drinking beer all afternoon while I spend almost 4 hours grinding gears on my tractor and finish mower just to get my yard mowed.

This is exactly why I put up a fence with in my already fenced property, just around my house equaling 3/4 of an acre and told my wife, this is the "oasis", do as you wish. The rest of the property (aside from privacy trees we planted) is "all natural" can go to **** for all I care. I just mow it down 2 times a year and call it good :thumbsup: You only get so much time in life!

 

[Olympus]

That's why I only mow 3.5 of the 6 I live on. The other half is "woods" that I keep thinned out with a bush hog a few times a year.

 

[sugarloafguy]

Hi,

Been through the same process as you the last 6 months as I searched for a machine I could call behind my Nissan Xterra and my seasonal home near Sugarloaf USA and also build a new home and do my landscaping with. My current machine is a New Holland TC29DA with 14LA/SSQA/68" HD bucket and Woods PRD7200 finish mower and NH 918L flail. I mow professionally here in the warm months with a Deere 5083 Cab and Alamo flail or Deere HX-7 cutter. I the last 2.5 years I have mowed more than 300 miles a state roadside/fields and medians.

The kubota, LS-New Holland, Kioti and Massey 1526 were all on my list. At the end of the day the Kubota B2601 will allow you to do three things at once, hold resale a little better and give you the worst paint. more sharp edges, thinner steel and higher price than the others. It is definitely a nice unit despite the nit picking I mentioned as well as more tranny whine than the others. Some can reduced with SUD2 synthetic trans fluid at the suggested drain interval.

I really liked the Massey 1526 the best with the 3 speed tranny, auto throttle and ALO loader. Best fit and finish of them all. The Kioti is nice. went nice, made nice and beautiful castings in front end/rear end. Liked the SSQA bucket that was too small for the tractor but liveable. Three guys I work with run new Kiotis and love em.

If you go LS go New Holland if it will accept three at the same time. Parts and resale are super with NH/Case/Fiat


In the end I bought a new/used New Holland TC24DA with the 12LA loader/54" HD bucket and a NIB 914A 60" Rear Discharge mower that weighs 250 pounds more than most of the others. Smoother, quieter and better loader and mower performance with factory Gator blades I just had to drive from Maine to Scranton PA to haul it home with 260 hours on the meter.

If I were in your spot, I would hands down go the 1526 Massey and forget the hoe since you can rent a machine for a couple days you can actually do something with OR buy the 2032R Deere which is also going to accept three implements at once like the B2601. The Kubota feels crude after mowing with my Shibaura New Holland Boomers.

Brian

 

[Rock Crawler]

Double post, sorry.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I actually called and got a price JD 2032R with TLB/MMM... And I almost **** myself in my office cube. $34,000.... But he said if I come in and talk the may some room to work. Dude, I can't (or don't want to) afford green paint at those rates. If was right there near Kubota in price, I would have driven up after work.

I'm totally not interested in renting a hoe. And if I'm not getting the hoe, the part of the tractor most useful to me... I'll just say screw the entire thing and go get another high end Husqvarna with a Kawasaki engine and G730 with locking differential and call it done.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Oh, the MF dealer says that MF just told him that Woods is working on a BH for the MF 1526, but not too expect it until some time in 2018.... But I've seen that claim made in a post from 2014.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Could the rear finish mower be backed up the 32 degree bank? Like, if I got a CUT such as the LS, would you expect that I could back that 3 point finish up the bank that I currently drive the GT up? I've posted photos of it earlier today. That bank is why I keep saying I have to have a MMM. I can come across top, turn down at the far end, and then if I can start backing the deck up so that it connects with that first pass I made across the top, it would mimic what I do now with the GT.

 

[Olympus]

Yes, I don't see why not. Just use a length of chain instead of a rigid top link.

 

[DK35vince]

Yes, if your GT can drive up it you should have no problem backing a 3 point mower up it with a 4WD tractor.