New, larger tractor

[jeff9366]

For creating trails and fence lines and for creating and tending fire breaks you will probably want a 72" or 84" wide Tandem Disc Harrow with pans 22" in diameter.

VIDEO: Tandem disc Harrow - YouTube

 

[searcyfarms]

not know where this fella is at is kind of hard to know about a tandem disk - also from my horse paths I don't want the ground disked up just groom/mow the trails so I can get in/out as needed - as for the fire breaks? might not need those if he lives in a lush climate ;-)

you might check out the yanmar 359 I think it is, they were talking about it on another thread here but for 70 acres it might be a little small - since you aren't doing heavy tillage and just maintaining and buy your hay it might be a good compromise keeping smaller to mow between things, I will say this, tractors with cabs are not build for timber in our area, you might get away with it in pine groves but not here in hedge/locust/hickory/oak you need something different -

enjoy shopping!!!! take your time and drive many.....

 

[mred2]

I went with a 50hp LS. I have horses, pasture and a lot of woods that need to be cleaned out. Clearing new land will be with dozer. I buy hay, round bales and I have found that the 50hp stack it fine. Also very staple on our hills. Grapple was a must have item. Larger is better, but larger can be hp or weight, or both. I went with no cab. I see too many windows broken and the cost of it. I went from a 32hp to 50hp, the FEL on the 50hp will really dig and move some dirt.

 

[majorwager]

Agree w/ searcy,

Would NOT disk an area used for horse trails.
The poster who made the suggestion likely has little familiarity with horses. In building fence lines w/ my tractor, would not wish to be working in loose soil that turns to mud when it rains. Just makes fence building more difficult working in mud.

 

[searcyfarms]

unfortunately/fortunately - I have much experience with hay burners...........shall I say once I got my motorcycle that was the end of them but then I had daughters and well...........they returned with a vengeance ;-)

even with my skewed view of them the best words I have ever heard regarding them were from Mr Churchill " the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man" to know that and understand it takes a knowledge of them not a passion for them. There is a true difference between knowledge and wisdom - someone probably coined that but it means a lot to me in my feeble attempts to accomplish things.

 

[newbury]

OP -
You need to give us some idea of how much you CAN spend, including implements. Otherwise posters tend to promote their dream tractor, which is often bigger than you need.

I will be using the tractors to help build the new barn, put in fences, grade gravel driveway, maintain horse paths, grading outside and inside arenas. So maybe a wood chipper attachment and maybe a post hole auger or post pounder in addition to driveway grader and brush hog. And definitely a grappler on the front. We buy hay, not growing our own.

To "help build the new barn" does not pin down usage - If it's just carrying lumber around your BX can probably help with that. But if it is moving dirt - remember you get a Front End LOADER, not a dozer. You need to break up dirt before you load it. And if you want to dig footings it's probably better to hire the job out or rent equipment. A backhoe for a 50HP tractor can cost $10K (subframe, BH, thumb, 2 buckets etc.)
A good woodchipper runs about $2K to $6K, a PHD w/ a couple of augers $500 to $1k, a post pounder $2K+, a box blade $1K+, a rotary cutter $1K+, a grapple $1K+.

Also are you comfortable with used or do you need new?

And if you put in your location we might not suggest deals that are 1,000's of miles away.

If you are going to be moving round bales a L2501 is a bit on the small side.

 

[rngrrymd]

I went and looked/sat on the L series and the grand-L . Wish I had not looked at the Grand-L because it feels sooo much nicer/ better controls. I do not know if other manufacturers have anything that feels that refined. I appreciate all the comments about weight and wheel spacing. To answer the questions- I will be using the tractors to help build the new barn, put in fences, grade gravel driveway, maintain horse paths, grading outside and inside arenas. So maybe a wood chipper attachment and maybe a post hole auger or post pounder in addition to driveway grader and brush hog. And definitely a grappler on the front. We buy hay, not growing our own.

I loved the Grand L as well but it was the most expensive tractor I priced. I ended up getting a 75HP utility tractor for just a little more than the 40HP Grand L and less than the 60HP Grand L. If getting new there are lots of good utility tractor options across the brands but mostly all shuttleshift or powershift models. I agree with gladehound's post - definitely keep the BX and get larger tractor for the acreage.

 

[Molalla1]

OrFish, get a larger utility tractor. . .you will be happier (and keep the BX).

 

[sea2summit]

A lot of people have covered it already but I'm not sure what you'd really gain going from a BX to a L25. When I got my MX I sold my BX, really wish I'd kept it because like you mentioned having the small one around to get into tight spots is handy

One thing not mentioned so far is speed. How much work do you need to get done and how fast do you need to do it? Small HP tractors do everything the big ones do, just slower...sometimes a lot slower. If you're retired and putzing around mid HP (30-50) might be fine, if you only have two days a month for land maint then much bigger might be better.

 

[oosik]

I have 80 acres, mile long gravel driveway and I'm a tree farmer - along with Mother Nature. I started this adventure in 1982 with a brand new Ford 1710 4WD. For 27 years the little Ford and I got most of the jobs completed. In 2009 I traded the Ford in for my current 2009 Kubota M6040. Its is also - open station and 4WD. With its ability to handle class 2 implements - I can now get the larger tasks completed.

I'm very fortunate - no fields to mow - no need for a cabbed tractor. I enjoy winter snow plowing dressed in my Eddie Bauer arctic gear.

I just wish the change over on class 2 implements was a tad easier. But I guess I have no room to complain - I'm in good health - retired with all the time in the world.