Need help on finding the perfect tractor

[GentlemanForester]

Hello!

I been roaming on these forums for a while now, but only recently decided to join the community. English is not my main language, so excuse my french!

Before going into more details, keep in mind i want a 4x4 tractor with a cab.

I live up north, where it gors from +35C in summer to -45C in winter. I own 420 acres of land, 400 acres of mixted wood (white birch, aspen, white spruce, red maple, balsam fir and some ash trees and others here and there). The terrain is pretty good, mostly well drain sand and gravel with a couple wet spot, very manageable. Im aiming for 100 cords of firewood per year, a bit of lumber for my small sawmill (16 feet in length max), and selling a bit of veneer to the close by mill. So for forestry application, i would like to be able to have a good grapple and being able to pick up logs of around 1000 pounds. I would also like to have a winch in the PTO for those big aspen downslope.

For the 20 acres of field, i am forseeing a small orchard, berries and about 10 acres of a agroforestry system in parthnership with another party. So in short term its going to be keeping the land clear (was thinking a flail-mower so i can use it in my bush trails too). In a couple years i might want to do the field work myself, but i am not quite there yet, maybe just have that in mind for pto hp advices.

Let me try to summarize the applications and needs:

- grapple on the loader being able to handle 1000 pounds log safely.
- forestry PTO winch
- snowblower in the back
- flail mower
- back blade to maintaining my trails and all other uses

The list is going to get longer in the future, but that is my goal in the next maybe 5 years.

So i was looking for a compact tractor, mainly for the size and being able to get around with ease in the bush. And i was thinking that 30 PTO ho would be enough for my needs... Also, i am looking for a power shuttle transmission. My main trail is 2.5 km long so i will be moving alot and hauling things, so i thing the mechanical transmission would fit me more.

So compact tractors with a cab and power shuttle, there is a lot less choice. The Massey Fergusson 1840m with the regular cab (not the deluxe one) and power shuttle was looking to be one of the best fit for me. Then i asked for a quote, then i went to the bank, then i postpone the project.

After that, some dealers where telling me to get into more a utility size tractor. And they had good points. And then some farmer friend of mine was saying get an old 70+ hp tractor... so i have widen the search for information and now i am completly lost! Haha!

Anyway, i am not going to buy this winter, but i want to make a move next summer is every thing work as intended. For now i got my Suzuki Kingquad 750 with tracks that does the job... just takes more time to complete the job.

So i am looking forward for some tips and advices for which way to go. Oh, and let say my macanics skills are limited!

Thanks and have a bice day!

 

[dodge man]

100 cords of firewood? Is that a misprint? That is a lot of firewood. I am not sure how much you want to spend but I would be looking at 40 to 50 hp. Also think about the cab. It would be nice for snow blowing but you have to be careful in the trees and not break the glass.

I am not sure what your budget is but a tractor and all the attachments you need $40,000 U.S. would be easy to spend.

 

[Jstpssng]

Welcome to the forum! While I own a tractor in the size that you are considering, given the size of your land and future needs in your orchard you might consider going a bit bigger.
An older, bigger tractor would be fine if you didn't plan to use it much; but things get tired with time, and personally I would rather work with somethin than work on it.
100 cds is a fairly good amount of firewood, and on average I find that I can efficiently haul out 1/3 cd at a time. Is there a decent road through the property which you can at least drive a pickup?
Ideally you don't want to work more than 1/4 mile (400 meters) from where you are landing your wood.

 

[4570Man]

100 cords of firewood is an insane amount of firewood. You’d be working for weeks just to cut and move that many logs.

 

[RjCorazza]

I have no forestry experience, but 30hp seems to small for that kind of work. I have transported a few 1000 lb plus logs with my Kubota L4060, but I doubt it would last very long in that type of continuous duty.

 

[rademamj1]

Recommend the Kubota M6060 tractor.
60Hp and large wheels. This comes in both open station and factory cab. Just a comment, Cab tractors don't work good in forest areas, unless you work out a system of cleared trails.

 

[ericm979]

If your logs are over 2' diameter they will weigh a lot more than 1000lbs.

Of course you need a loader with capacity for both the grapple and the log, and since the log will be out from the pins, you need more capacity than you think.

What country are you in? Different brands and models are available in different countries.

100 cords is a lot of firewood. You're not going to be stacking that by hand. How will you handle it? If you're going to put it in IBC tote cages you'll want a tractor that can pick those up.

I'd recommend an HST if you're both new to tractors and doing loader work.

 

[shooterdon]

My LS was purchased to be able to handle firewood processing. 40HP and lift capacity of 2700 lbs. I lift nearly 1/2 cord at a time in modified IBC cages.



I use a 74" inverted blower for heavy snow and a front mounted back blade on a SSQA adapter for light snow and back dragging:



I use an MTL grapple to handle logs and it works well. If I did not need to handle IBC totes I might go with a set of pallet forks with a thumb for logs (look at what Sawyer Rob uses on some of his posts...looks good and a bit cheaper than a dedicated grapple). In any case, you want a 3rd function.

My LS was $31k with dealer installed 3rd function last year. A lot of tractor for the $$$.

 

[jeff9366]

Have you previous experience operating a tractor?

Hills require a tractor with wider spaced wheels for stability under load. The requirement for a winch indicates pretty steep slopes. Tractors are inherently unstable operating on sloped ground. Tractor rear wheel/tire spread, sometimes adjustable, is a critical factor increasing compact tractor stability working sloped or uneven ground. Rear axle is the tractor component on which rear wheels/tires mount. A 6" to 10" wider rear axle substantially decreases tractor rollover potential. Tractor width is an approximation of rear axle width.

Larger wheels and tires permit heavier tractors to bridge holes, ruts and tree debris which is stability in the woods.

What is your approximate tractor budget in US Dollars? Everyone wants a big tractor until the reality of how expensive a big tractor is hits home.

 

[RalphVa]

Like Jeff said, need location and budget. A JD 4052 like my neighbor has is probably what you need, but you may need 2. Another might be like a PowerTrac or similar to get around on very uneven terrain and the trails.

Ralph