1026R large enough ?

[joshuabardwell]

Contracting out some of the larger work, like the land leveling, should be a serious consideration. It's more fun to DIY, that's why we're all here, but one guy with a full-sized bulldozer may be able to do in four hours what it would take you four months to do with your 1026. You have to ask yourself whether you would rather be making trails and cutting grass, or whether you would like to be slogging through a leveling project every weekend for half the year. Also, a SCUT like a 1026r or a BX Kubota can be pressed into service to do much larger jobs (much slower), but I think that the wear on the machine and the chances of having to make a repair go way up when they're used in that way, versus when they are used more in the "weight class" they were intended for. I don't have any scientific data to back that up, it's just my hunch. Whenever I try to do "too much" with a tool, I eventually get the job done, but it's stressful the whole time instead of being fun, the results are usually nowhere near as good as if I had the right tool, and that's always when I end up breaking something or burning something out.

 

[TripleR]

Agree, with jenkisph and joshbardwell, my sons and I once decided to save some money by doing a job with our tractors as opposed to paying for a dozer to come in. When we paid for the diesel after a LOT of wear and tear on our equipment, our cost was higher than the rent for the dozer.

I am a firm believer in renting or hiring someone when appropriate.

 

[tractchores]

I never thought of ground clearance. So the 2 or 3 series ?

I use my kubota b in the woods a lot and think the jd 2 series has similar clearance, so think that would be good. If you go too big it gets hard to move around in the trees

 

[Robertquirion]

Thank you all for your input. The big jobs I will contract out and then trade up to a 2520 for maintaining the property. Will need the ground clearance for sure.

 

[PBettis]

I borrowed a friends TL140 tracksteer with cab and root rake/grapple for cutting horse trails on about 20 acres. That is the perfect trail machine if it's small trees and under growth. I tried my 110 TLB at first but a tractor with a FEL is a real challenge as far as actually cutting the trails and manuverability in between trees. As far as maintaining the trails they're great. I cut some killer trails in a few days and you don't have to worry about hitting a tree or the weather or bees or poison ivy etc. Check the rental companies and see what the rates are. I would look for that exact machine or similar. Has joystick controls and tracks. Amazing trail cutter. May cost a little less than hiring and is way more fun plus you can design the trails how you want them as you go. Take your tractor and chainsaw back out later and cut any big stuff up and use for firewood or just line the edges of trails with it. I made several big trails and connected them all with a branch trail. Lots of ways to ride the trails that way. I would push through the woods for a few hundred feet, open the cab and spot a new line and go again. Instant trails!! Just my thoughts...

 

[nuclearsteel]

I have 5 acres and started looked looking at 1026R as well...my dealer was great. He let me drive a 1026R, 2320, and 2520 on property just like mine. After doing that I bought the 2520. It honestly was only a few grand more, the 2520 was actually the same price as the 2320...with the 0% financing it's worth it.
To me, the 2520 just seemed more like a machine and less like a garden tractor (1026R).

 

[meburdick]

I'd love to have a physically smaller machine, but the 2305 was no longer made, and the incentives on the 2520 made it LESS expensive than buying a 2320 with the same implements. I liked the higher capacity hydraulics, and with the way I use it - I don't regret having the 2520 at all.