1529 for 12 acres?

[vtfx4]

Hey guys, I bought a house on 12 acres a few years ago. It has about 2 acres of lawn that I mow with a 48" commercial walk-behind and don't want to mow with a tractor while I can still walk.

I do need a tractor to plow a 250 foot drive in the winter and grade once a year. I also need to do a fair amount of old stone wall repair and other landscape chores such as chewing up saplings and other crap to plant grass up to the wall. The other main use will be to retrieve firewood from the land. It is pretty rough terrain although relatively flat. There is also a shallow stream crossing, but I can get a jeep through it so a tractor should be fine. I also have a small veggie garden that I currently till with a little toro. Plan to get some farm animals like chickens and lamb and maybe a few pigs next year.

I want to get a tractor with FEL and box grader. I am not brand loyal and 0% for 72 has me thinking red and now. There is a local dealer in Essex Vermont but I don't know anything about them. I plan to check them out on Saturday. Would the 1529 hydro fit the bill and what should I look to pay?

I will be bringing my two year old who is obsessed with tractors so hopefully that will help in negotiations.

 

[irwin]

You get the biggest machine you're comfortable with (financial, ergonomically) and have at it.

The 1529 looks like a good homeowner machine, but if your land is anything like mine you might need something larger. If you aren't buried in thousand pound rocks it'll be fine. I was very close to buying a 1433v a couple years ago..beautiful machine.

(The 1529 picture is from TractorHouse.com) MASSEY-FERGUSON 1529, Used MASSEY-FERGUSON 1529, MASSEY-FERGUSON 1529 For Sale At TractorHouse.com

 

[3dayfunk]

I'd agree with irwin - get the biggest machine you're comfortable with. Also, I don't believe the 1529 comes in Hydro. I think it's syncro shuttle drive only. My advice would be to go by the massey dealer and pick up the 1500 series brochure. It breaks down all the 1500 series models by gross HP, PTO HP, weight, features, etc. It'll allow you to decide which of the models will really fit your needs.

Dave

 

[bmarian]

If it was me I would by a TLB model. The backhoe is a very very handy attachment and fun too! I bought a GC 2410 at the end of last year and I try to find things to do with it. I only have about 10 hours on it but it sure beats digging by hand. If I had 12 acres and was planning on snow plowing a 250' driveway I would try very hard to step up to a 1533 with a CAB. I don't like being out in the cold and wind add snow to the equation and I stay inside!

Buy one size larger tractor than you think you need and it will be about right. I would also try to get all the attachments lined up for purchase with the tractor. The attachments don't need to be Massey brand to go on the financing, I got a Gearmore Box Scraper with my tractor at about $ 6.50 more per month. I don't think it is a good idea to think about how much more something is per month but $ 500.00 more on a $ 17,000.00 purchase was not worth thinking very hard about.

Hopefully some of the members with the 1500 series tractors will chime in to help convince you to look at the backhoe (and thumb) when you purchase the tractor. I don't know how the backhoe fits with the cab models and there are no pictures on the web of a backhoe on a cab model but I am willing to bet the first time you plow snow in a 50 mph wind you will love that cab and heater that much more.

Bruce

 

[rcrcomputing]

Decide which will do, then go one or two size bigger.

That's the advice I followed from TBN 4 years ago and they were spot on the money!

I also got the backhoe and have forever been glad I did. I plant trees with it. My septic drain had to be redone. I've dug huge 3' deep french drains. I am now going to work on the spill way with the backhoe.. I forsaw none of these uses for a backhoe. I just got it cuz folks here said to get it..

What do I wish? My bucket was bigger and could pick up more..

 

[rfk]

I would think 1529 not big enough for 12 acers. Bigger, 1533 and up, more room for you and more power. The longer you have it the more you will do with it. It's easier to grow into a bigger tractor than wish you had one.

 

[vtfx4]

Thanks everyone. I am going down to the dealer tomorrow. Are all the 1500 series the same frame and weight with a different engine and various trannies? I think you guys are right though, I was thinking I need a 30 hp tractor but might as well bump to the 34-35 hp range.

I rented a Kubota BX last year to dig some footings and do a few other things. I do need to transpalnt a bunch of trees into the front of the house and I can think of a bunch of uses for a BH, but I am not sure it would add up to $5k. My neighbor has a big old Deere with a BH that he says I could use, plus it's not to expensive to rent a mini escavator for a weekend

I don't think I will get a cab either. I don't mind the cold, even when it is -15 F in the morning. Besides it won't take that long to clear out the drive.

I will back with more questions after I get on a few tomorrow.

 

[shutt40]

The 1529 and 1532 are the same frame and weight is almost the same. The 1533 is a slightly larger and heavier frame. They all have the same engine, the 1529 is rated 29Hp at 2500 rpm and the 1532 and 1533 are rated 33Hp at 2600 rpm. I have a 1529 and I love it, it has lots of power and is very maneuverable. It runs my 6" pto wood chipper with no problems and is great for clearing the drive in the winter. I don't cut grass with mine, but its great for moving logs, making trails in the woods and clearing up under brush. You may want to think twice about the backhoe, check the price per month with the 0%. I didn't get one when I got mine and have since added an aftermarket backhoe. Even if you don't use it a lot it will add resale value to your tractor so you won't be loosing any money.
Frank

 

[Richard]

I've got a full sized industrial backhoe/loader. (JCB)

My personal property is about 2 acres so I figure I'm the king of machine to lot size!! (I live in middle of family farm though, so I have more elbow room)

Some other uses I've done with my backhoe are:

1. Transplanting the wifes day lillies
2. Buried a fish that she didn't want me to 'flip' into the woods so I made a point of mounting the backhoe, driving up the hill, digging a 2x2' hole and THEN I flipped the stupid fish into the hole!
3. Moving rocks around
4. Hoisting various things, like fallen trees across the road!
5. use backhoe to "pogo-stick" my way out of a situation where the tires had ZERO tractioin
6. Use backhoe as counter weight when carrying a HEAVY HEAVY boulder in the bucket. The rear wheels were teetering to the brink of lifting, so I extended the backhoe straight out the back, parallel to the road, much like a stinger and used that leverage to keep the rear wheels planted on the ground.
7. Use backhoe's teeth to pluck thick poisen ivy vines off trees
8. Use backhoe to grab, hold a felled cedar tree in air (parallel to ground)while cutting the tree into stepping stone sections
9. Used backhoe again, to literally carry a burnt out car, carcass out of TVA's woods so it could be carried away (that was a trick to see!)
10. Use backhoe & chain to wrap around a walk behind hole digger my neighbor rented. He was on hillside and it got away from him, not rolling forward because of auger. I was able to pull it back to safety with hoe/chain & caution.
11. Use backhoe to 'skim' grass/sod layer off area prior to digging so it could be replaced when trench work was done. My neighbors LOVED me for that touch!!
12. Dig trenches for drain pipes and other typical use (digging) purposes

come to think of it.... I probably use my hoe more than I do my loader!

 

[mtg65]

My vote is larger - 1533 or bigger.

I have 13+ acres with a long gravel driveway that I snow blow, grade, box blade etc. I also have moved tons of rocks, pulled small stumps, moved big stumps that were dug out by an excavator and allot of other landscape projects. My 1533 has been a very solid machine. I would not want a machine smaller in frame size or more importantly weight.

I purchased from the dealer you are going to see tomorrow and I've been pleased with their service . I had two warranty issues which they took care of promptly. Both times they picked up my machine and took care of the issues on time with no transportation charges. I didn't ask for, or expect free pickup service. They just did it.

Good luck. Let us know what you decide and post pics of whatever you decide to go with.