29 vs. 30 vs. 33?

[jimg]

Racer,
I understand your quandry...was just there myself. I knew what jobs I wanted to perform and had some dim (very dim) idea of what I might want to do in the future which had to be balanced against a somewhat limited budget. I knew a small chassis class machine was the right fit but was unsure which HP rating to get. At least in the small chassis class prices werent radically different. So, I opted for the top end (24D) to give some HP pad for unforseen jobs. I seems that the mid chassis class would work OK for what youre doing/acreage.

I think its worth asking your dealer to let you borrow a machine to get a feel for what its capable of. Not sure if your dealer will do this but its worth a try. Also he might be able to refer you to a customer who has a midchassis machine doing the same sort of things you're planning to do. That would be good first hand knowledge.

I think youll find that a hydro is the way to go esp for mowing. I almost went w/ a gear tractor but am REALLY glad I didnt. There are places where shifting back/forth would be a major pain. Being able to get instant direction reversal is pretty nice.

As for warranty issues I was told by NH (corporate) that any dealer would take on warranty work. OTOH Im sure theyllnot prioritize it either. An example: a few weeks ago the wheel bolts loosened up on one of my front tires enough to damage the wheel and bolts. After looking several times thru the manual it does indeed talk about checking the bolts daily until the torque setting stabilizes. Even though it was my fault my dealer choose to replace the damaged parts under warranty. Not only that but since the wheel was backordered he pulled one off an unassembled unit so I could get back to work. If I hadnt bought the machine from him I doubt he would have been so helpful. If youre willing to wait for service or are a fit it yourself type then maybe the service aspect doesnt really matter.

Id be interested to know what you wind up w/. jimg

 

[jimg]

Racer,
Are you planning to finish mow the entire acreage? If not then a smaller machine would be OK. That is, most people brush mow 2 or 3 times a season. I guess it depends on how tight your time is. jimg

 

[Soundguy]

Like Bob said.. size/hp will depend on what you are cutting. If you are cutting heavy tall grass.. go for something like a 5' cutter.. might do 6... just depends on the material. My NH 1920 would probably pull a 6' hog fine.. but sometimes I have to cut heavy tall grass.. and don't feel like abusing it.. so I go 5'. Stay away from the tc29.. you are stuck in the 4' range... you will be mowing forever.

With a 5' hog, I mow 10ac in 3rd range 1st or 2nd gear in about 4 hours give or take other conditions, pee break, etc.
Cutting 20 acres is going to be one of those long day jobs... If it is well maintained.. a tc 33 might pull a 6 fine.. and let you do 20 ac in 6-7 hours depending on your terain, and obstacles, etc.

Hydro is nice for fel... but gear is cheaper, and good for ground engafing implements.. your $$ and your choice.. choose for what you will be doing mostly.... if you are going to plow/till/disc all day long with only occasional loader use.. consider a gear tranny... if the loader is the primary use.. go for hydro.

Soundguy

 

[Racer]

I will brush hog the entire 20 maybe 2-3Xyr depending on the weather and growth rate. About 10 acres will be mowed with a finish mower. I brush hoged the whole 20 in about 8-10 hrs with my old Ferguson and a 5ft hog. I am not in a hurry. If it takes me a day or two its no big deal and I will probably do it in sections anyway.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Racer, one thing about being comfortable with the dealer versus buying from out of state. . . IF you find your local NH dealer to be a very good dealer, then you will find out that he MUST service your machine if you purchase from out of state and he will do a good job even if the machine was not purchased from him. So you might be able to get a bigger machine and get it cheaper by going out of state and that might solve part of your budget issue and it still will get you a great tractor and give you the good dealer to service it. You might also find that your local dealer, when presented with a competitive bid will reduce his price. Either way you win.