3 Series v. 5 Series

[Flatlandfarmer]

I have a new farm with 10 acres total. Five acres are tillable, four acres in fenced pasture, and an acre with buildings and grass. Primary use will be mowing, but also discing, and possibly snow removal on a long, paved driveway. I'm still strongly considering a used machine (870, 970, etc.) but was looking through the new offerings too. Basically, for the same $$$ (around $17k) I can get a new 3032E or a new 5045D.

Is one or the other better suited to my needs? I know the 3 series is 4WD but I'm not convinced I need that for my flat, relatively clear land. I do like that it's made in the USA (the 5 series is made in India.) On the flipside, having a bit more HP and weight might be helpful down the road too and keep me from outgrowing the machine that I hope to keep for years and years. But I don't know if the 5045D will be too hard on grass.

Simply put, I don't know if the 3 series is too small, or if the 5 series is too big for my needs? I'm focused on Deere right now. I guess going to their museum in Moline when I was seven had a lasting effect!

Thanks! This is a very helpful group on the forum.

 

[motownbrowne]

Well, does that price include a loader?? If you're looking at spending 17k on a 2wd tractor without a loader, I'd reconsider. If you're gonna buy new, get 4wd and a loader. If you're gonna get a 2wd buy a used tractor. Tons and tons of great 2wds out there for cheap.

Either way, make sure no matter what you get that it's got ag tires on it, since ag is what you're doing.

If those two I'd take the 3032e, but of all the tractors for veggie farming, I probably wouldn't start there.

 

[nirion]

From what I have gathered, the 5045 will be ok for brush hogging, but not finish mowing (too heavy). The 3032e is very light (just over 2k lbs), so you will need the 4wd. I haven't used mine for any ground engagement tasks, but others have and are happy with it.

You might also check out a used 5045e (4wd) or 4120 (4wd and in betwen the two sizes with more weight and HP, but not so still a good bit lighter than the 5 series).

 

[kcflhrc]

I have a new 3032E. You will want the 4wd for snow removal. I have a 5' brush hog and 6' blade and the 305 Loader. My total for mine in January was under $19k with all the attachments, loaded tires and delivered. I also have 10 acres and it's perfect. No regrets for me, it has done everything I need it to do.

 

[Flatlandfarmer]

I have a new 3032E. You will want the 4wd for snow removal. I have a 5' brush hog and 6' blade and the 305 Loader. My total for mine in January was under $19k with all the attachments, loaded tires and delivered. I also have 10 acres and it's perfect. No regrets for me, it has done everything I need it to do.

Thanks for the input. Is it powerful and stable enough to handle discing and other field work?

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Thanks for the input. Is it powerful and stable enough to handle discing and other field work?

Grandfather / Father operated 250 acre mixed farm, for some years, with 2 x Horses + 1 x 2WD Ford 8N. Tested HP according to Tractor Data approx = 23HP. Weight approx 2410.

 

[kcflhrc]

Thanks for the input. Is it powerful and stable enough to handle discing and other field work?

Cant answer that one. But I do feel the tractor is very stable with the loaded tires. I have a hay wagon and loaded with people it does fine. Dont know what it would do with a disc or plow

 

[Flatlandfarmer]

Grandfather / Father operated 250 acre mixed farm, for some years, with 2 x Horses + 1 x 2WD Ford 8N.

It's good to see you point that out. In this age of "bigger is better" we tend to forget what can be done with the most basic of tools.

 

[DVR]

I have a 5045d. I wasn't too pleased when I found out its county of origin but it has been impressive in performance.
I have a JD MX6 cutter, 6ft disc harrow and a 7ft drag harrow to name a few. It pulls them all with ease. Have to go slow with the cutter in 5ft tall thick weeds but that's to be expected (that's when I hook up the 5420 4wd cab). For my uses the weight is a plus. I also have fluid filled front and rear tires as well as approx 350# of weight on the front. No loader. I've owned a couple of FEL Kubota 4wd tractors and they were great machines just too light.
For ground engaging the 5045d is a great machine. Lots of FEL work and finish mowing I'd get a lighter machine with 4wd R4 tires and a hydrostatic transmission w/o question. Just remember at some point the whole front end on a 4wd tractor will have to be rebuilt. It won't be cheap. At about the same time the 2wd will likely need nothing. However 2wd gear driven machines are terrible platforms for a FEL IMO. Yes they will work but a 4wd hydro will run circles around it when you've got a lot of material to move.

 

[Flatlandfarmer]

I know what you mean about country of origin. Made in India is not a selling point with the 5 Series.

So am I wrong in generalizing to say that the 5045D will be better for field work but I'd need something else to finish mow any grass? And a 3 Series will be able to hand mowing chores but might be a touch light for the tillable land?

 

[dusty3030]

I know what you mean about country of origin. Made in India is not a selling point with the 5 Series.

So am I wrong in generalizing to say that the 5045D will be better for field work but I'd need something else to finish mow any grass? And a 3 Series will be able to hand mowing chores but might be a touch light for the tillable land?

Not light at all. Coming from somebody that lives on 10 Acres, if I had to choose one to do it all I'd choose the 4wd 3 series over the 2wd 5 series. Get a 5ft tiller (most common you will find and can be found cheap) and rock on. You are going to break up ground once maybe twice a year, you mow every week and will find uses for the FEL every day.
If you move up in acreage later on and need a bigger utility / Ag tractor I'd skip over the 5045 and look for at least 75 to 100 hp and look for 2wd used. They can be found all day long with decent hours and a decent price tag and would be great for heavier ground breaking and keep your smaller tractor for everything else.

 

[DVR]

The 5045 is a straight up Ag tractor. No frills, full size and pretty heavy. A compact may be better suited for the use you've described.
To me it sounds like a smaller machine with FEL, 4wd and hydrostatic transmission would be ideal.
I once owned a 4wd kubota b7510 with R4's, FEL and hydro transmission that I believe would have been perfect for what you've described. The engine was in the low 20hp range and I couldn't believe some of the things that tractor could do.

 

[Flatlandfarmer]

You make very good points in favor of the 3 series. Just how important is a FEL? I was thinking I wouldn't get one to start since I figured it'd be more of a pain taking it on/off to mow. There's a bit of fence line on the property with a good number of 90' turns and thought trying to mow with the loader attached would just get in the way. But a lot of people seem to love their FELs. I don't have a ton of trees nor rocks and not sure when I'd dig a hole (!) so other than hauling manure/compost, that was about all I could come up with. Besides, leaving it off saves a few $$$.

 

[sd455dan]

You make very good points in favor of the 3 series. Just how important is a FEL? I was thinking I wouldn't get one to start since I figured it'd be more of a pain taking it on/off to mow. There's a bit of fence line on the property with a good number of 90' turns and thought trying to mow with the loader attached would just get in the way. But a lot of people seem to love their FELs. I don't have a ton of trees nor rocks and not sure when I'd dig a hole (!) so other than hauling manure/compost, that was about all I could come up with. Besides, leaving it off saves a few $$$.

How important is an FEL?? it is probably the #1 implement for any tractor and the uses never end.

Do you need to limb Trees- and move brush easiest to use an fel with forks or a grapple, how about carry fence posts or carry bags of feed, bales of hay, concrete.

Clean barn stalls, snow removal?? -yes it can be done with the basic FEL bucket




The FEL is IMO the best back saver ever invented- truly...

 

[dusty3030]

FEL is the most important thing you will ever need on a tractor unless you have skid steer as well.
I never have taken mine off, if I need to be more compact I just take the bucket or what ever off and leave the loader on.

 

[Flatlandfarmer]

You guys are good at spending my money! :thumbsup:

 

[dusty3030]

You guys are good at spending my money! :thumbsup:

Best you'll ever find.

 

[vtsnowedin]

A 5045 D or E can pull a finish mower behind it just as well as a shredder. More tractor than you need I think but you'd never wear it out. Mine with loader and 72" cutter and spaced out loaded tires was just under 30K delivered 0% interest The loader is very strong and can lift 4000 lbs. It will handle large round bales easily and safely. I plow a half mile of steep hills with it plus skid logs and mow twenty acres with the shredder. 315 hours so far and I'm well satisfied. You might want to consider what is the largest machine you want to run off the PTO and get a tractor thatwill run that machine comfortably.

 

[kcflhrc]

I couldn't agree more on the FEL, I use mine a lot. Cant imagine not having it. Probably the main reason I bought a tractor.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

I would be totally lost without the FEL / Bucket / Forks. A set of forks makes many multi-man jobs a one man job. Here is a pic of something I built, so I could put something longer than the shed in there for winter storage, by leaving the door open. Without FEL would be impossible to place / remove.