40-55hp CUT or Utility Tractor for 20 acre horse farm in Michigan

[RollingsFarms]

i've also looked at the Kubota 5040's myself. i got a price quote of 28,000 with a FEL. little more then i wanted to spend. i also like the 5105's. kinda of waiting to see what Deere comes out with next to replace them as ive heard they were going to do soon. until then im tucking my $$$ away until the right tractor comes along where i can buy the hp and other features i need at the price i want and still have $$$ to buy a few implements.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I have been looking at a Kubota 5740 with a cab and a 5240 without a cab. Do you think the 854 loader that goes with the 5740 will lift 3000 lbs on a set of forks? What do you think the chances are of lifting a 3000lb palet 5 or 6 ft high. This is something I would only do once or twice a year. The specs on the 853/854 loader don't indicate it can lift much more than 2000lbs. But, the loader looks stonger and heavier than the 400cx loader on the JD 4720 that is rated at 2500lbs.

I think the chances of lifting about 3000lbs to that height are slightly above zero. You can lift a bit more to mid-height than to full height, but probably not that much. Even if it might be mechanically possible, it would be questionable on safety and would require an enormous amount of rear ballast - seriously, over 2000lbs on the 3ph. If you must lift that much I think you will need a larger machine. But I would ask if you can avoid lifting that much and do with a smaller machine, which will cost less and be more pleasant for a number of smaller tasks. Unless you an engineer I don't think you can eyeball lift capacity on the FELs. The 400CX has been discussed ad nauseum on here and I'm quite convinced it will do what JD says, even though it is a lot of lift for its size.

I am a little bit concerned about the visibilty in a cab for doing fine grader blade work such as spreading gravel or filling in a pot hole in the driveway. I felt like I could see better without a cab as I could lean over the fender but I didn't have an actual impliment on the tractor.

I am very close to buying the 5740 but I am also looking at JD 5105, 5325 and perhaps a M7040. But, I would love a HST.

All nice tractors, but you're really looking in two classes (CUT and utility) and two size ranges within one (50hp utility and 70hp utility). What do you really need?

The only cab tractor I've driven is an M7040. Very nice, except for the range shift lever, which is difficult. The cab reduces visibility a bit. For normal farm tasks it wouldn't be an issue, but for fine landscaping tasks it might be. I'll also say that even the ROPS version of the M7040 has less front visibility for loader work than my 5105. But likely still just fine if you know what you're doing.

My two cents - if you really want HST, you will be unhappy if you don't get it. And it would be really, really nice for FEL work, mowing around obstacles, or any precision task. I would be looking at the Grand L's and find a way to not have to lift 3000lbs for whatever task you were referring to.

 

[cave]

All nice tractors, but you're really looking in two classes (CUT and utility) and two size ranges within one (50hp utility and 70hp utility). What do you really need?

.

Regarding the 5105/5205. This was one of the first utility tractors that I looked at a few years ago and I loved it. I actually prefered the inline shift on the 5105/5205's to the syncro shift on the 5220's-25's. Do you clutch and shift inline while the tractor is still moving? I didn't notice the gears grinding and it seemed to be very easy to shift. I actually like the range/reverse shifter being on my left next to the seat better than the forward/reverse lever on the left of the steering column on the syncros. I also like the 16.9x 28 inch rear tires and the 9x24 front wheel tires. Those 16.9's look twice as wide as the 13.6 x 28's that you get on most of the hydro's.

I am a farmer and have lots of John Deere equipment but I prefer the Kubota 5740-5240 to the John Deere 4000 series. The kubota seems to be a little heavier and I prefer the category II hitch on the Kubota over the John Deere cat I. An HST would be much better for running a tiller or a ditcher vs the gear tranny on the 5x05. Its a toss up. I have found a 2002 5105 MWFD with 250hrs on it for 17k barn kept. This is hard to pass up. I am looking at a new 5740HSTC with loader and options for about 35K.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Regarding the 5105/5205. This was one of the first utility tractors that I looked at a few years ago and I loved it. I actually prefered the inline shift on the 5105/5205's to the syncro shift on the 5220's-25's. Do you clutch and shift inline while the tractor is still moving? I didn't notice the gears grinding and it seemed to be very easy to shift. I actually like the range/reverse shifter being on my left next to the seat better than the forward/reverse lever on the left of the steering column on the syncros. I also like the 16.9x 28 inch rear tires and the 9x24 front wheel tires. Those 16.9's look twice as wide as the 13.6 x 28's that you get on most of the hydro's.

I am a farmer and have lots of John Deere equipment but I prefer the Kubota 5740-5240 to the John Deere 4000 series. The kubota seems to be a little heavier and I prefer the category II hitch on the Kubota over the John Deere cat I. An HST would be much better for running a tiller or a ditcher vs the gear tranny on the 5x05. Its a toss up. I have found a 2002 5105 MWFD with 250hrs on it for 17k barn kept. This is hard to pass up. I am looking at a new 5740HSTC with loader and options for about 35K.

did you buy it? i hope i come across a 5105/5205 at a price like and in that good of shape when im ready to buy.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Do you clutch and shift inline while the tractor is still moving? I didn't notice the gears grinding and it seemed to be very easy to shift. I actually like the range/reverse shifter being on my left next to the seat better than the forward/reverse lever on the left of the steering column on the syncros.

You're not supposed to do it, but the dealer manager (my salesman) told me it could be done, and I do it occasionally. Usually no grinding of gears. I try not to do it a lot, but it's convenient when coming to a full stop is inconvenient. Too bad they didn't just put synchros on it!

I'm pretty happy with my 5105. Ergonomics are very good and all in all it is very easy to use. But as I've said far too many times, I do miss HST control fairly often. The 5105 to me would be an excellent primary tractor for a 40-80 acre farm or as a utility on a bigger farm. It certainly works for loader work, but HST would be nicer.

 

[tydp]

I've got a mechanical shuttle shift on my compact and to be honest I'm much faster on the FEL than my neighbor with his HST. Not because of the drive, but because I"m better on both shifting and the FEL. I wouldn't go HST. JMHO

Blasphemy! The sky is falling!

 

[tydp]

Lonecowboy,

I agree that a skilled driver with a powershift (gst and equivalent) can equal or best a novice on an HST tractor. But a novice on an HST tractor can best a moderately skilled person on a powershift. Equally skilled operators on HST equiped tractors nearly always are more productive. I don't know of many situations where a crash box gear trans can even be thought of as being in the same ball park as an HST. (or powershift for that matter.)

Also (hate to pop your bubble), but HST transmissions have the same or fewer parts than a gear trans or powershift and have greater overall reliability. Cost to repair is dominated by labor for both and most mfg only want the service departments to swap out for rebuilt transmissions and those cost about the same (high) price.



I didn't know there had been any productivity measurements one way or another. It is a matter of opion. I don't recall seeing any large ag tractors with HST, wonder why that is?

I have never seen anyone on theis board say, "Gee, I wish I had gottne a smaller tracator." Get one of the larger tractors you have mentioned, the John Deere 5105 or Kubota M5040 or the New Holland. You won't be sorry....

 

[Z-Michigan]

I have never seen anyone on theis board say, "Gee, I wish I had gottne a smaller tracator." Get one of the larger tractors you have mentioned, the John Deere 5105 or Kubota M5040 or the New Holland. You won't be sorry....

FWIW, I started this thread, I read and debated with the posters who responded, I agonized, I got the JD 5105, and now I think I would have been happier with a 4120 or even something smaller, with HST. The 5105 makes short work of big tasks, but most of my real tasks have turned out to be small and medium sized, and a tighter turning radius and HST would make those go faster.

 

[tydp]

FWIW, I started this thread, I read and debated with the posters who responded, I agonized, I got the JD 5105, and now I think I would have been happier with a 4120 or even something smaller, with HST. The 5105 makes short work of big tasks, but most of my real tasks have turned out to be small and medium sized, and a tighter turning radius and HST would make those go faster.

I'm sorry but the thread got so long I didn't read the whole thing. I still don't think in the long run that you made a bad decision at all. With the size of your property and the tasks you mentioned, I would have made the same choice.

I do get a little testy when people seem to always make blanket statements (HST is ALWAYS more productive, a subcompact is always much faster at....) and recomend what they themselves have exclusively whatever the situation.

Enjoy your tractor, a year or 2 from now you won't look back!

 

[NoMo]

FWIW, I started this thread, I read and debated with the posters who responded, I agonized, I got the JD 5105, and now I think I would have been happier with a 4120 or even something smaller, with HST. The 5105 makes short work of big tasks, but most of my real tasks have turned out to be small and medium sized, and a tighter turning radius and HST would make those go faster.

Well, I tried.

Once you start moving a lot of hay, you'll probably feel better about getting the larger tractor.