40 HP vs 55 HP in the same tractor

[MossRoad]

I had a similar situation back when I bought my current machine. There were 22 and 25hp options for the same frame. I divided the cost of each by the HP of each and they came out to the same dollar-per-hp.... that made me feel better for some stupid reason. :laughing:

Anyhow.... the factory recommended getting the higher HP if I was going to run the largest mowing deck they sold for the unit. You need the HP to keep the blade speed up when you hit thicker grass.

As for comments about weight doing the work..... NO. The engine does the work. Specifically, the pistons pushing long connecting rods turning the crankshaft does the work. The weight helps to transfer that power to the ground, but the weight does ZERO work.

If you have a choice, and money is not a problem, you'll not regret getting the highest power available for the frame size in the long run. Every machine runs out of power eventually as an operator gets used to it and tries harder tasks. With the higher power available, you'll reach that point further down the road, you'll have more reserve power when its needed, like heavy grass mowing, and you'll be able to run larger implements that will reduce your operating time in the long run.

Good luck with your decision making process. :thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

All else being equal ( and that looks to be the case comparing the xr4155 and xr4140) go with more hp if you will be using the pto.

At first I was thinking the 40 hp was just a really de-energized version of the 55hp. But then I see they are only using a. 114cu in engine with turbo. So it seems to me that 40hp is about right for that engine, and the 55 is just cranked way up.

Most other mfgs seem to be in the 150 inch range with a turbo for 50-60hp machines.

 

[CobyRupert]

Weight is how much work you can do, horsepower is how fast you can do it.

:thumbsup:

I know your not being literal and you mean "Weight (is traction which determines what work or) how much work you can do."
Heck, a 3 hp tractor that weighs 10 tons (and has the right gearing) can do more work than a 60 hp tractor that weighs 2.5 tons (example pull a load that the 60 ho tractor will just spin it tires on). It just going to take the 3 hp much longer to do work (that the 60 hp is actually capable of), thus: "Hp is how fast you can do it"

 

[Texasmark]

Excluding the discussion about modification of the purchased unit, it really depends on what you need the unit to do.

If you are buying it for a backhoe and loader for small earth moving projects, you don't require a ton of horsepower, what you need is weight. Weight makes traction, horsepower spins the wheels. Lots of tire spinning when working earth makes a mess of the job site fast. Too much power is a bad thing.

If you are buying the unit to operate mechanical PTO powered equipment like a round baler, the tractor needs enough horsepower per pound tow the loaded baler up and down hills while also driving the baler mechanics.

If you are mowing grass, you want lots of horsepower to clear gobs of tall grass from the mower deck without bogging, and you want light weight so you're not compacting the land or making ruts in soft areas.

The expectation that any tractor is great at all tasks is a falsehood created by salesmen that don't know how to use the machines they are selling. When you tell them you have a list of things you want to do, they should present you with a list of tractors and why each of them is better at one of your given tasks than another. Educating their buyer seems low priority to most unfortunately.

I think also, those "same frame and block with different horsepower ratings" also come with different sized tires, which brings into the discussion a lot of other variables.

Nice job!

 

[kthompson]

The only machine I have which have never wish had more power is my excavator. I have wished the machine itself were larger but not the engine.

Tractors are not a fixed machine as an excavator are, tractors normally have the ability to use a larger implement on it than it is made for and certainly than you owned when you bought it. Seldom do you see a person buy down in tractor. There is a saying in tractors for pulling (such as tillage) "shift up and throttle back".

 

[scdeerslayer]

Check all of the specs of the tractors you're comparing. Sometimes the higher horsepower tractors also include other upgrades not engine related.

 

[Rmart30]

Different injectors or injector pump, or turbo.
Mahindra has done that on several tractors. A 4110 was the same engine as in the 3510 except for adding a turbo.

 

[Cataclysm]

:thumbsup:

I know your not being literal and you mean "Weight (is traction which determines what work or) how much work you can do."
Heck, a 3 hp tractor that weighs 10 tons (and has the right gearing) can do more work than a 60 hp tractor that weighs 2.5 tons (example pull a load that the 60 ho tractor will just spin it tires on). It just going to take the 3 hp much longer to do work (that the 60 hp is actually capable of), thus: "Hp is how fast you can do it"

Common sense prevails. Bravo!

 

[IslandTractor]

15hp is a BIG jump in a tractor...

SR

I'm gonna have to disagree a bit. I don't know the specifics of the LS line but they are probably the same as the Kioti line of DK or NX tractors. Yes, 15hp is a third more max hp but it is in the otherwise identical frame, weight, loader, hydraulic capacity, 3pt capacity etc etc tractor. 15 extra hp ONLY matters if you actually need to turn the throttle up that high. For most loader work we don't run at PTO speed. For most backhoe work we don't run at PTO speed. A 40hp tractor will run any 6 foot implement. Do you anticipate buying 7 or 8 foot implements ($$$$$$)? The 15hp extra will allow you to climb steeper hills in high range rather than medium range....do you do that frequently enough to pay an extra $2000-3000+???

I'm being a bit polemical here but my point is that horsepower is only a part of the equation. More horsepower doesn't make the loader stronger or faster. Doesn't let you lift more with 3PT either. I'd much rather have a Kubota L2501 with 25hp than a BX with 26hp. The L would beat the snot out of the BX. And, when you compare work output for a given budget, consider how much more work you would get done by getting the 40hp engine and use the extra cash to buy a grapple and at least one more specialized implement. Horsepower is nice but severely over rated as an indicator of tractor capability.

 

[4tillingdirt]

Well the dealer has made it tougher on me as well. He will sell me an xr4155 hydro with loader for 27000.00 vs an xr4140 shuttle for 22900.00. I am guessing the hydro 4140 will be about 24,500 so only about 2500 more, but true could buy some implements with that difference. I was just thinking since he did a better price than before on the 4155 and with the hydro it would be worth it.