Buying Advice 6 Acres - What to buy? Rider/ZTR/SCUT? Teach me wise ones!

[4570Man]

ZTRs are OK for golf courses and parks.

Wrong, ZTRs are the best at mowing yard grass. If I cant mow it with my Grasshopper you’re not going to mow it with that either. My Grasshopper goes in mud until the deck bottoms out and is a beast on side hills. Those JDs are way overpriced for what they are. They’re nowhere near the build of subcompact tractor so they’re really just an expensive and not very fast lawnmower.

 

[jeff9366]

- There's the Gas vs Diesel debate I keep reading about. Are current engine lifespans/reliability really that different or is diesel just a macho thing because it "moar better".

Diesel tractors produce greater torque at lower revs than gas engined compact tractors of yesteryear. Torque at low RPM is what you need turning those oversize rear tractor wheels in ground contact work.
(The top speed for a 2018 Kubota BX is 8.4 mph.)
(The top speed for a 2018 Kubota L2501 is 11.5 mph.)

Because of torque at low revs, diesel equipment runs cooler under load than gas equivalents. In Texas this would be an important consideration during summer.

Heavier weight of diesel engine is an advantage in tractors.

Most of us fuel out of five gallon containers. You have to transport a lot more gas than diesel for the same work. Fueling time is equipment and operator down time.

Diesel engines require less periodic maintenance than gas engines.

 

[DK35vince]

Mowing times on zero turns (at least commercial zero turns) isn't just hype.
My 35 HP 72" commercial zero turn is a freaking awesome mower. It will mow circles around my 35HP tractor with 84" deck. Period.
But for your uses and versatility a SCUT may be your best bet.

 

[Granthol]

Here’s a new package deal you can do in your budget, still get a finish mower right at your budget and you can do some work with it. And they too are in Tx.

Branson 24 Tractor Package Deal with Brush Hog and Box Blade

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

I have 5 acres of old pasture and bean fields. Slightly sloped on the back 1 1/2 acres. I also cut my neighbors pasture occasionally. By no means is it smooth, no big ruts, but not smooth. I tried to use a friend's ZT mower and it literally beat the heck out of me.

Now I have my LS SCUT. I pull a 72" finish mower without any problems through 12" tall field grass. It cruises over the bumps far better and comfortably. I do take off the loader when mowing, makes it easier. The loader comes off in less than 4-5 minutes.

I also have a 54" heavy box blade, a PHD (post hole digger) w/ 9" auger, and the best of them all....a back hoe. I have graded the drive numerous times, installed a full septic system, planted numerous trees, spread nearly 40 yards of mulch, moved RR ties into place, and hundreds of feet of fencing/ posts. Hours of other misc. work. I wouldn't trade it for anything (well maybe a bigger tractor when I get more acreage).

Someone else on TBN called the SCUTS "the Swiss Army knife" of small tractors, and they truely are. There is an LS dealer near DFW called RCO tractor. Look into the MT 125 or the XJ2025. Both very capable SCUTS. They could probably get you set up with a tractor and some implements for around your budget. Worth looking into. I never had any direct dealing with them aside from talking on the phone with them.

Either way you decide, good luck in your search. Been there, done that, hard decisions....

 

[BoylermanCT]

I would buy a zero turn for sure. You will spend a lot of time mowing six acres, and a zero turn will cut that time down to size. My zero turn will mow 6 acres an hour if the ground is smooth enough. It will be well worth your while to spend time getting your lawn as smooth as possible. Your back, neck and tail end will thank you! Then find a good deal on a used tractor. I picked up my tractor with 175 hours for less than $10K.

 

[Tractorable]

Here’s my two cents......you have six acres with one big tree in the middle. There’s no need for you to have a three acre lawn, fence in one acre of lawn around the house. Leave the remaining five acres as pasture for the animals to munch on.

With animals, fences to remove and build, driveway to maintain, feed to move, building projects, etc it’s gonna be mighty handy to have a decent tractor. Suggest you see about picking up a lightly used Kubota L2501HST or similar then pickup a cheap riding mower off craigslist for the one acre lawn with no trees. After you plant your trees and get more established then get a better mowing machine like a ZTR.

Here’s a link for a very lightly used L2501HST with 53hrs for $16.5K in Texas.

http://www.tractorhouse.com/ListingsDetail/Detail.aspx?lp=TH&OHID=29048567

 

[jeff9366]

My wife and I bought six acres last year outside DFW, Texas. Land was an old horse pasture.

- I am thinking 90% or more of my seat time will be mowing, but it's that last 10% that has me stumped.

- We keep debating how much area to fence in and mow vs leave pasture and keep goats/cows on, so the mowing area could be a 50/50 split between yard and pasture.

I could be convinced to go used if I found the right deal on a BX with a drive over MMM and a quick attach FEL.

You know your land. I do not.

However I am doubtful about using a MMM on a BX with only 9" ground clearance BEFORE the MMM is attached on even a moderately rutted, burrowed, ant-hilled pasture. A Three Point Hitch Finish Mower or a Bush Hog would be fine but a BX at speed with little wheels will give you a rough, tiring ride.


I would have that hard pasture plowed, disced and rolled and reseeded before putting animals on it anew.

 

[Jchonline]

The key here is how smooth is your ground. My family farm is 100 acres in East Texas (West of Athens on 175). If you have any cattle on that land and want to mow it, the Zero Turn is going to beat you up. If you have any ruts or non plowed and smoothed land, that Zero Turn is going to bounce you around something fierce. We have sandy loam soil, and it is easily impressionable.

My Dad has a Zero Turn for the area around his house (fenced in, St. Augustine grass, probably 2 acres) and it is just awesome. However if I drive it just outside the gate no bueno. Cows, horses, goats, anything that can tear up the ground will affect you.

Hands down I would get a tractor, and I would look at the B series if you can make it work. B2601 sounds like a fine option, probably around $15-17k. L2501 also not bad if you feel like extra weight is needed. With animals and aspirations for an orchard you wont believe just how many uses you will come up with for that tractor.

Best of Luck, tough decision!

 

[Diggin It]

But if you decide to go with a SCUT, you'll get more for your money with blue than orange.