Another "Help me pick a tractor" thread

[niterydr]

:confused2:

Here is the scenario:

Recently bought a 21 acre Hobby Farm/Ranch in East Texas (Elkhart, Grapeland area) and need to look for a tractor to do the following:
Mow

• Front Lawn has some Elevation, about 1 acre
• Back Lawn has about 3/4 acre
• Back Pasture has about 10 acres of mixed vegetation and some brush to wack down
• Side Pasture is about 3 acres but is rolling
• Far back pasture is another 5 acres

Farm Duties

• Move Round Bales
• Turn manure piles
• Food plots for deer
• Help move logs and clear out timber
• Light grading work (neighbor has large tractors and can help
• Drag Horse arena

The options are a bit overwhelming as to what to prioritize first. In all of my research it seems that mowing with a brush hog isn't a big deal if you do it often, my "lawn" isn't exactly a golf course and I can eventually get a zero turn once it is restored.

I have some elevation changes on the property, about 60' overall. In the middle I have a creek going across it. Thus I'll need to put in a small bridge across the creek to get to the back of my property or drive down and around the road (will do that to start). As my primary use is mowing, horse property maintenance (no more than 10 horse and maybe a few head of cattle), and hunting support I think I am fine in the Compact tractor size with a competent loader.

In looking at the conditions I think a Cab would be nice, but that tends to push me into much more expensive category.

Budget is as everyone else, not unlimited.

I have experience operating most anything Class 1-6, race cars, bikes, ATV's, UTV's, and skidsteers. Never driven a tractor actually.

Planning to pull the trigger and reporting on findings throughout this process, I think I'll need something by the end of February/beginning of March.

I seem to have every possible dealer within a reasonable drive, some are closer (20 miles) than others (70 miles), but I am willing to drive if it saves me substantially as I am very handy/ I've just never owned a tractor (or a property this big).

I've attached an aerial shot to really show what I am working with. Fence is all around most of the property (blue), and the orange represents the pasture splits. The "side pasture" has the mouse arrow on it, Orange and "up" on the picture is all fenced in.

Red square and circle are future barn and riding area's, probably not to scale as I put this together quick.

I think I need:
4WD
>20 HP
Front End Loader
Ability to drag at least a 5' brush hog
Ability to use a disc harrow

Recommendations?

 

[jeff9366]

Calculate how much time you want to spend mowing and we will tell you how much PTO horsepower is required. Twenty acres is a lot of mowing.

LINK: Mowing Calcuator | How many acres can I mow in an hour





Are you retired so you can peck at your tasks as weather and energy permits, or will you have to do everything during weekends and work breaks?

Recently bought a 21 acre Hobby Farm/Ranch in East Texas, Elkhart, Grapeland area.

Your LOCATION should be part of your T-B-N PROFILE.

 

[jeff9366]

Dealing with round bales will determine how much bare tractor weight you need.

Round bales vary from 800 pounds to 1,400 pounds. What do round bales weigh in your area?

Do you want to move round bales a few inches off the ground or do you need to lift them to stack them or unload a trailer?

If you just need to move DRY round bales a few inches off the ground a Three Point Hitch mounted bale spear mounted on a 2,700 - 4,000 pound tractor may suffice on level ground. The rear of a tractor is designed to support heavier loads than the front. Tractors in this weight range produce 25 to 60 gross engine horsepower.

If you need to lift round bales from a trailer or stack round bales in storage using the Loader you will need a 5,000 pound tractor to do so safely. You will also need considerable Three Point Hitch counterbalance weight to keep the tractor's rear wheels on the ground. Tractors weighing 5,000 pounds bare produce 50 horsepower and up.

A 5,000 pound bare weight tractor will not fit in a garage with an 84" header.

As my primary use is mowing, horse property maintenance for ~~ 10 horses ~~ and a few cattle I think I am fine in the Compact tractor class with a competent loader.

I would add periodic pasture aeration to your list of farm duties. PHOTOS.


OTHER'S VIEWS: Tractor for round hay bales - Google Search

VIDEOS: Kubota Standard L-Series. L251 L331 L391 L471 features and operation. - YouTube

Kubota MX series walk around and features by Messicks. | MX48 MX52 MX58 - YouTube

Kubota MX Series VS. Kubota M Series - YouTube









The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Heavier tractor weight is more important for most tractor applications than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices. Collect a dealer brochure for each tractor model in your weight range. I spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise. I have a column for cost per pound.

Most tractors under 3,000 pounds bare weight operate in residential or hobby farm applications on one to ten flat acres.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is generally greater than depreciation on a tractor.

Heavier tractors are constructed on larger frames and longer wheelbases. Heavier tractors are built with thicker steel to withstand greater stress. Heavier tractors have larger wheels/tires. Heavier tractors with large diameter wheels/tires have more tractive power pulling ground contact implements, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Large wheels and tires increase ground clearance, enabling a heavier tractor to bridge holes, ruts and tree debris with less bucking and less operator disturbance.

When considering a tractor purchase, bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second and (narrowly) rear wheel ballast third.

A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Most new tractors are delivered with a glitch or two requiring correction. My kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment after seven years. Dealer proximity is less important for those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

 

[Diggin It]

Location isn't required, but may help in some cases.

My 25Hp has a 48" limit on rotary cutters. If you want a larger cutter, you'll need a bigger machine.

 

[YLee Kioti]

Oh another chance to spend OPM....!!!!:thumbsup::cool2:

Love the proprty lay out nice!!!!
Gonnah start with the NX5010HST (see: The NX5H Utility Tractor | Kioti Tractors) OR DK531SE HST | Kioti Tractors
The DK series.
The PTO will handle 6 or 7 foot cutter so You can spend more time on other projects.
Grapple for all those trees, hay spear for round bales no problemo.
Would NOT recommend the CK series. The utility frame is heavier and puts the work from tire to ground very well.
Congrats on the property.
Closest dealer i could find is in Lufkin.
Man if you were closer, Id take a 12 pack of Shiner help yah go window shopping.....lol....
Here are a couple of clips for our shopping enjoyment.
Kioti Tractors vs Hay Bales - YouTube
New Holland vs Kioti. Facts are Facts - YouTube

Shopping is fun, buying can be fun especially with a few toys er ah implements, getting it home to start playing totally priceless...:thumbsup:

 

[Geotech]

If you get something big enough to handle big round bales it will handle everything else you've listed (except maybe the creek crossing) and be too big to fine mow the lawn. Think Kubota L4701 or similar from other brands. If you have the smaller round bales then you could get a Kubota L series size tractor and pick HP accordingly. The Deere 30XXE series are probably too light.

 

[jeff9366]

Here are tractors near zip code 75839 for sale on eBay:

Tractor -Lawn -truck in Business and Industrial Supplies | eBay



This Kubota L4400 will power a 5' heavy duty (1,000 pound) Bush Hog in brush or a 6' medium duty (750 pound) Bush Hog in long grass:

KUBOTA L44 TRACTOR LOADER, OPEN ROPS, LA73 LOADER, 4X4, CANPOY, 43HP! | eBay

With ample ballast, Loader will pick up about 1,300 pound payload, allowing for weight of the bale spear, but this tractor will be dangerously unstable with a 1,300 pound payload lifted higher than 30".

Folded ROPS height with R4/industrial tires: 74"

VIDEOS: tractor kubota l44 - YouTube


In many agricultural states tractors are sales tax exempt. Research Texas.





Kubota L4400

2004 - 2010 Standard L Series
Compact Utility tractor
Previous model: Kubota L4300
Next model: Kubota L4600
Series back: Kubota L3400

Manufacturer: Kubota
Original price (USD): $13,916 (2011)

Variants:
L4400F: 2WD gear
L4400DT: 4WD clutch & gear
L4400HST: 4WD hydro

Kubota L4400 Engine:
Kubota 2.2L 4-cyl diesel
Kubota L4400 Power:
Engine (gross): 45.3 hp [33.8 kW]
Engine (net): 43 hp [32.1 kW]
PTO (claimed): 37.5 hp [28.0 kW]


Capacity:
Fuel: 11.3 gal [42.8 L]
Hydraulic system: 10.6 gal [40.1 L] (gear)
11.9 gal [45.0 L] (hydro)

3-Point Hitch:
Rear Type: I
Rear lift (at ends): 2,870 lbs [1301 kg]
Rear lift (at 24"/610mm): 2,310 lbs [1047 kg]

Power Take-off (PTO):
Rear PTO: independent
Rear RPM: 540 (1.375)
Engine RPM: 540@2475

Dimensions & Tires:
Wheelbase: 72.8 inches [184 cm] (2WD)
72.6 inches [184 cm] (4WD)
Weight: 3153 to 3307 pounds
Front tire: 7.5L-15
Rear tire: 14.9-24 (2WD)

Kubota L4400 attachments:
front-end loader
backhoe

Mechanical:
Chassis: 4x2 2WD
4x4 MFWD 4WD optional
Differential lock: rear standard
Steering: hydrostatic power steering
Brakes: wet disc
Cab: Foldable two-post ROPS. Sunshade optional.

Hydraulics:
Type: open center
Capacity: 10.6 gal [40.1 L] (gear)
11.9 gal [45.0 L] (hydro)
Valves: 0 to 3
Pump flow: 8.4 gpm [31.8 lpm]
Total flow: 13.5 gpm [51.1 lpm]
Steering flow: 5.1 gpm [19.3 lpm]

Page information:
Last update: March 25, 2012
Copyright: Copyright 2016 TractorData LLC
Contact: Peter@TractorData.com

 

[4570Man]

Thanks. Nobody else could use google or another search engine of choice.

 

[sd455dan]

I agree with Jeff especially if the bales are over 1000lbs.
A 50 hp tractor and imo (utility) tractor is where i would start .
Regardless of how they mow... they tend to ride better with the larger tires /weight and also equipped with air or at a minimum spring suspension seat.
Lots of stability and loader lift capability.


New or used

Budget?

RK 55 which is a Cut sized 55 HP tractor that may fit the bill in a smaller and (affordable ) for new package as would some other CUTs like the Kioti mentioned or maybe a Branson in the heavier framed models

 

[ericm979]

How wet do the lawns get? In the spring when the grass is growing mine's wet enough that my tractor will leave ruts. I mow the lawn with an inexpensive riding mower. But I have 1/3 acre of lawn not 1 3/4. Zero turns don't handle slopes well.

R4 tires will dent the lawn less than R1 ag tires. These days R4s are most common but on some brands (Kubota) they're an extra cost item.

A utility tractor is unlikely to have the mid PTO and brackets that you need for a mid mount mower. You can get rear finish mowers for the 3pt.

The general rule of thumb for rotary and flail size is 5 hp per foot. A flail mower will chop the material up rather than leaving windrows like a rotary. They cost more and require more maintenance.