Best RK Tractor for 37 Acre property? 10 acre field, 25 acre woods

[boostmg]

I've been looking at tractors and RK currently has my attention.

My situation:
- we have a field with some wetter areas that needs cutting, tilling, and maintenance. It's 10 acres, "getting stuck" is a concern of mine so through my own deduction I am thinking ground clearance + good size tires on front and rear will help (i'm not an expert)

- We have plenty of woods, it's mainly level, but we have some big rocks in some of our paths which ideally I want to smooth out and make a nice path. Not sure the proper way to do this with a tractor if it's with the bucket or with a backhoe, but I don't want to break it!

- Other things we'd do, plow snow, till soil to make food plots, move logs and dead trees (clean up the mess), other stuff?

What would RK recommend as the most ideal tractor for our situation? I was thinking the RK37 or the RK55 ... I wasn't sure if the RK55 was actually bigger, but was hoping it was and found that more appealing.

Could we get away with less?

I also believe we likely need the backhoe attachment.

Either way I want to have something I'm happy to spend the money on, and I always prefer having more power than I actually need vs putting lesser power to it's limits.

 

[Diggin It]

Why focus on one store brand machine when there are so many other options at possibly better prices and values?

 

[Hozzie]

My two cents.

I have 37 acres of mostly flat ground with about 30 acres of fields. about 20 acres of that are mowed for hay by my neighbor. I have (had) a lot of rocks and a lot of cleanup to do. I have a Kubota MX5800 and wouldn't want any less in HP or Weight. I would forgo the backhoe and spend that extra money on a heavier, more powerful tractor than the RK37. Yes, it will do the work, but I find that my loader capacity is right on the edge of being too light for some things (larger rocks) and the weight of the tractor will also affect how much you can lift safely.

You can always do it with a smaller tractor and many do, it just depends on how much time you want to spend doing it. Mowing 10 acres with a 6' bushhog isn't bad if you don't intend to mow it like a lawn. I would (and just did) rent a mini excavator when I need to dig trenches or dig up items like rocks. Use the extra money on tractor and a decent grapple and pallet forks. Fill the tires for rear weight and get to it.

I agree with the above as well, look at many brands. It doesn't cost to check them all out. There are differences. I went Kubota because I found what I thought was a good deal. I would have been happy with Deere and Kioti as well. Those were my best local dealers is why I focused on them.

 

[boostmg]

Why focus on one store brand machine when there are so many other options at possibly better prices and values?

well as I said RK really caught my attention ... I haven't really been able to find similar priced machines for those sizes....

why what would you recommend?

right now it seems like branson, tym, RK is the only line that has somewhat reasonable pricing for those size and attachment offerings.

mahindra, kubota, kioti seem out of the price range.

LS seems like it has potential but I haven't seen the same amount of positive info I have about RK compared to them.

 

[Qapla]

I cannot say that RK is the best option since I have not yet used an RK.

I will offer this, make sure whatever brand you choose has the controls where and how you feel comfortable with.

We used to have a FarmTrac (made by LS). It was supposed to be a "shuttle shift" but relied heavily on using the clutch. Most of our work was with the FEL and we ended up needing to replace the clutch twice. That tractor also had the loaded control next to the steering wheel. That was OK.

Next, we had a NH TC40D. It was HST. We found that, when most of the work is FEL - the HST is far better than anything else. Also, for us, there were two other features we liked. The loader control was a "joystick" next to the operator seat. This was far easier and less fatiguing to use than the one next to the steering wheel.

To explain the other, I will mention that I used a Kubota with HST this past weekend to do some loader work. The Kubota has a "rocker" pedal to change from forward to reverse. I found this to be very uncomfortable to use. The NH we had used "two pedals" to operate the forward/reverse function. To me, the two pedals is much easier than the single rocker. It uses the toe action of the foot, something I am already used to, just switching the toe from one pedal to the other - rather than making me lift my right foot higher than the footrest to sit on the rocker pedal, forcing me to bend my ankle awkwardly back each time I wanted to go backward.

From what I understand, the RK uses the two pedal method as well as having the loader control next to the seat. Both are features I prefer. Note: the RK 37 and RK 55 have the loader control next to the seat, the RK 24 has it next to the steering wheel.

As for a backhoe, they are usually less costly to get when bought with the machine than they are when purchased later and having them installed. Although we did not use the hoe as much as we did the loader, we did use ours quite a bit. In addition to that, the rear ballast the hoe offers for the loader is unmatched by any other method I have used. The design of the RK that allows the backhoe to be mounted without having to remove the 3-point makes it something I would include if I could afford it when buying the machine.

Although RK is new to the tractor business, TYM has been around for quite some time and seem to have a good reputation. I was not overly impressed with the FarmTrac (made by LS) and likewise, was not overly impressed with the LS machines I looked at.

Just remember, it will ultimately be you who are going to use the tractor (and pay for it) so make sure whatever brand you choose, sit on it forst and make sure you feel comfortable, regardless of what me or others say, you need to like the tractor you use.

 

[Leo182]

I think the answer comes down to finances. The RK 37 and 55 are both capable of doing everything you listed. So, if finances aren't an issue and you have that inner need for the extra horsepower, the RK 55 wins. If your going to try to stay within a budget the RK 37 is a good choice. Regarding the backhoe, decide how many projects you have in mind for it in the near future and compare that to rental fees. You might find it's cheaper to add the backhoe. And it really is nice to have the equipment when you need it and not have to schedule it in advance and hope the weather is good on the day your paying rental fees.

 

[RTBee]

I appreciate the comments made by Qapla. Good advice all the way around. Have you checked out any of the YouTube videos from "Outdoors with the Morgans"? He does a really good job of comparing and demonstrating the capabilities of the RK machines, especially the 2 you are considering (RK37 and RK55). I bought the RK55 shuttle shift and absolutely love it. I don't know how it compares to other tractors as I have limited experience with them. But I know that it has done everything we've asked of it and never bats an eye. We have lots of woods and hills, rocks and a small field to mow. We use the backhoe all the time and we just purchased a grapple. Very excited to start clearing trails and such with it. You won't be disappointed with either of them. I was a little concerned that the RK55 might be a little too big for in the woods, but we haven't had any problems with that. It's very maneuverable with a tight turning radius. Just some info from someone who has one.

 

[Professor Marvel]

don't forget the effort of taking the backhoe on and off each time you want to use it or else you will not be able to use the 3pt hitch

 

[RTBee]

2 pins, 2 hoses. Gets easier everytime we do it. 10 minutes or less. :thumbsup:

 

[DK35vince]

I don't have an RK.
But I can remove my backhoe in under 5 minutes and install it in 5-10.
Sure beats renting every time I need to dig.