Compact Tractor Help

[jwood10]

I have a MF 1723eb, but I am looking into going into the compact tractor frame. The subcompact I have just doesn't have enough behind it, also it feels a little top heavy. The wheels are kind of narrow. I want to be able to spin a 6' bush hog and a 6' tiller. I have Massey Fergusson, Kubota, John Deere, and LS within a 30 minute drive, but right now good luck finding them having comparable tractors all at once. There is so much conflicting info out my head is spinning. Everyone seems to be the best and the worst.... I have considered driving 90 minutes away to visit Mahindra and Branson, but not sure if it would be worth it. I would like to clear some land, plant food plots, grade, plow snow, etc. Would a 25hp compact be enough? Are the regens as bad as some make it out to be? Are different brands regens easier to deal with?

 

[ericm979]

Where (roughly) are you located?
What does "clear some land" entail? The backhoe on a CUT is pretty slow at digging up stumps.
My dealer's 3 hours away. They ship parts. The only time I've gone back there was to pick up a used backhoe.

Mahindra's DOC-only solution does not do regens. Current Bransons do, but still run a mechanical injection and use a neat low tech exhaust valve to heat up the DOC+DPF. With the exception of a few models the typical EFI+DOC+DPF works pretty well. Many regens happen while working the tractor and other than the light coming on it's not noticable.

 

[K5lwq]

25 hp is going to light for a 6' brush cutter. 35 hp is more in line with what you want to do.

 

[jwood10]

I was thinking around a 35 to have a PTO with 30hp. Only thing local right now are 25's.

 

[dodge man]

I have a JD 2025r. It’s to small for 6 foot implements. They also have a 3025e, a bigger tractor, a bigger engine, but same hp. It might do 6 foot wide implements but I think I would go more hp. A 2032r or 2038r would be better. I get it who want a bunch of emissions junk but you should get the tractor you need also. I’d go bigger hp and just deal with it.

 

[jwood10]

Where (roughly) are you located?
What does "clear some land" entail? The backhoe on a CUT is pretty slow at digging up stumps.
My dealer's 3 hours away. They ship parts. The only time I've gone back there was to pick up a used backhoe.

Mahindra's DOC-only solution does not do regens. Current Bransons do, but still run a mechanical injection and use a neat low tech exhaust valve to heat up the DOC+DPF. With the exception of a few models the typical EFI+DOC+DPF works pretty well. Many regens happen while working the tractor and other than the light coming on it's not noticable.

I'm in Southern Maryland. More of just a backyard expansion. Not like clearing an acre of thick timber.

 

[Doughknob]

21 hours so far and no regen on my Bobcat. I have 5' heavy brush hog and the 45hp handles it no problem. I find my 40 series just right for hobby farm. Any smaller and i'd be wishing for a larger machine. Any larger and i'd be thinking i could have gotten away with a little less.

 

[BCinVA]

I have a MF 1723eb, but I am looking into going into the compact tractor frame. The subcompact I have just doesn't have enough behind it, also it feels a little top heavy. The wheels are kind of narrow. I want to be able to spin a 6' bush hog and a 6' tiller. I have Massey Fergusson, Kubota, John Deere, and LS within a 30 minute drive, but right now good luck finding them having comparable tractors all at once. There is so much conflicting info out my head is spinning. Everyone seems to be the best and the worst.... I have considered driving 90 minutes away to visit Mahindra and Branson, but not sure if it would be worth it. I would like to clear some land, plant food plots, grade, plow snow, etc. Would a 25hp compact be enough? Are the regens as bad as some make it out to be? Are different brands regens easier to deal with?

One thing to keep and eye on these days is PTO horsepower. It seems like now days the difference between engine horsepower and pto horsepower is greater than it used to be. For example, I was shopping some MF machines and one of them I looked at had 48.8 engine horsepower, but only 36.2 at the pto. This is almost 26% less, and that is with one of the biggest displacement engines in the class. 2.4 litre turbo and intercooled. Other brands aren't as extreme, more in the 15% range. Nevertheless, if you are planning on running a lot of bigger stuff on the PTO don't just fixate on the engine HP.

 

[airbiscuit]

Why not consider 5' implements? They would be a little more nimble.

25-35 hp = 5' implements
35-45 hp = 6' Implements

 

[jwood10]

Why not consider 5' implements? They would be a little more nimble.

25-35 hp = 5' implements
35-45 hp = 6' Implements

The for 6' is because my dad already has a 6' bush hog, so I would like something powerful enough to spin it.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I agree with others who say 25 HP is a bit light for what you want to do.

If a local dealer doesn't have what you want and can't get it for you, don't be afraid to travel to a distant dealer to find something bigger. Local dealers can get parts for bigger machines and parts for most tractors can also be obtained online. Most brands have mechanics who will travel to your location if necessary. The need to take your machine to a dealer is fairly rare. For example, I've owned 6 Kubota tractors over the last 40 years and only once did I need to take it to a dealer. They will transport the tractor if necessary.

 

[fried1765]

I have a MF 1723eb, but I am looking into going into the compact tractor frame. The subcompact I have just doesn't have enough behind it, also it feels a little top heavy. The wheels are kind of narrow. I want to be able to spin a 6' bush hog and a 6' tiller. I have Massey Fergusson, Kubota, John Deere, and LS within a 30 minute drive, but right now good luck finding them having comparable tractors all at once. There is so much conflicting info out my head is spinning. Everyone seems to be the best and the worst.... I have considered driving 90 minutes away to visit Mahindra and Branson, but not sure if it would be worth it. I would like to clear some land, plant food plots, grade, plow snow, etc. Would a 25hp compact be enough? Are the regens as bad as some make it out to be? Are different brands regens easier to deal with?

I am NOT a Branson owner, but if I were in your situation, I would drive the 90 minutes to look at the Branson...FIRST!
You apparently do not need to limit yourself to a 25HP tractor, to avoid a complex pollution control choked down machine, if you buy a Branson.
6' PTO implements are not considered suitable for a 25HP tractor.

 

[4570Man]

You’ve already decided your current tractor is too small. Why would you get one that’s barely bigger? A 25 hp tractor isn’t going to like a 6’ cutter. Also depending on your clearing needs you probably need a different machine.

 

[jwood10]

Clear how many acres of land? Sow how many acres of food plots? How much snow do you get in winter? How long a road do you need to plow? Eastern Maryland does not get much snow. Western Maryland gets more.

No one can give you a worthwhile tractor recommendation until you detail your conditions.

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Five reasons owner/operators trade up from a Subcompact Tractor:
More tractor weight.
More FEL lift capacity.
More ground clearance
Three-range (3) HST (Lower LOW, Higher, HIGH) rather than two-range (2) HST.
More engine power to operate wider or heavier Three Point Hitch implements.

Larger wheels and tires yield more tractive power pulling ground contact implements and logs, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Larger wheels and tires permit heavier tractors to bridge holes, ruts and tree debris and higher ground speeds with less operator perturbation.

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.

When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

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There is so much conflicting info out my head is spinning. Everyone seems to be the best and the worst....

The Three Point Hitch tractor has been marketed in the USA since 1939. Patents on the Three Point Hitch and TPH hydraulic controls expired in 1955. Since 1955 (66 years) all traditional compact tractors have been designed and produced around the Ferguson Three Point Hitch, worldwide.

The Three Point Hitch tractor design is generic.

The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to first identify potential tractor applications, then, through consulataton, establish bare tractor weight necessary to safely accomplish your applications. Tractor dealers, experienced tractor owners and TractorByNet.com are sources for weight recommendations.

My dad has a 6' bush hog. I would like something powerful enough to spin it.

Based on the sketchy information you have posted I tentatively recommend a 3,500 pound to 4,000 pound bare tractor weight machine, 66" wide, with 40 to 50 engine horsepower.

This is the mid-weight of compact tractors, a high unit volume segment. Every tractor manufacturer offers at least two models, an economy and a deluxe tractor, with these specs. All offer HST.

Sketchy information? How so? I asked a simple question. This is why people come to forums to ask questions and get answers, whether it be the same question asked 100 different ways. People don't like to come on here or any other forum and get an answer that someone might take offensive.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Jwood,

Don't mind Jeff, he comes with his own kind of "charm". I don't think he meant the term "sketchy" as a derogatory one that it gets taken for in today's expressions.

Anyway,

I don't think you want a tractor with a pto hp of less than 30. Not for a 6 foot cutter, or a 6 foot tiller. I agree with previous poster who said the pto hp rating is more important than the engine hp rating. 35-40 pto hp is about where you need to be looking. That may mean you're looking for a 45-50 hp tractor, depending on which brand and model you're looking at.

 

[jwood10]

Yea, I'm gonna look for something that has PTO hp of around 35, give or take a couple. I just need to call around and find who has some.

 

[Torvy]

Yea, I'm gonna look for something that has PTO hp of around 35, give or take a couple. I just need to call around and find who has some.

I have been doing a lot of research in the 25-50 HP range. HST will pull down your PTO HP, so if you want HST, go up a bit more for engine HP. Check the specs on your attachments. They should tell you the minimum PTO HP required. Personally, I would want another 10% or more as 'cushion'. I don't like to operate on the margins of capacity.

Like others have said....you are going to be at least in the 35+ range with a 6' RC.