Don't even know where to start. New tractor for 85 acre property

[Dadnatron]

I moved onto an 85ac project farm 4 years ago and have built it from the ground up. My place has more open space/fields, so there is a difference.

I purchased an off lease horse Racetrack 480hr JD5100e.

Things I have learned.

Buy bigger than you think you will need, because you are wrong.
Don’t get caught up in HP. The frame size and weight mean as much or more.
4WD is a must
FEL with dedicated 3rd function valve for front end Implements is a must. I use this more than towing.
Cab is worth the cost on a (larger frame) tractor. Preference not necessity.

Go to your ‘local’ racetrack and ask when their tractors will be returned off lease. They are probably the most gently used tractor you will find. Find out where they are going and do some research on price.

Take a look at the 5 series JDs. They might be too heavy, but If I could go back, I would have purchased a 120hp+ 6 series. I was naively focused on HP, which was wrong, wrong, wrong!

 

[Gee Ray]

I find it interesting that you keep talking about 40-50 hp tractors for this farm. He has the big Ford for the heavy work. It has a FEL so if he ever gets to making hay he will be OK but not ideal. I would go for a smaller tractor to do the easy stuff with. I own a Kubota L2501. Big enough to go pick up firewood. Small enough to go into the woods. A grapple and a finish mower would pretty much cover everything. Even A JD 1025 would let the work in the woods get done pretty easily. I still have a New Holland TL80A cab 4x4 that does not get used much anymore because the L2501 does all but the heaviest of the work.

I think with a new farm and the related start up cost the L2501 with ag,R1, tires loaded, FEL, with a grapple and 1 remote for a hydraulic top link second remote for a hydraulic tilt would be nice. If he is able to finance it through Kubota and buy their insurance he would have a solid safe working tractor at a lower price with good resale if it is ever needed.

If the front snow blower is required then drop the size down to the big B series for the mid mount PTO shaft to run the blower.

I think that the forward facing rear blower would be the way to go due to budget concerns.

I know most say bigger is better but the farm came with a good big tractor.

 

[oosik]

I bought my Kubota M6040 brand new in 2009. I tried real hard to think of any projects where I might use & justify the expense of a backhoe attachment. The only thing I could think of - digging holes for new trees. I saved $9000 not buying that particular attachment. I've since spent that and more on attachments that are used frequently.

Just saying........

 

[Luke82]

The search continues. I've still been spending a lot of time on internet research of different models, but I haven't made it out to a dealership yet to look in person at anything. First stop should be Friday though at the New Holland dealer. Have to pick up a tie rod end for the Ford so I'll take a walk around the lot while I'm there. Not too sure how the tie rod broke as I wasn't doing anything extreme with it. Was just driving with an empty bucket after I got done leveling an area for a she-shed. Oh well, cheap part and easy fix. I know it won't be the last with a 40 year old tractor. It's been a great machine so far.

I think I've narrowed down my search a little by only looking at cab tractor's. It won't be the best in the woods, but for all the snowblowing and plowing I'll be doing in the winter with this half mile long driveway I decided that I definitely want a cab.

 

[rScotty]

Well, you sound like you are beginning to get a picture of the tractor you want to get. Sure, if this was your first tractor I'd say go open station. But it isn't, so if you want to try a cab - why not? We have both open and cabbed here, and it's impossible to explain the difference. But it's not just about weather comfort. There's ventilation, and noise, and dust to consider, and you don't just jump on and off a cabbed tractor like you do an open station. Cabs are all glass and rather small. You may want AC even though you never considered it on a tractor before. Speaking of small cabs, there is a wide range of cab size. some seem much larger than others. You know you do need to scoot up or move around to get an eyeball on some tricky loader jobs so the cab ought to accomodate some amount of that even if it does mean bending a bit.

Here are some things I'd add if buying new today: Transmission wise I'd probably go for either the Kubota HST+ or similar dual speed rear axle HST tranny. HST+ with 6 speeds - half of them fingertip - is hard to beat. But I don't mean for that to limit you to Kubota. Just saying that if that was available I'd look at it. And if it wasn't available in a model that had everything else I wanted then I'd go for a powershift/shuttle shift. They are nice, too.

HP... I like the comfort of a larger framed tractor. To me they ride better. The older I get, the less bouncing I enjoy. 50/60 hp seems to be the dividing line between large compacts and the smallest of the large frame machines. I think that with 85 acres you ought to have a loader able to lift at least a ton to full height and be stable doing it. Not that you will be doing much moving, not with that much weight up there. And with 85 acres you have some longish roads to travel with a load in the bucket. Get the "comfort ride" loader bucket option. It's a damping system that keeps the bucket from bouncing as you travel. Worth it, and usually adds about a grand to the loader price. While I was at it, I'd have it plumbed for front hydraulic just in case I ever wanted to mount a grapple. And the SSQA skid steer style quick attach has been handy for me when I swap out the manure, rock, and dirt buckets.

You already said you'll want 4WD. There was a time when 4WD meant more maintenance, but if used reasonably they now seem pretty bulletproof. 4WD will get you out of more situations than it will get you into.

On tires, you probably already know what works in you own soil. My preference is for wide tires rather than aggressive tread, and to set the tires out farther for stability rather than load them with fluid, but opinions on that differ and for good reason.

Oh... almost forgot.... from now on every tractor I own is going to have a Grammer air-suspended seat if I can affort it. Not a copy; the real thing. Yes, I've been spoiled.

Just discovered the other day that our cabbed tractor has enough space on the left side to fit a padded plank between the seat and window support so that my wife can ride along.... That's enough fun that we wonder why they all aren't that way. Maybe they are and I never noticed. I'm going to make her a real buddy seat one of these days.

Have fun with the search. And when you do buy it, you may want to note right on the purchase agreement who is responsible for hauling if any warranty work is needed. Might even discuss what about a loaner if warranty work starts to drag. We noted those things on the purchase agreement and it saved a friendship with a good dealer.

best of luck,
rScotty

 

[Luke82]

@rScotty,

The third function for the loader is a definite. I've used a grapple for years on a NH skid steer helping around my father's farm and it's one of those implements that will be top on the list for my tractor. I can't even begin to describe how much use we've got out of it. 100x better than a bucket when doing any woods work IMO.

Interesting that you mentioned the "instructor seat". I've seen that listed as an option of several of the models I've been looking at, but hadn't thought of mounting my own if the one I get doesn't have one. I've got a 4 year old that will probably spend all day outside with me if I have a safe spot for him to sit with me.

 

[oosik]

Both my tractors have been open station. I do very little that raises dust. In the winter when I plow my mile long gravel driveway - Eddie Bauer down is far less expensive than a cab. I've driven my neighbors cabbed tractors - helping with spring/fall wheat farming. I can truthfully say - I don't like a cabbed tractor. It's a really rough ride in a glass enclosed hot house with a freezing breeze blowing on me. It's OK during harvest in that it does keep the dust out.

Just a personal preference........

Kubota M6040 - Land Pride SGC 1560 grapple, RimGuard loaded rear tires & Rhino 950 eight foot rear blade - - 10,100#.


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[fruitcakesa]

As a counterpoint to oosik, both of my tractors have been cabbed and would only consider an OS if I was not doing any cold weather work;
snowplowing and logging being the primary uses that I need a tractor for.

 

[Luke82]

Both my tractors have been open station.

As a counterpoint to oosik, both of my tractors have been cabbed and would only consider an OS if I was not doing any cold weather work;
snowplowing and logging being the primary uses that I need a tractor for.

oosik, that's a nice tractor! And you're right, it's a personal preference thing. I've used both and have enjoyed both. Helping my father during hay season he'd drive around in the cabbed M5 running the round baler while I drove the open station JD 5 series grabbing the bales and loading the trailer. When we'd stop for lunch he would still be dry and cool, but I'd be drenched in sweat from sitting in the sun. I enjoyed it though. Winter time though when we were skidding logs to the firewood processor or taking hay to the cows it was almost always that cabbed Kubota that got used.

 

[airbiscuit]

I haven't owned a tractor with a cab. I do think I would like it if it was reallly hot outside or dusty. I really don't recall being uncomfortable on my tractor. I like the feel of the open air. When it's cold, I dress for it, and remain comfortable - even in sub-zero temperatures.

I'm not out in 90+ temperature or dust. If I was, I'd want a cab.