Equipment and Tractor Sizing Dilemma

[SunHeart]

Hi All,

I've been reading here all winter and am finally ready to get some equipment. I have just moved to a new farm and will be working 70 acres of hay. Will be making dry round bales and possibly balage in the years to come. Flat and open with large fields. No rocks. Central NY. The forage is 1/4 predominantly alfalfa, and the other 3/4s are a brome mix. The alfalfa stand is pretty recent seeding, but I don't think I'll continue it once the grasses take over.

There is some equipment here that the owner is selling, but I'm thinking it might be a bit much and/or not fit my overall needs for the cost.

My questions lies in how much do I need, as well as can afford, and be able to work comfortably. Speed is good, but I'm not a go fast type, would rather be a little slower on the tractor honestly.

I have another full time job, and the cow herd and making hay are 'on the side'.

What the owner has now:
JD 936 MoCo with impellers
Vermeer 504i Silage Special
Kuhn GA 4100 Single Rotor rake
Kuhn GT-500 Tedder

Tractors:
JD 4440 (144 HP ~130 PTO HP)
JD 2940 (82 PTO HP)
Another larger JD of the same era that's 150-160 HP

I was leaning towards none of the tractors, but instead a '04 JD 5420 Cab with loader (81 HP 67 PTO HP) for versatility to move bales, scrape the winter paddock, move compost, feed bales, etc. It think it should pull the rake, tedder, and baler without trouble, but I think the MoCo would be a bit much? Any thoughts?

If it is too much, I was wondering about going with a disc or drum mower without conditioner, since I'll be tedding no matter what and will be phasing out the alfalfa soon. Some friends around here do so and cut 400 acres yearly. How large of a drum or disc mower could I run with the JD 5420? Or would you rather suggest a discbine that is not as wide? I'd be happy to have the drum or disc mower for clipping pastures and field edges too which is an incentive.

Also thinking that the 936 MoCo would be more costly than just a disc or drum mower and not be worth it for what I'm going for.

How do these various pieces fit together regarding widths? I'd like the for example the rake and tedder to evenly cover one or 2 mowed windrows.

OR would you suggest sticking with the 936 MoCo and jumping up to a larger tractor? Seems like quite a jump to go to a say 130 hp tractor from an 80, not sure it will pencil out. Seems like the larger tractor would be at least twice the cost ($30k more) and the MoCo would be $3k - $6k more than a disc or drum mower. Maybe that's better invested in larger and better rake and tedder? I'd be open to other tractor models too, not just what is here for sale.

All the equipment is in good condition, but the tractors have a lot of hours on them. I am not mechanically inclined but make do.

I hope that makes sense. Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Lineman North Florida]

If they were well maintained and since they are pre-def, I would jump on the 4440, very good tractor in my book, I ran one for a big farmer during the summers, we had a 2840 earlier version of the 29 series, had some hydraulic issues but overall a good tractor, personal preference but the pre-def tractors hold their value well.

 

[Skagit]

Those are all great tractors, I wouldn't trade any of them for a 20 series JD. That generation was prone to issues it seems like. If you want a loader I would try and find either a slightly newer or much older tractor than the one you're looking at.

Kuhn GA series rakes are expensive time bombs, do not buy or use that rake under any circumstance. They use a ramp and roller design inside the rotor that is prone to breaking roll pins, problem is when that happens it also breaks every single part inside the rotor including the ramp usually. Costs thousands of dollars in parts and can easily take 40+ hours to repair. I've rebuilt a bunch of them, there is an update kit but it doesn't fix the problem. In order to keep them running I started doing a full teardown and replacing all the roll pins every two years.

Krone builds a much better rake, similar internal design but much stronger.

 

[SunHeart]

I've given some thought to maybe having 2 tractors to make this work better and am looking for some thoughts.

Say I have $35k to spend on 2 tractors. I want one that is larger HP, ideally a cab, and somewhat comfortable. How large is reasonable for this kind of acreage (70 acres) to do the mowing and baling? 90 HP PTO? 120 HP PTO? Probably from the late 70s to early 90s? Probably in the $10-15k range?

and then to have another that would have a loader, a bit newer, that could rake and ted? 90s or early 2000s? 50-70 PTO HP? What do you all think about this one without a cab for raking and tedding? Probably in the $15-20k range?

Any suggestions on each of the tractors as a combo that might fit into the $35k?

 

[Lineman North Florida]

90 HP is probably going to be plenty for mowing baling, 50 to 70 hp is also plenty for fluffing and raking, good luck finding them for that price that have been well maintained and are in good shape, but it could just be regional, clean pre-def tractors sell for a premium down here. Personally I like any tractor I have to have a loader, you never know when one is going down and it's usually always when someone is coming for hay and expecting you to load them 26 rolls.

 

[SunHeart]

Thanks Lineman. Same here finding something worthwhile in that price range.

I did find someone local and trusted who I think will be able to take care of it custom hire.

I still need a loader tractor though, and am still thinking about going for the previous owners equipment and easing myself in this year or next though. The custom guy seems good, but his health future is unsure.

The farm was a dairy until 2000 when the barn burned down. 150 cows, making all the hay and silage for them locally with their own labor and machines for 40-50 years. The tractors have seen a lot.

JD 936 Moco at $10k - 20 years old, but has seen few acres. He used to have most of the 70 in continuous corn, so maybe 30 acres 2-3 cuts per year over those 20 for 1200-1800 acres. Always shed kept, seems in good shape. Is this a good model, or should I look for something else if I'm going to spend this kind of $?

Vermeer 504i Silage Special - same deal as above, $5k. Might have seen the last handful of years of the dairying, but seems in good shape.

tedder and rake are here but I think I'm better off looking for something a little nicer, they're pretty worn.

Tractors:

2940 has 8147 hours. Hi-lo doesn't work, but he said it is a simple fix? worn out cab.
4340 has had engine rebuilt a couple times. Hour meter reads 2327, I'd guess that's at least 12,327.
4440 has had engine rebuilt a couple times. Hour meter is I forget, but more than the 4340. Used to have a cab, totally worn out. Fenders totally rusted as it used to be a manure tractor.

He said $12k a piece for any of them. He's worked on them his whole life, and is willing to pitch in on mechanic support here and there. Still, I'm not mechanically inclined, and am leaning towards looking for something in the 4-6K hour range of the same era but a different color to start. Don't have a lot of time or money, but I'm not fond of wrenching but make do, so I'd rather spend a little more and do a little less of that.

What do you think on the equipment and tractors? He also said he's not looking for money til next year, but I could use it this year.

 

[Tx Jim]

JD 4440's were nicknamed "Iron Horse" for very good reasons.

My 4255 with 11,442 hrs on speed/hour meter is my main rd baling tractor. 4255 traction & pto clutches are original. I did overhaul engine last spring due to failed cylinder liner sealing rings utilizing JD Cool-gard for coolant. I utilized my Kubota M7040(64 pto hp) for pulling my JD 467 rd baler making 64'' diameter bales while 4255 was out of service for engine repair. This same 64 pto hp tractor pulls my Krone AM283S 9' disc cutter on a caddy with relative ease. I rake with a H&S 14 wheel rake. In my old age I've downsized my hay baling operation but still intend to bale 1000 rd bales this yr if moisture(rain) comes in a timely fashion.

2940's are prone to have hyd & traction clutch problems. I seriously doubt 2940 hyd hi-lo failure is an "easy repair"! IMHO if both 4440 & 4430 engines required two(2) overhauls in less than 12000 then then someone doesn't have a very good maintenance program. I think 1200-1800 acres of cutting isn't a lot if proper maintenance was performed.