First tractor - ~20 acres, Debating Yanmar YT235 vs Kubota L3902

[Cbcowan]

Hello all -

New here, and thank you all for contributions to forums - have learned a lot by reading. Apologies if I missed a comparison like this somewhere, but wanted to toss out a decision I'm considering to others who know more for reaction / thoughts. I am in CT and have ~20 acres of land - mostly maintained pasture (mowed by neighbors semi-annually as part of agreement to be able to use land), and then trails / woods / stone walls that have gotten pretty overgrown over the last 10 years.

Tasks: I've been considering getting a tractor to help clear brush from edges & trails (thorn bushes etc), but also with heavier wooded overgrown areas that have become impassable due to 2-6" tree growth, and downed trees / branches from storms over the years. Additionally I could imagine making excuses to spread gravel, improve the drainage in my pasture / road thru the field (several spots that stay very muddy / wet). I'm unlikely to do lawn mowing or snow plowing consistently beyond spot needs. Mostly weekend duty - very classic sundown situation.

My ideal end state is to have somewhere between natural fields, woods, with a few park-like areas with easy passing thru trees.

Outsource vs Buy: The rational part of me realizes probably makes sense to pay someone with a skid steer or a excavator w/ mulcher head to come thru first pass, and then get something small to keep it back. However I've had trouble finding someone local, and when I do get quotes they feel very high ($10k+ - and maybe I'm off) . So... that got me down the I should probably get a tractor rabbit hole that many here have gone down - and see what I can DIY and then if need heavier hitting after I knock it back a bit, can outsource that.

Dealers: I unfortunately dont have any dealers <10 miles away, but do have a Kubota dealer and Yanmar dealer ~40 mins away. I have really enjoyed my interactions with Yanmar dealer / been super helpful, and the Kubota dealer a bit less so (always busy, clearly I'm not top of mind for them and probably as a newbie have dumb questions etc, they're the largest dealer around etc). So have been leaning Yanmar.

Tractors: The Yanmar dealer has a pile of SA325's on the lot, and that seems like a good option due to simplicity, cost, and will likely handle most stuff pretty handily. His recommendation started there (and he is probably right) - outsource the big stuff, DIY / maintain the small stuff. But I do worry I'm going to regret not having something bigger / more flexible if I'm having to push bigger things around. So have been considering YT235 as well. The Kubota dealer steered me to heavier tractor (45+hp, $45k+) immediately - but maybe due to me framing the question around need for a heavy flail mower etc. So they netted out at L3902 reco. But admit that it left a bit of a bad taste in mouth to push me to such a costly direction out of the chute.

However, as I compare the prices on the L3902 and Yanmar YT235 - they seem very close in price / specs. I've never sat on an YT235, but as I compare specs Kubota does feel like a really good option (more weight, seems more maneuverable, more ground clearance, more HP, etc etc) but maybe makes creature comfort tradeoffs?

I'm likely to have the tractor 10+ years between the models fortunately seem small over that time period, but do enjoy a value / bang for buck etc. (which took me down Yanmar trail initially). I'm sure would be a better value to buy used, but also the financing flexibility + known commodity of new maintenance etc feels like a wash to me.

Attachments:
I think i'm likely to need a grapple (+3rd function) & a heavy-ish flail mower. Admittedly the PTO mulchers (Baumalight?) are very cool... but even though I've (I think) talked myself into a tractor... those things are so expensive I cant get my head around them.

Reactions / Recommendations?

Unexpectedly wrote a novel there, apologies and thanks if you've made it this far.

 

[jyoutz]

Hello all -

New here, and thank you all for contributions to forums - have learned a lot by reading. Apologies if I missed a comparison like this somewhere, but wanted to toss out a decision I'm considering to others who know more for reaction / thoughts. I am in CT and have ~20 acres of land - mostly maintained pasture (mowed by neighbors semi-annually as part of agreement to be able to use land), and then trails / woods / stone walls that have gotten pretty overgrown over the last 10 years.

Tasks: I've been considering getting a tractor to help clear brush from edges & trails (thorn bushes etc), but also with heavier wooded overgrown areas that have become impassable due to 2-6" tree growth, and downed trees / branches from storms over the years. Additionally I could imagine making excuses to spread gravel, improve the drainage in my pasture / road thru the field (several spots that stay very muddy / wet). I'm unlikely to do lawn mowing or snow plowing consistently beyond spot needs. Mostly weekend duty - very classic sundown situation.

My ideal end state is to have somewhere between natural fields, woods, with a few park-like areas with easy passing thru trees.

Outsource vs Buy: The rational part of me realizes probably makes sense to pay someone with a skid steer or a excavator w/ mulcher head to come thru first pass, and then get something small to keep it back. However I've had trouble finding someone local, and when I do get quotes they feel very high ($10k+ - and maybe I'm off) . So... that got me down the I should probably get a tractor rabbit hole that many here have gone down - and see what I can DIY and then if need heavier hitting after I knock it back a bit, can outsource that.

Dealers: I unfortunately dont have any dealers <10 miles away, but do have a Kubota dealer and Yanmar dealer ~40 mins away. I have really enjoyed my interactions with Yanmar dealer / been super helpful, and the Kubota dealer a bit less so (always busy, clearly I'm not top of mind for them and probably as a newbie have dumb questions etc, they're the largest dealer around etc). So have been leaning Yanmar.

Tractors: The Yanmar dealer has a pile of SA325's on the lot, and that seems like a good option due to simplicity, cost, and will likely handle most stuff pretty handily. His recommendation started there (and he is probably right) - outsource the big stuff, DIY / maintain the small stuff. But I do worry I'm going to regret not having something bigger / more flexible if I'm having to push bigger things around. So have been considering YT235 as well. The Kubota dealer steered me to heavier tractor (45+hp, $45k+) immediately - but maybe due to me framing the question around need for a heavy flail mower etc. So they netted out at L3902 reco. But admit that it left a bit of a bad taste in mouth to push me to such a costly direction out of the chute.

However, as I compare the prices on the L3902 and Yanmar YT235 - they seem very close in price / specs. I've never sat on an YT235, but as I compare specs Kubota does feel like a really good option (more weight, seems more maneuverable, more ground clearance, more HP, etc etc) but maybe makes creature comfort tradeoffs?

I'm likely to have the tractor 10+ years between the models fortunately seem small over that time period, but do enjoy a value / bang for buck etc. (which took me down Yanmar trail initially). I'm sure would be a better value to buy used, but also the financing flexibility + known commodity of new maintenance etc feels like a wash to me.

Attachments:
I think i'm likely to need a grapple (+3rd function) & a heavy-ish flail mower. Admittedly the PTO mulchers (Baumalight?) are very cool... but even though I've (I think) talked myself into a tractor... those things are so expensive I cant get my head around haha.

Reactions / Recommendations?

Unexpectedly wrote a novel there, apologies and thanks if you've made it this far.

For your intended uses on r 20 acres, focus on the heaviest, larger frames of your options. HP is important, but weight and stability is king. Whatever you decide, remember that tractors hold their value very well, so you can resell years later and not be out too much.

 

[nybirdman]

How long has your Yanmar dealer been in business?The Yanmar you are considering is 23.9 H.P. and a 2 range Hydro.The 3902 is bigger all around,3 range hydro but has emission controls.I would price out a comparable tractor;H.P./weight wise.
Most buy too small the first time.
Look at the YT235 maybe,closer in size.

 

[2manyrocks]

2-6" tree growth is essentially chainsaw work, then moving the debris somewhere else either by dragging it or moving it with a grapple. If there are thorn trees, odds are you'll have flat tires. If the tires are loaded with liquid ballast for stability, then that is an additional problem. Plus, how the heck are you going to handle the thorn trees if you have to use a chain saw on them without getting impaled yourself?

Tractors are also not the easiest machines to work with in forest environments.

Instead of undertaking this laborious and time consuming task that can turn into a never ending weekends eater, I'd strongly recommend that you keep looking to hire a forestry mulching service. Call the local Fecon, Caterpillar and Kubota dealers-ask them if they have customers who do forestry mulching. Keep looking and get multiple quotes.

In my area of middle Tennessee, there was a mulching service that advertised on the internet. Guy shows up in a brand new shiny truck. Quoted me two machines for two days at a fixed price. Then I happened to see a local outfit who came out and said $185 hr and then they gave me an estimate of the hours needed which was about half of what the first dude quoted using only one machine.

The local guys came out in a not so shiny truck and mulched up years of overgrowth in a few hours. They could clear overgrowth in a matter of minutes that it would take me a week to clear with a chainsaw and tractor plus they were able to mulch it up and there was no debris to be moved somewhere else to pile up that would take years to rot.

When I saw how productive they were with their machine, I added to their job.

After you get it mulched, you will then be in a much better position to assess what kind of machine you need to maintain it.

Attachments

• 
  mulched hillside slope pic.jpg

  3.1 MB · Views: 324
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  brush.jpg

  3.2 MB · Views: 234
• 
  FM1.1.JPG

  2.5 MB · Views: 270

 

[jyoutz]

2-6" tree growth is essentially chainsaw work, then moving the debris somewhere else either by dragging it or moving it with a grapple. If there are thorn trees, odds are you'll have flat tires. If the tires are loaded with liquid ballast for stability, then that is an additional problem. Plus, how the heck are you going to handle the thorn trees if you have to use a chain saw on them without getting impaled yourself?

Tractors are also not the easiest machines to work with in forest environments.

Instead of undertaking this laborious and time consuming task that can turn into a never ending weekends eater, I'd strongly recommend that you keep looking to hire a forestry mulching service. Call the local Fecon, Caterpillar and Kubota dealers-ask them if they have customers who do forestry mulching. Keep looking and get multiple quotes.

In my area of middle Tennessee, there was a mulching service that advertised on the internet. Guy shows up in a brand new shiny truck. Quoted me two machines for two days at a fixed price. Then I happened to see a local outfit who came out and said $185 hr and then they gave me an estimate of the hours needed which was about half of what the first dude quoted using only one machine.

The local guys came out in a not so shiny truck and mulched up years of overgrowth in a few hours. They could clear overgrowth in a matter of minutes that it would take me a week to clear with a chainsaw and tractor plus they were able to mulch it up and there was no debris to be moved somewhere else to pile up that would take years to rot.

When I saw how productive they were with their machine, I added to their job.

After you get it mulched, you will then be in a much better position to assess what kind of machine you need to maintain it.

Attachments

• 
  mulched hillside slope pic.jpg

  3.1 MB · Views: 324
• 
  brush.jpg

  3.2 MB · Views: 234
• 
  FM1.1.JPG

  2.5 MB · Views: 270

Agree with the recommendation to use a forestry mulcher (we call them masticators in the west). But for 20 acres of maintenance, I still recommend going with a heavier more stable tractor .

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd say my MX5200 is about twice as stable as my L2501. Also own Yanmar 226d which is a fine tractor.

None of them are suited to clearing a lot of overgrown forest. Could tear up something expensive pretty quickly and wish you'd hired a forestry mulcher and been done with it a lot faster and a lot less expensively, IMO.

 

[ericm979]

The tractor's good as an assist for clearing or cleaning up thick brush or heavy forest. The few 3pt forestry mulchers are pretty limited in capacity especially on smaller machines.

I use my tractor to power a 3pt wood chipper, operate a grapple and a mower. We have some acres of thick brush (needs a chainsaw, way too thick for anything short of a real forestry mulcher) and a bunch of thick forest. All the brush I cut and tree parts that don't go to firewood go through the chipper. I often use the grapple to move material to be chipped to a better location, and to move logs I'm going to process into firewood.

If you have larger trees to deal with you'll want a heavy tractor with a good loader capacity. If they're only 6" diameter then you can be open to smaller capacity tractors.

My dealer's 3.5 hours away. The Kubota dealers within an hours drive didn't impress me. I had to beg one to write me a quote. The L01 series they had at the time seemed to be really basic on features. I really wanted independent PTO so I could turn the chipper on and off from the ground. The dealer I bought from is excellent- they answer emails promptly and ship parts to me. I do all the routine maintenance, which isn't much more difficult than doing it for a car. Mostly you just need larger tools. I've only been to the dealership twice, once to test drive tractors and once to pick up a used backhoe.

 

[Cbcowan]

Thank you all for the replies. Feels pretty unanimous to have someone bang out the heavy work and then maintain from there. I’ll keep searching for someone to do that.

I do think I’ll get something for maintenance in between so if any recos on whether worth the expense / complexity to go bigger, appreciated.

 

[big bubba]

sounds as though you're on the right track hiring out & eventually considering a larger model tractor. regards

 

[jyoutz]

Thank you all for the replies. Feels pretty unanimous to have someone bang out the heavy work and then maintain from there. I’ll keep searching for someone to do that.

I do think I’ll get something for maintenance in between so if any recos on whether worth the expense / complexity to go bigger, appreciated.

I have 20 acres also. On this size property I was very disappointed in my previous small 25hp tractor and now I own an MX. More hp is nice, but more weight and stability as well as hydraulic capacity is the real benefit of a larger frame sized machine. I think you would be disappointed and wanting to upgrade if you buy the smaller machines you are considering.