First Tractor Purchase for 100 Acre Property

[Soundguy]

I can keep a pretty straight row and all, and rarely leave an uncut strip.. but I've seen some people that are true artists when it comes to driving m to large to extra large farm equipment. It's neat to watch a big combine go down and make an almost perfect seamless run.

Soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I farmed 188 acres of my own and as much as 75 acres of rental ground for over 35 years. I bought and sold used tractors, using some of them along the way. But for the most part, I took care of the place with tractors smaller than 70 hp. (67/40/47 at first, then 60/40/47hp most of the years) For a very short while, I had a 110hp mfwd tractor that was simply overkill for the amount of ground I farmed.

Nowdays, I run a mowing business. 40 to 45 hp/6' mower combinations will cover approx. 2-1/2 acres per hour on average. 60hp/8' will cover 3 to 3-1/4 acres per hour. (In average conditions, relatively mild terrain) I now own a 95 hp tractor w/ 15' batwing mower also. 6 to 8 acres per hour in most conditions, SOMETIMES more. Mowing at speeds over 5mph is very much out of the ordinary. Besides being unsafe, results suffer. The exception would be mowing with a disc mower. They cut nice at higher ground speeds.

No one says you have to mow the entire place, start to finish, all at one time. I kept my pastures mowed with a 6' or 7' mower. These days I live on 45 acres. I still mow with a 6' mower and 47 hp tractor. I never spend more than 5 or 6 hours at a stretch, mowing the place in stages. Even at that, the place is always well cared for.

If you have aspirations of someday getting into doing your own haying, settle for NO LESS than 45 hp for small squares, and 60 hp (min.) for future round baling. You can "get by" with less, but that's exactly what you'll be doing.... getting by.

I grew up on a farm too. My father took care of his 265 acres primarily with a 32 hp tractor. (I still have it)

With 100 acres, you have room for bigger equipment/higher hp. But taking care of 100 acres with medium sized equipment isn't at all out of the realm of possibility.

Now, for personal opinion. If I was starting from scratch today, and I had 100 acres to tend to, I'd look at something in the 60 to 70 hp range, MFWD most likely but not an absolute. Implements for that size tractor aren't too outragously expensive. You should be able to find good used implements at a reasonable price. I'd be looking at utility tractors as opposed to compacts. Personal recommendation based on what's out there in todays market? Look at the Deere 5X03 series. A lot of tractor for the price. (No, I'm NOT "Deere only".)

 

[ylazyy]

I have learned many new things from all of you kind enough to help us and am AMAZED that you would take the time to do so. We are going to look at both the JD 4720 and the 5X03 series over the next week or so, including low hour used equipment. Since we would hay only the small bails, we think that these would be able to handle it. True?

Last question to bother you with: Will the R1 tires really tear up a fairly dry grass field? We wanted these for the snow problems we have (our neighbor has R4s and is stuck often) but keep hearing that they may be less stable for the tractor and tear up the fields. Should we consider having them filled?

Thanks again - you guys are terrific!

 

[ddivinia]

I have learned many new things from all of you kind enough to help us and am AMAZED that you would take the time to do so. We are going to look at both the JD 4720 and the 5X03 series over the next week or so, including low hour used equipment. Since we would hay only the small bails, we think that these would be able to handle it. True?
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Either one of those tractos will handle a small square baler.


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Last question to bother you with: Will the R1 tires really tear up a fairly dry grass field? We wanted these for the snow problems we have (our neighbor has R4s and is stuck often) but keep hearing that they may be less stable for the tractor and tear up the fields. Should we consider having them filled?
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Fairly dry grass field - R1s will be fine. R4s can be a real pain in the mud. My 4720 has R4s and they are good most of the time except mud. I use it on my yard and they are fine. My 5525 has R1s and they handle the mud fine (don't ball up like the R4s) but they are a tad rough on the yard.

In your situation R1s seems like the right answer.

4720 cab seems to be the best all around for your needs.

D.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I have learned many new things from all of you kind enough to help us and am AMAZED that you would take the time to do so. We are going to look at both the JD 4720 and the 5X03 series over the next week or so, including low hour used equipment. Since we would hay only the small bails, we think that these would be able to handle it. True?

Last question to bother you with: Will the R1 tires really tear up a fairly dry grass field? We wanted these for the snow problems we have (our neighbor has R4s and is stuck often) but keep hearing that they may be less stable for the tractor and tear up the fields. Should we consider having them filled?

Thanks again - you guys are terrific!

I tried my best to stay off of any hayfields when they weren't fairly dry. (Driving on wet ground is a major contributor to soil compaction, as well as wet ground is more susceptable to tire damage.) I never had anything but R-1's. No issues to report. No problems with stability regarding R-1's, so long as they're properly inflated. Same applies to all tire types. Unless I was going to use a tractor almost exclusively as a "lawn tractor" or in an industrial application, I'd personally not have any use for R-4's. By my way of thinking, poor or reduced traction is more apt to cause damage to turf. You don't see very many fulltime farmers using R-4's on their hayin' tractors for that very reason. Give me R-1's every time.

Almost every tractor I've ever been around was weighted to a minimum in "stock" form. They fell short of their capabilities (traction under drawbar loads) without some added ballast. Filling tires is argueably the best and cheapest way to add ballast. Cast iron wheel weights add the weight, but don't do as much to add stability. (Filled tires lowers center of gravity) I've tried it both ways and much prefer fluid filled tires over cast weights. You'll find a few contradictory opinions, but by a wide majority, you'll find MOST farm tractors (owned/used by full time farmers) ballasted with fluid in the tires. In some cases, BOTH fluid AND cast weights are used. (Many "old school" farmers tended to over ballast tractors to get more pulling ability from less tractor. )

IMHO, the 4000 series Deere's should be able to handle a baler on a sustained basis. The 5000 series would be better, again, IMHO. Balers tend to be a little rough on lighter built tractors. (internal drivetrain/pto components)

My advice? You want to do "farm work", get a "farm tractor". (as opposed to a compact) No need to go over-kill, but a bigger, stronger tractor will withstand hard use over the long haul much better than marginally sized units as a rule of thumb.

 

[Grrrr]

Last question to bother you with: Will the R1 tires really tear up a fairly dry grass field? We wanted these for the snow problems we have (our neighbor has R4s and is stuck often) but keep hearing that they may be less stable for the tractor and tear up the fields. Should we consider having them filled?

I have never seen a tractor with anything but R1's in the UK (except for highway tractors)

I don't think you will have problems tearing up grass. If the fields is wet the will leave ruts but nothing too drastic.

A lot depends on how you drive. If you go tearing across as wet grass field at 25 mph you will tear it up. If you go slowly it will be a lot less noticable.

You will be glad of R1's when you come to doing anything where it is wet and muddy. I think 4's would just turn into slicks when put in sticky mud.

If I was looking at two tractors like you I would go with the biggest one. It will allow you to do much more in the future should you decide to go into haying or animals etc. With 100ac having too much power shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm not a green guy by far.. but have you seen the 5103.. looks like pretty decent hp per$.. etc..

Soundguy

I'd be looking at utility tractors as opposed to compacts. Personal recommendation based on what's out there in todays market? Look at the Deere 5X03 series. A lot of tractor for the price. (No, I'm NOT "Deere only".)

 

[Soundguy]

"wet' fields, and soft, deep. ball-bearing sand is what will 'print' with R-1

My tractors almost all have r-1 and i don't notice any problems except in the 2 mentiond soil types / areas.

soundguy

I have learned many new things from all of you kind enough to help us and am AMAZED that you would take the time to do so. We are going to look at both the JD 4720 and the 5X03 series over the next week or so, including low hour used equipment. Since we would hay only the small bails, we think that these would be able to handle it. True?

Last question to bother you with: Will the R1 tires really tear up a fairly dry grass field? We wanted these for the snow problems we have (our neighbor has R4s and is stuck often) but keep hearing that they may be less stable for the tractor and tear up the fields. Should we consider having them filled?

Thanks again - you guys are terrific!

 

[Soundguy]

IMHO, the 4000 series Deere's should be able to handle a baler on a sustained basis. The 5000 series would be better, again, IMHO. Balers tend to be a little rough on lighter built tractors. (internal drivetrain/pto components) .

FWJ touched on an important issue.

in many cases, it is not just pto hp that is needed for an implement. It is tractor weight / mass.

A lightweight tractor that has more than sufficeient pto hp for a bailer can be jerked and tossed around and produce wore results from a heavier and slightly lower hp tractor... etc.

A ford 860 or early 63-64 4cyl 4000 had the pto hp to run some bailers.. but it was more preferable to run a later ( 1965+ ) 4000 to get the extra tractor weight and size..

soundguy

soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I'm not a green guy by far.. but have you seen the 5103.. looks like pretty decent hp per$.. etc..

Soundguy

The entire series of 5X03 Deere's seem to be a lot of tractor for the buck compared to what's out there from Deere and other brands. The second generation of 5X03 tractors is nothing short of a bargain.