Have a lot of brush hogging to do, need tractor

[mikim]

I initially had an 8n and an old brush hog ... I was very often able to kill the motor on the tractor by getting into something too thick for it to cut. Go bigger .... old is ok ...but bigger is better. If you're going to be there for a long time ... like forever.... go new .. it'll be old before you're done with it.

 

[Soundguy]

20 ac is a decent amount to maintain.

Yes.. an 8n would handle it.. with alot of seat itme, nd tinkering usually.. ( antique machines like to be touched alot... )

If I was bent on going antique-ish.. I'd move up to a 660/661/2000 or preferably, 860/861/4000 or even a 3000 / 3600. the 3000/4000 or the 8XX will be the more capable tractors. an 861 will run a 6' hog like no tomorrow.. and have live pto.. and if lucky.. power steering.

Your price range of 5K$ covers anything i mentioned.

Also.. as others ahve said.. a 18hp tractor would let you maintain that size acerage.. again.. with lots of seat time.

I personally would hand cut the largest of the clumped 3" trunks.. and then hog all the 2" green stuff, If I was using a capable machine.

Ideally.. 30hp range would be as low as I would want to go.. and as FWJ mentions.. you won't be hurt in the 40hp range at all with that amount of land.

( I run a 70 and 95 hp tractor on less land than that... so don't feel bad if you buy a slightly larger tractor).

Sometimes larger tractors are a tad cheaper.. For instance.. a 4000 and 5000 ford are generalyl similar price.. with the 5000 being a lot more hp and capability.

A good MF 135 .. or better yet.. a 165 would be nice as well. If you go used.. stick to a major brand that has good dealer/parts/service support.

Soundguy

Well...

For this year, I think my budget is only ~$5k for the tractor. From what I'm reading, it sounds like I should pay someone, or rent the bobcat w/ brush hog. I haven't gotten any quotes for someone else to do it, but I'm guessing ~$2500 in rental fees for the summer if I do it myself. I think it's going to be difficult for me to pay someone because there are some sapplings I want to keep, and maybe some areas that I don't want to touch for now, just to keep the seclusion of the property. I kinda wanted my own cheap tractor because I have the feeling that I'm going to do 15 minutes of cutting, and then 30 minutes of debating what and where I want to do next.

So is that the concensus, go big (hp) or go home(rent)?

 

[firefighter9208]

I have 10 acres that is just field and will need to be kept down, but the other 10 acres has the large briar patches and a ton of the large sapplings. I just bought the property and it hasn't been touchyh in a long time. We plan to build in the next 2-3 years

How about a Ford 8N? They seem to be easy to find and inexpensive? The property has only mild rolling hills, are these tractors fairly stable. My concern is reliability and maintenance, I'm an okay weekend mechanic, but I know nothing about tractors... nothing. What should I look at when purchase an older tractor like this?

What is a slip clutch? I understand the concept, but is that incorporated into the brush hog?I would like to be get something to do the initial clearing for cheap, then maybe next summer I will have the money to purchase a new(er) compact tractor that will just be able to keep it down.

I really only need a brush hog right now. A loader would be nice, but isn't mandatory.

Thanks for the replies

A slip clutch is actually on the end of the driveshaft between the drive shaft and gear box of the rotary cutter. When you hit something that stops the blades on the rotary cutter the clutch slips and keeps you from tearing up the gear box or twisting the drive shaft or u-joints.

Normally a rotary cutter comes with a shear pin, which is a soft pin that goes in the drive shaft linkage. If you hit something that stops the blades (stump) the pin "shears" or breaks. They are a PITA to change constantly when clearing land.

If you do get a slip clutch make sure to follow the directions on adjustment and checking the clutch for slippage each time before using it. I let my bushhog sit overwinter and then began using it to clear Privet. I didn't check for slippage of the clutch and it was stuck. That was a $200.00 mistake I won't make again. The drive shaft looked like a candy cane.

Here is a picture of a conventional driveshaft with shearpin.
#4 CHEETAH DRIVESHAFT SHEARPIN : Howse Implement Company, Your source for tractor and farm equipment parts and supplies

Here is a picture of a driveshaft with a slip clutch.
#4 CHEETAH DRIVESHAFT W/CLUTCH : Howse Implement Company, Your source for tractor and farm equipment parts and supplies

Hope this helps.


Chris

 

[Barneyhunts]

Well...

For this year, I think my budget is only ~$5k for the tractor. From what I'm reading, it sounds like I should pay someone, or rent the bobcat w/ brush hog. ......So is that the concensus, go big (hp) or go home(rent)?

kody632,
You might want to talk to some dealers as some manufacturers(Kubota, for eg.) are running 0% financing, so if you can also swing financing with $0 downpayment you might be able to swing a new machine of your own(using your budget for yearly payments). The dealer might be able to include a brush hog in the financing. It might be worth your time to look into this. It's fun ,too!
Best wishes!

 

[JiminGa]

you can find a decent tractor for your budget, just take your time and check the tractor out before you buy it. It'll be an older model but that don't mean junk.

 

[Midsouth]

As some others have said i would look into new with 0 down. We just bought a new 3525 Mahindra with FEL for about 13k payments are only 214 a month so your 5k would cover almost 2 years or 1 year and take the other money and buy a good medium duty bushhog.

 

[IslandTractor]

I'll add my vote that you should at least check and crunch the numbers on a new zero finance deal tractor. If you just bought the property you'll have lots of projects over the years and therefore starting with a new tractor seems justified.

I have been doing exactly the type of work you are describing. I started with a 20 hp tractor, grapple and bush hog. It was fine for clearing and maintaining the first five acres. When the amount of land jumped to 20 acres needing to be cleared of brush like you described, it seemed like an increase in size was justified (I like seat time but not that much). In any case I doubled the size to a 40hp tractor, moved the grapple and opted for a flail mower. I really like the set up and it is very efficient at dealing with brush. Others have noted that going after 3 inch saplings with a mower is not such a great idea. If you have a strong FEL and a grapple however it is trivial to deal with them by simply knocking them down and ripping them out of the ground roots and all. That prevents regrowth and as an extra bonus you don't need to get off the tractor. The 40hp set up (Kioti DK40se, loader, Millonzi grapple and Caroni flail) would cost a bit over $21K (only the tractor and FEL financed at zero % though). It is a very effective brush killer combo and I've been very happy with it.

 

[kody632]

Thanks for all the good info.

how about the L3400 or the TC30, they have good financing going on right now. I might go check them out this weekend.

 

[Mike Horridge]

We acquired a place two years ago that was thick with 4 inch youpon and other brush. We hired the Texas Brush Busters from Medina who use the carbide-toothed drums mounted on the front of big Bobcasts to come in for three days and clear about 4 acres of smaller brush and trees and cut roads into the heavier woods in the back of our place. Cost was $2,600 and worth every penny. Now, we can maintain our fields, the cleared areas and path/roads with our own smaller tractors.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

i was in the exact same boat back in the fall..........

weigh your options......the money you would give to someone to come and do it would be a GREAT down payment on a tractor or the implements.......i'm not much for buying new but there are some great deals out there right now.....

to get started, don't rule out those older fords, massey, etc......you can buy a pretty nice older tractor that has the hp you are looking for, for the amount you have to spend.........of course there is always bigger and better but that can be bought later- especially if you are hesitant to spend money right now, with the economy and all.......

AND, think about this, i was all gun hoe to get out there and get that place cleaned up so i could see what it looks like.........i got it all cut back, but now i'll have to keep up with it.....the weeds, briars, whatever that crap was, had just about everything choked out.........other than trees poking through, i don't think another 3 years would have really made any difference in how it looked or how bad it was.........remember, it has been growing up for a long time, another 3-4 years probably won't matter much.......

my wife's uncle called last night and said he found a ford 5000 (think it was a 5000??) with a loader for $5000 and another guy had a nice one with no loader for 3500.....

as much as i love the ole' 8N fords, love the ole' flathead v8's, etc, they just won't handle what you are wanting to do....yes, you could baby it and be very careful, but i see lot's of holes in your radiator, holes in your tires, lots of tinkering (if you don't spend a lot of time touching it).......now once it's all cut back, then the 8n, with lot's of seat time, would keep up with it

shop craigslist.org and on ebay for tractors that don't sell...don't meet the reserve, etc. then call them and make an offer.....a lot of people seem to be unloading their older tractors and buying these new 4x4 diesels, so there are deals to be had.....