Tractor Sizing Help me decide to buy new/used tractor with backhoe or keep my current tractor

[rmzachar]

I currently own a Mahindra Max26XL HST tractor for my 5 acre piece of land. About 3 acres of this is wooded of which I would like to clear about an acre for a future out building there. I've slowly been doing that but at times wished I had a little more power.

I also have a small stream/water runoff running through my yard. There is a small natural spring at a higher point on the property that runs a few hundred feet to my pond. This needs to be dug out yearly as erosion slowly fills it in and debris gets stuck in there. I've only been in the house for two years and attempted to dig it out by hand, but that proved very difficult to dig out that much mud. Beyond that, I also would like to work on a few other drainage areas which would require a bit of digging (my pond has a long overflow pipe to a ditch system in the woods which also needs to be maintained).

I bought the tractor shortly after moving in and didn't think a backhoe would be necessary, but I'm feeling like it would be a huge help in maintaining my property along with the digging out stumps, etc as I clear some wooded area. My question is would a backhoe on my current Mahindra be able to do all that much or would I be better off looking for a slightly larger tractor with backhoe? I was quoted around 6-7k for a backhoe installed on the tractor, and at that price point I figure I can get a bigger tractor with backhoe for not much more money (used).

I have no real brand loyalty, but I'm looking for guidance on roughly a) would my Mahindra struggle with a backhoe on it and b) if I should upgrade, how much larger would I need to go? There's a few Kubota's (L3301 and B3350) nearby with backhoes that I might go look at if those would do the job.

Also, my tractor is used at my wife's horse barn from time to time to clean run in areas for the horses as the larger tractors there can't fit in so I need to keep something smaller to be able to continue doing that.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[jeff9366]

As this is your first post your potential respondents know nothing about you.

Have you considered various Backhoe alternatives for your current Mahindra? Middlebuster/Layoff Plow, Subsoiler, Bucket Spade, Bucket Scoop?
VIDEOS:
Trenching with the Artillian Front-Hoe Bucket - YouTube
tractor middlebuster - YouTube
tractor subsoiler trenching - YouTube

While the alternatives might require some supplementary spade work, all are $300 (+/-) each. One might do it.

Many here advise against digging stumps with a tractor Backhoe. Simply too much stress for light tractors. Cheaper in the long game to hire in a miniexcavator to remove stumps.

The cheapest process to add a Backhoe MAY be to sell your current Mahindra and purchase a new tractor with Backhoe included. Backhoes are MUCH cheaper included in a tractor package relative to ordering Backhoe as an addition after your tractor has been delivered.

Be careful with the word POWER. Hydraulically powered implements, examples FEL and Backhoe, will not operate faster or have more lift capacity with a more powerful engine. You require more hydraulic pump capacity, larger hydraulic cylinders and more steel in the implements to withstand the greater stress. You need a heavier tractor for concomitant stability.

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Heavier tractor chassis weight is more important for most tractor operations than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

My tractor is used at my wife's horse barn from time to time to clean run in areas for the horses as the larger tractors there can't fit in so I need to keep something smaller to be able to continue doing that.

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, bare tractor weight must increase 50% before you notice a significant tractor capability increase. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

Many would consider a Max26XL HST ample for 2 + 1 = 3 acres.