How much HP do I need

[jbrumberg]

Gerry G:

You might want to consider a bulldozer to get rid of stumps for your pond; even with a backhoe it takes quite awhile. As to dragging 10' logs you do not need a monster tractor (IMHO). I would think you would benefit from a Class II CUT (high 20's/low30's HP) for manuverability in your woods as well as the lower costs of purchasing a 60" vs 72" tiller and other attachments. I would recommend that you get the most HP for whatever sized frame tractor you ultimately get. Jay

 

[RoyJackson]

Gerry G:

You might want to consider a bulldozer to get rid of stumps for your pond; even with a backhoe it takes quite awhile. As to dragging 10' logs you do not need a monster tractor (IMHO). I would think you would benefit from a Class II CUT (high 20's/low30's HP) for maneuverability in your woods as well as the lower costs of purchasing a 60" vs 72" tiller and other attachments. I would recommend that you get the most HP for whatever sized frame tractor you ultimately get. Jay

I believe New Holland is the only manufacturer that classifies their tractors by size or weight.
When I first read Jay's post, I thought he meant Category which, in the case of all the CUTs (not the subCUTs) is Category 1.

Just a bit of a clarification...

Most folks responding to this thread seem to agree on the tractor size (30 HP ± 5HP)...including me. You might want to consider a used Utility tractor (rather then a CUT) and a gear transmission to save some money.

There's a thread dealing with rear rollovers in the satey forum on TBN. The kind of work you want to do has a lot of potential for a rear rollover, so you might want to read this (and other similar) threads.

 

[SOS]

I recommend 45+. I have a NH45a and I think it would do the job but I only have 13 wooded acers and mainly deal with the 6 to 12 inch pines leaving the larger hardwoods standing. I have two moster trees down from a bad storm (about 8 or 9 feet circumference) that I won't even try to move without chopping them up.

If time was important, I would go with around a 55+ but that may be too big to manuver.

Good luck.

 

[GaryCrowell]

Keep in mind that I'm from Mississippi and they do things differently down here than in NY. Around here no one uses tractors for logging. Timber is sold "on the stump" and the buyer sends in a logging crew to cut and haul it. They come in with big cutters and make quick work of a tract of timber. To get the timber to the loading zone they use skidders that are much bigger than the tractors available to anyone other than a huge commercial farming operation. Even with these huge skidders, logging is rough on equipment. Equipment takes a beating and it's unusual that a logging crew will keep equipment for more than 3-4 years before it's replaced.

My point is, I think you should do some more research into how timber is marketed in your area. I'd be hard pressed to volunteer to use my new tractor to snake logs out of the woods unless there was a LOT of money in it. Your tractor, big or small, is going to take a beating and there'd have to be a lot of money on the table to make up for the decreased value that your tractor is going have after it gets beaten to h*ll and back.

 

[jbrumberg]

Roy:

Thanks for setting me straight as to "NH only" CUT "Classes" ! It probably makes more sense to describe CUT's as small, middle, and larger frame which does appear to be somewhat HP dependent. Jay

 

[Bob_Young]

They do that here in NY too, Gary. Trouble is, it often leaves the woods a mess with tops and brush all mixed together and new growth well hammered. It's not just the equipment that takes a beating. Depending on what was done, it might take the woods owner quite awhile to get it cleaned up and looking decent again. Some don't care for this.

Your point about wear and tear on skidding equipment is well taken. It's no way to treat a nice new tractor. Logging crew skidders look like they've been through a war. That's why I thought an old Ag tractor might be a good choice. When the work's done, trade it on the new rig.
Bob

 

[Z-Michigan]

I recommend 45+. I have a NH45a and I think it would do the job but I only have 13 wooded acers and mainly deal with the 6 to 12 inch pines leaving the larger hardwoods standing. I have two moster trees down from a bad storm (about 8 or 9 feet circumference) that I won't even try to move without chopping them up.

If time was important, I would go with around a 55+ but that may be too big to manuver.

Good luck.

I have a Deere 5105, 50hp, MFWD, utility frame. I'll bet I could pull at least 2 of those 10' x 20" logs at the same time without breaking a sweat. I also doubt that I could turn tight enough to do a lot of the work you might want to do in the woods. My point - you can definitely go too big for your purposes.

I think you have an opportunity to buy something in the mid teens $$ and do all the work you want; maybe upper teens if you want a FEL and something on the bigger size range. I still think 30-35hp is adequate and 40 is about the most you really can use. Gear transmission would probably be ok for what you're doing, and will save some money. I do think that 4wd would be worth the cost, and while R1 tires have the most traction, unless you'll be pulling in mud lots of the time, I would get R4 industrial tires for maximum puncture resistance. This sort of setup would also be very reasonable for mowing and/or tilling 5 acres.

If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, I would consider a loader/backhoe model like the JD 110 or the Kubota L39. I don't think you need one of those, but they would be a lot of fun!

 

[Gerry G]

IMHO, I've used my 450 cc Honda quad to haul out decent sized logs for firewood, and figured a 4 WD tractor would kick butt to take out the kind of tree's I've described. Maybe, I'm expecting too much from a tractor, as far as ruggedness and durability.
A guy that I let hay out my open areas has a huge Massey Ferguson 4 WD tractor-don't know HP but it's BIG. I've thought about having him haul the trees out and split the profits-he has the equipment, and I've got the trees.
Thanks again for all the help and input.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I don't think you're expecting too much from a tractor. The diesel engine tractors from SCUTs on up are extremely rugged and durable. I think a 4wd tractor would work great, and you don't need something especially big for the tasks you describe. There is a big contingent on this board that is sort of like Tim Allen's Tooltime - "more power! hahahaha". I have never dragged logs of any size so I don't have experience, but my prior post originally said I bet I could drag 10 of those at a time without a sweat. I think a 20-25hp SCUT would be adequate (though on the small end) and a 30-35hp CUT would be comfortable for the log-dragging work.

 

[gladehound]

I have to second the last post. I don't think you NEED that much hp to get the job done. More hp will just get it done faster. I've pulled 16" diameter logs that were 15 feet long with my little 20 hp (19 - 20.5 depending on the spec sheet you look at) tractor and couldn't feel that the tractor was pulling anything. How fast do you want to drag these logs? More hp just means you can drag them in a higher gear.

Even the smallest CUTs will pull many times what a quad will pull. With correct gearing, weight, tire type, and how you hook to the log determine how big a log you can pull, not hp. But I'd bet I could pull a 20 foot, 20" diameter log without any problems at all - and without stressing the tractor.