How small is too small?

[Soundguy]

i agree.. planting in the seat and feeling the controlls is a good thing!

woo-hoo.. I got a point! I knew it was bound to happen eventually if I hung out here enough..

 

[henretty]

As a rule the smaller ones roll very easy...I have a cub cadet sc24 and it has a belly mower front end loader and misc acc for my small farm... Although it has all the power I need i tip it about 2 a year..If I had to do it over....I would buy a 35hp+ as they are wider and more stable. And yes you DO want a 4wd. the loader is irreplacable I use it for everything from firewood to manure... Good luck and happy shopping
:thumbsup:

 

[henretty]

sorry for duplicate am new to posting

 

[eosinophil]

As a rule the smaller ones roll very easy...I have a cub cadet sc24 and it has a belly mower front end loader and misc acc for my small farm... Although it has all the power I need i tip it about 2 a year..If I had to do it over....I would buy a 35hp+ as they are wider and more stable. And yes you DO want a 4wd. the loader is irreplacable I use it for everything from firewood to manure... Good luck and happy shopping
:thumbsup:

Thanks for the input! - the roll over is a definite concern, as I am a bit of a spaz. The 3038/3032 looked like it would be much more stable than the smaller ones. Only thing is I don't think i can get a mid mount mower, but I don't know that the mid mounts are in general much better than the riding lawn tractor I already have, so i figured I'd likely get one to tow behind instead.

 

[k0ua]

sorry for duplicate am new to posting

Have operated tractors for over 20 years and havent rolled one over yet. (crosses fingers).. I have come close a couple of times, due to mistakes I made.. May I offer some suggestions?, Please take these in the spirit they are intended and that is to help you. If a slope feels too steep to operate on, it probably is!.. make sure your tractor is properly ballasted, expecially for front end loader work..As an example if you loader will lift 1000 lbs.. make sure you have at least 650 lbs on the rear 3pt. And having loaded rear tires will help some in stability also. Dont move fast with a load of any kind. Always always keep you loader at the minimum height above ground when moving. Never travel with you bucket and load up high. Watch out for holes and rocks or anything else that might throw you to one side or another, expecially on slopes. Watch out for overhead clearance that might snag your ROPS. Watch out for embankments that might crumble under you and throw you down themStay in 4 wheel drive when descending slopes expecially with a load as the rear tires can break loose and lead to a tractor runaway. If it does runaway, drop your bucket and steer straight if at all possible because if you swerve it will turn over. I hope I have not bored you with this safety "seminar" but 2 times a year to overturn your tractor is not a good thing..Good luck in the future and stay safe.

James K0UA

 

[Don87]

Have operated tractors for over 20 years and havent rolled one over yet. (crosses fingers).. I have come close a couple of times, due to mistakes I made.. May I offer some suggestions?, Please take these in the spirit they are intended and that is to help you. If a slope feels too steep to operate on, it probably is!.. make sure your tractor is properly ballasted, expecially for front end loader work..As an example if you loader will lift 1000 lbs.. make sure you have at least 650 lbs on the rear 3pt. And having loaded rear tires will help some in stability also. Dont move fast with a load of any kind. Always always keep you loader at the minimum height above ground when moving. Never travel with you bucket and load up high. Watch out for holes and rocks or anything else that might throw you to one side or another, expecially on slopes. Watch out for overhead clearance that might snag your ROPS. Watch out for embankments that might crumble under you and throw you down themStay in 4 wheel drive when descending slopes expecially with a load as the rear tires can break loose and lead to a tractor runaway. If it does runaway, drop your bucket and steer straight if at all possible because if you swerve it will turn over. I hope I have not bored you with this safety "seminar" but 2 times a year to overturn your tractor is not a good thing..Good luck in the future and stay safe.

James K0UA

This post was needed:thumbsup:

 

[henretty]

All very good advice the tips were indeed caused by operator carelessness and yes caution and common sense go a long way as does not being in a hurry. thanks for the advice i couldnt agree more... I was raised on a ranch using equipment and it is easy to think that couldnt happen to me!!!!

 

[bsinhc50]

Thanks for the input! - the roll over is a definite concern, as I am a bit of a spaz. The 3038/3032 looked like it would be much more stable than the smaller ones. Only thing is I don't think i can get a mid mount mower, but I don't know that the mid mounts are in general much better than the riding lawn tractor I already have, so i figured I'd likely get one to tow behind instead.

If I were you, I'd check out the Yanmar line of tractors. I've owned 2 since 2009 and the most recent one, EX3200 (which compares to the JD 3038/3032 if I'm not mistaken), is the one I should have bought in the first place. The first one was a SC2400 with a FEL and it was a good machine, overall, and a lot less in cost compared to a Deere, Kubota, and NH. One thing to note about the SC2400 I loaded the rear tires and the dealer swapped the rears from side to side which makes the stance a bit wider. Once I did that, I had no problems mowing hilly terrain and never once felt that tippy feeling.

 

[Gary Fowler]

When I was looking at a TLB I checked out the Kioti CK20. It has some impressive lifting stats for a 20 hp tractor and it is not a SCUT frame but a CUT so it will be more stable. I havent looked at the Mahindra Max lineup but lots of folks say they are pretty impressive and affordable if you have a dealer in your area. The LS lineup has a multitude of small 20-35 HP tractors that are pretty impressive for most folks so I wouldn't pass up the chance to look at them if I were you.
Just about anything other than Chinese tractors or used grey market Japanese is not going to let you down. I would not recommend any Chinese made even if it has a big three name. Before you buy check out the country of origin on the tractor as I have heard rumors than some of the big three are looking to partner with the Chinese. I wouldnt trust a Chinese made tractor as they are about 50 year or so behind in manufacturing technology. Korean, India, Japan and if you can find anything made in USA would all be good.
I see you have an LS dealer in Tipton. Might be worth your while to check those out. Check out LSTractorUSA.com

 

[Gittyup]

Gary gives some good advice. You should not just focus on deere and Kubota. Many times other brands have a better option.

With that much mowing, I'd want HP. Probably 40 or more so I could handle a 6 or 7' bushhog. I would go with loaded tires for stability, and get ags set as wide as possible. There are lots of good choices. Just resist the urge to buy on the smaller size because you lack experience. That tractor you once thought was huge will quickly be just average, and about right.

Now, if I were going smaller, I'd want as much HP as I could get. I'd want no less than 28 HP on a light frame (Mahindra MAX28XL or bota B3030). But this will compromise your loader performance where you'll need a big counterweight on the back. The nice thing about the the B3030 is that you can get a factory cab with AC. Pretty sweet.