I Had No Idea It Would Cost This Much!

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Just how are you going to be clearing? Are you expecting to knock over trees and grapple them? If so, you need a much bigger machine than a 4720. If you are going to fell them with a chainsaw and drag them, you'll be OK. I personnaly would want a bigger machine to buy a grapple for. Now don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a 4720 cab model, just not for clearing a forest. The grapple is plenty handy for brush handling.

 

[jenkinsph]

My experience would dictate a 60-70 hp tractor to be ideal for 100 acres.
MX6 6' rotary cutter
FEL with heavy duty bucket and adjustable rail pallet forks
6 or 7 ft box blade
if the ground is hard and rocky get a planetary auger (expensive)
or for normal ground a 3 pt auger for 500 to 1000

Another option is a J Deere 110 tlb with optional top and tilt hitch
can perform as a good 10ft backhoe, heavy duty loader and good
tractor. Something to think about.



Steve

 

[Silk Hope Soldier]

I think that I will be "farming out" most if not all of the land clearing for the pastures--i can get it done for about 750.00 per acre from folks that use a drum like device to essentially grind everything up so one is left with no stumps, just ground-up organics.

The land clearing I will be doing will be to remove, say 5 to 6 inch trees by tapping them with the FEL at a good height and then scooping out the shallow roots with the bucket--I've done this with a skid steer with good success. Any large hardwoods I plan to leave there, or cut down and then drag away. Since the area was timbered about 5 years ago, nothing really substantial has grown yet--mostly saplings and brambles. I think I will be doing a bit of grading once the land has been cleared though.

I agree with you on getting a PHD. The PTO driven ones I have seen at Deere are about 4.000 or so. I'd probably get it and finance the whole thing--or buy an after-market one for less.

Still considering the 5425 though--seems really big now that I've been looking at the 4720! Wonder what the bottom line price difference would be...can't price them out on the Deere site anymore it seems...

 

[jenkinsph]

Good to hear you are not going to clear land with your new tractor, that kind of work makes it an old one very fast. I don't think you can do it that cheap anyway yourself.

The nice thing about having a small backhoe like the 110 is that you get a good well built loader with it in addition to the very convienient skid steer mounting. When you have a backhoe loader as one unit then the tractor can be a much simpler model. As an example of this I have a 2005 110tlb with the Laurin cab, rail mount pallet forks, top and tilt hitch, all hydraulic options, 72" HD bucket, 18" hoe bucket, 84" HD box blade with hydraulic teeth. This works great for all of the dirt work grading and moving of materials including large piles of brush. Also for loader and backhoe work having the E type transmission is very usefull.

I also have an older JD 820 38hp utility tractor 3cyl diesel weighs about 4000lbs. With it I use an MX6 rotary cutter, a small 4" chipper, 6' light weight box blade, 3 pt posthole digger with 6" and 14" augers, 60" tiller, 7' rear blade, 8' S tine cultivator and a 7' landscape rake. This tractor like most brands will do a great job with most properly sized 3 pt implements, a simple
shuttle shift is all that is needed. After cleaning up my place I am glad the equipment is smaller now. It would look silly using a 100 hp tractor to bushhog 50 acres and then have it sit waiting for the grass to grow again.

From what I gather you would need smaller tractors long term to do finish work on your place. Not only are they cheaper to purchase but they will get in much tighter places which enables you to do a more complete job with less hand work.


Steve

 

[RollingsFarms]

I think that I will be "farming out" most if not all of the land clearing for the pastures--i can get it done for about 750.00 per acre from folks that use a drum like device to essentially grind everything up so one is left with no stumps, just ground-up organics.

The land clearing I will be doing will be to remove, say 5 to 6 inch trees by tapping them with the FEL at a good height and then scooping out the shallow roots with the bucket--I've done this with a skid steer with good success. Any large hardwoods I plan to leave there, or cut down and then drag away. Since the area was timbered about 5 years ago, nothing really substantial has grown yet--mostly saplings and brambles. I think I will be doing a bit of grading once the land has been cleared though.

I agree with you on getting a PHD. The PTO driven ones I have seen at Deere are about 4.000 or so. I'd probably get it and finance the whole thing--or buy an after-market one for less.

Still considering the 5425 though--seems really big now that I've been looking at the 4720! Wonder what the bottom line price difference would be...can't price them out on the Deere site anymore it seems...

my $0.02. seems like the 5425 is what youd be wanting. its not as small as a 4720 but not as large as the 100hp tractor you were first considering. i dunno if you've seen it yet or not but look for a thread titled "Deere 5025 Series Clearance". check out the advertisement and look at the deals going on right now with that tractor. might be the deciding factor for you as to which tractor to buy.

 

[LWB]

I have a 4720 with cab and doubt I'd want it for 100 + acres unless conditions warrant that anything bigger wouldn't fit my own particular needs. As a matter of fact, I have a 5101E sitting down at my dealer waiting for a bucket before I finish the trade. The 4720 is an illusion of sorts. Great tractor for its size, power wise; but way short on the traction end. Those 16" front tires just don't cut it for 58 hp. Which leads me to believe the front differential isn't that strong either. If you need power AND traction you might consider a full size utility tractor. Interestingly, it looks like JD increased the hp on these models to go along with the price increase. That's where the illusion comes in. You could make them 100 hp as long as the tire sizes stay the same; they'll just spin all the more (unless anyone is dumb enough to over-ballast). Good luck!

 

[two_bit_score]

Another option is a J Deere 110 tlb with optional top and tilt hitch
can perform as a good 10ft backhoe, heavy duty loader and good
tractor. Something to think about.



Steve

I'm about to find out if that's good advice..... and I think it is.

 

[lambs]

Where are you from Silk Hope? NC perhaps?

 

[mas1237]

Silk Hope is probably from GA just outside of Savannah.

 

[Silk Hope Soldier]

Hey All!

I'm from Silk Hope, North Carolina.

On the map it's between Pittsboro and Siler City (where Opie went to visit Aunt Bee!)