I WANT A TRACTOR, but ......

[Egon]

TTR 7800 - Isodiametric wide-track steering tractor for haymaking

Steep?? Look at these.

 

[Egon]

Steep slope mowing??

Look at equipment used in the European alps.

 

[stevem5215]

I’ve not been on here in awhile until recently. I’ve moved a couple times, varied acreage at different places but currently do not have a tractor and I miss it. I am now on 5 acres some wooded, some open with slopes being mowed. I’ve been getting by with a 17 year old 42 inch cut zero turn mower. It’s time to replace it. Currently it’s beating me up to mow with it on the slopes. I’ve put 4wheeler type tires on the rear for traction and it helped, I still feel like I’m taking my life at risk mowing with it on the slopes though. Mowing up and down I never know if it’s going to stop at the bottom of the steep slopes especially if it’s damp. Mowing along the slopes the crab walking really does a number on my back , it hurts for 3 days after. I need more stability and a larger deck. I currently will not allow my teenage son to mow it and he is a very responsible mature ( for his age) young man. I’ve been pricing scuts at dealers along with commercial zero turns. I could meet my mowing needs with a zero turn but I want a tractor with front end loader. I can’t really justify having fel for 90% of the time. I could justify the scut with mmm easily. Even though a scut loader is very limited I just want one. I also want something to help with leaf removal in the fall. To many leaves to mow/ mulch. Currently takes me 3 to 4 hours with a Stihl backpack mower times 3 or 4 different weekends to deal with all the leaves. I’m thinking rake the leaves up with rear rake of some sort behind scut then use loader to push them on into the woods or scoop them up for removal.
I’ve got quotes on Ls 25 hp scut , bx2680, Deere 1025. Also got some zero turn quotes mostly as an afterthought. Problem is when I sit in the seats the zero turns are more comfy and a bit smoother ride but I want a tractor. The zero turns are a bit cheaper but I want a tractor. The zero turns would mow faster.......BUT I WANT A TRACTOR. I kinda view the scuts as a toy tractor but I want one. There is a rear attachment called “big tool rack”. It looks so cool and I want one of those too. If allowed I’ll share a link.
Anyway to keep from rambling on here’s a question:I can afford either piece of equipment so am I crazy for trying to justify a scut when a Zero turn will suffice just because I WANT A TRACTOR?

I have both a Simplicity Citation XL 27hp with FULL SUSPENSION to cut the 4 acres and a Steiner 420 with attachments for those items you mention. Leaf Blower blows leaves into the neighbors yard. (or the field so i can chop them up with the mower) a full loader for the front of the Steiner for SMALL jobs (it won't lift more than 500lbs and more like 300) a 48" mower deck (for backup to the ZTR in case of failure) and a best ever attachment, a 54" rotating power angle brush for clearing the driveway in the winter. (it's totally the best thing I"ve ever had on a tractor). So there you go. Everything you need in a nutshell. I wanted that same stuff as you. See easy peasy!

 

[Henry007]

We have a JD X749 which has 4 WD and 4 wheel steering. Each wheel has it's own Hydraulic motor (not real sure the rear) The motors are synchronized so it almost never spins in wet spots. The 4 wheel steering is good but not great. it will circle around about 18 to 20 inches as good as any ZTR. The X749 is a great mower with a 60" deck and work around flower beds and trees as good as any ZTR and will work steep slopes much better than the ZTR. I have owned both so I speak with experience. ZTR's are best on level ground.

 

[cperky]

Update !!, but more words

thank you everyone for all of the great input and giving me lots to consider. Between his baseball games and dealers all being anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour away I’ve been busy. Quotes / test rides I’ve got:


kubota bx2680 $ 18,000 new fel and 60” mmm
Ls 25 hp $16500 new but not available until ??
Deere 1025r new $18700 with fel and 60 mmm
Mahindra 20hp $15000 with loader and 60 inch mower

used :
Deere 1023. 149 hours 54 inch mmm $10850. add loader $14350 but no delivery date available for loader
Mahindra e20 with loader 50 hours $10500 but no mower. Unable to find a mower to go with it yet


Kubota ZT no quote requested but it rides good
Ferris Zt 3300 with 61 inch deck $11000
Ferris Zt 2200 54 inch deck $9100

Im not a Deere fan at all but so far the 1025 is my favorite. No game tomorrow so I’m going for more test rides

 

[Doc G]

if you can afford, it, it's perfectly fine to have toys for no other reason then you want them. No additional justification necessary.

Spot on. Although tractors ARE incredibly useful machines and that's why most of us own them... no one feels the need to justify their fishing boat, vacation home or F250-to-drive-to-the-office on the basis of its usefulness. We own them because we enjoy them. [To be clear, I don't actually own any of those things but I think you get the gist...]

 

[4570Man]

I would trust my large frame ZT with bar tires more than I’d trust a SCUT with turf tires on a hill.

 

[Forky]

Simply allow it to go rustic....the wildlife will thank you for it.
4 pages of madness worrying about grass...really?
Let it grow and see the beauty of real nature....cut areas are boring and lifeless.

 

[jjp8182]

Simply allow it to go rustic....the wildlife will thank you for it.
4 pages of madness worrying about grass...really?
Let it grow and see the beauty of real nature....cut areas are boring and lifeless.

Yep not much of a reason to mow more than just enough area around the house to help keep the critters away/out of the house and help provide a fire/tree barrier.

Despite my current landscaping, I'm not a fan of letting large trees grow close to the house since they inevitably shed some hefty limbs and the tree will eventually die/fall ..... have a couple right now that are close enough and large enough that should they ever fall toward the house it'd very likely be a total loss (doubt much will stop/slow a >3ft diameter oak if/when it falls). Biggest reason they aren't being removed (yet) is they still look very healthy and are actively growing.