Is bigger ever a problem?

[rutwad]

In a nutshell, it seem like the biggest complaint against larger tractors is limited space to work or store it, while hauling it appears to be the next biggest concern.

Weight could also be a factor in mowing. My friend with his 95 hp JD and flex-bushhog could mow the orchard around the house, but the wet ground and combined tractor/cutter weight will rut it up. Maybe a CUT and smaller mower would do better here as well.

WVtechs, your scenario of draining a pool reminded me of something I once heard. If given a bucket and a large spoon, what would you use to empty a bathtub?

 

[MasseyWV]

WVtechs, your scenario of draining a pool reminded me of something I once heard. If given a bucket and a large spoon, what would you use to empty a bathtub?

I have a habit of using simple analogies to explain things. I blame it on my day job where I sometimes have to explain very technical issues to non-technical co-workers. Seems to work very well.

This may help. When I made my tractor selection, I listed the chores I would be doing with it and numbered them in the order of frequency and priority. In my case, digging in the dirt and moving things around were the highest priorities but size was also a consideration because I will have to sometimes move around in tight quarters so I selected the heaviest "smallest" tractor I could afford.

On the other hand, if mowing had been my highest priority, I would have wanted a lighter tractor with bigger less agressive tires. It all depends on the way it is to be used so each situation is different.

 

[Rara Avis]

Here is the smaller tactor for lawn mowing...

 

[toolmaan]

Well my first tractor is the Minneapolis Moline in my avatar, 64 HP, it is way too big for what I need. I have 150 cedar trees and a 2 acre pond with a house on 4.3 acres. It ruts up the yard bad. But the other day I used it to move 27 tons of dirt from my neighbors field onto my property, did this in a couple of hours, a smaller tracor would have taken a lot longer. That being said I am looking to sell this tractor because it is just to big. I really need a smaller unit with a FEL. I cannot afford 2 tractors, plus it is just another machine I would have to keep serviced, I have enough of those at the moment.

 

[Nuru]

I tend to look at things from a simple viewpoint so I will add my simplistic way of seeing it.

You could drive a thumb tack with a sledge hammer but you could never drive a railroad spike with a tack hammer.

You could empty a swimming pool with a teaspoon but a bucket would be faster.

It all depends on the circumstances. Smaller can sometimes do the job that bigger can do, it just takes longer. On the other hand, bigger is just too big, heavy or expensive.

I see the most important factors as being time, size, and cost.

Buy the biggest one you can afford, that will handle your largest task. Part of my consideration for a tractor is how quickly i can do the task with the unit. That is one of the reasons why I went from a JD 4100 to a 4310, now I am gonna go for a 3320 CAB tractor and use that to avoid some of the elements.

 

[Nuru]

For my lawn, I got a set of Turf Specials (SuperTurfs), and I have no issues with ruts or compaction due to the the weight displacement capabilities of the Turf Specials. They also helped out quite a bit on the sloped areas of my property.

 

[Nuru]

For my lawn, I got a set of Turf Specials (SuperTurfs), and I have no issues with ruts or compaction due to the the weight displacement capabilities of the Turf Specials. They also helped out quite a bit on the sloped areas of my property.

I did get them cheap though - got them from a failed ebay sale.

 

[john_bud]

Well my first tractor is the Minneapolis Moline in my avatar, 64 HP, it is way too big for what I need. I have 150 cedar trees and a 2 acre pond with a house on 4.3 acres. It ruts up the yard bad. But the other day I used it to move 27 tons of dirt from my neighbors field onto my property, did this in a couple of hours, a smaller tracor would have taken a lot longer. That being said I am looking to sell this tractor because it is just to big. I really need a smaller unit with a FEL. I cannot afford 2 tractors, plus it is just another machine I would have to keep serviced, I have enough of those at the moment.

Is it cheaper to just get some large turf tires for the old MM?

jb

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

WVtechs, your scenario of draining a pool reminded me of something I once heard. If given a bucket and a large spoon, what would you use to empty a bathtub?

OK Rutwad, since WVtechs didn't bite, I'll assume the answer you are looking for is.... pull the plug?

 

[hayden]

OK, here's Peter's unifying theory of trator sizing. It's worth what you are paying for it....

There is a range of tractor size for any given property/work/project combination that can do the job. There are clearly machines that are just too small or too big under any circumstances, so those are out completely.

You can outfit yourself with a tractor anywhere in that sweet-spot range with pretty predictable results. If you buy at the low end of the range tasks will take longer, but less $$ and physical space will be tied up in equipment. It will also be easier to convince your spouse that you bought a lawn mower, not a tractor. Also, you will always be noticing how much faster and easier things would be if you had a bigger tractor.

If you buy towards the upper end of the sweet-spot range, the results will be similarly predictable. Your spouse will kill you, but you'll be able to get work done in a breeze. Although you will still lust after bigger machines, there will be immovable reasons why you can't go bigger because you are at the upper end of the plausible range.

My recommendation to anyone who is buying would be to figure out the range, then buy as high in the range as you can possibly afford. People frequently trade up in tractor size, but rarely trade down.

Last, and most important, first work on projects your spouse will appreciate, and save your projects for later.