Large CUT vs Small Utility

[Glenn9643]

I am also thinking CAB. If I go CAB I my want the large CUT since I will be using it in the woods.

I don't really understand here. From a 50HP CUT to most 60-70HP Utility you're not moving from a lawnmower to a D8.
First, I would recommend a larger tractor than the 45PTO HP you're talking about for your acreage. There's nothing that will aggravate you more than not having enough tractor to do what you need to do at the moment. You'll have a lot of these moments on your 50 acres, without considering the additions.
Look at the capacity of the FEL's on CUT's VS a Utility with 60-70HP. There's a lot of built-in limitation with the front axle on the CUT. It doesn't take a lot of log to get over 2000 lbs. If you need to pick it up and move it, that's going to be close to your limit with the CUT.
Working in the woods with a cab will be a problem whether it's a CUT or Utility. You'll have to be careful to keep limbs from scratching or breaking the plexiglass as much as possible. I believe you'll be better satisfied in the long run with about a 70HP Utility, and work around the obstacles best you can. The only drawback might be trailering from one site to another. Otherwise, get as much tractor as you can afford.

 

[BarryinMN]

I had the same decision tree starting back in '02. Ended up with this machine in photo. 55 pto hp and 10K lbs of ground pounding workability.

www.zetor.com

The madness to my method was to buy one new tractor as the critical path & everything else was already here or used at auction. Existing attachments are sized to a JD A ~ 38 pto so did not need to go much bigger.

A cab AC takes about 10 hp. First time bush hogging in a ac cab - no bugs, dirt, etc, no need to go back /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif A cab option is a factory passenger seat & seatbelt for those city visitors you want to keep track of. Initially bought for my brothers little kids, turns out retiree's want to go with as well /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif The heat makes snow plowing @ -20 fun /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Engaged MFWD imitates 4 wheel braking on hills pulling a load - a safety benefit. Most of the attachments I've added (read cheap) either are or can get fairly heavy. 4x18 plow, dump wagon, rock picker, etc.

I use a cat 0 lawnmower with a 6' landscape rake & box blade for road fixing & yard work. Much smaller & faster able to go up & down, side to side, smoothing stuff /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

It's been here almost 2 years & have not needed to add anything to the original tractor config: quik tach loader, 84" bucket, 66" rock bucket with dual grapples, forks, rear wheel weights (not loaded), 2nd seat.

My tractor 3pt lifts far more than a JD 5420 (one early task was to position a shipping container) and cost $20K less which kind of tipped the decision.

Happy deciding /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I would say at first, for heavy clearing, you would be glad you had bought the bigger/heavier tractor. But later, when manuevreability is a factor, you'd appreciate a CUT. A 58 HP CUT is no slouch. They are however, "less heavy duty".

The biggest problem about our 5420 is I miss the tight turning radius of my 4310. But you can't do a draft horse's work with a cutting horse nor vice versa.

Lastly, If you really want a cab, I would recommend the bigger tractor. Here's my 2 cents. The bigger diameter wheels will ride smoother across a field and not "rock" the cab so much. I would think that would make everything in the cab last longer. I almost need a kidney belt to traverse our fields on my 4310 while the 5420 rides over bumps that the 4310 falls into.

 

[slowzuki]

Kyle in Tex is right on. We moved from a 52 pto hp ag tractor to an L5030 hstc.

We lost smooth field driving and massive loader capacity but gained:
-manouverabilty from the sharp steering and short wheelbase
-compact size for ducking around in the woods winching logs out
-fast loader
-the hst pedal, indispensible for up tight close work

We hay with ours as well, baled about 4000 bales this summer but did barely any raking or tedding. It was too bumpy to rake with the short wheelbase.

I did some bushhogging at the end of the summer too, about 15 acres of one fellows places had draintile and rough fill over it. Talk about a kidney shaking to run over that stuff at full tilt. It was much rougher than a hay field though.

I do like the 5030 ducking around the woods, even with the cab it is so much shorter my skid trails are small. If I didn't skid tree length I could have some tighter turns too.

 

[n4807g]

I've never heard anyone complain about buying too "much" tractor (unless your talking about a lawn mower). I know a lot of people who wish they'd bought a bigger tractor. Just for comfort I'd buy a cab. AC alone is worth it. Of course if $'s are an issue that creates another set of questions.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Kyle in Tex and slowzuki,
Thank you, you made some good points and your replies are about the same as I was thinking. I will most likely go with a small utility 50-60 HP. Of my 50 ac. most of it (85%) is wooded so I will be clearing trails and cutting a road down to the 5 ac. bottom.

If I decide to work my B-I-L's property with cattle or horses I will most likely pay a neighbor to bale the hay. I don't think for that amount of land, aprox 30 ac. of pasture, that it would pay me to buy hay equipment.

Thanks to all for your thoughts.

 

[Soundguy]

Looking in the Heavy equip trader mag today, I see that JD dealers have a deal going on the 5103 model.. 12999.00 0% fin WAC.

Darn that's a good price for a 50hp machine!


Soundguy

 

[AndyMA]

Having both a large CUT (Ford 2120- same frame size as TC48/55) and a Utility Tractor (TN75D). from my opinion there is quite a step up. And I mean that literally. Climbing into the TN is a lot more work that getting on the 2120. The TN will also way out lift and out pull the 2120. I have had the 2120 since 1987 and it has done a lot of serious work, but it is no match for the TN series. I feel much safer towing a heavy load with the TN than the 2120. A lot of it has to do with frame size, weight and hp. The same can be said for the 2120, TC48/55 vrs the TC40/45. They just aren't the same frame size. In my opinion, it's more a frame size issue than a weight issue for many tasks. Obviously there are some tasks that hp really comes into play for, but that is not the case in many instances. I do agree with the above posters that the JD machine for $13K appears to be a excellent price for a basic 50+ hp tractor.

Andy

 

[Soundguy]

I agree. I like the feel of climbing the stps onto the op platform of my 7610s... Good high fenders.. nice comfy spring ride chair.. roomy op platform... Ford 5000 has that same feeling.. though no rops, and fenders alre clamshell not flat top, and not as high.

Soundguy