looking for an ideal garden tractor

[blivy]

Greetings everyone from Athens, GA.

Looking to get advice on what folks here think would be the ideal tractor for my needs. I'm going to post a similar thread in the larger forum area, but thought I'd start on the vintage tractor page as I own and like working on older things, and frankly don't want to have to drop down $10-25k on a new garden tractor.

A bit about what I'm hoping to do, starting with some info on the property I'm on...
For starters, I have about 5 acres. About an acre is a wooded hillside that i maintain with loppers, bushaxe, spray, as needed. However, sometimes a tree falls and I end up doing a lot of sawing and hauling. The rest is in a floodplain on the river. I removed about 4 acres of privet when I first got the place, and now maintain about 2 acres as a shady lawn (plant fescue, clover, and allow whatever nature wants to come up grow as well--as long as it can be mowed). The other 2 acres is wooded and i just maintain a trail through it that goes to the river. I also have a long gravel drive (about 1,000 feet) that needs to be maintained.

As far as equipment I already have:
I have 2 walk behind Gravelys. One i keep a 40" kidney deck on to mow with. The other has AG tires with dual spacers that i use with my scraper blade to help maintain the drive, use with my tiller or my rotary plow for gardening, or use with my bushog to do a yearly trim of all the areas in the floodplain that I don't mow as lawn.
I also have a small saw mill that came with the property. I don't use it a ton, but occasionally when a friend or family member may have a tree come down or does some clearing it can see a lot of use (I have about 20 trees stacked along my drive right now in various stages of being milled).

I love my Gravelys (how sturdy they are, their versatility and attachments, plus how easy they are to work on) but I'm starting to want something that has a bit more power and that could help me do some jobs faster and easier. And...while I like that I get my steps in when I mow with the Gravely, I would like to be able to ride and carry my little boy along with me (i have a sulky for the gravely, but it's not good for 2-up, nor is it good for going around trees).

I'm thinking about garden tractors as I would like something smaller than a standard tractor (I had borrowed a buddy's Kubota a few years back and while it was great, it just didn't fit into all the places I'd like to go). I like the idea of a garden tractor as I think that it would not rut or compact the lawn area I mow sometimes weekly (but at least every two weeks) down in the flood plain.

Ideally, I'd find a tractor with a belly mower (at least 50"), a front end loader (to help lift up log spars for the saw mill), and the ability to drag an angle blade or a box blade to help maintain the gravel driveway. If one existed that had PTO take offs on the front and rear, I'd love that as well.
Early on I was looking a lot at the Gravely 8000 series or the larger G models (20G, 24G) but I'm not sure of two things:
1) the availability of front end loaders for these
2) whether the hydraulics could support both the front end loader and the belly mower at the same time (or if they'd conflict)

In any case, I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on what they'd recommend.
I don't really have a budget set yet as I'm just starting to learn what's out there.

Any and all thoughts are appreciated. Thank you all in advance!
B

 

[fried1765]

Greetings everyone from Athens, GA.

Looking to get advice on what folks here think would be the ideal tractor for my needs. I'm going to post a similar thread in the larger forum area, but thought I'd start on the vintage tractor page as I own and like working on older things, and frankly don't want to have to drop down $10-25k on a new garden tractor.

A bit about what I'm hoping to do, starting with some info on the property I'm on...
For starters, I have about 5 acres. About an acre is a wooded hillside that i maintain with loppers, bushaxe, spray, as needed. However, sometimes a tree falls and I end up doing a lot of sawing and hauling. The rest is in a floodplain on the river. I removed about 4 acres of privet when I first got the place, and now maintain about 2 acres as a shady lawn (plant fescue, clover, and allow whatever nature wants to come up grow as well--as long as it can be mowed). The other 2 acres is wooded and i just maintain a trail through it that goes to the river. I also have a long gravel drive (about 1,000 feet) that needs to be maintained.

As far as equipment I already have:
I have 2 walk behind Gravelys. One i keep a 40" kidney deck on to mow with. The other has AG tires with dual spacers that i use with my scraper blade to help maintain the drive, use with my tiller or my rotary plow for gardening, or use with my bushog to do a yearly trim of all the areas in the floodplain that I don't mow as lawn.
I also have a small saw mill that came with the property. I don't use it a ton, but occasionally when a friend or family member may have a tree come down or does some clearing it can see a lot of use (I have about 20 trees stacked along my drive right now in various stages of being milled).

I love my Gravelys (how sturdy they are, their versatility and attachments, plus how easy they are to work on) but I'm starting to want something that has a bit more power and that could help me do some jobs faster and easier. And...while I like that I get my steps in when I mow with the Gravely, I would like to be able to ride and carry my little boy along with me (i have a sulky for the gravely, but it's not good for 2-up, nor is it good for going around trees).

I'm thinking about garden tractors as I would like something smaller than a standard tractor (I had borrowed a buddy's Kubota a few years back and while it was great, it just didn't fit into all the places I'd like to go). I like the idea of a garden tractor as I think that it would not rut or compact the lawn area I mow sometimes weekly (but at least every two weeks) down in the flood plain.

Ideally, I'd find a tractor with a belly mower (at least 50"), a front end loader (to help lift up log spars for the saw mill), and the ability to drag an angle blade or a box blade to help maintain the gravel driveway. If one existed that had PTO take offs on the front and rear, I'd love that as well.
Early on I was looking a lot at the Gravely 8000 series or the larger G models (20G, 24G) but I'm not sure of two things:
1) the availability of front end loaders for these
2) whether the hydraulics could support both the front end loader and the belly mower at the same time (or if they'd conflict)

In any case, I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on what they'd recommend.
I don't really have a budget set yet as I'm just starting to learn what's out there.

Any and all thoughts are appreciated. Thank you all in advance!
B

I have owned a Gravely of one model or another for 50 years.
Still have a 12HP Pro with only 25 hours.
Bought it new in 1992, but don't use it anymore.

 

[blivy]

I have owned a Gravely of one model or another for 50 years.
Still have a 12HP Pro with only 25 hours.
Bought it new in 1992, but don't use it anymore

Gravelys are pretty awesome machines. My first is a 5640 that an elder neighbor gave me. it had sat up for a few years and took me a bit of work to get going but now starts on first pull each time.
Those 12 pros are awesome. Does yours have steering brakes?

 

[fried1765]

Gravelys are pretty awesome machines. My first is a 5640 that an elder neighbor gave me. it had sat up for a few years and took me a bit of work to get going but now starts on first pull each time.
Those 12 pros are awesome. Does yours have steering brakes?

Yes.....mine does have steering brakes, and dual wheels, but at nearly 81 I don't use it any more.
I was going to sell it, but one of my sons asked me to hold on.
I have two large storage buildings, so it will probably sit where it is until I croak.
Battery is dead!

 

[Egon]

A Kubota B7100 hst or other similar tractors would be an admiral fit for your needs.

 

[blivy]

Thanks Egon.
do you think the bx1850 models are worth looking at? a quick google search shows that the pricing is similar between both the Kubota models. However the BX1850s are newer and they have smaller (more garden tractor sized) wheels.
both have comparable horse power and weight.
Given the ages, I'd assume that the BX1850 tractors would be pricier than the B700s. is there a quality issue that separates the two?

 

[kenmbz]

Also have the small GC1723/1725 Masseys and the smaller JD's in that market.

 

[fried1765]

Thanks Egon.
do you think the bx1850 models are worth looking at? a quick google search shows that the pricing is similar between both the Kubota models. However the BX1850s are newer and they have smaller (more garden tractor sized) wheels.
both have comparable horse power and weight.
Given the ages, I'd assume that the BX1850 tractors would be pricier than the B700s. is there a quality issue that separates the two?

I am with Egon on this!
The larger wheels on the B7100 are actually a distinct advantage over the Bx1850 for garden use.
You should note that the last B7100 was manufactured in 1985.
B7100 style/type tractors by various manufacturers are extensively used by family plot farmers in Japan.

 

[fried1765]

Also have the small GC1723/1725 Masseys and the smaller JD's in that market.

Yanmar too!

 

[oosik]

I've had a Ford 1700 4WD ( 27 years ) and now a Kubota M6040 4WD ( 12 years ). I've never found the "ideal" tractor. There are always those few projects where you wish for a bigger or smaller tractor.

On my 80 acres with mile long gravel driveway - I do find the M6040 is a better "fit".