Looks Like I Need a Tractor

[Highbeam]

Hmmm, near Home eh? I also own some land near home that I've been clearing, I spent 9 hours brush hogging there this last Sunday before picking a half gallon of those wonderful huckleberries. I own a 4500 lb Kioti of 30 HP that I regularly trailer to Home from across the south sound in Buckley. I grew up in Silverdale which is north of Home on the Kitsap Penninsula. Your most local dealers sell Kubota and Kioti with a JD dealer in Sumner if you sway green. Jenning's Equipment in Puyallup is a good high volume dealership with both Kioti and Kubota tractors on site of all sizes. I would start there.

Home is a healthy 30 minute drive from anywhere, and an hour from any tractor dealer. Nice and quiet, but very rural, the lonesome kind of rural. I've cleared off several of my 15 acres and had real surveyors do work for me there. PM me for more info, I can haul a 30HP tractor of your choice so you don't need to sweat the 14'.

 

[Bob_Young]

Mike,
How rough is your ground? How good is your back? I've found that the smaller CUTs, like my Kub. B7610, can really throw you around on rough ground. Even if you've got the power & conditions to make good time on a job, the jostling & discomfort from the rough ride will limit your speed. This also applies to the simple act of covering ground to get to your work site. Slowing for comfort can waste a lot of time over the long run.

The reason for this, obviously, is the small tires and short wheelbase on a small CUT. If you think this may be an issue, you might be wise to look at a basic tractor in the light utility class. Something like a Kub. L2800 or L3400 or a TC30 or T1520; something with good sized tires. To stay within budget, you'd probably have to go straight gear; though HST is available on these models. In my mind, the soon-to-be-announced L4400HST would be ideal for your work, but it would blow your budget big time.

Since I have a larger machine on hand, I've now relegated my B7610 to lawn work and work where it's size gives an advantage over the larger tractor. No more bush-hogging or other field work for it...too uncomfortable and/or slow. An acre sized plot that seemed like endless torture to bushhog with the B7610 is comfortable & quick to finish on the L4300.
Bob

 

[Mike058]

Good points, Bob. We think alike. I was figuring I wanted something with a large tire, but I was seeing it from the point of a bigger tire crossing rougher ground easier than a smaller tire-not so much as it would be easier on me-it would, now that I think about it-but easier for the tractor. And I can see the advantage of some extra weight too. Up on top, where it was cleared, it's nice, level and smooth. But head on down the hill and it's a jungle out there and my back's been better too.

Mike,
How rough is your ground? How good is your back? I've found that the smaller CUTs, like my Kub. B7610, can really throw you around on rough ground. Even if you've got the power & conditions to make good time on a job, the jostling & discomfort from the rough ride will limit your speed. This also applies to the simple act of covering ground to get to your work site. Slowing for comfort can waste a lot of time over the long run.

The reason for this, obviously, is the small tires and short wheelbase on a small CUT. If you think this may be an issue, you might be wise to look at a basic tractor in the light utility class. Something like a Kub. L2800 or L3400 or a TC30 or T1520; something with good sized tires. To stay within budget, you'd probably have to go straight gear; though HST is available on these models. In my mind, the soon-to-be-announced L4400HST would be ideal for your work, but it would blow your budget big time.

Since I have a larger machine on hand, I've now relegated my B7610 to lawn work and work where it's size gives an advantage over the larger tractor. No more bush-hogging or other field work for it...too uncomfortable and/or slow. An acre sized plot that seemed like endless torture to bushhog with the B7610 is comfortable & quick to finish on the L4300.
Bob

 

[jbrumberg]

Good points, Bob. We think alike. I was figuring I wanted something with a large tire, but I was seeing it from the point of a bigger tire crossing rougher ground easier than a smaller tire-not so much as it would be easier on me-it would, now that I think about it-but easier for the tractor. And I can see the advantage of some extra weight too. Up on top, where it was cleared, it's nice, level and smooth. But head on down the hill and it's a jungle out there and my back's been better too.

Welcome to TBN ! I agree with Bob about frame and tire size and think a heavier, midsize CUT with 4WD/MFWD and FEL with weighted tires in the upper 20HP range would meet your needs for your 5A's. Just a reminder all CUT's seem "tippy" . Jay