Machine advice for maintanence of 5 acre woodland

[RoyJackson]

I would think that you could get a grey market tractor with a 48" or 60" finish mower. 25hp or so would be good. Check out the Yanmar, Satoh and Iseki forums. Don't be too afraid of them. Roy's 790 Deere is a 100% yanmar. I think 90's fords were Iseki and Cub Cadets were Mitsubitshi. If you don't want a front end loader, you can use a 2wd machine and they are much cheaper.

jb

Actually, built by Yanmar to Deere specifications. These aren't rebadged tractors.

I won't buy grey market machines. Dealer support, in most cases, is non-existent and parts can be difficult to obtain.
Also, some of the safety features aren't on these imported machines unless they're retrofitted by the importer. I doubt if most importers do the testing required to certify something like a ROPS.

 

[Runner]

I'm with Egon on this. I think I'd try to get rid of the stumps, smooth out the rough spots, then buy a ZTR (assuming I didn't need a tractor for other things on an ongoing basis, like loader work, etc.)

 

[MissLynda]

I am leaning towards a mowing attachment for my brother’s tractor. I haven’t had any trouble driving his tractor but all I have done with it so far is drive it back his house after he used it to move some root balls for me. I have found a couple local dealerships but they don’t seem to carry the machines that you have suggested. I will look a little further out but I don’t want to go to far from home, I live five miles out on a dirt road and it is very difficult and costly to get anyone to come out to make repairs. [/FONT]
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The rotary cutter that has been suggested mounts on the rear of the tractor, and has (usually) two knives that are free to pivot, or swing if they endcounter something that their mass, and rotational speed won't cut/break. They are usually about the width of the tractor, and a general rule is about 5 horsepower for each foot of width. One of these could be used on your brother's tractor. They can be found used, but are sometimes pretty beat up. New they run about $1000, more, or less for smaller tractors.
The "CUT" that has been mentioned stands for "compact utility tractor", and usually means tractors under 50hp or so. Some dealers are very good about transporting the tractor to, and from their dealerships for repairs, but certainly that is something to check on. Perhaps your brother could give you some input on local dealers, and brands.
I have "tamed" some of my land by first using a weedwhacker, or line trimmer with a metal blade, and then following carefully with a large garden tractor mounted mower raised all the way up. Areas that started out having chest high brambles are now clover, and grass by just keeping it mowed. I still have to go very carefully since there are many rocks, etc. but it sure is an improvement, and the deer like it too! Some of the area in the attached picture was done that way. (the area in the distance where the dirt piles can be seen) It doesn't have to be done all at once, and once the area is tamed a bit it's easier to keep it that way.[/QUOTE]
My brother knows as much about tractors and farming as the Queen knows about cheese curds or lutefisk. He tripped up on the Kubota after buying something else, I don’t remember what, but it broke the first week he had it and was sent back. He has had the Kubota now for about three years but he uses it mostly for hauling, and digging. I think he rides the tractor as a way to get out of the house and relax. He has the very stressful job of supervising the productions of devices that keep flight transportation safe, so he needs his down time and riding his tractor seems to do the trick. He is not your best handy-man when it comes to machinery but he can take apart and jury-rig almost any electronic device. He is a wonderful guy but he is not a lot of help when it comes to the nuts and bolts. I think I like the idea of the rotary cutter. It looks like it will do the job and the price seems right. I also like the suggestion that others have made regarding the hiring of someone to do the initial taming making it just a job of maintaining. This solution though calls for a whole other budget plan. The estimates that I have received have run over three thousand dollars and those were the cheap ones. I figure I am going to have to pay around three thousand dollars or a bit more for the machine I will need to maintain the land so it doesn’t make a lot of financial sense to pay someone for the initial work. It makes a lot of sense if you are factoring in the sweat equity but I just can’t afford the luxury.

 

[MissLynda]

I'm with Egon on this. I think I'd try to get rid of the stumps, smooth out the rough spots, then buy a ZTR (assuming I didn't need a tractor for other things on an ongoing basis, like loader work, etc.)

I am doing this a bit at a time, too much to do all at once. It is just that I have to keep the rest of it looking half way decent in the process and not allow it to go too far back to nature. So, I am actually beleaguered with two problems and my choice of machine will have to work for both. I love the look of the cut and the ease of a zero-turn but I don't know if I can make it work for both jobs. Since I can't afford two machines I need to decide on one the does the best job of taming and maintaining. I think I am going to go with the rotary cutter attachment for the Kubota. Now I just have to decide which one.

 

[IslandTractor]

I also like the suggestion that others have made regarding the hiring of someone to do the initial taming making it just a job of maintaining. This solution though calls for a whole other budget plan. The estimates that I have received have run over three thousand dollars and those were the cheap ones. I figure I am going to have to pay around three thousand dollars or a bit more for the machine I will need to maintain the land so it doesn’t make a lot of financial sense to pay someone for the initial work. It makes a lot of sense if you are factoring in the sweat equity but I just can’t afford the luxury.

You might be able to find someone who is willing to work on a piecemeal basis with heavier equipment so you don't have to shell out $3000+ all at once. Clean up a portion of the land each season over a couple of years. The point here is that the equipment you need to maintain your property is quite different than the equipment needed to clear it. If you buy a brush hog and tractor with FEL to clear the property you will then need to buy a finish mower to maintain it and the bush hog and FEL are likely to gather dust. If you hire out the rough work then you could get away with using a riding mower (cheapest option $1000-2000) or Zero Turn Mower (fastest $4000-6000) to do the weekly upkeep. If you invest in a CUT just to be able to clear the land, you will have about $6000-12000 invested in tractor equipment that might not really be necessary in the long haul. I say that knowing that those of us on TBN would certainly use your situation as an excuse to go out and buy even more expensive equipment (grapples, chippers, toothbars, 4 wheel drive, more horsepower etc etc) and feel perfectly justified but the point remains that such purchases are clearly not necessary if your main goal is just getting the place cleaned up and keeping the weeds in check rather than playing on tractors.

 

[RoyJackson]

"I think he rides the tractor as a way to get out of the house and relax. He has the very stressful job of supervising the productions of devices that keep flight transportation safe, so he needs his down time and riding his tractor seems to do the trick"

I can appreciate your brother's stress relief. In fact, he may find do some of the work on your property quite relaxing.
I know I find mowing very relaxing...brush cutting not as relaxing, but it does take my mind off work.

 

[MissLynda]

You might be able to find someone who is willing to work on a piecemeal basis with heavier equipment so you don't have to shell out $3000+ all at once. Clean up a portion of the land each season over a couple of years. The point here is that the equipment you need to maintain your property is quite different than the equipment needed to clear it. If you buy a brush hog and tractor with FEL to clear the property you will then need to buy a finish mower to maintain it and the bush hog and FEL are likely to gather dust. If you hire out the rough work then you could get away with using a riding mower (cheapest option $1000-2000) or Zero Turn Mower (fastest $4000-6000) to do the weekly upkeep. If you invest in a CUT just to be able to clear the land, you will have about $6000-12000 invested in tractor equipment that might not really be necessary in the long haul. I say that knowing that those of us on TBN would certainly use your situation as an excuse to go out and buy even more expensive equipment (grapples, chippers, toothbars, 4 wheel drive, more horsepower etc etc) and feel perfectly justified but the point remains that such purchases are clearly not necessary if your main goal is just getting the place cleaned up and keeping the weeds in check rather than playing on tractors.

I think your solution is the simplest and the one that makes the most sense. It may take a bit longer for me to get the results that I am hoping for but with a little time and a lot less sweat it should get the job done. I think that it probably makes more sense for me to get the finishing mower attachment for the Kubota since it will probably cost a little less, it will get more use time out of the tractor and maybe get my brother’s wife to stop complaining about how much the tractor cost and how little it is used. Who knows, I might even be able to boondoggle my brother into actually doing the mowing himself. You know how women can mess up anything that has an engine and most of us can’t drive worth a darn anyway.

 

[IslandTractor]

Who knows, I might even be able to boondoggle my brother into actually doing the mowing himself..

Sounds like a Win, Win, Win solution. You get the yard mowed, your brother gets some seat time and your sister in law gets him out of the house.

Go for it.

 

[john_bud]

Actually, built by Yanmar to Deere specifications. These aren't rebadged tractors.

.

I didn't say it was rebadged. I stated it was 100% yanmar, which it is.


Yanmar grey tractors have very good parts availability. Many places on line to get them and usually 1 or more in dealers in most areas where you can get parts and usually service. They are simple to repair, so many tractor places are able to fix them. If a person wants a reliable tractor for not much money they are a good place to start.

Here is a good link on Yanmar tractors and tells about the models that are good, bad and what to look for when shopping.

Things to look for in a used tractor

 

[RoyJackson]

I didn't say it was rebadged. I stated it was 100% Yanmar, which it is.


Yanmar grey tractors have very good parts availability. Many places on line to get them and usually 1 or more in dealers in most areas where you can get parts and usually service. They are simple to repair, so many tractor places are able to fix them. If a person wants a reliable tractor for not much money they are a good place to start.

Here is a good link on Yanmar tractors and tells about the models that are good, bad and what to look for when shopping.

Things to look for in a used tractor

I know there are some good grey market dealers. But if that guy gets out of the business (retires, for example), it's not like going to the next nearest dealer.
I won't buy grey market (tractors or any other vehicle) or recommend them. It's just too big a risk for most folks, including me (and I don't mind turning a wrench).