Moving up

[FLinTexas]

I've got a YM1602 with a small Koyker loader and a 36" mower. It's worked well on our 3 acre place. We're about to move to a 19 acre hay farm and I'm afraid the 1602 will be a little out of its league. I'll need to move round bales, mow with a 5 ft mower and drag the 400' driveway occasionally. Can I get some thoughts about which Yanmar models I should be looking for to do these jobs comfortably? Thanks, guys.

regards,
Leon

 

[winston1]

Seems like folks are shying away from this. All I can say is if you are talking about the big round bales you need a big tractor to handle them safely. I will be interested to hear from Yanmar owners that handle these. If there are any.

 

[Ginormous]

The other parts of the job (mowing and dragging the driveway) won't take a huge tractor. I have run a 5' finish mower with my YM1700 with no trouble. If you're talking about running a 5' bushhog, you will probably want more power, like a YM2210. I don't move round bales... I understand there are smaller ones, but I don't know how much the small ones weigh.

 

[FLinTexas]

I'll be running a 5' rotary cutter. And it's the big round bales I'll need to move, around 1200 lbs. What I do now is roll them off the back of the trailer and then nudge them around with the YM1602. But at the new place I'll be using a spike.

regards,
Leon

 

[clemsonfor]

If they only weigh 1200 i think a 2000 can pick them up with a 3pt and front ballast. I think the specs are somewhere around 1200 at the arms. You may want a 2210 or 2500?

 

[kenmac]

1200#s is about 1/2 the weight of my 3110D. I would look at a tractor that weights more

 

[FLinTexas]

A dealer down here has a YM 2820D with a V3 loader. Maybe I'll go take a look at it.

Yanmar YM2820D

regards,
Leon

 

[Pete Judd]

The pic shows a bow in the bottom of the bucket, looks thin. Might have to weld some more steel to it to do a level push with it.

 

[Neat 1500]

my 1500 wont pick a round bale up with either end. they weigh about 450kg, well over 500 if they are wet. you would want at least a YM4300 or an FX 255 or larger to handle these bales safely.:confused3:

 

[rScotty]

I've got a YM1602 with a small Koyker loader and a 36" mower. It's worked well on our 3 acre place. We're about to move to a 19 acre hay farm and I'm afraid the 1602 will be a little out of its league. I'll need to move round bales, mow with a 5 ft mower and drag the 400' driveway occasionally. Can I get some thoughts about which Yanmar models I should be looking for to do these jobs comfortably? Thanks, guys.

regards,
Leon

I;m going to question whether any of the compact tractors are set up for working a middling sized hay farm or for moving 1200 lb round bales around.

Are you sure you want a Yanmar for those jobs? In your shoes I'd keep the YM1602/loader for a chore tractor and get a good old 2WD US-made farm tractor with a loader and bale spear for doing the heavier work. Those old tractors last forever and often cost far less than an equivalent Yanmar or other compact 4x4.
good luck, rScotty

 

[California]

Guys, listen to rScotty.

He's a Yanmar enthusiast who has been actually doing the stuff we theorize about, continually ever since he bought his US Yanmars 30 years ago. He knows his stuff.

And specifically for safety when moving round bales, that's excellent advice to get an indestructible, heavy, cheap, old American tractor just because it has the weight to stay in control of the bale.

 

[Neat 1500]

where i buy our bales from he has a 90hp IH/Case 4x4 tractor, he said he has had 2 on the front and 2 on the back and the tyres were bulging but handled it well. so 1 on the front or rear of a 4300 or Larger FX should be OK i think.

 

[Eyecatcher]

I moved hundreds of round bales with my old 336D when I had it. No problem.

 

[clemsonfor]

I am with Scotty. I think i said it in my earlier post or eluded to it. You want a good old tractor. Like a ford 2000 or something i think even an the old n's can lift a round bale. They weight like 4000lbs and were meant for that type work and ground engaging equiptment. You will still want your yanmar as those old tractors were fuel thirsty. And pulling a bush hog with an old gas tractor today will quickly suck you dry. I know the ford 2000 came in deisel as well but im sure its not as effecient as the yanmars.