For 1 acre ?? I've never had a yard so small. And for years used a walk behind mower. Just last year got a zero turn cub cadet. It was 1/2 of the lower end of whatever you are looking at!!
Need advice - 15-20HP
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Ericredslslingshot
Bronze Member
Make sure the pto has enough hp to handle any future attachments. I have a 25hp but pto is only 18hp. Hard lesson to learn
OP
3inthedirt
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But I need another toy!
Shawn T. W.
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That's why your wife is so noisy! Tell her to pipe down, its a NECESSITY! (I "fixed" your post I quoted!!)
I never IMAGINED how useful and how there were so many things I never even thought of that I could use my little diesel powered hydraulic Swiss Army Knife Tractor for, there is simply so many things that just wouldn't get done (by me!) if I didn't have it!
Shawn T. W.
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Here's one, about the same hours I have on my 2021 Massey Ferguson GC 1725 MB that I bought in March of 2022 … 4X4 and a mmm, less than $6K Pardon Our Interruption
4X4, mmm, front plow … low hours, less than $6K asking price … Pardon Our Interruption
Higher hours than the 1st one, but newer model, so probably could get parts for a longer time … Pardon Our Interruption
Like I said earlier, save your pennies and be ready to pounce when something pops up in your area ...
Bruno’s is a sponsor on this site … they claim cheapest prices in the USA, I didn't buy from them, as delivery would not work for me, and local MF dealer was much more convenient for me, even though he was $1K more … I've bought a lot of stuff from my local dealer, I like him, even got stuff for my Kubota from him!
4X4, mmm, front plow … low hours, less than $6K asking price … Pardon Our Interruption
Higher hours than the 1st one, but newer model, so probably could get parts for a longer time … Pardon Our Interruption
Like I said earlier, save your pennies and be ready to pounce when something pops up in your area ...
Bruno’s is a sponsor on this site … they claim cheapest prices in the USA, I didn't buy from them, as delivery would not work for me, and local MF dealer was much more convenient for me, even though he was $1K more … I've bought a lot of stuff from my local dealer, I like him, even got stuff for my Kubota from him!
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jigs_n_fixtures
Veteran Member
First are you building a house, or having it built?
If you are physically building the house, I would recommend a tractor in the 25 to 35-hp range with a front-end loader, which has a skid steer quick attach bucket system, and a set of forks in addition to your bucket. And ballasted wheels/tires on the rear and possibly wheel weights on the rear. You want enough weight to counterbalance the max lift of the Front-end loader, plus about ten percent. Plus, some form of a tote system for the 3-point. The tractor will become a critical tool for off-loading and moving materials, a tote on the rear becomes really handy for moving tools around the site.
Tractors less than 20-hp won't have enough lift capacity to be useful. Tractors over about 35-hp will be too big to move freely around the site.
If you are doing the clearing and grubbing, a rear blade or box blade, and a rock rake for the rear, and possibly a grapple of some kind on the front...
My choice for these jobs was a Kubota BX2660 (2009, now the BX2680 is the most current version and worth the new price, around $14k with the goodies you need.) There are lots of used ones on the market, but truthfully, the resale value is so high/good that it makes more sense to just get a new one. When Kubota has their 0% financing (and that's almost all the time), your payments are like $250/month for 5 years. Got mine at a pretty good discount from a dealer in Kentucky (I'm in Alabama) and it was delivered and setup here at my house for free (but I think they don't do that anymore, not sure.) If they finance it, you have to give Kubota proof that your homeowners will cover it, else you can get that insurance from Kubota. Kubota is cheaper than the JD equivalent, assuming JD is still even in business...
Good luck with your choices!
For some odd reason, I really want a backhoe. I don't have a need for one, I just want it. When I need backhoe work, I just rent one for the weekends and in the long run, that is MUCH cheaper then getting on on the tractor. But I still want one, <sigh>
Getting a BX2380 has the backhoe and the tractor frame for it, but you give up several horsepower, not to mention about $7,000 more in purchase prices . I've rented a backhoe unit 3 times in the past 30 years if that tells you anything.
Good luck with your choices!
For some odd reason, I really want a backhoe. I don't have a need for one, I just want it. When I need backhoe work, I just rent one for the weekends and in the long run, that is MUCH cheaper then getting on on the tractor. But I still want one, <sigh>
Getting a BX2380 has the backhoe and the tractor frame for it, but you give up several horsepower, not to mention about $7,000 more in purchase prices . I've rented a backhoe unit 3 times in the past 30 years if that tells you anything.
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OP
3inthedirt
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Having it built, closing first week of December.
jigs_n_fixtures
Veteran Member
Ok, in that case look for something with a true Category 1 three-point hitch, and a mid-mount mower deck. And stay at or under 25-hp due to emissions. You're not saying where you are located. If you will have to deal with a large amount snow, look at the Bercomac snowblower which runs off the midmount pto.
Jaygyver
Bronze Member
Agree with the 23/25 hp for your usage. I bought a new JD-770 a few years after I built my house but I have 5 acres and it was brushy. The payment was lower than the rental fees. Made sense to me to buy it. I kinda wanted a larger one but money and eyeballs didn't agree. Yeah I could have used the larger one but I had no time to do anything anyway and I was concerned the larger one would be too big once my projects were done.
Be aware tho, the 1023/25 and BX series tractors are the subcompact ones and have the smaller frames. Shorter and narrower to get through gates and smaller spaces. The other ones have a heavier duty frame and a little bit bigger. My neighbor bought a JD 1023 a half dozen years ago and it's about one size smaller than my 770. When he can borrow it back from his son it works fine for him. He's got 3+ acres and his land is flat so doesn't have the issues I've got. He had it pretty much graded when he built his house. He does have trees around his property so he will use it every so often for thinning and cutting the brush back. You just need to figure out what YOUR needs are. Don't forget about the future down the road, maybe plans to get more property in the near/far future, etc.
I've never taken my loader off as I seem to need it constantly for just misc things. I use it to raise the riding mowers to clean under the deck, scrape the leaves off the driveway in the fall, move my dead pickup into the shop, etc. Once you get used to having it you don't notice it at all.
As far as mid mount mower, ME, I have no use for it, I need the ground clearance my 5' 3 point finish mower gives me. I WILL find a bump/dip, either helping the neighbor or on my own yard and bend the dang thing.
Be aware also that if you use the tractor to mow your finished lawn around your house, it can tear your yard up a bit if you're not careful unless you get turf tires and even then some. I use the riding mower to cut about 1 acre ish of the "good" grass around the house and driveway and use the tractor for around 2 ish acres, and a foray into the trees every so often, farther away from the house.
As far as different tractors, there are at least 8+ brands that have been around for decades. They ALL have had issues with a model or two at one time or another over the years. My 27 year old "American Made" JD has a Japanese Yanmar engine in it. Recently when I bought my new LS it was $8000 cheaper in my area than JD or Kubota and had more features. Just do your homework on what you find, as far as go back and see if that years model was a problem child or not.
Be aware tho, the 1023/25 and BX series tractors are the subcompact ones and have the smaller frames. Shorter and narrower to get through gates and smaller spaces. The other ones have a heavier duty frame and a little bit bigger. My neighbor bought a JD 1023 a half dozen years ago and it's about one size smaller than my 770. When he can borrow it back from his son it works fine for him. He's got 3+ acres and his land is flat so doesn't have the issues I've got. He had it pretty much graded when he built his house. He does have trees around his property so he will use it every so often for thinning and cutting the brush back. You just need to figure out what YOUR needs are. Don't forget about the future down the road, maybe plans to get more property in the near/far future, etc.
I've never taken my loader off as I seem to need it constantly for just misc things. I use it to raise the riding mowers to clean under the deck, scrape the leaves off the driveway in the fall, move my dead pickup into the shop, etc. Once you get used to having it you don't notice it at all.
As far as mid mount mower, ME, I have no use for it, I need the ground clearance my 5' 3 point finish mower gives me. I WILL find a bump/dip, either helping the neighbor or on my own yard and bend the dang thing.
Be aware also that if you use the tractor to mow your finished lawn around your house, it can tear your yard up a bit if you're not careful unless you get turf tires and even then some. I use the riding mower to cut about 1 acre ish of the "good" grass around the house and driveway and use the tractor for around 2 ish acres, and a foray into the trees every so often, farther away from the house.
As far as different tractors, there are at least 8+ brands that have been around for decades. They ALL have had issues with a model or two at one time or another over the years. My 27 year old "American Made" JD has a Japanese Yanmar engine in it. Recently when I bought my new LS it was $8000 cheaper in my area than JD or Kubota and had more features. Just do your homework on what you find, as far as go back and see if that years model was a problem child or not.