Need advice on a good first utility tractor-Please
- Thread starter dukenyc
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rpeter
Silver Member
Nice pond. I have one of about six acres. How big is yours?
BarryinMN
Platinum Member
How about studying some more.
Read up on farm tractor accidents and conditions leading up to the accident.
If you are not in a rush, buying a simple ATV and a pull behind bush hog gives a cheap somewhat stable solution for your first year. Your articulated mower will work however may cost significantly more.
Spend some time on the property & get familiar with the slopes & soil conditions. A very real accident mode is where soil that was solid yesterday is now wet, slippery or collapses causing an upset - flip roll skid etc. Just because the tractor is capable of carrying a weight doesn't mean the soil under the tire will! See what kinds of machines your neighbors have & what they do with them.
Visit a local orchard farm. They may have orchard tractors or crawlers: wide width, high HP, & low to the ground. Some lease their machines which means lightly used low hour returns become available at lower cost. A crawler track is more immune to a sudden pothole than a wheeled tractor on a sidehill condition.
Have fun in the search!
Read up on farm tractor accidents and conditions leading up to the accident.
If you are not in a rush, buying a simple ATV and a pull behind bush hog gives a cheap somewhat stable solution for your first year. Your articulated mower will work however may cost significantly more.
Spend some time on the property & get familiar with the slopes & soil conditions. A very real accident mode is where soil that was solid yesterday is now wet, slippery or collapses causing an upset - flip roll skid etc. Just because the tractor is capable of carrying a weight doesn't mean the soil under the tire will! See what kinds of machines your neighbors have & what they do with them.
Visit a local orchard farm. They may have orchard tractors or crawlers: wide width, high HP, & low to the ground. Some lease their machines which means lightly used low hour returns become available at lower cost. A crawler track is more immune to a sudden pothole than a wheeled tractor on a sidehill condition.
Have fun in the search!
Varmintmist
Platinum Member
Thats a lot of grass. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
The bota is just about what you would get if you bought the deere that is already doing the work. You didnt mention a hoe so I assume that that isnt a priority. You would have to add a mower also.
That hill looks steep, but not unmanageable.
Get out there and kick some tires. You will find one you like, but you have to get out there and figure out what will work for you. I dont think that if you want a double duty tractor, less than 30 HP will do you on the rougher side.
The bota is just about what you would get if you bought the deere that is already doing the work. You didnt mention a hoe so I assume that that isnt a priority. You would have to add a mower also.
That hill looks steep, but not unmanageable.
Get out there and kick some tires. You will find one you like, but you have to get out there and figure out what will work for you. I dont think that if you want a double duty tractor, less than 30 HP will do you on the rougher side.
AndyMA
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I just saw this in the classifieds. The price looks good.
Would something like this work, I do I need something bigger?
2004 Kubota bx23 tlb
http://classifieds.tractorbynet.com/ViewItem.php?ItemNum=86749825
)</font>
The BX23, while a very nice little tractor is commomly refered to as a lawn tractor on steroids. For the beautiful, LARGE, piece of property you have, unless you have pretty much all week to get any work done, it would be a waste of time. I stand ny my original recommendation that a 40 - 45 hp CUT or a small Utility tractor would be fine. Also contrary to some opinions, I don't believe a 20 to 25 hp tractor is enough for any serious bush hogging.
Andy
Would something like this work, I do I need something bigger?
2004 Kubota bx23 tlb
http://classifieds.tractorbynet.com/ViewItem.php?ItemNum=86749825
)</font>
The BX23, while a very nice little tractor is commomly refered to as a lawn tractor on steroids. For the beautiful, LARGE, piece of property you have, unless you have pretty much all week to get any work done, it would be a waste of time. I stand ny my original recommendation that a 40 - 45 hp CUT or a small Utility tractor would be fine. Also contrary to some opinions, I don't believe a 20 to 25 hp tractor is enough for any serious bush hogging.
Andy
cowboydoc
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Andy is right. That kubota is no better than the JD. You really need a big CUT or a small utility. You really are just asking for trouble going that small.
MarkV
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Dukenyc, the BX23 you saw in the paper is a sub-cut and is a bit small for what you are going to do. They are fine tractors for smaller properties but ground clearance would be an issue in your woods.
Nice place you bought. I am sure you are looking forward to the move. As you can see there are varied opinions of what the right size tractor is for your needs. I am going to go against the grain and suggest another approach. Looking at the grade and size of your finish yard I’d suggest a dedicated mower like a ZRT. You will get the mowing done much faster; the grade will not be as much of an issue and the lighter machine will be easier on the yard. Five acres is a lot of finish mowing. I know you have a budget and the ZRT’s will be in the 5k range but if you look at the price of a Mid Mount Mower the cost is off set a fair amount.
Mowing trails a few times a year is not that big of deal. I do ours on 32 acres and the folks on 200 acres with a small 21 hp tractor. You may well find yourself in the same situation that many here on the forum have and want to do much more than you plan now after you get on the property. This tractor thing can be addicting. After a while I would be looking at the 35 acre pasture thinking how nice it would look cleaned up and mowed. Maybe get it into hay and lease it out to help off set the tax bill. Or, that big oak that came down back in the woods would be great firewood if I skid it out. The barn floor needs rebuilding and forks on the loader can move material to the barn. Tilling up a garden plot for the veggie garden would be nice. You get the idea; it is hard to tell until you have been there awhile.
I would want a mid-size 4 wheel drive tractor, like the L series Kubota size, with at least 30 PTO hp, loaded tires and a hydrostatic transmission. Mid-size because they are a bit heavier and have a wider stance for stability on your hills. Same reason for 4wd and loaded tires. Thirty PTO hp because it will handle a 6’ rotary mower for making new trails and reclaiming overgrown areas if you ever want to. Hydrostatic tranny because you are new to tractors and they are more forgiving on the hills IMO.
Take your time and get to know the local dealers. Check all the brands you can find locally and keep your eyes open for a good used deal. Read as much as you can here to get a feel for what others have learned. Keep in mind that tractors will last much longer than auto’s so this will be a long term purchase if you get the right one the first time.
It has been fun spending your money, we do that real well here. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif When you get your tractor take it slow at first, use your seat belt and keep the loader close to the ground. Things can happen real fast on hills.
MarkV
Nice place you bought. I am sure you are looking forward to the move. As you can see there are varied opinions of what the right size tractor is for your needs. I am going to go against the grain and suggest another approach. Looking at the grade and size of your finish yard I’d suggest a dedicated mower like a ZRT. You will get the mowing done much faster; the grade will not be as much of an issue and the lighter machine will be easier on the yard. Five acres is a lot of finish mowing. I know you have a budget and the ZRT’s will be in the 5k range but if you look at the price of a Mid Mount Mower the cost is off set a fair amount.
Mowing trails a few times a year is not that big of deal. I do ours on 32 acres and the folks on 200 acres with a small 21 hp tractor. You may well find yourself in the same situation that many here on the forum have and want to do much more than you plan now after you get on the property. This tractor thing can be addicting. After a while I would be looking at the 35 acre pasture thinking how nice it would look cleaned up and mowed. Maybe get it into hay and lease it out to help off set the tax bill. Or, that big oak that came down back in the woods would be great firewood if I skid it out. The barn floor needs rebuilding and forks on the loader can move material to the barn. Tilling up a garden plot for the veggie garden would be nice. You get the idea; it is hard to tell until you have been there awhile.
I would want a mid-size 4 wheel drive tractor, like the L series Kubota size, with at least 30 PTO hp, loaded tires and a hydrostatic transmission. Mid-size because they are a bit heavier and have a wider stance for stability on your hills. Same reason for 4wd and loaded tires. Thirty PTO hp because it will handle a 6’ rotary mower for making new trails and reclaiming overgrown areas if you ever want to. Hydrostatic tranny because you are new to tractors and they are more forgiving on the hills IMO.
Take your time and get to know the local dealers. Check all the brands you can find locally and keep your eyes open for a good used deal. Read as much as you can here to get a feel for what others have learned. Keep in mind that tractors will last much longer than auto’s so this will be a long term purchase if you get the right one the first time.
It has been fun spending your money, we do that real well here. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif When you get your tractor take it slow at first, use your seat belt and keep the loader close to the ground. Things can happen real fast on hills.
MarkV
