Need help deciding what my first tractor should be

[MultiMow]

I can DEFINITELY agree with you on the inflated prices of both new and used equipment in our neck of the woods. I live about an hour and a half away in Wytheville... and you hit the nail on the head.

There deals to be had for a short drive and a trailer. I've found numerous deals in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina... basically anywhere but Virginia.

I don't really understand why, either.

I'm a bit different from most folks around here, though. For the size of the investment and money saved... I'll gladly take a weekend and a trailer, and take a road trip with the kids and wife.

This year alone, we've made purchases in Alabama and Jersey.

With regard to handling the small trees you don't intend to keep... I'm having difficulty understanding exactly what you mean by "handling them". Are you wanting to push/pull/uproot them, then fill/grade the holes with the loader?

 

[zachm24]

With regard to handling the small trees you don't intend to keep... I'm having difficulty understanding exactly what you mean by "handling them". Are you wanting to push/pull/uproot them, then fill/grade the holes with the loader?

That's the idea. Basically eradicate and remove any evidence that they ever existed. There are a few areas that, with the removal of a small handful of those trees, I can have space for food plots or even a garden of my own, in addition to a pole barn for the tractor and equipment. Nice to hear from someone relatively local. I have actually been eyeing some deals folks have gotten that included a tractor and a trailer. I don't have a trailer, which is another decent investment. But if I can find a package deal like that, it would be great. Got plenty of truck to pull it with a 14 Tundra. Just need the trailer and something to put on it lol

 

[gladehound]

That's the idea. Basically eradicate and remove any evidence that they ever existed. There are a few areas that, with the removal of a small handful of those trees, I can have space for food plots or even a garden of my own, in addition to a pole barn for the tractor and equipment. Nice to hear from someone relatively local. I have actually been eyeing some deals folks have gotten that included a tractor and a trailer. I don't have a trailer, which is another decent investment. But if I can find a package deal like that, it would be great. Got plenty of truck to pull it with a 14 Tundra. Just need the trailer and something to put on it lol

Regarding the small tree removal. I was surprised how this worked out with my first tractor.

My 19hp tractor (same weigh as modern 25-30hp CUT) could push over may trees in the 6-8 inch diameter range because the trunk was ridged enough to pop the root ball out. However, for smaller trees, the trunk would just bend and the roots would not come out. The loader was not strong enough to pull out most smaller trees with a strap so it didn't work well for that.

Then I got the 45hp tractor and this one seems to be able to cleanly remove about any tree (within reason) because it can pull the flexible ones straight out with a strap. it can push over most that are <12 in diameter and pop the root ball up. And it has enough loader to dig up a root ball trees too big to push over using a narrow stump bucket - sure a back hoe or better yet excavator would be a better for this but for the occasional stump it will get it done.

I'm not actually sure how much loader is required to rip out the small trees that you have. On my property, 1600 pounds breakout force with a pinned bucket was not enough for 3-5 inch trees. 3800 pounds breakout force is plenty but I usually remove the attachment and strap directly to the SSQA mount. I can't tell you where between those two is just enough. With forks you can pop out nice size root balls very quickly. Push the tree over then put forks under the ball. lift and dump at the same time to pry the ball out of the ground. In about a minute you've completely removed a fairly good size tree.

 

[MultiMow]

Here's the part where I'd say either rent a piece of equipment to do the heavy work... or buy a used used excavator now and make $1,000 on it in the spring

 

[zachm24]

Luckily,in the event the FEL proves to be inadequate to take care of the trees, there are not very many that need to be taken down. Most of what I need out of the way is the overgrowth and saplings. As always, appreciate the advice fellas.