New Guy Looking to Pop Tractor Cherry

[bobbyspaghetti]

Just wanted to introduce myself and give some background. I live in Fort Saint John BC Canada and recently bought 10 acres without any kind of mechanical horespower. Now with all the snow it seems like something is required. I am shopping for a tractor now and just wanted to make sure I get the right one for my needs. I am not new to forums and frequent them a fair bit with my other hobbies. I am 28 years old and a complete newby to tractors but have decent mechanical knowledge. I am a power engineer and work as the operations coordinator at a crygenics gas liquids extraction plant. Any way that's me.

Just hoping to pick up some more real world information for the purchase, usage and mainteance of a tractor. I need something to move the large ammounts of snow we receive where I live and cut the lawn which is for the most part 85% of the 10 acres. The driveway is gravel and equates to 2 acres as that number came off neighbors 10 acres. And just to make things clear there is absolutly no way I will be listening to any country music even after I buy a tractor, it just wont happen.

But yes hello tractorers? tractorites? farm implement enthusiasts?

 

[joshuabardwell]

8.5 acres of lawn?! Wow. That's a lot of mowing. You mean, like finished lawn, or just cleared pasture?

 

[DT86]

And just to make things clear there is absolutly no way I will be listening to any country music even after I buy a tractor, it just wont happen.

That's OK, I'm not aware of any requirements to listen to country music, marry your cousin or chew Levi Garret just because you bought (or buy) a tractor.

 

[bobbyspaghetti]

Yeah no that is just lawn. I like to have a little room to run around. Good to hear about the country music too. I don't think I could do it.

 

[murphy1244]

:welcome:

 

[plowindeeper]

Didn't think a cabbed tractor would run without country music playing. What brand of tractor do you have in mind.

 

[murphy1244]

That's a lot of grass, You need more mower than tractor.

 

[whistlepig]

I have about 8 acres of lawn. I mow it a 6' RFM on the tractor. Takes about 5 hours to mow. I use a FEL to remove snow. My tractor has chains on the rear. You get a bit more snow than we would. Some of us do like big yards.

 

[mguitas]

:welcome:

 

[bobbyspaghetti]

I have my eye on a Kioti CK35 with cab with 120 hrs on it. I am still unsure and want to make sure I get the right one for my needs. But I think I am in the right place.

 

[murphy1244]

A DK 35 with cab and front snowblower.

 

[DT86]

Didn't think a cabbed tractor would run without country music playing.

I can show you several!

This new "country" is just teeny bopper crap with some mention of God, trucks, fishin and/or Walmart with a little steel guitar or fiddle. (Aaron Lewis, Jamey Johnson and a very few excluded)

I listen to every thing from Aerosmith to Radiohead to Warren G. As far as I know I've never broken down because of it.

 

[k0ua]

The Kioti might be a good choice..But I am a little biased I used to mow 7 acres with a 5 foot RFM and it worked well. If you have a lot of trees to mow around, Then I would recommend Hydrostat. If not then gear would be fine.. But I am a Hydrostat lover for loader work also. I am pretty sure the radio's in the cabs will do just about any kind of music.
Welcome to the forum by the way..:thumbsup:

James K0UA

 

[EMB5530]

Lots to mow between???
Can you use a brush mower or are you wanting a finish mower?

Just wondering if a DK 35 will be big enough if you are wanting a larger brush cutter?

Only trying to give you things to think about.

Good luck in your searching.

 

[bobbyspaghetti]

Yeah I appreciate the questions I have no idea what a brush mower is I assume a more rugged mower. My area is pretty much like fair way type lawn. I just want it to look nice when I am done. I

 

[EMB5530]

So a finish mower behind or maybe a belly mower.
Are you wanting a front end loader (fel) or just a way to move snow, be it a snow blower(more expensive) or blade(less expensive). These are all things to think about.

 

[joshuabardwell]

A brush mower is designed for fast, rough cutting of un-finished pasture. It can cut off woody shrubs and saplings up to maybe 2-3". The quality of its cut on lawns is vastly inferior to finish mowers, and scalping can be a problem, as they typically don't come with anti-scalp rollers, but some people do use them for lawn maintenance. Given your expectations for "fairway like lawn," I don't think you'd be happy with a brush mower.

Brush mowers are often called bush-hogs, although that's technically a brand name.

 

[bobbyspaghetti]

Yeah I will definatly get a FEL in fact that's a must have. I am thinking a blower as we get some pretty big snow piles and may run into issues of where to put it. My driveway is really weird the start of it is a right of way as it services two properties and borders two other properties. Whoever subdivided the lots was creative. And I agree the finishing mower I beleive is the way to go as well as I currently mow the lawn with a husqvarna ride'em mower and what ever it can handle I am sure the tow behind should be. There is not too many obstacles really I have a pond, lagoon, a few out buildings along the tree line but I would quite likely keep the ride'em for the proximity stuff.

After reading another thread I am questioning what the CK 35 with industrial tires plus added weight of the cab option will due to lawn. Last year was pretty dry and most years are here and ground does seem quite hard. I did drive all over it last year with 1/2 ton trucks as well as the moving cube van when we moved in. I am just trying to think of everything.

 

[joshuabardwell]

The CK35 comes in around 3000 lbs, which is more or less the same as my CT225. I have R4 (industrial) tires on it. I would hesitate to use it as a full-time mowing machine, especially if I had a nice lawn. If the ground is wet, it will leave scuffs--no question. I just don't use it if it's been raining, if I can possibly avoid it. If the ground is dry, you might get away with it, although I still see the marks if I make repeated trips over the same area. Given how much of your work is going to be mowing, you might consider getting turf tires. Some people say that chains on turf tires are actually better than R4 (industrial) or R1 (agriculture) tires. You may end up giving up a little in loader capacity due to the lower weight rating of the front tires (ask your dealer), but it'll probably be worth it for you.

Frankly, I think that 3000 lbs is about the upper limit of what one should consider for a mowing machine, but I would defer to others who are more experienced for final opinion there. If I was going to be bush-hogging or haying pasture, that'd be another story.

Whether you go with a belly mower or a three-point rear finish mower is a question you should consider. The belly mower is easier to get into tight areas and maneuver around, but a three-point mower is going to be a winner in a lot of other ways.

 

[kensnelling]

Welcome from Oklahoma.

Ken