New member tractor advice

[wolc123]

I hp per acre is a pretty good rule of thumb. I’d be looking in the 60-80 hp range. I’d also be looking at pre-tier 4 used models. Unless you are south of the Mason Dixon line, I’d skip the cab.

Open field mowing under a big canopy, is very comfortable for me, even under the hot summer sun. I am up north, near the Canadian border. The motion of the tractor always makes a nice breeze and the canopy keeps me in the shade.

Something like 3020 John Deere would be about right, as would a Ford 5000. Those would be 2wd and without loaders. They were both good dependable tractors and are easy to find parts for. There are still lots of them around so it should be easy to find one in good shape for a decent price.

If you think that you need a 4 wd with a loader, your going to have to spend a lot more money (probably at least 2x). If mowing is your primary task then I see no need for 4wd.

 

[Saucymynx]

And be realistic about your travel speed. 5 mph might seem like you’re passing along but in a rough field, it will beat the crap out of you and your equipment. I have decently smooth hayfields, and I am most comfortable at 4 mph and that’s on a 10,000 pound hundred horsepower tractor.

 

[milkman636]

I maintained 25 acres of fields for a decade using an early 70's Ford 2000 with a 5' Woods rotary cutter that was bought used. The tractor was cheap, easy to maintain, and purred right along puling the 5' cutter. Just set your height, pick a gear, and mow. It's smaller size was also an asset for trail maintenance in the adjoining woods. Since I was primarily just keeping fields from turning into woods, I could work around my schedule and pick the days and weather I wanted to mow. The little open station tractor gave me plenty of opportunity to get to know every inch of the property.

From that first tractor I bumped up to a 2WD, 53 hp, gear-driven, John Deere 5210 utility tractor with a removeable loader. I ran that tractor for another decade doing the same things with a 6' mower. The Deere was much more robust and made things better. Plus, a loader really is a game changing attachment. And I think a lightly used 5000 series Deere with around 55 hp and a loader might be just the ticket for you too. There still appears to be a decent selection of pre-Tier 4 machines available on the market.

 

[jeff9366]

There still appears to be a decent selection of pre-Tier 4 machines available on the market.


Stricter Tier IV off-road diesel engine emission reduction standards phased in dealer tractor inventory during 2009 - 2012, impacting tractor prices.

Tier IV emission standards require tractor manufacturers to add or revise pollution reduction technology on new tractors generating over 19 kW power = 25.4794 horsepower.

DPF is used by the majority of tractor manufactures for emissions control on OVER 24.4794 horsepower tractors.

Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) captures exhaust particulates (soot) in a ceramic matrix. When tractor engine runs sufficiently hot, accumulated particulates burn off periodically without operator intervention. If engine is not run continuously hot long enough to burn off particulates, diesel soot accumulates in the matrix. Once heavy soot accumulates in DPF the tractor forces soot clearance with the tractor parked and throttle open to about 2,200 rpm for about sixteen minutes, which makes the DPF REALLY HOT to burn off all accumulated soot. Burning off accumulated soot, either during operation or parked is called REGENERATION.

The pollutants emitted by a Tier IV technology tractor are about 1% of the pollutants emitted by a pre-Tier IV tractor.

 

[Mike1955]

I don't really want to drop a ton of money given the low amount of work required but it seems like I would need 50hp but I'm not sure.


A 50-horseower tractor will satisfactorily operate a 72" Rotary Cutter.

A 72" Rotary Cutter mowing at 4 mph over smooth fields will cut 2-1/2 acres per hour.

60 acres / 2.5 acres per hour = 24 hours of tractor time.

80 acres / 2.5 acres per hour = 32 hours of tractor time.



I suggest you consider a previously owned 100-horsepower open station tractor operating a previously owned 144" wide, twin spindle Rotary Cutter.

You will discover where ground dwelling bees live on your land.

Front-End Loader - I Want To Add a Loader (FEL) To My Existing Tractor.......

dmizesr New member Hello friends. I'm new here and I have a couple of questions. I just bought 3.5 acres in Missouri and I'm looking at a 1985 Satoh S650G Bison. It has 6166 hours, inline 4, 3 point hitch, runs well according to the seller, and it's $2750. So, 1) is that a good deal? and 2) Is...

www.tractorbynet.com

I totally agree. HP to spare is a very good thing. I pull a 10 foot woods bush hog wire a 79 1080 Massey and it doesn’t know it’s back there. 7500 dollar tractor 4000 bush hog.

 

[RHanna]

Lots of good info, appreciate the help. It's just hard to zero in on a tractor when there are 30-40 years worth and several brands. It isn't like car shopping where the possible options aren't as plentiful.

It might be a good idea for me to hire someone with a skid steer mulcher for the 2 fields that are bad. It's about 6-7 acres so not a huge part of the total. Those 2 fields have always been difficult to get to because of the creek washing out culverts all the time. Dad was planning on dropping riprap and crossing that way.

Cab would be nice more for the hornets/bees/yellow jackets. Of course A/C would be nice and keeping the dust out would be nice. The only concern would be how reliable is the A/C. If that went out it would be worse than not having a cab to begin with.

I don't think I would want to go with a bat wing or huge bush hog. Maybe something like 8-10 ft.
I think 2wd is sufficient.

I do have a couple of cousins and their dad that are farmers in the same county. I'm not ready to pull the trigger yet. It's just my nature to research the crap out of everything before purchasing. I would like to have them look over any possible purchase. I know they know a ton but I don't really want to bother them right now. I'm sure they are really busy.

 

[RHanna]

There still appears to be a decent selection of pre-Tier 4 machines available on the market.


Stricter Tier IV off-road diesel engine emission reduction standards phased in dealer tractor inventory during 2009 - 2012, impacting tractor prices. The pollutants emitted by a Tier IV technology tractor are about 1% of the pollutants emitted by a pre-Tier IV tractor.

Tier IV emission standards require tractor manufacturers to add or revise pollution reduction technology on new tractors generating over 19 kW power = 25.4794 horsepower.

DPF is used by the majority of tractor manufactures for emissions control on OVER 24.4794 horsepower tractors.

Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) captures exhaust particulates (soot) in a ceramic matrix. When tractor engine runs sufficiently hot, accumulated particulates burn off periodically without operator intervention. If engine is not run continuously hot long enough to burn off particulates, diesel soot accumulates in the matrix. Once heavy soot accumulates in DPF the tractor forces soot clearance with the tractor parked and throttle open to about 2,200 rpm for about sixteen minutes, which makes the DPF REALLY HOT to burn off all accumulated soot. Burning off accumulated soot, either during operation or parked is called REGENERATION.

Good info, I saw some people talking about not wanting a regen motor. I had no idea what they are talking about. So a DPF system just complicates the tractor and that's why most try to stay clear? I guess I wouldn't really care either way but would rather have a more reliable tractor.

 

[rockinbbar]

Good info, I saw some people talking about not wanting a regen motor. I had no idea what they are talking about. So a DPF system just complicates the tractor and that's why most try to stay clear? I guess I wouldn't really care either way but would rather have a more reliable tractor.

Mahindra tractors don't have the DPF that I know of. I think their engine design just burns hotter all the time to clear particulates. But it doesn't regen.

 

[jeff9366]

So a DPF system just complicates the tractor and that's why most try to stay clear? I guess I wouldn't really care either way but would rather have a more reliable tractor..

The last new pre-Tier IV tractors were sold in 2012.

Tractor sales have continued to increase since 2012.

With redesigned Tier IV engines tractors usually gain 3 - 4 horsepower.

Most buying NEW Tier IV equipment have few complaints.

Used anything can be problem prone due to lack of previous-operator attention to periodic maintenance, especially with Tier IV paraphernalia.

 

[TractorTYMe]

I have a TYM T474 HST with a cab (48.3Hp), I now have 405h on it, never had a regen request. When you work them hard enough they will do passive regen. Here I got it with my 6' JD LX 6 rotary brush cutter.


LX6