new or used tractor for farm?

[Farmwithjunk]

Farm & Sound,

I wonder if the we should be focussing on how much HP he needs to do what he wants. I have a 35 hp Century CUT that is 4wd and it's too small for my acerage. I bought it brand new without a FEL for just under $11,000.

If I was looking for a tractor to do what he wants, I'd want another ten HP. I think that a 45 HP tractor in 4wd will be able to do just about everything he's listed and do it well. It won't handle a batwing mower, but it will hanldle a 6 foot shredder just fine with power to spare. After then, most impliments will work with less power, but the bigger shredders are what he needs power and size to handle.

The next qestion would be how big a disk he can pull with that sized tractor. Again, my 35hp tractor pulls my 5 foot disk easy. I wanted a 6 foot, but found the deal on the smaller one that was too good to pass. I'd think that with 45 hp, he could pull an 8 foot disk if he wanted to spend the money for it. A 6 foot would do the job too, but just take a little longer.

If the HP is right, then he needs to think about what brand. That realy should be based on his budget and what dealers are close to him that he feels are reliable and honest.

Again, just my opinion based on what he's asked and what I think will do the best job for what he needs to do.

Eddie

If it was me starting off with that acreage and having one tractor, I'd want 60 to 75 hp with more consideration to PTO loads than drawbar. Tractors in that size range, be it a 2wd or 4wd could handle "bigger" implements but still be capable of doing "small" chore tractor work. By using it on one parcel of land, "transportability" isn't a major consideration. 60/75Hp class tractors will be stout enough to handle round bales, both on a loader or on the 3-point hitch. Ability to handle 10' bush hog would be a reasonable expectation. If a hay baler ever enters the picture, that'll be more than adaquate HP. Hydraulic function and hp will handle a haybine.

60 to 75 hp in 2wd trim could easily handle 10' to 12' disc, 4wd could go bigger, or at the very least, pull that size easier/faster/more fuel efficient.

For a few years I tried using a bigger tractor (110 hp) that required a complete set of equipment that WASN'T compatable with my smaller tractors. I did better with 45 to 75 hp that could share implements.

Thinking to the future, I'd stay above 45 hp as an absolute minimum for a first tractor on 140 acres, albiet more than 1/2 wooded.

I started with just under 190 acres. First tractor (still here) is 47 hp. Next was 40 (w/loader), followed shortly by 67 (all pto hp) I had my "more power" phase @ 110 hp. After 35 years of trial and error, I ended up with 47, 40, and 60. (all 2wds) They seem to offer the ability to do anything I need done.

 

[sandman2234]

The amount of mower you buy is delegated by the horsepower of the tractor you buy. A ten or twelve foot mower can eat up a lot more grass/brush than a 5 or 6 footer. The time you save mowing will come in very handy for other chores!
Moving round bales around requires a tractor with some weight. Try it with a smaller one that you scrimped on to get 4x4 and your liable to find how what we are talking about.
My first tractor was a small 4x4 and I really loved having 4wd. However, the amount of work that the Ag tractor I have now can do is many times over the smaller 4x4 capacity.
If I had my choice, between a 45 hp 4x4 machine and a 70 hp Ag tractor, I would stay with the larger 2wd machine, just for the hp.
David from jax

 

[Soundguy]

Ditto on that mowing and time. I get 4 days off a month. A while back i was mowing with a newish 33hp tractor and 5' mower. all said an done.. i was eating about 6 hrs to mow, once or 2x per month. I decided instead of getting a 6' mower and dropping a few minutes I'd move right on up. All total it cost me about 12000$ plus my newish 33hp tractor to get into a 95 hp newish tractor and 10' mower... add another 2000$ the next year and I got a beat up 15' mower that I revived. It now takes me 1hr 45 m to mow.. and I vcen let it go the full month if I want.. the big mower and big (2wd ) tractor eat it up and spit it out.

For me it was a 'time' decision, and the extra time off was worth the money ( for some it will not be this way ).

Soundguy

 

[dgl24087]

For what it's worth, a good, experienced operator can do as much, likely more, with a 2wd tractor than a novice with 4wd, and not get the 2wd stuck whereas the novice can stick a 4wd. Most farmers, new and old, around me still operate 2wd tractors, preferring to invest in HP over 4wd. I'm a 2wd guy myself, but I don't have a loader, primary use is mowing and brush hogging. My tractor is used in swampy conditions, level, dry ground, and hills. Never have had a problem. It's a 45 PTO HP JD 1530 Ag tractor, 200 lbs. of weight on the front and filled 16.9x28 rear R-1's. Total weight of the tractor with ballast is about 6200 lbs. It will handle a 7' brush hog, although I'm using a 6'. I've knocked 6 acres out in about 2 1/2 hours on slightly hilled, rolling fields.

 

[Keith_B]

The reality is that for the things this gentleman plans to do, coupled with his budget, he can either purchase a 40-50 HP 2wd or a 35-40 HP 4wd. I've not seen any of the uses mentioned where there would be any real advantage to to getting the extra 5 or so HP and not the 4wd.

The foodplots and other work are going to be done easily with either machine, often times with the same size implement.

There is nothing he wants to do that can't be done with the 2wd. At the same time if loader work is being done life is much easier if you have a 4wd when doing that loader work.

I'd have to recommend against a used tractor if you aren't real handy at doing your own repairs. Old tractors are always in need of repairs, things wear out. With a new one you will have a warranty and since you probably aren't going to be a high hour user the tractor should last for years with just basic care and maintenance.