New property, New (to me) tractor recommendations

auroraproject · Jun 2, 2009

This is probably a question that has been asked a million times, but here I go anyway:

I'm buying a 40 acre piece of property, about 20 of it is steep/hilly fields, the other 20 is very very steep side of a hill and entirely forest. It's at the northern edge of the catskills in New York.

The immediate needs I've identified for a tractor are:
Snow removal (1200 foot driveway, steep, straight for most of it, two sharp turns at the beginning and end)
Finish Mowing (5 acres) - I might have a lawn tractor to take care of this part
Rough Mowing (15 acres)
Carving short (3') terraces out of some of the slopes around the house and pond
Moving Firewood/Rocks for stone walls through narrow passages between trees and terraces.

It seems that the Grand L in the 30hp range fits the bill for this, since it can take the LA745 Loader, Front-mount snow blower, and can run whatever mowers and implements on the 3 pt.

I'm a new operator (I've done forklifts and lawn tractors) so I think I'd prefer a hydrostatic transmission, especially for the FEL work.

Price-wise I think I can only go used. Financing doesn't change the total I can spend (20-25k total including 724 FEL, Front-mount Blower, and bush hog).

Is the 3130/3240, 3430/3540 the right match?
Should I push for a 3430/3540 for the extra HP in basically the same size and weight?

Are these tractors entirely unsuitable for what I have in mind?
Anything I missed?

Thanks

dodge man · Jun 2, 2009

Sounds like you have a good plan and have already done some research. Rather than target an exact model or horsepower, keep your eyes open for the one that is in the best shape for the money. A couple of horsepower one way or the other won't matter that much.

easygo · Jun 2, 2009

You should look at the L3400 (or L4400). It comes with HST and much cheaper then the Grand-L. Basic tractor but very very capable. The only downside is you would not have front blower option. On the other hand you could buy one of those new with an implement or two for the price of a used Grand-L in the 35hp range.

MarkV · Jun 2, 2009

You are planning on a lot of mowing. The 15 acres of rough cut mowing is what I would think about. The rule of thumb is 5 pto hp per foot of mower deck. You want a 6' mower to cover your tracks on that size tractor.

Congratulations on the land purchase.

MarkV

auroraproject · Jun 2, 2009

easygo said:
You should look at the L3400 (or L4400). It comes with HST and much cheaper then the Grand-L. Basic tractor but very very capable. The only downside is you would not have front blower option. On the other hand you could buy one of those new with an implement or two for the price of a used Grand-L in the 35hp range.

Ain't that the truth. I didn't realize the price difference was so much.

Almost 1000 pounds difference.

Erskine makes a front mount blower that hooks up to a rear pto, I just wonder if there is any ground clearance left.

Flatheadyoungin · Jun 2, 2009

i wouldn't rule out any of the big names; JD, kubota, kioti, new holland, etc......

as far as cutting goes, it sounds a lot like mine....i use an 88" flail mower with a TC45..........really pleased with power and size.......of course bigger will mow faster....

i have a zero turn for the 5 acres or so of nice cutting.....

easygo · Jun 5, 2009

In the range you are looking at you should probably get a dedicated lawnmower of some sort. Any of the L or Grand-L's would be heavy for your finished lawn unless you use turfs. I assume you would probably want to go with industrial or Ag tires for your rough mowing and work in the woods. As far as getting the max Hp machine: BIGGER IS NOT BETTER. It depends what you do most. I would size it to fit about 70-80% of my work. If it is a bit too big or bit too small for the rest, you can live with that. That is how I chose a tractor and am not the least disappointed. Remember. A big machine will mow faster, BUT you will have to cut a lot more trees to make a trail in the woods just to get it in there. It will be nearly impossible to do anything on the lawn without major reconstruction. Two of my neighbors also have tractors. One is 27hp the other is 60hp. They log their land together and always use the smaller machine to get away with narrower logging trails. However the 25 or so acres of fields are always taken care of by the big machine with an 8' or 9' flail mower