New tractor purchase, 30-40k price range, struggling with choice

[swamp monster]

Hi folks,
I appreciate your time and advice. I am torn between a few tractor options in my price range and hope for your thoughts on the choice. My goal is to arrive at the most versatile option, and borrow/rent for the job/s my own tractor can't handle. I realize there is a price to pay for versatility, and that I may not always have the best tool for the job, but my personal preference would be to finesse things for a few more hours/days than take the same time in trip/s to pick up and drop off a rental.

I have a 100 acre timber farm (90% pine, but have transitioned some acreage to black walnut that is proving to grow quite well), alongside 10 acres of mixed fruit and nut trees,*and 2 acre family food plot. Soil is varied throughout, much clay, clay/loam, no rocks. Some hills, 100ft elevation change between one end of property and the other. Nothing extreme but enough to get your attention. And about 20 acres of quite wet swampy areas with trails that need tending/improvement.*
Kubota and John Deere dealers are close at hand and reputable. An hour to 1 1/2 away we have many others, Case, mahindra, kioti, NH.

I have a 40k hard stop budget for the short term, but of course would like to achieve my goals with less
Tasks I need to complete,
-200yd gravel drive maintenance
-Bush hogging logging roads and trails
-rebuilding several long stretches of logging road and trail, torn up by poor water management, both on hillside and in low lying areas, including a few culverts, and several swales.
-3 natural ponds that I hope to redirect water towards, that has not been well managed with poor placement of said logging roads etc
-Regrading along house foundation
-Dragging out the odd fallen tree, I will not be logging myself but will always have use for fallen trees and the odd times I may fell one for some use.
-Assist with building a pole barn and carport, and laying pex water lines and electrical lines either trenching or direct burial with subsoiler.
-Tilling 2 acre family food plot-Spraying and general maintenance for fruit and nut orchard.-other possible*jobs are digging a small pool, digging an underground cistern.
I am most strongly considering a kubota b26 TLB, I like the maneuverability/size and its chassis rigidity. Its at the top of my price range, and may limit the implements I may be able to purchase at the start. My concern is that I may regret not purchasing a tractor with more heft, as there is a fair bit of ground engaging work to be done along the roads etc and clay can be quite stubborn. I feel confident the PTO HP is fine for what I need to do.
I am considering whether a JD 3 series with backhoe could suffice, and leave more funds for implements and the like. Same concerns as above.
I have considered the JD 5D series, it would also top out my price range, and concerned its size would be more of a negative than its lifting capacity etc would be positive. Its turning radius is twice that of the b26tlb. Much of the work is on small trails, and in wooded areas, this would require much clearing to utilize a tractor this size.
and lastly, I've thought much about a skid or better yet a track loader. I have experience working with them and would more than suffice for the earth moving work I plan, but price is hindrance, even used. In my area at least I am hard pressed to find any with reasonable hours for less than 30k. Likewise, it would not suit my needs in regards to attachments, and such would quickly go out of my price range. I feel that I would be better off renting a track loader or excavator if I run into the situation where the above tractors can't handle the work, but I realize asking for versatility may add quite a few hours to my job utilizing the above tractors etc.

 

[fried1765]

Hi folks,
I appreciate your time and advice. I am torn between a few tractor options in my price range and hope for your thoughts on the choice. My goal is to arrive at the most versatile option, and borrow/rent for the job/s my own tractor can't handle. I realize there is a price to pay for versatility, and that I may not always have the best tool for the job, but my personal preference would be to finesse things for a few more hours/days than take the same time in trip/s to pick up and drop off a rental.

I have a 100 acre timber farm (90% pine, but have transitioned some acreage to black walnut that is proving to grow quite well), alongside 10 acres of mixed fruit and nut trees,*and 2 acre family food plot. Soil is varied throughout, much clay, clay/loam, no rocks. Some hills, 100ft elevation change between one end of property and the other. Nothing extreme but enough to get your attention. And about 20 acres of quite wet swampy areas with trails that need tending/improvement.*
Kubota and John Deere dealers are close at hand and reputable. An hour to 1 1/2 away we have many others, Case, mahindra, kioti, NH.

I have a 40k hard stop budget for the short term, but of course would like to achieve my goals with less
Tasks I need to complete,
-200yd gravel drive maintenance
-Bush hogging logging roads and trails
-rebuilding several long stretches of logging road and trail, torn up by poor water management, both on hillside and in low lying areas, including a few culverts, and several swales.
-3 natural ponds that I hope to redirect water towards, that has not been well managed with poor placement of said logging roads etc
-Regrading along house foundation
-Dragging out the odd fallen tree, I will not be logging myself but will always have use for fallen trees and the odd times I may fell one for some use.
-Assist with building a pole barn and carport, and laying pex water lines and electrical lines either trenching or direct burial with subsoiler.
-Tilling 2 acre family food plot-Spraying and general maintenance for fruit and nut orchard.-other possible*jobs are digging a small pool, digging an underground cistern.
I am most strongly considering a kubota b26 TLB, I like the maneuverability/size and its chassis rigidity. Its at the top of my price range, and may limit the implements I may be able to purchase at the start. My concern is that I may regret not purchasing a tractor with more heft, as there is a fair bit of ground engaging work to be done along the roads etc and clay can be quite stubborn. I feel confident the PTO HP is fine for what I need to do.
I am considering whether a JD 3 series with backhoe could suffice, and leave more funds for implements and the like. Same concerns as above.
I have considered the JD 5D series, it would also top out my price range, and concerned its size would be more of a negative than its lifting capacity etc would be positive. Its turning radius is twice that of the b26tlb. Much of the work is on small trails, and in wooded areas, this would require much clearing to utilize a tractor this size.
and lastly, I've thought much about a skid or better yet a track loader. I have experience working with them and would more than suffice for the earth moving work I plan, but price is hindrance, even used. In my area at least I am hard pressed to find any with reasonable hours for less than 30k. Likewise, it would not suit my needs in regards to attachments, and such would quickly go out of my price range. I feel that I would be better off renting a track loader or excavator if I run into the situation where the above tractors can't handle the work, but I realize asking for versatility may add quite a few hours to my job utilizing the above tractors etc.

The B26 TLB is a sweet little machine, but for 100 acres, and the work you describe, it is most certainly...not enough tractor!

 

[3gunr]

I would say 50 or 60 hp minimum 4x4 with loader .Lots of tractors out there to siut your needs. A jd 3 series would not be enough tractor in my opinion. Right now in my area the Jd dealers literally have no tractors on their lots.And i have several large dealers by me. For your size property bigger is better. Even multiple tractors is the way to go . With your budget you could get a smaller used compact and a larger older ag tractor.

 

[jeff9366]

I[ have a 100 acre timber farm.
Includes 10 acres of mixed fruit and nut trees,and 2 acre family food plot.
Some hills, 100ft elevation change between one end of property and the other.

It seems probable you have little or no tractor operating experience.

I feel confident 19 - PTO HP is fine for what I need to do.

A Kubota B26 T-L-B is a nice small rig for those with a Backhoe at the center of their needs. It is a construction machine, not an ag machine.

B26 bare tractor weight is around 2,400 pounds WITHOUT the Backhoe mounted, 54" width.

Downsides: Too narrow for use on slopes. B26 is supplied with an ersatz, minimal Three Point Hitch kit. The ground engaging implements a B26 can pull are puny. In particular a B26 cannot power a heavy duty Rotary Mower weighing 1,100 pounds in 72" size requiring 50 tractor horsepower, which will be essential for a tree farm and orchard. Pretty heavy ground loading on B26 tires. B26 will be bog prone in swamp.

Few here would recommend a B26 or any Kubota 'B' for more than five acres, particularly land with hills.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a new, heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is worse than depreciation on a tractor.

VIDEO: Comparing Kubota TLB series tractors(B26, L47, M62) - YouTube

Includes 20 acres of swampy areas with trails.
Soil is varied throughout, much clay, clay/loam. The clay can be quite stubborn.
Some hills, enough to get your attention.

Consider a Kubota MX without a Backhoe, well within your $40,000 budget. Bare tractor weight of 3,700 pounds, width of 70". Big tires = more float. Larger wheels and tires permit heavier tractors to bridge holes, ruts and tree debris with less operator perturbation. Tractors are inherently unstable. Tractor rear wheel/tire spread, adjustable on the MX, is a critical factor increasing compact tractor stability working sloped or uneven ground. Rear axle is the tractor component on which rear wheels/tires mount. A 6" to 10" wider rear axle substantially decreases tractor rollover potential. Tractor width is an approximation of rear axle width.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Kubota+MX

Kubota BX-B-L-MX-M | What series is right for you? - YouTube

When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR​

Rent a (tracked) mini-excavator when you project backhoe work. Tracked equipment has much lower ground loading than wheeled equipment. Tracked equipment is much more stable than wheeled equipment.

 

[dara1989]

Rent a B26 before you buy. They are nice little machines with a strong backhoe but likely on the small side for what you are doing. A l3560 with hoe will likely be in the same price range and will give you much more tractor.

 

[nybirdman]

Kubota MX series and rent a mini-ex when needed.

 

[jeff9366]

If you enter your LOCATION into your T-B-N PROFILE, so it appears with every post you make, you will receive replies better tailored to your circumstances.

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

At 100 acres in size your proposed tractor size is much too small for the project list.

You need to be in the 50-75 HP class machine IMHO. If it was me I'd be on the search for a used machine to stay in budget range.

 

[oosik]

I have 80 acres. A mile long gravel driveway and live in the "snow belt". My trees are all large ancient Ponderosa pines. I have a 2009( pre tier 4 ) Kubota M6040 - 64 engine hp and turbo charged.

There are times I wish I had a smaller tractor - use in and around tight spaces. There are times I wish I had a larger tractor - large rocks & chunks of pine tree trunk.

So ....... I guess, I hit a fairly happy medium with my Kubota.

Swamp Monster - you will need a larger tractor if you plan on hitting a happy medium. A tractor with 19 PTO hp just isn't going to do it. As a bare minimum - Kubota MX 5 series or larger.

Otherwise - get yourself a good hauling trailer and plan on plenty of rental time.

 

[dodge man]

First off, the size of your property may or may not dictate what you need, it’s your intended uses. A B26 like already said is more a piece of construction equipment, it’s got a much stronger loader and backhoe for its size compared to a tractor with that equipment. I personally am not sure s 3 series John Deere wouldn’t work for you, but might be on the small size. Keep in mind there is no right or wrong answer, but after you have had the tractor a year, you will probably know if it was the right choice.