Tractor Sizing Recommendations on size of tractor

[welyell]

Hi All - Looking for recommendations on the size (not brand) of tractor with FEL and BH I need. I have a 2 acre parcel in a rural area that has some semi-steep slopes (barely manage the mowing with a 26HP Kubota riding mower). The tractor will be used for:

- Initial project is 600 feet of drainage trenching, some of which will go down 5-6 feet
- Installation of a 70'x40' sloped bank pond, up to 6' deep
- Mowing (do not want a mid-mount mower)
- Shrub/Bush transplanting
- Light grading work, leveling out areas with new topsoil vice digging/dragging out high spots
- Might do some terracing on the sloped areas
- Waterline maintenance (500 feet of underground line)

I live on an island in Puget Sound Washington, so snow is not a "normal" consideration for tractor work. Being on an island, equipment rental prices and fuel prices are extremely high, so no, I don't want to rent an excavator for the dirt work. Soil conditions are about 2-3 feet of topsoil over alternating layers of hard-pan and rock/sand (glacial till).

 

[majorwager]

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OP

You will receive differing opinions but small tractor backhoes are woefully inefficient at the depths you have indicated. The larger backhoe designed for the 50+ hp compacts deliver better results. The tractors with integral BH's will deliver better performance but not certain if any manufactures other than Kubota offer them? Excavating for a pond, even a sloped bank design is very ambitious for small machines. Many folks would become discouraged by the dedicated time allotment necessary to embark upon that project. The bank must contain substantial amount of clay to be impervious to seepage.

Do you have significant experience operating a BH? Would consider that a true asset. I have a 10 ft BH that mounts on a 50 hp utility and I would perform the drainage ditching but moving the material necessary to construct the pond would be a bridge too far. I have substantial # of BH operating hours on my current machine and a deere 310 TLB. Tractor BH's are NOT agile on slopes.

 

[jeff9366]

If you have plenty of "free" time to sit in the tractor seat and operate a subcompact tractor is ample for two acres.

While you are not looking for brand recommendations Kubota makes the only subcompact tractor with an INTEGRATED Backhoe, the BX23S.

Six feet is the max reach for a subcompact Backhoe, but doable.

VIDEOS: The ONLY BX that gets a backhoe - WHY IS IT ONLY 23 HORSEPOWER? - TMT - YouTube

How to Operate a Kubota BT6�2 Backhoe & Product Overview | Messick's - YouTube

*NEW* Kubota BX23s BT6�3 Backhoe removal - YouTube




The next heavier INTEGRATED TLB is the B26.

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


If you are on Whidbey Island there is an itinerant tractor repair man who travels Whidbey servicing almost all tractor brands. He has a good reputation.

 

[welyell]

If you have plenty of "free" time to sit in the tractor seat and operate a subcompact tractor is ample for two acres.

I've looked at the sub-compact tractors and felt they would be adequate for "most" of my tasks, but I didn't think the weight of the tractor would be enough for me to punch the backhoe through the layers of hard-pan I need to dig through. Also, I was worried about them bogging down when it came to mowing up the slopes... I'm located on Vashon.

 

[majorwager]

OP
This link to Rock Crawler's slope mowing video is informative, he also posted an extensive TBN thread. His you tube channel discusses the BH experience w/ his machine as well.

Kubota B265 with Land Pride FDR2572 in steep slope. - YouTube


Jeffy,

DO YOU personally have any seat time experience operating any of the BH's for which you offer advice? No response?, take that as a no!

 

[jeff9366]

The B26 is quite a bit heavier, tougher and more capable than the BX26S at a higher price. With 4-post ROPS/FOPS may not enter a garage with 84" height.

8'+ Backhoe reach.

LINK: https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/default-source/brochure-sheets/b26tlb.pdf?sfvrsn=25d83402_4

 

[welyell]

The B26 is quite a bit heavier, tougher and more capable than the BX26S at a higher price.

The B2650 was one of the ones I've been reading up on. I really liked the B3350 specs, but then read about the DPF regen issues specific to this model and it seems the issue still exists on the current product. I really like the specs on the Kubota L4701, but I think it would be a nightmare trying to maneuver something like that for mowing on 2 acres... Since I'm retired, the "speed" of completing my projects isn't a concern

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

...Kubota makes the only subcompact tractor with an INTEGRATED Backhoe, the BX23S.

No. It is the only Kubota model with an integrated backhoe. Other brands also have the backhoe support integral to the framing.

OP said he didn't want brand recommendations.

 

[majorwager]

I mow my lawn and field headlands w/ an MX, and it is very maneuverable , however it isn't really designed as a slope mower. Is all of your property sloped?

Geotech,
OP is island bound, possibly few contracting option? However do agree that the backhoe option is expensive, and spends most of its' time sitting idle.

The other issue, noted above, is when projects become too ambitious for the owner, these projects are abandoned or contracted out after exhaustive attempts by inexperienced folks tackling difficult tasks.

 

[Geotech]

I can't imagine needing anything more than a subcompact tractor on a 2 acre tract. I'd hire out the dirt work and save on the backhoe. How often do you think you will need to re-excavate your water line?

 

[WVH1977]

One thing you are definitely going to get on this site is opinions/experience. Some good, some not so good. I know you stated you are not interested in renting equipment. However, you are going to find that the amount of digging you want to do is going to be very difficult, if not downright frustrating with a small tractor/backhoe on your property with slopes. Have you thought about buying a small mini-ex? You could use it until all of your major jobs are finished and then sell it. After that, get your permanent tractor.

 

[welyell]

I can't imagine needing anything more than a subcompact tractor on a 2 acre tract. I'd hire out the dirt work and save on the backhoe. How often do you think you will need to re-excavate your water line?

Contracting out requires someone with more money than I have As an example, the last time I had a waterline leak, to dig up 10 feet to find the actual leaking section, repair the leak and bury it back again was $3K. So for 3 more occurrences, the backhoe would pay for itself. The pond would be a 4-6 year project, digging it deeper as time goes on. Even if I line it or till in clay, it would still be dry between mid July and end of September. My part year stream dry's up in late June and usually doesn't start running again until mid/late September. I plan on shaping it with only a 1 foot depth the first year, then digging it deeper during consecutive years. The only purpose for the pond is to attract migratory birds.

 

[welyell]

OP
This link to Rock Crawler's slope mowing video is informative, he also posted an extensive TBN thread. His you tube channel discusses the BH experience w/ his machine as well.

I had seen this video before, but this time I noticed there was a "Part 2" video also. He took off his FEL, then everything worked fine. I don't have anything as steep as he was mowing and there is no need for any "cross-hill" mowing for me.

 

[airbiscuit]

An SCUT would work if you have more time than money, but the next size up (i.e. Kubota B series or John Deere 2xxx series) might be a more suitable size for your short term and longer term needs.

 

[sd455dan]

One thing you are definitely going to get on this site is opinions/experience. Some good, some not so good. I know you stated you are not interested in renting equipment. However, you are going to find that the amount of digging you want to do is going to be very difficult, if not downright frustrating with a small tractor/backhoe on your property with slopes. Have you thought about buying a small mini-ex? You could use it until all of your major jobs are finished and then sell it. After that, get your permanent tractor.

^^^ That is what I would recommend to (buying a good used mini EX) with front blade and buy a small cut/scut for every thing else later

Sell the Mini EX when everything is done- for most of what was paid for it.

 

[ning]

For that pond you're talking at least 400 yards of dirt moved. Do you know how high the water table is? Are there any springs in the area? I ask because trying to dig out a pond a bit each year "when it's dry" could be problematic of it's never really really dry. I strongly suggest you look into getting something someone with a big dozer to do it all in one shot, even if you do the other dirt with gradually this pond may not get dug in your lifetime if there are only a couple months of dry time on the surface...

 

[welyell]

For that pond you're talking at least 400 yards of dirt moved. Do you know how high the water table is? Are there any springs in the area? I ask because trying to dig out a pond a bit each year "when it's dry" could be problematic of it's never really really dry. I strongly suggest you look into getting something someone with a big dozer to do it all in one shot, even if you do the other dirt with gradually this pond may not get dug in your lifetime if there are only a couple months of dry time on the surface...

I dug a test hole down to a 4' depth by hand (only 4' as I couldn't break through the second layer of hard-pan) in the lowest spot and it was dry as a bone in early July this year. The only water I have coming into that area is via a part year stream. When it rained, that layer of hard-pan held the water until it evaporated, so that might become the bottom of the pond, which would make the pond about 5' deep on average.

 

[airbiscuit]

Having a toothbar on your bucket will definitely help your digging.

 

[ViperDriver]

We just ended up with a 40HP compact with a FEL, BH, bush hog and some forks. We too have some digging to do for a new house - drainage, septic, trenching for underground cable for electrical and fiber optic, etc. Feel the BH will pay for itself.

We took the BH off for the first time and it was RIDICULOUSLY easy - so I can't see a downside to having one when you need it - other than the space it consumes in the shop. I completely get the "buy it / own it / do it yourself" instead of paying some folks to do it - with unemployment like it is - this stuff is getting amazingly expensive.

However, we also have 15 acres. You might need something this size - but that's not all that much property to need anything particularly large.

 

[4570Man]

I’d take on a earth moving project with my CTL over my buddies 50 series mini excavator any day. The tooth bucket on the CTL digs like a beast and the mini sucks for moving dirt farther than it’s swing. If you have the 20k or so you were planning on spending and weren’t financing a used piece of construction equipment would get you a lot farther.