Tractor Sizing Subcompact with Backhoe, or Compact without.

[skipperbrown]

What about expanding your budget a little bit and getting a B model with a hoe? The gain in ground clearance, ease of hooking up implements, ride, etc., cannot be overemphasized. If you go with a bx, a belly plate MUST be part of your initial purchase to protect your tranny fan.

 

[ShenandoahBolens]

What about expanding your budget a little bit and getting a B model with a hoe? The gain in ground clearance, ease of hooking up implements, ride, etc., cannot be overemphasized. If you go with a bx, a belly plate MUST be part of your initial purchase to protect your tranny fan.

What's a good price on say a b2301 tlb? I'm having a harder time getting pricing on those

 

[Diggin It]

You may be able to get an XJ or MT2 series within your budget:

XJ Series – LS Tractor USA

MT2 Series – LS Tractor USA

 

[DMW]

Stump size is not an issue. All it takes is time. The GC is the same size as the BX.
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/massey-ferguson-owning-operating/132330-stumpin-w-2410-a.html?highlight=stump

 

[fried1765]

What about expanding your budget a little bit and getting a B model with a hoe? The gain in ground clearance, ease of hooking up implements, ride, etc., cannot be overemphasized. If you go with a bx, a belly plate MUST be part of your initial purchase to protect your tranny fan.

^^^^^YUP!!

 

[Diggin It]

It would help a lot to know how many trees and how big.

He doesn't really say how many, but ...

I can't see myself trying anything over 6-8".

I want it to be useful for the majority of my clearing which is Trees less than 6" diameter. Mostly cherry, walnut, and Autumn Olive. Some Osage Orange mixed in, but I don't expect to buy a machine that can handle that.

 

[SenileTexasAggie]

Mr. ShanandoahBolens,

For what it is worth, I have been cutting down trees and digging up stumps around my pastures for almost 2 years. (I have 160 acres, 80 acres pasture and 80 acres wooded.) I have a stump bucket that attaches to my FEL to dig up the stumps. When I had a lot of work to do that may have been done by a backhoe, I instead rented a mini-excavator from Home Depot for a week for $1000. I used it to dig out the ditches around my property, as I had some really wet pastures caused by poor drainage. I got everything done in less than a week. Do you think you could get everything dug up on your acreage in a week's time? The nice thing about a mini-excavator is that it is easier to move from one spot to the next than it is with a tractor and backhoe. Plus, you have to take the backhoe off every time you want to mow with your tractor. I suspect that if you buy a backhoe you will use it quite a bit and then after that not much at all.

But take this from someone who has never owned a backhoe. Many folks on this forum love them, as best as I can tell.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[ShenandoahBolens]

Been there, done that 42 years ago. Clear your housing plot, build the house and worry about the backhoe and new tractor question later.





It would help a lot to know how many trees and how big. I have a John Deere 790 (3005) with a backhoe, and I wouldn't want to go any smaller for tree stump work. As to buying one later, don't count on it. After a few years, there's a good chance that you won't be able to buy a new one. Used ones don't come up very often. Then what is the condition of the used one? Does it come with the subframe and brackets? What does it cost? When is it located? Just don't count on the used market. Few owners are going to separate their BH from their tractor.

I've got about 1.5-2 acres left with mixed forest. I intend to clear everything smaller than 8 inches and some larger than that to make a nice park-like setting. I'd say somewhere in the ballpark of 2-300 small trees to be cleared.

 

[Diggin It]

I'd say somewhere in the ballpark of 2-300 small trees to be cleared.

OK, that changes things, unless you have no timetable and allow this to take a few months (or longer) to accomplish.

 

[ShenandoahBolens]

OK, that changes things, unless you have no timetable and allow this to take a few months (or longer) to accomplish.

I wouldn't mind if it took a couple years to develop. I'm pretty patient. I don't intend to move anymore, so this place is going to be a lifelong exercise in landscaping.