The Whole Ball of Wax

Sweethavens · May 5, 2003

I'd appreciate the sage advice from the experienced folks who post here. I own an old private air field. Three runways atop a rolling mountain with hundreds of fir trees used as windbreaks, planted back in 1930. About 40 acres to cut, mostly field grass, if I choose to cut it all. Here's my questions:
Would a New Holland be as dependable as a Green or an Orange? When we compare these three brands, are we talking Ford vs. Chevy vs. Chrysler, or are we talking Ford vs. Honda vs BMW?

Would a new NH TC30 be strong enough for the largest RFM of, say an 84" width? What brands RFM are the best for the money or which ones would you not suggest? Do the new tractors need calcium in the rear tires? And lastly, before I go to the dealer, what would you gents say the best price is for a TC30 with FEL and RFM go for these days?

Thank you all very much for your help.

frank_f15 · May 5, 2003

welcome aboard. to ans just a few of your questions the new holland is , fine. whether or not it is any better than the others is a matter of opinion. 40 acres to mow? how often and what type of ground? use a 24 hp to pull a 5 ft. rfm. no problem. if u are going to do that much mowing just make sure u get a heavy duty one. i like BEFCO mowers.

Gary_in_Indiana · May 6, 2003

John Deere, Kubota and New Holland are pretty much the 'Big Three' of compact utility tractors. I'm not even sure that makes them the best three, much less which one is best overall or best for you (they may not be the same thing).

I narrowed my search to those three when I was looking pretty much just to narrow my search. I started with a predisposition toward Kubota because their local dealer has been in business going on three generations and I really like them. Of course, as luck would have it, when I drove a Kubota I found their rocker style hydro pedal very uncomfortable to use so had to eliminate the Kubota. I then looked at Deere and New Holland. I didn't like the Deere dealer and I didn't think the New Holland dealer would be around very long (six months later they were closed).

I then opted to go with something used to eliminate warranty (and a lot of money) from the picture. I finally ended up buying a used Deere I found privately, but only after the Kubota dealer told me if I didn't buy it at the deal I found, he would be happy to. He also assured me he'd be happy to do service work if I needed it even though it wasn't orange. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

My only advice is to try all three of them out and find out if one of them is more or less comfortable for you. Then find a dealer you like and with whom you feel comfortable. If you're going to buy new, the dealer is going to be as important as the color you end up buying. As I said, I ended up with green and am happy with it but wouldn't say it's "better" than either of the others. It was just better for me at the time.

Good luck with whichever you choose. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Anonymous Poster · May 6, 2003

are we talking Ford vs. Chevy vs. Chrysler, or are we talking Ford vs. Honda vs BMW?

More like Toyota vs. Nissan vs. Honda since they are all of Japanese desent.
Ken.

DocHeb · May 6, 2003

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Would a new NH TC30 be strong enough for the largest RFM of, say an 84" width? )</font>

According to the New Holland Web Page and the TC30 Specs, they recommend a 60 or 72" Rear Finish Mower for the TC30. To get into the 84" mowers, you'll need the larger Class III tractors (TC35, TC40, or TC45)

John_Mc · May 8, 2003

The TC30 will handle a 72" mower without a problem. I think the horsepower is a little light for an 84" mower.

If you are just mowing, there is no reason to fill the tires. That's generally only needed for extra traction when pulling ground engaging equiment or for ballast when using the FEL. (Some also add it for greater stability on hills, but I wouldn't imagine those types of hills are anything you'd see on a grass airstrip... at least not one where I'd consider landing!)

Is your private airfield on the New York sectional chart? I was curious and pulled out my aviation charts and see a few grass stips in the Binghampton area...

John Mc