Thinking of buying my first tractor. TC26DA or TC34DA??

jbrumberg · Dec 31, 2006

kumichou said:
I too am a NE Ohio member (Hiram area) and new to the forum. I'm also looking at either a TC26DA or a TC34DA. I have a 4 acre lot that I want to mow, along with putting in a decent sized vegetable garden, installing drain tile in the back of the lot and eventually building a 30'x40' workshop. Widening the gravel driveway is also on the list of things to do. I also would like to get a FEL for moving ground, gravel & mulch.

As for a mower, I'm looking at getting a rear mounted finish mower after reading about MMMs. Anyone have opinions of going with a multi-blade finish mower versus a flail (hammer-knife) mower to cut their lawn?

The lot was part of a farm, so the ground can be soft in parts when it's wet. Will turf tires really make a huge difference over the R4s? I'm not looking for my lawn to look like a golf course, but I'd like to not tear things up too badly & make mud patches.

For putting in the vegetable garden, is it worth the extra expense of investing in a 3pt rototiller versus using a 2 bottom plow & disc?

kumichou: Welcome to TBN

! Plows and disc's work best for long garden "runs" and you really can not turn with them when ground engaged. I have had PTO driven tillers for 20+ years. They provide a degree of "control" that plows and disc's cannot- you can "spot" till an area with a tiller without moving forward, etc. Jay

wild4nature · Jan 1, 2007

kimochu,

You should go with the TC34. The 26 is too small. I have the R4 tires and they can do some damage to the lawn if you run the tractor on it when wet. I've got quite a bit of mud in the side yard when I am currently moving dirt from one spot to another. The ground is wet and soft and there's no way to go through there wuithout the tires digging in.

I'm glad I went with the R4 tires. I think I would have been stuck in the mud with the turf tires.

Greg (wild4Nature)

wild4nature · Jan 1, 2007

dateacher,

I'm thinking about getting a front mounted dozer / plow blade. I think it will be useful for pushing snow and moving dirt to help get it graded. I have a rear box scraper, but that's not going to push the snow to the side like my Meyers plow on the truck does.

I think you are right to hold off on modifying your set up for snow. It doesn't seem to be a big problem this year.

Greg (wild4nature)

dqdave1 · Jan 1, 2007

I have a TC 29 in Newton Falls, Oh. I use a tiller and it works great. I have a MMM and it does a good job. I also have a 7308 FEL. I have loaded turfs. I also have a woods backhoe. Turfs will spin in mud and do not compare to R-4 tires but since I bought this TC 29 in 1999, It has not been stuck to the point of being pulled out. Might have needed the FEL or backhoe but it came out. Turfs are good if you are going to do alot of mowing.

Doc_Bob · Jan 1, 2007

wild4nature said:
kimochu,

I'm glad I went with the R4 tires. I think I would have been stuck in the mud with the turf tires.

Greg (wild4Nature)

Agreed, I have turfs on my lawn tractor. I need chains in mud.
Bob

Oleozz · Jan 2, 2007

For seven years I used nothing but loaded turf tires and a FEL for moving snow on my driveway. Worked very well, I had a rear mounted snow blade on the back but never used it. When I sold the tractor on ebay the plow went with it.

wild4nature · Jan 2, 2007

oleozz,

Well if we would ever get any snow I might be able to find out. Unusually warm this year.

Not that I'm complaining. I'm enjoying the mild winter.

Greg