Torn between buying an SA324 and a YT235

[STxGardener]

Do you have other uses for the tractor?

A 35hp tractor will have a DPF emissions system. I imagine it will also lift more dirt in the bucket if that's a concern.

A 25hp tractor may be able to run a 5' rotary cutter where 35hp may be able to run 6' in the same conditions.

I'm probably going to use it for gardening and moving dirt around. I might have other light duty uses on occasion but not much more than what I have mentioned. I ive on an acre on a salt water bay and have some fill work to do to replace eroded dirt near the bulkhead and a low area between the county road and my fence line to keep the area from flooding. So the dirt moving will be substantial but I think that the SA324 will likely be able to keep up with the workload.

 

[2manyrocks]

Are there muddy/marshy areas where you could get stuck?

 

[STxGardener]

Do you have other uses for the tractor?

A 35hp tractor will have a DPF emissions system. I imagine it will also lift more dirt in the bucket if that's a concern.

A 25hp tractor may be able to run a 5' rotary cutter where 35hp may be able to run 6' in the same conditions.

edit: how do you plan to cultivate your garden after the plants start growing?

I plow my garden with the tractor in the spring, but use a Troy Bilt walk behind tiller for cultivation myself. I have other uses for the tractor, but I couldn't justify owning a tractor if all I did with it was to plow the garden once in the spring.

I would be cultivating the old fashioned way, with a hoe, picking vegetables by hand, and a little brow sweat The watering will be a drip irrigation system. I will also get some pallet forks to move things around from time to time. If I were lots younger I wouldn't even be thinking of a tractor but it's a nice luxury for an old guy and having a way to till the soil two to three times per year would be a huge plus and is the main reason that I started thinking about buying a small tractor.

 

[2manyrocks]

My wife grew up growing a garden using raised rows which are a lot of manual work if you don't have a machine to make them. There may be an attachment for the tiller that will make them or you can buy a 3pt hiller attachment if you want to do raised rows with the tractor. The 3pt attachment can also plow the furrow for planting while making the raised row which saves a lot of manual work.

 

[STxGardener]

Are there muddy/marshy areas where you could get stuck?

I guess that it is possible that would get stuck but for the most part I am pretty sure that 4wd would keep me from gating stuck.

 

[STxGardener]

My wife grew up growing a garden using raised rows which are a lot of manual work if you don't have a machine to make them. There may be an attachment for the tiller that will make them or you can buy a 3pt hiller attachment if you want to do raised rows with the tractor. The 3pt attachment can also plow the furrow for planting while making the raised row which saves a lot of manual work.

That's a very good idea. Raised rows would be ideal for many kinds of plants. I'll look into that. Thanks.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Have you considered the SA425? That'll keep you at 25 horsepower, be around the same weight at the SA325 but it will give you a little more clearance. Kind of an in-between.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Oh, keep in mind the SA use a proprietary QA for their loaders, the YT use SSQA; that makes a difference for some folks.

 

[STxGardener]

Have you considered the SA425? That'll keep you at 25 horsepower, be around the same weight at the SA325 but it will give you a little more clearance. Kind of an in-between.

I didn't have a need for extra clearance so I started looking at the SA324 model. I think that I will save the extra bucks and settle on the SA324. I believe that it will get the job done.

 

[Helogabals]

That's a very good idea. Raised rows would be ideal for many kinds of plants. I'll look into that. Thanks.

Here you have to do a lot of math

think about distance between wheels and wheels width.

here a picture that I stole from an online store

You have to understand, how big rows you can do and how big gap will be between rows
If that fits to your concept - SA will be great machine