What class of tractor for maintaining two miles of road at higher elevation?

[jyoutz]

I have a 200+ acre ranch (6,800ft above sea level) with a few miles of single lane gravel road that needs to be maintained. Under the gravel, the soil is silty clay, and the topography involves some mild grades along with some short steep hills. The main road is mostly well built with culverts to prevent any major washouts. Last year we didn't need to plow any snow (1-2" storms) but previous years we've been dumped on with back to back 10" storms. I guess a normal year would be plowing 6-7 storms that were over 6".
Aside from maintaining the roads, the tractor would be used for moving water/hay around the ranch, re-doing some of the older dirt roads on the property (they are in OK condition, but the brush keeps growing up between the tire tracks which scrapes the bottom of my truck). We burn about 8-10 cords of wood a year, so moving wood around would be another use. I'd also like to use the tractor to build/maintain a few jumps on the property. Not a full motocross track, just a few jumps in the 15-30ft range. We're not farming anything on this land, just grazing some cattle.

I remember going deep down the rabbit hole, of which tractor/implements to buy, when we first purchased the ranch a few years back. Now I want to revisit the topic since I've had some time to get a feel for the place and what our use case would be.

IIRC, I thought a utility, or compact utility tractor with a TURBO diesel engine (due to our 6,800ft elevation) would be a good idea? Is that what you guys would recommend or am I way off base here? Something in the 40-60hp range with some decent weight (7,000lbs or more)?

Budget would be about $30-35K for a lightly used tractor with a loader and land plane etc. Might bump that up another $5-10K to get a cab (everything in my three sided barn gets coated in silt in the spring!).

I live in the pinyons at 6,850’ elevation. I have been very satisfied with my Kubota MX6000 with filled tires and my 1025# 8’ blade (angle, offset, and tilt functionality). With loader, filled tires and the blade, it weighs approximately 7,000#. A Kubota M series would maybe even suit you better (or equivalent other brands).

 

[dodge man]

I think you can get by with a 40hp tractor but I agree with others, look bigger.

 

[WM75Guy]

My 2019 NH Workmaster 75 has been a solid tractor. Has 60 HP PTO and lifts 2500#. Tractorhouse has used machines with cabs for less than $40K. The newest model came out in 2019. Has a turbo and uses DOC/EGR, so no regen cycle or DPF to worry about.

 

[airbiscuit]

I have a 200+ acre ranch (6,800ft above sea level) with a few miles of single lane gravel road that needs to be maintained. Under the gravel, the soil is silty clay, and the topography involves some mild grades along with some short steep hills. The main road is mostly well built with culverts to prevent any major washouts. Last year we didn't need to plow any snow (1-2" storms) but previous years we've been dumped on with back to back 10" storms. I guess a normal year would be plowing 6-7 storms that were over 6".
Aside from maintaining the roads, the tractor would be used for moving water/hay around the ranch, re-doing some of the older dirt roads on the property (they are in OK condition, but the brush keeps growing up between the tire tracks which scrapes the bottom of my truck). We burn about 8-10 cords of wood a year, so moving wood around would be another use. I'd also like to use the tractor to build/maintain a few jumps on the property. Not a full motocross track, just a few jumps in the 15-30ft range. We're not farming anything on this land, just grazing some cattle.

I remember going deep down the rabbit hole, of which tractor/implements to buy, when we first purchased the ranch a few years back. Now I want to revisit the topic since I've had some time to get a feel for the place and what our use case would be.

IIRC, I thought a utility, or compact utility tractor with a TURBO diesel engine (due to our 6,800ft elevation) would be a good idea? Is that what you guys would recommend or am I way off base here? Something in the 40-60hp range with some decent weight (7,000lbs or more)?

Budget would be about $30-35K for a lightly used tractor with a loader and land plane etc. Might bump that up another $5-10K to get a cab (everything in my three sided barn gets coated in silt in the spring!).

So, based on your user name, are you in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, or Utah?

 

[In.the.Piñons]

Thanks for all the suggestions, much appreciated!

To answer your questions, I'm in western CO and I have no prior experience with tractors/heavy equipment (I used to drive a diesel pusher MH, but I don't think that counts!).

I will take a closer look at the utility tractors that have been recommended along with the industrial grade tractors from Case etc.

What is considered reasonable hours on such machines? Just glancing at utility tractors in my price range, I see most have 1-3,000 hours on them. That seems like a lot! What kind of annual repair/maintenance costs should I expect with an older tractor, outside of normal diesel fuel and oil/filter changes? If it's basic stuff I will try to do the work myself. I don't see myself putting more than 100-150 hours a year on a tractor, but I'm just guessing.

I'm not sure what my local dealers are selling - haven't gotten that far in my research. Right now I just want to do some window shopping to find out what the reals cost to own/operate are going to be.

Right now I have a grazing lease with a local rancher, who grazes his cattle during the summer months. But who knows what the future holds. Seems like a tractor will come in very handy no matter what we end up doing with the land, but then again it might be cheaper to continue to outsource the road maintenance and get a skid steer to move dirt/wood/water totes. around. Using a shovel and a gas powered track-barrow is slow, laborious work!

 

[airbiscuit]

If a CUT is well taken care of, I wouldn't be concerned with 3,000 - 4,000 hours - for a Utility/Industrial model 6,000 - 7,000 hours .

 

[paulsharvey]

Only real guide line I've seen; wad a county I worked for; and their replacement schedule; which was 150,000 for pickups and passenger vehicles; diesel equipment less than 60hp, was 4000 hours; 60-150 was 6000 hours; and above 150hp was 12,000 hours. That doesn't mean it was used up, but that was their target before replacement.


I think their think was, at those hours, you over the top of the repair bell curve, and it still had decent resale value.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I started looking at used L3800 size tractors, but I'm SO glad I got an M6040 (with a cab) instead.

Much less land, but that's almost irrelevant to me. The M6040 can do things the L3800 my girlfriend bought a bit later could only dream about.

Yet, that's the one I use most frequently since it's quick and nimble, and the 7,500' altitude doesn't seem to bother it.

If I could only have one there's no discussion. The M6040 with it's heavy 9' 3-way Bison blade (and other larger attachments) is the obvious choice to me.

I don't think you'd regret buying "too much" tractor, and it's easy enough to add a small one later for the little stuff, if you feel like it.

 

[jyoutz]

I started looking at used L3800 size tractors, but I'm SO glad I got an M6040 (with a cab) instead.

Much less land, but that's almost irrelevant to me. The M6040 can do things the L3800 my girlfriend bought a bit later could only dream about.

Yet, that's the one I use most frequently since it's quick and nimble, and the 7,500' altitude doesn't seem to bother it.

If I could only have one there's no discussion. The M6040 with it's heavy 9' 3-way Bison blade (and other larger attachments) is the obvious choice to me.

I don't think you'd regret buying "too much" tractor, and it's easy enough to add a small one later for the little stuff, if you feel like it.

I have that same heavy 3 way Bison blade on the 8’ size. It’s fantastic and heavy enough to do the job. I’ve been using it manually, but just got some remotes installed, so I’ve ordered hydraulic cylinders for the blade.

 

[AnotherBueller]

I agree with you on turbo.
Tractor size: are you sure that 60 - 80 hp is right? As your skills increase so does mission creep. At 200 acres you can justify a larger tractor. This puts you into the volume market (around here 90- 120 hp is the volume market) with much more choice at your budget.
NOTE have the dealer put the rear tyres to maximum width for stability before delivery. (Ag rims are 2 piece for adjustability)
Re the track maintenance, a back blade the same width or slightly wider is best. If you have a blade that is narrower then I suggest a bar bolted to the blade is a cheap way to get the width to blade a track. When blading your gravel road a tail wheel is mandatory to avoid putting corrigations into your road. Also SMALL corrections! Big corrections = stuffup.

Yes some wheels on the behind the rear blade are godsend to get rid of washboards in your road as is a top and tilt kit so you cn adjust the angle of the cut (how aggressive it cuts) and the side to side tilt so you can restore / maintain the crown of your roads. Got mine from Fit Rite Hyd. He's a member here.