What implements?

[Joemac8]

I have decided to let emotion rule over logic and am getting a JD 3039R. I have 20 acres in northern Wisc that is mostly wooded with my home and garage and about an acre of grass. The road through my property is a large loop that is blacktop and probably 1/4 mile long. A problem I have is encroachment on my road by brush and saplings. I want a tractor to cut grass and brush as well as have a FEL. Now understand, I am an old fart and my use of a tractor has an expiration date. I do however, have a daughter that has several horses and will be buying a place in the next few years to board horses and grow some hay. This is the real reason the Warden is at last, agreeing with buying a tractor.

I have a quote for a JD 3039R along with an H165 loader, a 60D auto connect center mower, and a Frontier RC2060 lift type rotary mower. I also am getting the iMatch quick hitch. Now to the questions:

Is the Frontier RD2060 just a glorified grass cutter? Will it cut brush and saplings that are 1 1/2" diameter? Obviously I don't need two mowers. Will implements from other manufacturers hook up to my iMatch or 3 point hitch, or did JD make it so you can only use their branded implements?

 

[JK22]

That looks like it should chew through brush just fine. Looks to be a legitimate brush hog. I would ditch the center mower unless you need to mow tight spaces around the house. Put that money toward a ballast box or real blade or.... something more useful.

 

[motownbrowne]

I'd agree about ditching the mid mount mower (MMM). Should be able to buy a cheap riding mower to do an acre of grass. Either that or a rear finish mower (RFM) from Craigslist.

 

[JK22]

Or just hit the grass with the brush hog. It won't be the prettiest cut, but who cares... is it landscaped grass or just native grasses?

 

[Joemac8]

Or just hit the grass with the brush hog. It won't be the prettiest cut, but who cares... is it landscaped grass or just native grasses?

It is just native grass. I thought it too long to cut grass in and out and around trees, but maybe I'm overthinking everything.

 

[nybirdman]

I would skip the MMM and purchase a regular lawn mower(about the same money).The bush-hog will take care of all your rough cutting.Most impements will fit on to the three point(they don't need to be Green);I Match I don't know much about.

 

[JK22]

It is just native grass. I thought it too long to cut grass in and out and around trees, but maybe I'm overthinking everything.

Hard to say without seeing the property. If area is too tight, then I might go ahead and get the MMM. Riding mower might be a fine alternative to a MMM, but takes up more room than a MMM, which you can build a shelf and slide it under. I built a shelf that I can store my MMM under, then two shelfs above for my bucket or grapple and plow (one FEL implement stays on the machine). I didn't have the room for a bush hog, but if I did, I would be using a bush hog to mow.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I have decided to let emotion rule over logic and am getting a JD 3039R. I have 20 acres in northern Wisc that is mostly wooded with my home and garage and about an acre of grass. The road through my property is a large loop that is blacktop and probably 1/4 mile long. A problem I have is encroachment on my road by brush and saplings. I want a tractor to cut grass and brush as well as have a FEL. Now understand, I am an old fart and my use of a tractor has an expiration date. I do however, have a daughter that has several horses and will be buying a place in the next few years to board horses and grow some hay. This is the real reason the Warden is at last, agreeing with buying a tractor.

I have a quote for a JD 3039R along with an H165 loader, a 60D auto connect center mower, and a Frontier RC2060 lift type rotary mower. I also am getting the iMatch quick hitch. Now to the questions:

Is the Frontier RD2060 just a glorified grass cutter? Will it cut brush and saplings that are 1 1/2" diameter? Obviously I don't need two mowers. Will implements from other manufacturers hook up to my iMatch or 3 point hitch, or did JD make it so you can only use their branded implements?

Consider a Woods cutter. I rarely hear of anybody complaining about Woods cutters. Woods cutters have a decent rear bumper for bending material over and making it into bits. The equivalent Woods cutter is a BB60X, and the next step up to a much heavier cutter is the BB600X. Whatever cutter you get, spend the extra money on chains for deflectors. Chains add extra material to the bumpers for bending material over without damaging the backend of the cutter as well as doing a good job of deflecting material. These brush cutters do a good enough job at rough-cutting tall grass.

Skip the belly mower for a nice zero turn (unless you have hills) and consider a suspension seat on the mower for a nice, plush ride.

A rake is better than a blade at surface grading of roads if your driveway is gravel.

A grapple is a very good thing for material handling

Pallet forks.

iMatch is the same thing as a Quick Hitch. SpeeCo makes a good quick hitch as do many others.

Something you have not mentioned that I think is better than buttered bread on a tractor is a hydraulic top link for the three point.

 

[Fastball]

I'm new to working with a tractor as well...and I'd sell my granny for a grapple and bush hog.

 

[WVH1977]

Agree on the grapple. Ditch the MMM and get a grapple right off the bat. Especially since you said it is mostly wooded. It will pay for itself in a year or less.

 

[boggen]

will say also get a 2nd unit for just finishing mowing.

the 39HP tractor. tad big, heavy, perhaps not as sharp in cornering, to pull a finishing mower for 1 acre. it can be done. but... you will sacrifice for say turf tires or R4 tires for tractor just to mow 1 acre lawn. vs getting say R1 / agriculture tires. that will more likely keep you going in the woods were mud and ruts will be.

if it was say a smaller tractor 30HP or less. it might be a different story of getting a belly mower / MMM (mid mount mower).

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tractor, CAB, FEL, 3pt hitch backhoe with subframe, tend to be your big ticket items and can be cheaper buying on same sales receipt. these items also tend to be more tractor specific.

anything 3pt hitch = get third party and most likely cheaper and better.

with above said. grapple for the FEL. or 4in 1 bucket. for the FEL. might be advised and i am with the others grapple might be worth it for you.

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you mentioned horses. if you are needing to deal with larger round bails. to stacking bails, to dealing with pallet stuff on/off trailer. you need to pay attention to FEL lift capacity. so you can toss a set of forks on the FEL.

if you are actually pulling a baler (square to round baler), then your HP at the PTO can drive you up to a bigger tractor.

if you are feeding with large round bails. and not stacking them. then a 3pt hitch bail spike might be wanted. and if case double check lift capacity of 3pt hitch.

if you are just boarding horses. and buying straw, hay, feed from a third party, and just doing maintenance work on property (mowing tall weeds, cleaning up torn up pasture, fixing fence, etc...) nice tractor you have selected.

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i am with and against quick connects for 3pt hitch.

the upside down U shape quick connects. you are more than likely needing to cut and re-weld connections on 3pt hitch stuff you get. to work with the quick attach upside down U (there is a few brands out there of upside down U, beyond JD imatch) it is just one of them things.

telescopic lower lift arms and/or pats easy hitch can be nice, still a little work in/out of tractor to get hooked up. but can give you some extra play room when you do not backup correctly to implement. hooking up to implements best suited on concrete / paved driveway, or like. but once they start sinking into rock driveway or mud. you can be in trouble. partial reason i favor the telescopic lower lift arms.

pending on size/weight of rotatory cutter (bush hog lamen terms), you may need to take off quick connect on 3pt hitch. just so tractor can lift the unit when ya down in the mud and trying to get the tail wheel/s up and out.

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adding to above about rotatory cutter.

rotatory cutters can cut down descent size saplings, but they do not do it the best at times. and may just shred the bark off, leaving a gluey sappy mess, with sharp edges a couple inches high off the ground (nice tripping hazard / tire puncture weapon). if you can, get a cheap chain saw - chains. and cut what you can right off at the ground. and just deal with eating up your cheap chains by running them into the dirt.

a light weight rotatory cutter will get lots of bangs, dings, bent up (the deck will) fallen limbs to rocks. can eat the deck up. along with rocks.

make sure you have your "check chains" and "sway bar/chains" in place on 3pt hitch.
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with FEL (front end loader) on tractor you will need rear ballast of some sort.

many folks go with fluid filled rear tires. but also either connect to a 3pt hitch rear blade, 3pt box blade, or 3pt hitch weight box. so they can maximize FEL usage. and get the correct counter balance weight on tractor. a 3pt rotatory cutter. is well heavy and more to the point sticks way out in back. and will love to hit things.

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Wisconsin = snow.
any sort of rear blade, snow plow, snow blower, even FEL general duty bucket. you are most likely going to want some sort of "gauge wheels" or "sled feet" or something. to help keep the cutting edge just a little bit above your paved driveway, so you are not scratching it up and dining it up all over the place.

other words pay attention to implements/attachments you are buying. to see if they have something for snow plus dealing with paved driveway

 

[MESSMAKER]

Consider a Woods cutter. I rarely hear of anybody complaining about Woods cutters. Woods cutters have a decent rear bumper for bending material over and making it into bits. The equivalent Woods cutter is a BB60X, and the next step up to a much heavier cutter is the BB600X. Whatever cutter you get, spend the extra money on chains for deflectors. Chains add extra material to the bumpers for bending material over without damaging the backend of the cutter as well as doing a good job of deflecting material. These brush cutters do a good enough job at rough-cutting tall grass.

Skip the belly mower for a nice zero turn (unless you have hills) and consider a suspension seat on the mower for a nice, plush ride.

A rake is better than a blade at surface grading of roads if your driveway is gravel.

A grapple is a very good thing for material handling

Pallet forks.

iMatch is the same thing as a Quick Hitch. SpeeCo makes a good quick hitch as do many others.

Something you have not mentioned that I think is better than buttered bread on a tractor is a hydraulic top link for the three point.

Woods is a good cutter but might be overkill. A Woods cutter sells at a premium, and for good reason. After you cut your property a few times, you will mainly be cutting grass. Most any cutter will work then, It has been my experience that the h.d. cutter do not have the best cut quality. Most any cutter should last you 10-15 years.

 

[TheMan419]

Woods is a good cutter but might be overkill. A Woods cutter sells at a premium, and for good reason. After you cut your property a few times, you will mainly be cutting grass. Most any cutter will work then, It has been my experience that the h.d. cutter do not have the best cut quality. Most any cutter should last you 10-15 years.

I hired out the first cutting for this reason. Then bought a lighter duty cutter to maintain.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Woods is a good cutter but might be overkill. A Woods cutter sells at a premium, and for good reason. After you cut your property a few times, you will mainly be cutting grass. Most any cutter will work then, It has been my experience that the h.d. cutter do not have the best cut quality. Most any cutter should last you 10-15 years.

A BB60X is $1900 new, and a low of $500 used. TractorHouse.com | WOODS BB6� For Sale - 47 Listings - Page 1.

A BB600X is $995 used. TractorHouse.com | WOODS BB6�� For Sale - 2 Listings - Page 1.

The design hasn't changed.

Cut quality wise, I leave dull, beat-up blades on my cutter because dull blades shred material so it is less likely to try and grow back. However, heavier cutters cut grass just as well as the lighter cutters when they have sharp blades.