What should I be looking for?

[GabeTX]

Hello,

I recently moved onto a place with 4 pie-shaped acres (from an apartment). There are almost no landscape features--the ground is pretty flat (maybe a 1 foot variation over the entire length of the lot?), except for a drainage ditch along the front. There are no trees (a couple small 1-2" stumps), and there's not really a lawn. Just short brush that the previous owner kept mowed. There's a ~120' gravel driveway.

Here's what I'd like to do:
<ul type="square">[*]Mow it.
[*]Maintain the driveway.
[*]Install a dog-safe perimiter fence (I'm looking at high-tensile on treated wood posts)
[*]If possible, maintain the bulk of the property with a denser and more consistent groundcover then what's on it (not a full-blown manicured lawn--is "pasture" the word I'm looking for? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)
[/list]

My budget for power equipment is around $5k. Does anyone have any recommendations? I've considered everything from getting a riding-mower from a big-box and paying someone to do the non-mowing tasks, to a grey market with a few attachments (auger, rough-cut mower and tiller?). I don't have any experience with this kind of stuff, so any advice is welcome.

The small grey-market tractor route is the most tempting, because the money I'd save by not having to rent a powered auger for the fence would almost make up the difference between it and a new riding mower. My biggest concerns are safety--am I correct in thinking that the lack of a ROPS won't be as big a deal because the property is so flat?--and being able to find parts for it.

Some specific questions:
<ul type="square">[*]If I go the small tractor route, how small a tractor can I get away with?
[*]Are there any guidelines on how to size a rough cut mower to a given tractor--for example, could a 20 HP tractor pull a 5' mower over relatively short brush?
[*]What about augers? Can pretty much any compact tractor run one?
[*]What implements would I need to maintain the driveway?
[*]What implements would I need to turn the brush in back into something a little more organized?
[*]Is it possible to do some/all of this for what I'm budgeting?
[/list]

Thanks!

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

I would get a Ford 8N. As a mater of fact, I did. You should be able to get a good one for 2500 or so. Add a 5ft brush hog and you can mow. Add an angle blade or box blade for the drive.

 

[JayC]

I wouldn't worry about the lack of ROPS on a grey market machine. If you got a lawn tractor from a box store it wouldn't have a ROPS either.

You might want to check out this thread:

Tight budget: Is this even possible?

 

[GabeTX]

I've been following that thread, but his desire for a FEL seems to change things quite a bit. I don't see myself using one--I do need to have a little dirt work done, but it's all near the house and I'm having a pro do that (whatever I end up buying, I'd like to keep it out of my living room /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif). Also, without the FEL, I'm not sure why I'd need 4WD (another big expense)--or am I missing something (likely!)?

 

[JayC]

If you aren't getting a FEL, then you may want to stick with 2wd. 4wd would just mean you would get stuck farther away. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Anywho, I think you should check out some of the links given in that thread. I guess that was my main aim in you seeing it. Check out some of the dealers listed and see what you can come up with. If you are not getting a FEL, I would recommend a rear scoop. They are much less expensive. Also, since you don't want a FEL or 4x4, I think your chances are much better at finding something under 5k. But, are you sure you don't want a FEL? They are the most useful tools to get with a tractor. You will use it for things you didn't think of at first. Is your land quite soft when wet? Since your land is pretty flat and if it isn't muddy, you could probably get away with a 2wd with FEL. Just a thought. Good luck. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[SteveM]

I would only by an antique or grey market tractor if you have the skill and desire to do some mechanical work. Otherwise it could lead to serious frustration.

Anyhow, if it were me (and I have been in similar situations) I would buy an inexpensive, late model used lawn tractor for the finish mowing around obstacles and such. Both an antique or a grey market will not have live PTO or a belly mower, making mowing tricky around the house etc.

So you spend $1,000 on a good slightly used Deere/Cub etc lawn tractor with hydrostatic, 48" mower deck. That leaves 4 grand to buy a 2wd grey market Yanmar, pref. a Yanmar 2000 which is good sized for renting an auger, pulling a cheap 4' brush mower or 5' finish mower, and/or a tiller if you want to do a big garden.

The problem with an 8n Ford in this situation is that the hydraulics are not live, making work with an auger really tough. In addition, the gears are not low enough for a tiller...so it would only really be usefull as a mower tractor....


My two cents /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[GabeTX]

Thanks for the replies!

I'll look into getting a smaller machine for any lawns that I eventually put in. Maybe I'll make it small enough that a push mower would be the best route. I don't have any desire at all for an enormous, manicured lawn.

I hadn't heard the phrase "live pto" before and googled it--didn't know there was such a variety of PTO's out there! Exactly what kind do the commonly available 2WD greys have (e.g., Yanmar 2000, Mitsubishi D2000, etc.)?

Also, you mentioned that an 8N wouldn't be as good at tilling. Presumably the people who bought 8N's way back when used them for more then just mowing, though--did they use some different combination of ground-engaging implements to "till" with? I've heard of plows, harrows, cultivators etc., but don't know what their functional differences would be...

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Also, you mentioned that an 8N wouldn't be as good at tilling. Presumably the people who bought 8N's way back when used them for more then just mowing, though--did they use some different combination of ground-engaging implements to "till" with? I've heard of plows, harrows, cultivators etc., but don't know what their functional differences would be... )</font>

The previous poster was correct in that the 8n was not a good choice for a tiller. It's just geared to high, with only 1 or 2 exceptions. If you had an N with an everet or howard aux tranny.. then it would rototill fine.. however.. I consider those trannies rare.

*n doesn't have live hysd.. but it augers fine anyway.. unless you hook a root.. that is.. the pto has to spin to lift hte 3pt. A NAA/jubliee ( 1953+ ) solves that with live hyds. Also.. it's _very_ easy to make the 8n live hyds with 2 hoses, and a spare power steering pump, and a set of brackets...

The previous poster was not corect about antiques not having live pto's. There are _very_ many examples of live/2 stage pto's and independent pto's on antiques.. Old machines such as oilivers.. fords in 55 ( and even some before! ) and many others. Many times this was through a second hand selectable driveline clutch that clutched the driveline, but let the pto spin with the main clutch engaged. Ford used this method as well as having a (rare) sherman live pto setup that could be used on the 8n and NAA/jubilee. Starting in 55, fords the a 6 as the middle digit had live pto For instance.. my 1955 ford 660 has a 2 stage clutch. Fords with SOS trannies had independent pto.. etc.

Also.. there are many belly mower options for the fords. Hit the following website:
The Smith's site

John smith is well known inthe 8n community. he has a very nic ford lawn mower.. it's his 2nd one if I remember correctly.

All this stuff that we commonly take as 'new' technology was actually used way back when...

I can't comment on what grey models may or may not have live pto. I know a few antique ones that do.. like fordsons.. some dextas and power majors do..e tc. ( english market )

Soundguy

 

[GabeTX]

I appreciate all the replies so far--thanks for the advice.

I still have a couple questions. If they're better suited to another forum, just let me know.

What's the lower end of the HP range I should be looking at? Someone recommended a YM 2000, which is around 24 HP. Would a smaller machine be able to mow and auger? Is it a capability trade off or a time trade off? How big a rough-cut mower could a 24 HP machine drive? How big could the next step down (say, the 20HP range) go? Would either size range work for turning 3 acres of clay soil (with no rock shortgage) into a pasture, or at least something nicer then weeds?

 

[GerardC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How big could the next step down (say, the 20HP range) go? Would either size range work for turning 3 acres of clay soil (with no rock shortgage) into a pasture, or at least something nicer then weeds?)</font>

A 20 HP tractor would be fine. They have more power than one might think.
I'm on about 4 acres, with clay and rock, and have a KIOTI CK20 TLB. It as done everything I asked it to with no problems. Again, I think you'd do fine with a 20 HP tractor. Gerard