Which Cab tractor?

[cowboydoc]

What size baler do you have? With a cab figure you are going to lose at least 10hp to the cab. If you've got a baler that is requiring 60 or 70 hp you are going to be underpowered. Also if you are used to the power of the 4020 you are also going to be in for a rude awakening going down that much in hp and expecting it to be a back-up tractor for the 4020. 30 or 40 hp is a huge amount that you are talking about. I would look seriously at least in the 80hp range if you are truly looking for a backup tractor to the 4020.

Also 300 acres is ALOT of ground to expect that small of a tractor to perform on. That's asking alot of a small utility tractor. How many rounds are you putting up? On 300 acres I would assume you are doing 3000 plus bales a year. You need some pretty heavy duty equipment to accomplish that task.

 

[cowboydoc]

One other thing is if you are doing that much ground you are going to need a good dealer. Make sure you have a dealer close and that they have an excellent parts dept.

 

[Wannafish]

Cowboy Doc,
When I said backup tractor, I meant the 4020 could be the backup if something happened to the new one with hay down. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[cowboydoc]

My bad. I went back and I read it wrong. I would still seriously consider a bigger tractor for that much ground haying.

 

[rtimgray]

The fella that does our hay baling and rolling and does a lot more for himself and others uses an old International 560, which I think is around 60 hp and 6000 lbs. He uses an older New Holland roller (can't remember the model - maybe like a 426 or something, but I may be way off...anyway). I think the rolls are in the 1200-1500 pound range. He has no problems and takes this tricycle tractor and roller on hills that I would just as soon not walk on. I would say that any of the tractors that you are looking at would do the job, and I would (of course, being a Kioti owner) lean towards the Kioti.

Having said that, I would also agree with Cowboydoc that it will be quite a step down in power from the 4020 and that more horsepower to roll 300 acres+ wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Unfortunately, Kioti stops at 65 (or at least that is as big as they import for now), so that would drop it from the race.

Good luck with your search.

 

[Wannafish]

Keep the replies coming. They're great. A lot of good information out here, and I appreciate all of it.

 

[art]

Did the Kubota 6800 have the hydraulic shuttle?

 

[motorjock]

Prices must be high up there. I got a quote for a TN75D 4wd 16x16 trans w/loader for $33,500 in the Dallas, Texas area. Was there something special about that $38,000 quote

 

[Wannafish]

Motorjock,
That's the same price I was quoted without the cab. Maybe I need to come down there and drive it home to Michigan. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Wannafish]

art,
Yes it did.