Which model do I need?

TxHal · Jul 12, 2004

I am looking to purchase my first tractor and it seems that it is going to be either a Kioti or a Mahindra, because price is an issue. I have a 4 acre lot of mostly hard clay with light brush. The lot is flat as a pancake. I want to till/disc the lot, spread sand and dirt, and do quite a bit of landscaping. I also have plans to purchase a lot on a hill which has some steep areas and heavy brush, so I have to keep this in mind as well.

I have no idea what HP I should consider or whether I need 4wd. I am mainly concerned with the model I need as I have both dealers nearby.

Your help is greatly appreciated and I respect your opinions. Thanks, Hal

DiskDoctr · Jul 12, 2004

Hal,

Let's see...

You want FEL, mowing, 3ph for plowing and discing, probably box blade or landscape rake, and brush and hill "capable."

First thing's first. If I'm not mistaken, the Kioti and Mahindra both have the Daedong 3 cyl diesel engine in its xx10 diesel models.

4wd makes a huge difference all around and most can switch to 2wd for tight turns and road travel.

I'm going to jump out and say 3510. It sounds like the same kind of usage I have and that's what I chose.

I wanted adequate hp, large enough FEL to do small digging and moving of materials, big enough to handle our existing 3ph plow, discs, brushhog, etc.

Also wanted to speed up mowing so bought 84" finish mower, new 72" Box Blade, and 66" tiller to prepare new soil for landscaping and new lawn.

The 3510 and 4110 are essentially the same tractor, but the 4110 is 4 cylinder 41hp, has larger rear tires, and much larger front tires. The 3510 has a shorter turning radius and is better for mowing and other lawn work.

I chose R4 (industrial) tires, which are a nice compromise between Ag (typical "v" tread tractor tires, tear up grass, but great traction) and Turf (easy on lawns, but poor traction)

I wanted hydrostatic (HST), but the 3510HST is NOT:NOT:NOT a 3510 with hydrostatic drive. It is more a 2810 with bigger motor. Search for one of my earlier threads that discuss this in detail " 3510HST NOT 3510 with Hydostatic: CAUTION!

To me, the 2810 and down are more of big mower that have some tractor capabilities, and the 3510 and up are more tractors that have mowing capabilities. Whatever suits your needs better.

It does sound like you're going to be doing the same things I am now and the 3510 is working well for me.

Be sure to put weight in your rear tires- right away, before doing much FEL work!

I put in 27 gals Windshield washer fluid in each wheel. It was very easy, about 10mins per wheel.

Good luck and look at your options. Also look at other brands. That way, whatever you choose, you'll know you did your homework and feel good about your purchase.

I am very satisfied.

-JC

PS- Things we wish were different on Mahindras for candid cons. Mostly cosmetic and user interface items, but good info.

shvl73 · Jul 12, 2004

I have the 2810HST for my 11-12 acres & I feel I chose the right size. It's easy to get carried away with the bigger is better feeling. Think long term use & what your plan for it is. Too big a tractor can be awkward to use on a small parcel. It might be wise to rent when the initial work warrants the use of a larger machine. Bigger isn't always the answer for a steep lot, 4wd & being careful is the way to go. A 4 acre lot could be mowed/hogged quite quickly & maintained easily with a 4-5' attachment.

Charlie_in_TX · Jul 13, 2004

Hal, what part of TX you in. Complete your profile and you may get a more thurough reply.

Flat with clay, Houston area? I have about 7 acres, 4 lawn, my 2615hst is just fine. Would a 3015hst have been better? Yes but not at the difference in price.

Some minimums for your tractor. Get a HST, it mows, clears and landscapes safer and quicker (at least quicker mowing and clearing). HST gives fine speed control a geared tractor can't match. Think FEL into the side of house. You might get by with 20hp, 25 is better. Get a FEL.

Bob_Skurka · Jul 13, 2004

As others have stated, please fill out your profile so we can see where you are, climate, land, etc.

However, based on the fact that you have 4 total acres, I would NOT go any larger than the smallest Kioti units. I would suggest the CK20 with HST transmission. I don't know the equivalent Mahindra model. The equivalent Kubota would be the B7510. The equivalent NH would be the TC21DA. All are tractors in and about 21hp. All are available with HST transmission, which I strongly recommend. Pricing on tractors is very regional, not really sure what is around you, but where I live a NH, Deere or Kubota are often as cheap as 2nd Tier tractors, so don't dismiss them just because you think they are more expensive. All of the small frame tractors above are probably suitable for lot sizes from 3 to 8 acres. If your total acreage would grow into the 6 to 9 acre range, consider the same frame size but go up to a 24hp machine. I would, however, not go up a frame size to get the extra HP becuase you would be adding weight and size, which dilutes the advantage of the additional power in the small machine.

As for FEL work, you said your land is flat, but you will find that HST will make your FEL jobs go faster than gear jobs. Safety becomes a much bigger issue on hills, but you apparently don't have that issue. If HST busts your budget, then shuttle shift would be the next best option in my opinion. However, if you do purchase the second lot with steep hills, then pony up the cash for the HST and skimp somewhere else like smaller implements.

Sticking with a tractor in the lower 20's for HP will still give you more capabilities than you might imagine. You will be limited to smaller implements, however, after you get your projects built, you will still have a tractor that would be a great size for mowing. The New Holland and the Kioti have the best FEL designs of the flock of smaller tractors you might consider. Much better visibility than the other brands.

All the brands are 4wd. Virtually all the modern compact tractors today are 4wd, I would not even consider a 2wd based on the tasks you lay out.

TBrown · Jul 13, 2004

I went with the 20 hp Mahindra 2015 HST, and for my 10+ acres I have found it more than adequate. I can't imagine needing more tractor for 4 acres, but since you're planning on aquiring more land in the future, you might.

Alot depends on whether or not you intend to finish mow a lawn with your tractor and the type of ground you have. Where I live you can drive a cement truck across your lawn at this time of year and it won't sink in, but that's definitely not the case in the spring, so I went with the smaller, lighter tractor. I mow two acres with a 60" RFM, I've got R-4's (Rimguard in the rears) and so far the little wheels on the mower have left more marks than the tractor has. I don't have a clue what Texas clay is like, but if its fairly hard year-round then I'd think about maybe going with the same setup Charlie has, the 2615 HST with FEL and midmount mower. I take the mower off after I use it, so I shied away from the midmount, thinking it to be more difficult to remove (4FanTrashCan has since debunked that). Since your land is "flat as a pancake", you'd probably just leave it on all the time. Ground clearance wouldn't be an issue, and IMO its easier to mow close to stuff with a midmount. That would give you a larger, heavier, and more powerful tractor to handle the tasks your new land will require. If you want even more oomph, I believe the 3015 HST is basically the same tractor as the 2615 only with a larger engine (if I'm wrong, I'm sure I'll be corrected). The loader and mower are the same.

Quite a few posters on TBN will say you can't finish mow with a large tractor, but that's not always the case. A friend of mine mows with a NH TC-33 equipped with unfilled R-4's and no loader; I had a chance to look at it and the job it did back when I was tractor shopping, and I was quite impressed. I've seen people mowing with older Fords (8N or 9N, I believe) with ag tires on them. Obviously you can't get away with that in every part of the country, but its fairly common in some locales.

clundog · Jul 13, 2004

I looked at the Kioti CK20 HST very hard before buying. However in the end I went with Mahindra, I was going to buy the 2015 HST due to a little more weight than the CK20 (I feel more weight helps get H.P. to the ground better for FEL work ETC..) I ended up with the 2615 HST more H.P. not alot more $.

I would ask your self how much tilling/discing you might be doing, if alot then I agree with the first post, 3510 maybe the 2810 (the smaller tractors don't pull very big implements, so discing a large area might take a while)
If mostly mowing, FEL work, minor tilling/discing, general grounds maintenance then the 2015 or more likely the 2615 would probably suit your needs.
You need to go to both dealers and look/drive several models and pick the one you feel most comfortable with.
Let us know when you decide or bring one home!

On a side note, if Kioti would have had the CK25 HST when I was looking, it would have made my decision much tougher. Ultimatley I liked the Mahindra dealer better anyway and the price was better! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Good luck with your decision!

clundog · Jul 13, 2004

Oh, by the way I strongly recommend 4wd. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

TxHal · Jul 14, 2004

Thanks, for all of the advice, it makes a tough and expensive decision much easier. Btw, I live in north Galveston County near Santa Fe.

I have only worked with a few tractors but have never driven a hydro until yesterday. I drove the CK20HST and the MF1428v at a local dealer. I must say I am very impressed with the HST. The last time I used a tractor, I borrowed a friends JD and moved a few truckloads of sand around, a chore without the manual. I can see where the hydro would have cut the time in half easily, I'm sold.

These are two quotes from a dealer nowhere near me, but in TX:
CK25HST Kioti Package #2/ 25hp Kioti Tractor w/hydrostatic transmission, Kioti front end loader, 5 ft. shredder, 5 ft. box blade and 18 foot trailer w/ramps.
Package Price: $15,795.00

LB1914 Kioti Package #2/ 20hp Kioti Tractor, Kioti front end loader, 4ft shredder, 4ft box blade and 16 foot trailer w/ramps.
Package Price: $12,995.00.

A Kioti dealer down the road said they could get me the CK20HST, minus the trailer, with fel and 4ft implements right at 12k.

The Mahindra 2015HST quotes with fel only are coming in right at 12,700 and the 2615HST at 14,700. The hydro is adding 1300 to the price of the 2615 and 800 to the 2015.

At the local MF/Kioti dealer, the MF rep was there and pumping up the 1428. I asked him why the prices where so much higher when all of the parts for both are made overseas. He back-pedaled a bit, and then started talking about reliability, value, etc. blah, blah, blah. The quote for the 1428 w/o hydro, w/ fel, 5ft box blade and brush hog, 54" bucket, came in right at 16,380 inc tax.

I'm going to keep looking but I believe something in the 20hp range 4wd will be sufficient. I, like everyone else I'm sure, would love the additional hp but don't think I really need it. I was told by a couple of folks around here that the box would probably work better for chewing up this clay, as a disc would have to be weighted down. I used a walk behind tiller my neighbor has and it just bounced around all over the place, wouldn't dig in.

Thanks for the info, let you know what kind of other quotes I get.