Which size tractor--help, please

[Bullwinkle123]

i had 5 compact tractors 23 to 55 hp. kubota and deere. they suited my needs but all were rear wheel drive... the one with a front loader, worked but i could tell that 4wd would surely make the fel more competent. then storm michael hit. 100s of trees on the ground. i would cut and use a chain to drag part or all of the tree, then use the loader to push the tree trunk/limbs onto a burn pile. i was on and off the tractor multiple times for each trip. then i learned about a grapple. with that many acres and trails you will need a grapple... and 4wd and power steering and a tractor with a little weight to it.

may i suggest a 50 hp tractor, with ps and 4wd and a fel and a grapple... enjoy the process. (i bought a kubota mx 5200. and it has been great..) the unbranded grapple has needed repair by welder 4 times.. that is partly my fault for not being careful with stress i put on it, but partly poor design.

Lol, second that 50HP+Grapple spec. In what is probably financially fortunate for me since I went straight from nothing to MX5400 for first tractor, with a grapple. Been moving brush, trees, old wood fire/project wood that was in the way all week. Of course L3901+Grapple might work just as well, though when I hear the strain moving large amounts of wood (or a single big tree piece), I'm glad for the additional tractor HP and weight. However I have no basis for comparison, though the guy I'm replying to does, and it's nice to hear validating arguments for my expensive decision.
Tractor + Grapple == get a handle on that forest falling down all around you.

Watch out for old stumps in the forest though, probably a good way to wreck your loader if you hit one sideways while turning, or your undercarriage if you drive over a tall one. Next time the loggers are on my property I'm going to make sure they do a better job leaving shorter stumps.

 

[Notforhire]

Just my thinking, but if it's accessible acres with decent grass quality it might be worth checking into leasing it out for hay production and having lease money come in, rather than money paid for mowing (or larger equipment) going out.

I would agree, as long as the OP understands that someone needs to fertilize the field. If nothing is done the soil will be depleted.

 

[Cruiserdog]

I was thinking something such as this 8' dual spindle brush cutter/mower on an MX. RCF3696 Series Rotary Cutters | Land Pride

A very wise tractor mechanic told me years ago to never buy an 8 ft cutter-a 7 footer has one gearbox, an 8 has 3! If you are going for the extra complexity of 3 boxes go at least a 10 ft cutter. YMMV

 

[Dakota Joe]

Please help me size my new tractor!

I am a noob, alas, but have greatly enjoyed learning from you all over the past months reading your very interesting posts and advice to others.

We have 165 acres in Western Massachusetts, just under the Appalachian Trail, shared by three families. About 50 acres of meadows, 15 acres of scrub/border land, 60 acres of forest, 10 acres for houses, 30 acres runs up the mountain to the Trail and is too steep for a tractor.

The house lawns get cut with a Cheetah.

For the last 25 years, the walking trails (3 miles around the meadows, 8-9 feet wide, which get cut with a finish mower once a week during growing season) and forest trails (2 miles, 6-8 feet wide, bush hogged a few times a year) have been maintained by a caretaker with a 1995 Kubota L2350 pulling a 5 foot bush hog and a bush hog finish mower. The 60 acres of meadows have been cut by local farmers with their big tractors--but we envision taking back care of those in a few years and just bush hogging them 1-2 time a year, as currently happens with scrub/border land.

I don't expect a ton of FEL work, but in addition to the mowing above, would expect applications to be:

Moving stones (not too huge)
Maintain 1/4 mile of gravel driveway, every two or three years
Moving piles of brush
Moving downed trees from lawns and from walking trails
Regrading grass and dirt trails to deal with impaction, erosion, wet areas, etc
Possibly plowing drives in winter, but the snow amount is dropping fast as things warm

As things warm, the precipitation is picking up and the trees are growing mossier and the soil is damp more often. The L2350 has turf tires and I think I would stick with those. (The L2350 has been great, but in retrospect was probably too small this whole time.)

I would like to buy one tractor that can last the next 30 years. I don't have much experience driving or operating one, but as I move closer to retirement I hope to take that over.

On the one hand, I'd like it not to tear up or compact the trails too bad given how things can be more damp here now, and I'd like it to work in the forest trails (through which the Kubota L2350 just fits with a 5 foot bush hog).

On the other hand, I only want to buy one tractor and to have it be sufficiently powered and not to have any regrets.

I expect we'll probably get a Kubota again.

What size do you think I should get?

Thank you so much.

Well, I知 back after some time off with the dreaded virus. Nothing serious/no hospitalization, just out of commission for more weeks than I would like. All well now.

Want to thank each and every one of you for your very helpful responses. Great food for thought, and I learned quite a bit.

I love the idea of having two tractors, but I don稚 think that will fly with the family (and I wouldn稚 want the maintenance). Given that my brother-in-law and I are not that experienced/young/mechanical, I think for the loader type work we want a Kubota Grand L for the HST+ stuff, and alas we can稚 afford one of those PLUS a utility tractor for the mowing.

So I think after your good guidance, test driving a few and talking to dealers I am probably going to go with a Kubota L6060. We may need to widen some of the forest trails, but that can be it痴 own fun project and will push the disease carrying ticks a little further from us (I hope). As for the mowing, we値l probably just get a Land Pride RCR2672 6foot rotary cutter and take our time. If it痴 too much we値l hire it out or rent the land out.

Please let me know if I am crazy and thanks again for all your inputæ‚* appreciate it so much.