which tractor for 20 acres?

InlineDieselFan · Aug 19, 2004

Well I have been reading posts here for some time and occasionally post a message about guns or trucks. But I have very limited tractor knowledge or experience. My step dad had a Kubota 20 hp tractor I played with some 10 years ago and that is about it.

Anyhow to my question, which tractor?

The land was logged about 7 years ago, the stumps are still there. There are many logs 12"-24" in diameter up to 15 feet long. It is mostly flat but there is some slope about 15-20 degrees along a creek area. Right now the weeds are about 5 feet high.

We plan on putting in a 900 foot driveway that we would just maintain with 5/8s minus. We would pay to have the rip rap put in and the first top coat of 5/8s, I would level that.

Lots of post holes would be dug for fencing.

We would just brush hog most of the weeds for the first year or twoor three, then hopefully make some of it pasture.

The boss wants a very big garden, 1/4-1/2 acre, so tilling I guess.

Once the house is built, the moving of top soil for the yard, feed for critters.

At the Southwest WA fair today the JD guy said his 2210 was the tractor to get, it seems mighty small to me for this task.

The Kubota guy said L3130 would be really good, he added that if I went bigger once the heavy work was done I would have too much tractor. To me it seems that you can't have too much tractor nor too much truck.

We plan on building in the spring, I need you folks to give some input so we can figure out the budget.

thanks

steve

BTW the boss said don't buy too small of a tractor and then need to trade it in on a larger one, "do it right the first time."

Soundguy · Aug 20, 2004

mid 20 to 30hp cut range.. 4wd/power steering.. perhaps a loader.. post whole digger, and a disc harrow. That disc will be great for cutting a road bed to degrass it.. cutting fire breaks.. and will work on that garden plot as long as you don't have hardpacked clay soil. Also a box blade.. it is a swiss army knify type of implement.

Lotsa people like HST tranny when they get a FEL.

A NH tc30 w/hst tranny would fit the bill.

I'm sure others will give you other options as well. I'm a ford/NH owner.. so I'm obviously biased in their favor.. however , that said.. I'v had good use ou of my NH tractors.. but any of the major brands will also give you good use.

You don't mention a price range.. so i don't know if new is what you want.. or used... or even 3rd market stuff.. like chineese imports.. or grey market imports. Any of the last 3 options require you to be able to do a tad bit of wrench turning, but are viable options and much cheaper.. at least at initial purchase anyway.

Sometimes you can even get a late model 'newish' unit at a dealership.. say a lease or demo model.. something with a year of use and a few hours, and some factory warranty left on it.. but with some of that new sticker price depreciated away via the previous owner... I've picked up 2 NH tractors like that... great savings on great machines.

Soundguy

DiskDoctr · Aug 20, 2004

Steve,

20hp sounds a little small.

A 66" 3ph tiller takes a good 20+ hp to use it right, and maybe a 3ph post hole digger in your future?

Once you try a FEL on a 20hp size and a 30-38hp size, you'll never look back.

A box blade is a great tool, be sure to get one with teeth. Don't worry about the lever rollover units and such. Unless you are doing a lot of professional stuff with it, the extra price isn't normally worth it (unless you find a good deal /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif )

R4 (industrial lug) tires are a good choice. You can cross your land without tearing up too much and still get good traction and performance.

4WD- yes.

Up to 1/2 acre garden? The larger tractor can easily handle 3ph plows, discs, etc.

And I think the smaller tractor may only be a Cat 0 hitch? (somebody help here). The larger one will be Cat 1, which is pretty much standard and will let you use most any implement, new or used. Very large implements would be at least Cat 2, so no worries there.

IMO, you will get better flexibility from the approx 35hp range size, regardless of brand. It will do the things you mention, plus give you the flexibility to do other tasks and add enhancements.

Just my opinion, but I consider <30hp a big mower that can do some tractor stuff and >30hp a small tractor that can do mowing stuff. What is right for you depends on what you want to do with it.

-JC

daedong · Aug 20, 2004

Steve

35 to 50 don't mess with toys. Just my view.

Shadow_River · Aug 20, 2004

Buy all the ponies you can afford (within reason). Sounds like you are going to do some haying and whatever on the twenty acres. I would look at a JD 5020 and probably would even buy a larger 50 series tractor with MFWD and FEL with either the synshuttle or powreverser transmission. I hate being under powered and who knows what other uses you may have over the years, more property, backhoe attachment etc. I'lll bet you can buy a 50 series tractor for about the same price as one of the smaller 30-40 HP tractors.

They last a long time, so choose wisely.

Best of luck in your purchase.

cowboydoc · Aug 20, 2004

DiskDoctr said it best. I would definitely go with the mid 30 range and up. Definitely get 4wd and definitely go category 1. If you are in the mid 30 and up range you can add a backhoe later to take care of the stumps and all the other projects with a backhoe. I can't think of anything where a smaller tractor would be an advantage except for mowing. I can get my full size CUT just about anywhere that I need.

Soundguy · Aug 22, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( And I think the smaller tractor may only be a Cat 0 hitch )</font>

So far I've seen kubota bx series.. NH and case 18hp, and chineese 20hp units all with cat1 from the factory.

The only cat 0 stuff I've seen was on an old bolens/iseki, and a snapper hybred tractor/mower that had no pto.. but did have a cat0 lift.

I'm sure you could get those small tractors with cat 0 arms from the dealer if you really wanted to though.

Soundguy

InlineDieselFan · Aug 25, 2004

Well finally back home and able to check e-mail, thanks for the replies.

As I guessed JD2210 seemed small, that in my book is a big strike against the local JD dealer.

At least the Kubota guy was closer to fitting what you guys say.

Now to budget in the big $$$ for the 30 something HP tractor, at least Oregon is 90 miles away and I may avoid some slaes tax. That is also where the nearest NH dealer is.

Thank you for all the help right now. I'll be having more questions later. Hopefully this next week the papers and deal should be signed for the land.

Then the real adventure will begin.

steve