Will 10 Horsepower actually matter on the same size tractor?

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

That is, ground speed can limit productivity with a smaller attachment before horsepower does.

Another limiting factor for productivity is the wrong tool for the job. Example: Trying to bush hog with a finish mower.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Are you at any elevation?

HP is rated at Sea Level. They are de-rated every 1000 feet.
Definately want to go higher if you are 3-4000 ' or higher
I'm at 7600' where the air is clear [and thin!]

A turbo diesel tractor would be your friend. ~ No derate.

 

[FERLING]

Maybe you know the saying, "buy once cry once", meaning that the pain of paying more is only at the point of purchase. Every awareness of the benefits afterward leave you grateful. You will not use the extra hp all the time, but when you do, you will be grateful. When you sell you will be grateful. There are many, many used tractors for sale that have less than 100 hours; most are at the dealers. However with the shortage these days, maybe not! Those ex-owners discovered quickly that size and power does matter.

Really Good Post!

 

[DerpDerp]

That's why I wondered, do I even need that extra power?

Right now, I want to get a snow pusher on the front maybe 7' or so and go from there.
(I have been plowing with a POS plow truck with a 7ft straight snowdogg for the past few years and it works ok, but the truck is literally falling apart, and everything is so rusty and rotted its near impossible to work on, its time for something new like last year)

But maybe a snow blower on the back of the tractor also. We get alot of snow up here and we are kind of on top of a mountain. (Asked above Im not exactly sure what our elevation is, how can I figure that out?) Size wise I have no idea...but when it snows here, it can really dump.

But with the plow truck, especially last year I had pile problems as the winter went on and with how our land is I cant go too far out in certain spots out as it dips down and then the truck gets stuck, especially at the end of our driveway. So to me a big plus is the tractors ability to either push or blow the snow out farther than I normally can plowing. Last year our piles got to 7 feet tall on some, about 9 feet on others. So I need something hefty to deal with that. I do the driveway, and a pretty big lot in front of our one building and off the the side of that building as well. The lot lines the road so I get lots of town plow dump off snow. So if I do also get a blower, its going to be working.

The other things we need it for are loading and unloading a few pallets from a semi maybe 2x a month, so a strong loader is a must. Weight of pallets 1000 lbs or less on average, but has been 1200 lbs. And I wouldnt mind a little wiggle room in there too so say up to 1500 lbs. This is also another reason why we landed on the NX4510 or NX5510, there is a video on youtube of a NX4510 lifting a 2000lb pallet off a truck. Sold me on that! We have a old fork lift but its a smooth small tire, so anything other than dry perfection and its basically worthless. My plan is to get rid of it once we have another solution here.

Other than that, we need to fix our driveway and lot, its kind of a mess. After a bad run in with a local contractor who did meh work, we just want to do it ourselves. So I need to rip up a tailings driveway and move that material over to the lot and smooth it out. After winter I'll get a load of run and crush for the driveway and have to spread that out too.

There is other various other things we have to do around here where the tractor will be very useful. But as it stands we only have about 3 acres here. But, we think of moving, alot, and will always want land, likely more. So hard to tell what the future uses for the tractor may be.
And thats where I debated 45 hp, or 55 hp. Seems like 45 hp would work fine to me. But I dont know, and I dont know what the future holds. And if we can swing it, it sounds like its safer to go for it than not and regret it later on.

I also had seriously thought of a skid steer also. But after looking at 3 of them, 2 were in need of repair, and the 3rd which had 1100 hrs, was much nicer but still was the price of a brand new tractor with 6 yr warranty. Plus, I realized I would much rather be in a cabbed tractor vs a enclosed skid... and I would much rather work on a tractor than a skid steer.

 

[Midniteoyl]

And thats where I debated 45 hp, or 55 hp. Seems like 45 hp would work fine to me. But I dont know, and I dont know what the future holds. And if we can swing it, it sounds like its safer to go for it than not and regret it later on.

Get the 55 and calm your doubts. With the 45 you will always be left wondering..

Plus, you already listed all the reasons you should get the 55.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

That's why I wondered, do I even need that extra power?

Right now, I want to get a snow pusher on the front maybe 7' or so and go from there.
(I have been plowing with a POS plow truck with a 7ft straight snowdogg for the past few years and it works ok, but the truck is literally falling apart, and everything is so rusty and rotted its near impossible to work on, its time for something new like last year)

But maybe a snow blower on the back of the tractor also. We get alot of snow up here and we are kind of on top of a mountain. (Asked above Im not exactly sure what our elevation is, how can I figure that out?) Size wise I have no idea...but when it snows here, it can really dump.

But with the plow truck, especially last year I had pile problems as the winter went on and with how our land is I cant go too far out in certain spots out as it dips down and then the truck gets stuck, especially at the end of our driveway. So to me a big plus is the tractors ability to either push or blow the snow out farther than I normally can plowing. Last year our piles got to 7 feet tall on some, about 9 feet on others. So I need something hefty to deal with that. I do the driveway, and a pretty big lot in front of our one building and off the the side of that building as well. The lot lines the road so I get lots of town plow dump off snow. So if I do also get a blower, its going to be working.

The other things we need it for are loading and unloading a few pallets from a semi maybe 2x a month, so a strong loader is a must. Weight of pallets 1000 lbs or less on average, but has been 1200 lbs. And I wouldnt mind a little wiggle room in there too so say up to 1500 lbs. This is also another reason why we landed on the NX4510 or NX5510, there is a video on youtube of a NX4510 lifting a 2000lb pallet off a truck. Sold me on that! We have a old fork lift but its a smooth small tire, so anything other than dry perfection and its basically worthless. My plan is to get rid of it once we have another solution here.

Other than that, we need to fix our driveway and lot, its kind of a mess. After a bad run in with a local contractor who did meh work, we just want to do it ourselves. So I need to rip up a tailings driveway and move that material over to the lot and smooth it out. After winter I'll get a load of run and crush for the driveway and have to spread that out too.

There is other various other things we have to do around here where the tractor will be very useful. But as it stands we only have about 3 acres here. But, we think of moving, alot, and will always want land, likely more. So hard to tell what the future uses for the tractor may be.
And thats where I debated 45 hp, or 55 hp. Seems like 45 hp would work fine to me. But I dont know, and I dont know what the future holds. And if we can swing it, it sounds like its safer to go for it than not and regret it later on.

I also had seriously thought of a skid steer also. But after looking at 3 of them, 2 were in need of repair, and the 3rd which had 1100 hrs, was much nicer but still was the price of a brand new tractor with 6 yr warranty. Plus, I realized I would much rather be in a cabbed tractor vs a enclosed skid... and I would much rather work on a tractor than a skid steer.

Sounds like you need to demo them.

 

[Torvy]

One approach to consider. I hear OP saying the 55 is tuned up version of the 45. My understanding from the dealer is that the 45 is a tuned DOWN version of the 55.

These are on the high end of my shopping list. If I go with this brand, I will either get the 55, or will be down a whole class. (NS or DK)

 

[DerpDerp]

Sounds like you need to demo them.

Stock in general around here is very sad. Most of this is order only.

Funny side note, the massey dealer wouldnt even let me drive one.

 

[DerpDerp]

One approach to consider. I hear OP saying the 55 is tuned up version of the 45. My understanding from the dealer is that the 45 is a tuned DOWN version of the 55.

If it is true, the problem may be finding the software and method to reflash the pcm or a dealer who will do it if they even have the ability. Plus, I would assume if you did that, there goes your warranty, just like on a car or truck now....although... how would they know? Cars and trucks have flash counters to keep track of things like this, a tractor may or may not.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Stock in general around here is very sad. Most of this is order only.

Funny side note, the massey dealer wouldnt even let me drive one.

"Stock in general around here is very sad. Most of this is order only." Have you even sat on one yet?

"Funny side note, the massey dealer wouldnt even let me drive one." Then you can scratch them off your list.