Worried about HP..

[DatacomGuy]

Still shopping for my first tractor. Need FEL, will use PTO very little (for now, i suppose? No plans for it now). General purpose usage with the FEL and some minor grading.

I notice a lot of tractors in my price range (under 10K) are the compact and sub-compact tractors (a lot with belly mowers) with 20-25hp. Is this enough to accomplish loader tasks? I look at my Cub Cadet mower at 22hp (or is 24hp) and wonder how a larger tractor with a loaded FEL with the same HP would accomplish much more. I understand its geared differently, diesel vs gas, more torque.(perhaps i answered my question).. however..

Looking for input!

Example: TractorHouse.com | 28 KUBOTA BX266 For Sale

 

[jeff9366]

I have 5 acres, mostly wooded.

I notice tractors in my price range (under 10K) are compact and sub-compact tractors (a lot with belly mowers) with 20-25hp. Is this enough to accomplish loader tasks?


It depends if 700 pounds of FEL lift capacity suits your needs.

You will need a counterbalance weight of 300 to 400 pounds mounted on the Three Point Hitch in order to lift ~~700 pounds with the FEL. Without counterbalance your max FEL lift will be around 350 pounds, before rear wheels lift off the ground.

You will be able to back drag (smooth) using the FEL bucket and operating tractor in reverse. Smoothing has mostly to do with tractor weight.

BX series has only 9" of ground clearance. Fine for most things, not really enough for woods work where you have to traverse holes in the ground, downed limbs and tree trunks.

BX has a two-range HST transmission. What about Cub Cadet?

Probably $1,000 commercial freight from PA to GA unless you devote two days to trailer it yourself.

 

[DatacomGuy]

I have 5 acres, mostly wooded.

I notice tractors in my price range (under 10K) are compact and sub-compact tractors (a lot with belly mowers) with 20-25hp. Is this enough to accomplish loader tasks?


It depends if 700 pounds of FEL lift capacity suits your needs.

You will need a counterbalance weight of 300 to 400 pounds mounted on the Three Point Hitch in order to lift ~~700 pounds with the FEL. Without counterbalance your max FEL lift will be around 350 pounds, before rear wheels lift off the ground.

You will be able to back drag (smooth) using the FEL bucket and operating tractor in reverse. Smoothing has mostly to do with tractor weight.

BX series has only 9" of ground clearance. Fine for most things, not really enough for woods work when you have to traverse downed limbs and tree trunks.

Probably $1,000 commercial freight from PA to GA unless you will take two days to trailer it yourself.

Good call - I didn't think of ground clearance.. I'm assuming the same would apply to the 2305, the Kioti CS's, etc.. I need to keep digging. I'd prefer to have a bit more HP and weight if possible.

I can do the drive, thats no problem.

 

[jeff9366]

BX has a two-range HST transmission. What about Cub Cadet?

Ground clearance can be researched on TractorData.com for previously owned tractors.

TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors



MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE.

 

[4570Man]

Weight is what gets the work done. A L2501 is way more capable than a BX. A no longer produced ck25 would outperform both of them. You could engine swap them for a supercharged 454 and it wouldn't lift any more.

 

[Tractorable]

Horsepower has little to do with lifting capacity. The hydraulic cylinders will get the same amount of fluid whether they're being operated by 10hp or 100hp. As others have said, weight is what determines the amount of work you can do.

An 25hp L2501 will drag a 25hp lawn mower around the yard like it's a tinker toy, even though they have the same horsepower.

 

[jeff9366]

Good call - I didn't think of ground clearance.. I need to keep digging. I'd prefer to have a bit more HP and weight if possible.

Kubota BX series is around 1,700 pounds, bare tractor.

The Kubota L2501, which others recommend, is around 2,700 pounds, bare tractor. L2501 is a new Kubota model so few will be for sale @ $10,000.

It takes a 50% increase in tractor weight before weight increase becomes discernible in tractor performance. Seek a tractor with 2,500 to 2,700 pounds of bare weight. There are lots of used "L" series Kubota tractors with this bare tractor weight. Tractors with this weight will have 12" to 14" ground clearance and usually a three-range HST transmission.

Every tractor manufacturer produces tractors of 2,500 to 3,000 pounds.

 

[radioman]

i think you looking at this wrong. you are so focused on your experience with a briggs and stratton gas motors or kohler or what have you and trying to compare this with the diesel hydraulically powered transmissions etc.
first off- nothing compares to diesel engine like the box store gas motors does.NOTHING. when you are mowing grass with a gas powered riding tractor that is mostly driven by belt directly, in tall grass you will feel the effects everytime you hit a thick or really tall parts of grasses. using a BX, it powers thru lie its almost nothing even with way less HP.

The FEL will only lift so much for its size, but i have lifted so many things with the BX, even tho its the smallest one on the market with FEL i am still impressed for what it can do. now -- you are not going to be able to lift the front end up of a car but you can lift your old riding mower no problem. you can move 12 bags of 80lb concrete all at once - but you will have a hard time with a wheelbarrow with only 3. do you want to move round hay around? a BX is not gonna cut it. you can push a round bale no problem but to lift and stack...... its just too little. just get a larger tractor.

The question is what do you plan on doing with the tractor in general ? I can guarantee you that once you get a sub compact - you will find uses for it you never imagined and wondered how you lived without one before.

 

[Egon]

An example, JD 4200 & 420 loader. Twenty six HP.
[video]http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/001/8/0/1809-john-deere-4200-attachments.html[/video]

 

[DatacomGuy]

AWESOME input, thanks guys. I'll keep researching. I dont think the subcompacts will cut it for me.. I think initially they would, but eventually i'd regret going that small.