Buying land, Need Tractor

[Southbound]

It has always been my dream to own a piece of land and now with land prices dropping here in Kentucky I am taking the plunge. The land is 40 acres, 30 pasture land, 10 woods. Some on the land as a little roll but most of it is flat. The parcel is nearly square with a small creek running through the middle of it.
I am a city slicker and have no idea what all i will need but it has always been my dream so here i go. I want to raise some of my food (cattle) and i love horses and I will be planting about a 1ac garden.

Most of the post I have seen here people are getting advice on 6-10 ac of land so I am very in the dark of what size tractor I will need for maintenance on 40 ac. The land has perimeter fencing but I would need to put up interior fencing, there is some brush/debris that would need to be moved, the fields are fairly well groomed, there is 7 head of cattle on the property now. Most of the land is dry and firm there is a very small bog on one end of the property.

So what advice can anyone give me on tractor needs,
size?
Power?
2wd/4wd?
brand? (I want it to last and i want to be able to work on it)
implements?
new/used?
I have been to a couple of dealers and they seem more interested in selling lots of expensive stuff than giving sound advise.

Money is always an issue but i am willing to spend now so that i do not have to spend latter.

Thanks

 

[hilld]

Southbound,

welcome to the club "rural club" that is. As far as recommendations, it is pretty hard to give you something, without knowing what you want to do. Do you plan on mowing the 30 acres of pasture or let the animals take care of that? With that being said, there are lots of questions that need to be asked such as what implements do you plan on having, such as loader, forks, mowers, tillers, backhoe, rakes, etc.....the list goes on and on.

I would recommend a 4WD tractor, with the size of your land something that could easily pull a 7 or 8' brush hog type mower, so you are looking at probably for something in the high 40's to low 50's in the horsepower range.

While I don't have a tractor that large, I have a JD 3320 and I am very happy with it, sometimes I wish I had the next size up for better stability and a higher lift capacity for the loader and not quite so tippy when fully loaded and traversing the terrain.

I would recommend you visit all of your local dealers with your list of requirements and let the sales people recommend some models. Once you have a good idea, you can bounce those recommendations with others that have similar sized land/conditions, even ask your potential future neighbors and of course us members on the forum here.

Happy tractor shopping, just remember this is a disease to which there is no cure.

Derek

 

[Southbound]

I will need something to mow the land with I had thought brush hog or flail mower. A fel would be very nice but I guess not an absolute necessity. I would not be looking at a backhoe (just too expensive) but i would need a post hole digger.

thanks

 

[flusher]

It has always been my dream to own a piece of land and now with land prices dropping here in Kentucky I am taking the plunge. The land is 40 acres, 30 pasture land, 10 woods. Some on the land as a little roll but most of it is flat. The parcel is nearly square with a small creek running through the middle of it.
I am a city slicker and have no idea what all i will need but it has always been my dream so here i go. I want to raise some of my food (cattle) and i love horses and I will be planting about a 1ac garden.

Most of the post I have seen here people are getting advice on 6-10 ac of land so I am very in the dark of what size tractor I will need for maintenance on 40 ac. The land has perimeter fencing but I would need to put up interior fencing, there is some brush/debris that would need to be moved, the fields are fairly well groomed, there is 7 head of cattle on the property now. Most of the land is dry and firm there is a very small bog on one end of the property.

So what advice can anyone give me on tractor needs,
size?
Power?
2wd/4wd?
brand? (I want it to last and i want to be able to work on it)
implements?
new/used?
I have been to a couple of dealers and they seem more interested in selling lots of expensive stuff than giving sound advise.

Money is always an issue but i am willing to spend now so that i do not have to spend latter.

Thanks

Assuming you're looking for a new diesel power tractor, I'd look for CUTs in the 30-50 hp (engine) range with 4WD, HST, FEL with 6-ft wide bucket and a skid steer quick attach fixture, power steering.

If you just want to maintain your pasture and have no desire to grow and bale hay, then I'd concentrate on the 30-40 hp range and get yourself a 6-ft rotary mower (aka bush hog, brush hog, shredder).

If you want to grow/bale hay, then 40-50 hp would be a better choice.

Get a 5-6 ft rototiller for your gardening.

All of the major manufacturers offer tractors in this size range. JD and NH tend to be high priced. Kioti, Mahindra, Branson, TYM, MF generally are less expensive. Check dealer incentives (financing, "free" implements, etc) before buying.

 

[BarryinMN]

Welcome aboard.

I have about 40ac and eventually bought a utility class 55 pto hp tractor. My concern was stability on slopes so weight and width was more important than max horsepower.

Think thru your tasks a little more. How are you going to feed 4 legged crutters? What about manure?

Haying is another subject altogether; New eq. = $100k + tractor. Old stuff is less reliable requiring repairs, transport, etc. Small scale stuff gets the job done just takes much longer. Weather, labor and product quality becomes a concern.

Spend some time (early) at a local coffee shop, tire shop, etc. You'll find neighbors and sources of info/services to about everything.

Dealers especially ones that don't have time to listen to you are not the center of the universe when it comes to good advise and deals.

In any case you have found an excellent place here to ask questions!

 

[Avondale]

Welcome

On a side note to your wish to mow, I would suggest that whatever mower you get, let it be as wide as your tractor can handle. I have a 5 foot wide Bush Hog, which takes a very long time to mow any appreciable sized lot. I also have a haybine, more than double the width which equates to roughly half the time and fuel as the bush hog on the same size plot. The bush hog is for trails, tight & awkward spots and the rough stuff but not really a good "mower".

Bob

 

[Southbound]

Thanks for all the fast and informative replies.

Question on the HST is this something you guys consider great??? how does it compare in dependability and cost with the traditional clutch layout? I don't mind shifting gears but i have never had to do it all day or all week so any feedback on how much you love your HST might help sway me one way or the other.

 

[Southbound]

also what are your opinions on the brands outside of the big two or three? Mahindra, kioti, bobcat, and on and on. What is the drop off in quality if any??

 

[MarkV]

Thanks for all the fast and informative replies.

Question on the HST is this something you guys consider great??? how does it compare in dependability and cost with the traditional clutch layout? I don't mind shifting gears but i have never had to do it all day or all week so any feedback on how much you love your HST might help sway me one way or the other.

Southbound, welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new property.

Your above question is much like "which is better, chevy or ford", it is a heated subject on the forum. A search and a bunch of hours will give you all the information you will ever want to hear about gear vs. HST. Both are proven systems and both will do the job. You should test both and see which you prefer.

I would also be looking at the 50 hp range if you plan to mow that much ground. Think seriously about a front end loader (FEL). You will use it much more than you think right now. As an example, when you are putting in that new fence how are you going to carry the posts?

MarkV

 

[RWolf]

Here's my 2cents worth. After defining your tasks a bit more you will be able to get what you need. Unless your're going to do a lot of FEL work I think HST would be a waste. A shuttle tranny is very smooth and will reduce your cost. For 40 acres I'd be looking at about 45 to 65 HP as you said you want to maybe do hay. Get the largest rotary cutter that you can. Figure 5HP per foot. You'll probably end up with a disk. Figure about 7HP per foot depending on your soil. FEL is almost a must to maintain a ranch of any size but it won't necessarily be used all the time. Box Blade a must. As you said post hole digger. Personally I'd be looking at the big 3 but go look at what your neighbors are using as that will probably get you the most support. You don't necessasarily need to buy new on anything but when buying your tractor you will probably be paying as much or close to a new machine for anything less than 10years old so you might as well get a new tractor. You might be lucky and find a gem from a ranch sale. I say that as I was at a ranch sale this last weekend and an individual walked away with a 2002 JD 4600, 500hrs with a 460 FEL for $10.500. And this tractor looked very clean. Even the tires were barely worn in.

Good luck on your search.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I think that with John Deere, Kubota, Case-New Holland, and Massey, their top of the line tractors have a few more bells and whistles (electronics) available than the other brands offer. With that said, about all the main brands these days offer good machines. The biggest problem with the lesser known brands is not really the quality, but the dealers themselves. The companies just don't require the same to become a dealer as the major brands do. I think that in general some of what would be options on a major brand is often std equipment on a lesser brand.

If it were me I would be looking at tractors that are in the 72" or bigger size and find some that are comfortable to you. Set in the seat and reach out to all the different controls, are they easy to reach, other stuff in the way when you reach for the control. This is all stuff that you have to check out for yourself, everybody is a bit different and has their own quirks. Look at as many brands and models as you can, this gives you some stuff to be able to compare to. I would find some models that I liked, then a dealer that I think that I could be happy with and go from there.

Oh, when pricing tractors out, try to compare apples to apples, it is easy to get prices and think that one is less than another when in reality if they each had the same options, (transmission type, hydraulic remotes, skid steer attach, etc.) they could be completely different than what you think.

Hope that some of this helps you out, good luck. One last thing, do not get a tractor without a loader, you need it, you just don't know it yet.

 

[flusher]

Thanks for all the fast and informative replies.

Question on the HST is this something you guys consider great??? how does it compare in dependability and cost with the traditional clutch layout? I don't mind shifting gears but i have never had to do it all day or all week so any feedback on how much you love your HST might help sway me one way or the other.

HST is a big help for FEL work where you're constantly reversing direction.

Syncho shift gear tranny is fine for work done mostly in forward gears (mowing, tillage, raking, etc).

HST tractors are more expensive. For example, my old 2005 Kubota B7510HST with 4WD had a MSRP of $12000. The 7510DT 4WD equivalent with a synchro shift gear tranny was $10400.

HSTs are pretty solid trannies. Years of development have resulted in a high reliability product from pretty much all the tractor manufacturers.

I traded that 7510HST for a much larger 2008 Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, power steering, constant partial mesh gear tranny). It took a few hours of FEL work to get comfortable with the gear shifting. If I did FEL work every day for a living, I'd want an HST. But I'm an occasional FEL user so a simple gear tranny suffices.

 

[Brahmus]

I'll repeat what these guys have said and add a few. I love my HST, but I do alot of loader/dirt spreading work. For you I don't think HST is a must. A FEL makes a tractor more than a tractor, it gives you extra hands and muscle. My father has the 5525 same as above and I wish everytime I get on that thing that it was 4wd. A FEL on a 2wd tractor that big puts alot of stress up front and takes the traction off the back wheels. If it's wet and I need to move a round bale, it's a chore, rear ballast is a must!

The Big three Kubota, JD, and NH are all close, differences come and go as the tractor size, models change. You'll have to narrow down what size you want first before comparing apples to apples. I'd also consider Mahindra, Bobcat, and Kioti. I have NO experience with any of the others and that leads me to my next point. Find out what dealers are local and talk to them. I don't suggest buying a lesser, cheaper tractor w/o support or poor support near by. You may not notice it now, but in 10 years you may have different feelings. You did say you wanted it to last.

A used tractor in good shape in the same configuration that you need is rare, but it does happen. If you have the time to wait and shop you can save some money. And you may get a package deal on implements.

Cutting 30 acres with a 6' hog will take some time, in your case, bigger is better! Atleast where PTO hp is concerned.

Implements are another issue. If you can find used, you can save lots of money, and they are usually in good shape. If you have to buy 7 and 8 foot implements new, it's going to cost!!!

So how much time are you willing to spend on the tractor, 6' hog and 50 hp 2wd tractor can do everything you need, it will just take longer and may require a bit of ingenuity and gruntwork.

Most people upgrade or change units a few times before they find the right one for them. I am trying to bypass this and spent way more than I originally planned, but I think I ended up with a unit I can keep forever, can do everything I need, won't wear me out, and allows me to do it faster than normal. I have virtually no bills yet, so that was my trade off.. hahah

 

[Southbound]

thanks a lot guys, you have really given me some good advice, and many things to consider. keep the advice coming i need all i can get

 

[GaryCrowell]

I'd get a real utility tractor, not a CUT for that amount of land. Something in the 40+ PTO horsepower range. CUT's aren't built as heavy as a real utility and aren't going to hold up to years of hard work, they're more for the weekend ranchette owners. Stick with the major brands, John Deere, Kubota, New Holland, Massey Ferguson, and Case. Skip the second tier brands, they're not much less expensive than the established brands and are much more likely to pull out of the market when economic times get tough, leaving you high and dry with little/no dealer and parts support. A 2wd tractor will do a lot, but 4WD and a front end loader easily doubles the utility of a tractor. You'll find a million uses for the FEL that you never though you would, I use mine all the time. I like the shuttle shift transmissions for tractors with loaders, but the HST trannies are almost exclusively on CUTs so I would skip that for the reason that I'd want a full sized utility.

In the down markets like now the dealers are pushing every bell and whistle option they can to try and raise profits. 99% of that stuff is useless dead weight that you shouldn't waste your money on. Tractors do simple tasks and a simple tractor is usually better. A basic, less complicated tractor will do everything that one with all the pretty gauges will do plus it won't leave you stranded when some circuit board that controls the LCD displays blows. Think about what you really need it to do and only buy options that support those tasks. Tractor manufacturers these days are taking notes from the car manufacturers and loading their tractors with useless options to increase profits. It's easier these days because a lot of new buyers are urbanites who fall for the ploy. In days past a farmer wasn't going to pay extra for something that wasn't needed, but today that's all out the window.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

First and foremost, welcome! Good to have ANOTHER fellow Kentuckian on here. Where abouts are you located? I'm north of Bardstown, south of Louisville, in Bullitt County. If I knew your location a little better, I might be able to suggest a dealer or two in that area. There is nothing worse than owning an expensive tractor and ending up with a horrible dealer to support that purchase. (BTDT)

I farmed a little over 200 acres for 35 years, using a 60 hp tractor as my largest for the bulk of those years. I now own 45 acres, roughly 30 of that cleared ground. I maintain that with a 38 year old, 40hp, 2wd, gear drive diesel. Never needed any more'n that. Bigger is nice (at times) but bigger is relative to more expensive, and I'm basically CHEAP....

The bigger you go, the more expensive implements will be as a rule of thumb. IMHO, the best "pool" of available implements is sized to work with tractors in the 35 to 45 hp range.

4wd is nice.....when you need it. (I own a mowing business, for which I own 5 MFWD tractors and 3 standard 2wds) But it certainly ISN'T a "fact of life.....gotta have" kind of required option. My land is fairly hilly. Some will tell you 4wd is almost required on hills. I'm not sold on that idea myself. Hydrostatic trannies are nice too, but I'll always consider them more of a luxury than required just the same as 4wd. I've never found my 2wd geared tractor to be a liability. (and frequently it's been a real asset)

Where I'd start my search if I were in your shoes is to set a budget. Include the tractor and all the implements you see yourself needing. Then go shopping. Shop for a dealer as well as the tractor itself.

I'm partial to Massey Fergusons, Deere's and have had success with Ford/New Hollands. But don't let the color of the paint dictate what you buy. Keep an open mind. They ALL make fine tractors these days.

Feel free to use the private message feature here on TBN. I'm always glad to help. I'd be more'n happy to introduce you to any of the dealers in my area where I've enjoyed a great relationship with their business.

 

[Brahmus]

In the down markets like now the dealers are pushing every bell and whistle option they can to try and raise profits. 99% of that stuff is useless dead weight that you shouldn't waste your money on. Tractors do simple tasks and a simple tractor is usually better. A basic, less complicated tractor will do everything that one with all the pretty gauges will do plus it won't leave you stranded when some circuit board that controls the LCD displays blows.

What bells and whistles are you refering too? I think my Grand L is the Queen of bells and whistles and there isn't one thing on there I don't use. As far as leaving you stranded, that's a can of worms we shouldn't open here, but I don't see many if any failures shutting someone down on here contributed to "pretty gauges".

Yes simple is good but sometimes it's slow. If you are a person who has lots of time, then I agree, but in my case (and many others in my generation), time is a valuable asset. (Well depending on this economy situation)

 

[Gary Fowler]

Welcome to the forum. I have to agree with Farmwithjunk, much of the stuff on tractors is just hype. Do you really need an electric operated PTO switch. It is just as easy to flip a lever that is right by your foot. MY Brother in Law just laid down $30K for a brand new New Holland 3320 with cab and 6 foot medium duty rotary shredder and HST transmission. He has 31acres close to Hot Springs Arkansas. I have the other 11 of the 42 acre tract that has a few creeks and lots of spring fed low areas. For our situation 4 WD is the only way to go and even then, I have had to push myself out of some boggy areas with the FEL. I bought a grey market Yanmar 4220D with FEL which after much changing of filters and oil finally got the hydraulics working properly. It is 45 PTO hp and so far has been a good investment of my $11K with 6' bush hog and box blade. I dont think anyone with 40 acres in pasture needs anything more than 45 hp. My BIL's first tractor was a 2 WD JD 750 with turf tires. He still managed to mow the whole 42 acres with that 19 HP tractor and 4 foot mower and he only goes there on weekends. I go there about 3 times a year to mow and help BIL tidy up. I didnt think I would use the FEL that much, but now after 2 years of use, I dont see how I ever got by with 2 WD and no FEL. They are both just so useful. 4 WD tractor is similar to a 4 WD truck. you dont know how handy it is till your stuck in the sand or mud.

 

[santacruzer]

Whatever you buy...make sure your working with a reputable dealer. IMO a dealer that will work you is as important as the the type of gear you buy.

When buying a Kubota for example it states in the warranty book that any problem you might have will be taken care of...after YOU get the equipment to the dealer.

Some dealers stick to that policy. My problem was a defect in the center bore of the hydraulic pipes that caused torn "0" rings resulting in leaks at the front hydraulic cylinder. After several trips to my house and two trips (the tractor) to the dealer's, Kubota copped that they have had this problem with "a few of the hydraulic pipes" on my model.

The point is that all of those trips to my house, the two trips the dealer's were in fact on the dealers dime, not mine. That dealer has gone by far the extra mile for me with this problem. I don't have a trailer so I would have had to pay for them to pick it up and bring it back...twice.

Not every dealer is going to help you like that after the deal is over and they have your money...they don't have to (at least Kubota dosen't...check thier warranty.

Paul

 

[deerefan]

try the 5103, 5203 or 5303 john deeres. they are usually not very expensive and have good power (42 pto hp, 50 engine 5103). i bought my 5103 2wd w/ a 6ft bushhog brand rotary cutter (model 286) new for 13k. you can probably pick up a used one for under 10 in decent shape.