Advice: Size/Model for Need Question

[Shaman]

Looking at getting a (compact) tractor in the next couple years.

I've not owned anything larger than my JDLX277 lawn-mower, so this is all new to me.

I'm looking to mow 1.5 acre of lawn with the front 1 acre on slope, have to sell the JD and put the money into the larger tractor.

The big question though is that I want to clear an acre of land with a lot of alders/brambles/small trees. That would include cutting the taller trees (6"-10"dia) at around 4ft and then using the leverage to pull the stumps (neighbor does that with his New Holland - not sure size). Get all those piled up.

- Remove rocks, short of super boulders.
- Flatten the ground
- Till rows for Christmas trees
- Keep the Christmas Tree rows mowed.

Budget is around $10k
I can add implements as time goes by.

I know it would be cheaper to just have someone excavate the acre for trees, but want to make it a family effort and if it takes a few years to clear, buy additional accessories, etc. that is ok.

 

[rlsmith]

My 6yr old BX23 came standard with BH, FEL and 3-point hitch has over 1200 hrs, has moved tons of drive way stone, boulders and dirt, dug hundreds of ft of trenches for electric, water and footers, rototill many gardens, dug up dozens of stumps some up too 24 inches across, have moved dozens of cords of wood for splitting and brush hog acres around the farm and fine cut 5 acres with a 60" with original blades and belt. I cannot imagine not having this little work horse. Oh and moved lots and lots of snow.
Problems I have had are few: tore up transmission,(covered under warranty), replaced 2 front and 1 rear tire, a hydraulic line feeding the BH and a battery. On slopes only go up and down doing any loader or BH work, mowing side ways will depend on you seat pucker power, because I have slide my unit sideways when the grass is wet, and talk about pucker power:laughing: I was slid as far as I could towards the hill side and cranked the wheel hard to steer it down the hill to get control
So I think that a compact unit like mine will do what you need it to do and lots of of other stuff you will find you want to do. It might take longer but it will get-r-done.:thumbsup:

 

[Ken45101]

For your clearing, you would be better off to hire a contractor with a bulldozer.

6-10" stumps are a job for either a dozer or they have to be dug out with a decent sized backhoe or a mini excavator.

If they are dug out, then you need to fill the holes back in, best done with a dozer (see above....)

Years ago I cleared a homesite of 2-4" trees with a 50 hp tractor. It was quite a job and I wouldn't do it again.

Ken

 

[KYDan]

For your clearing, you would be better off to hire a contractor with a bulldozer.

6-10" stumps are a job for either a dozer or they have to be dug out with a decent sized backhoe or a mini excavator.

If they are dug out, then you need to fill the holes back in, best done with a dozer (see above....)

Years ago I cleared a homesite of 2-4" trees with a 50 hp tractor. It was quite a job and I wouldn't do it again.

Ken

I agree with Ken about this. If you want to do the work yourself rent a mini excavator on tracks or a full size backhoe. I had a L2900 with FEL and backhoe and it was a great little tractor, but the hoe has limited reach and therefore is limited. Also, it really was not a good tool for larger stump removal. If you want to play and enjoy seat time then consider something larger than what you think you need. I had a 60" cut Landpride finishing mower that I used for a lot of the 10+ acres that I maintain as lawn (runway). In 2005 I bought a zero turn mower and I never put the finishing mower back on the tractor. The ZT mows about 3 times faster and gives a better cut as well. The zero turn is a JD 757 commercial model and I still use it 6 years later. It is also much better on slopes.

 

[keyman1808]

I've dug out many 10" stumps and some bigger with my little BX. But it was only one here one there and it does take forever to do. That being said I agree with what everyone else is saying. Rent a full size BH or bulldozer and rip them them out all at once and quickly. A small tractor could do it but you are going to heavily abuse it.

 

[BeezFun]

Ditto the comment on renting the machine you need to do the one-off large task (like pulling stumps). You can still make it a family affair: the family can video you driving the dozer through the garage wall Then a machine like BX23 should do everything else you want. I've got a tractor sized to do most everything I do around here, but I just rented an excavator to do some heavy trenching, it only cost me $250 for the day. That's a lot cheaper than buying a big machine and backhoe that I'd only use once every few years.

 

[dodge man]

With your budget, you could get into a used BX or a B. They both can mow and the end loader is very handy. They both will run a tiller. I agree with the others, unless you have time to kill, get something bigger or hire out the tree removal.

 

[Shaman]

Sold on the idea of renting a machine or paying someone to come flatten it the once. Then using a smaller machine to do all the maintenance/finish work.

Thanks for the help on this. I'll use the money saved from thinking about bigger machines on getting more attachments. :thumbsup: