First home. Time for my first tractor.

[Wellarmedlamb]

So my wife and I purchased our first home. It's a log home on 2.18 square wooded acres.

I have a lot of work to do over the next 5+ years.

Briefly:
--The driveway is, imho, in the wrong place. I need to develop a 150ft driveway through forest. This will require both cutting the ground down and adding fill in different places.

--I want to replace the existing carport with an attached 2 car garage.

--I want to drastically expand the existing detached workshop.

--I want to develop a yard in what is currently forest.

--I want to clear brush, leaves, debris and smaller trees and plants grass amongst the older trees in front of the house.

--Snow removal

--Firewood transport

There are other jobs but those are the current main priorities.

There are many stumps to remove, much debris to clear and a lot of ground to level.

Other consideration: I'm self employed multiple directions. One such direction is as a "Certified Water Operator" for a couple smaller rural drinking water distribution systems. I want to be able to use the tractor backhoe to repair water lines in areas to tight for the system's full size backhoe. This is important for two reasons... The tractor needs to be capable of good quality light backhoe work... And I'll be writing-off the depreciation.

Speaking in John Deere terms since I know the numbers, I'm looking at 2025r, 2017 2032r, 2017 2038r, 3025e, 3032e, 3033r.

These tractors are all of similar size but drastically varying prices.

Must have a loader and backhoe. I believe I want a 4 in 1 bucket instead of a standard bucket.

I'm not set on John Deere.

Sorry for the lengthy post and thanks in advance for any advice given.

Jesse

 

[GuiltySpark]

Close to your new home which dealers do you have that you can build a long term relationship with?

 

[Thomas]

:welcome: to TBN Jesse.
Congrats on your new homestead. :thumbsup:
Get to know your JD dealer and any questions,don't forget to post pics of your new long time investment.

 

[jeff9366]

My wife and I purchased a log home on 2.18 wooded acres.

Briefly:
--The driveway is in the wrong place. I need to develop a 150ft driveway through forest.

1) This will require both cutting the ground down and adding fill in different places.
2) I want to replace the existing carport with an attached 2 car garage.
3) I want to drastically expand the existing detached workshop.
4)I want to develop a yard in what is currently forest.

1) - 4) are tasks for a Box Blade. Box Blades come in two configurations: Standard and Rollover Box Blades. As you will be doing some commercial work, get two rear remotes and hydraulic Top Link and Lifting Rod adjustments, referred to as T&T.

My experience is with a 60" Rollover Box Blade (ROBB) by Bush Hog. If you have rigid Three Point Hitch Lower Link stabilizers a ROBB can be used to push SOFT dirt in moderate amounts re: filling trenches and holes.

--I want to clear brush, leaves, debris and smaller trees and plants grass amongst the older trees in front of the house.
Ratchet Rake attachment for your FEL bucket.
VIDEO: ratchet rake brush clearing - YouTube

--Firewood transport. FEL bucket.

There are many stumps to remove. Not work for a small tractor with Backhoe.

Other consideration: I'm self employed multiple directions. One such direction is as a "Certified Water Operator" for a couple smaller rural drinking water distribution systems. I want to be able to use the tractor backhoe to repair water lines in areas to tight for the system's full size backhoe. This is important for two reasons... The tractor needs to be capable of good quality light backhoe work... And I'll be writing-off the depreciation.

Speaking in John Deere terms since I know the numbers, I'm looking at 2025r, 2017 2032r, 2017 2038r, 3025e, 3032e, 3033r.

These tractors are all of similar size but drastically varying prices.
Only consider tractors with a bare weight of 3,000 pounds and up.

Must have a loader and backhoe. I believe I want a 4 in 1 bucket instead of a standard bucket.
4 in 1 bucket too heavy for a small tractor. Most regret this option. Backhoe and Box Blade should fulfill your needs.

 

[ProjectKing]

Look at Kubota's TLB line. B26, L39, etc etc.

 

[bferg]

I have been turning 5 acres into a home site for the last two years. I have wooded areas that have been cleared similar to what you are describing. I think for the work on your site you really need a larger TLB (tractor loader backhoe) than you are currently considering. Backhoe is best for stump removal and even tree removal. But IMO if you have large stumps/trees you really need something bigger than a Kubota B or any of those JD's you mentioned. To do that type of work safely, and efficiently you will want a larger machine as was previously mentioned.

Also, instead of a 4 in 1 bucket you probably need a regular bucket (with cutter on front like the ratchet rake) AND a grapple bucket. After you knock those trees over you are gonna need to move them and a grapple is very helpful here. Can be done with a regular bucket and forks but grapple is far superior.

 

[Wellarmedlamb]

Close to your new home which dealers do you have that you can build a long term relationship with?

In order of biggest to smallest (inventory).

John Deere(5min), Mahindra(15min), Kabota(10min), New Holland(3 min), Kioti(5min)

 

[Wellarmedlamb]

Thank you for the quick responses and great advice! It's disappointing to hear that the 4 in 1 bucket isn't a good option. Between the moldplate dozing and the brush & tree grappling it seemed like a nice way to have fewer items to purchase.

I'm not sure I want to or can get into quite the size machine being suggested. A number of the machines I listed have a bare weight of over 2200# and a 1200-1500# FEL lift at max height. The backhoe and loader are quite heavy and I would fill the tires if necessary. I'll take a look into the larger tractors as suggested.

Most of the stumps are on the smaller side. Most of the large stumps can be flush cut and filled over.

My thinking was: TLB, 4 in 1 bucket, box blade, landscape 3pt rake, front blade and/or rear snow blower, toothbar for loader, and possibly a ripper claw and thumb for the backhoe.

Sounds like​ the consensus is regular loader bucket and grapple...and a considerably bigger tractor.

The other note is I'm 6'5, 290# and don't seem to fit well on some tractors.

 

[boggen]

your heavy on the backhoe work.

a mini ex (mini excavator) more likely do you better for business, they are simply more maneuverable, and able to cross a trench if you really need to. and just work faster than a TLB.

on the TLB side of things. heavy work on backhoe. so you are most likely going to want a machine that has a seat that does a 180 to operator backhoe or tractor. vs hoping off tractor seat, climbing off tractor and then climbing on backhoe seat. the 180 seat option alone is going to limit your tractor options as far as what models out there offer a backhoe with 180 twist seat.

2.18 acres is not a lot of space. and you might be better served with a "skid steer" all the implements tend to be a little bit more costly than a tractor 3pt hitch version. but more likely work good for both business and home. a skid steer does not have a top MPH say 24MPH on road. but 2.18 acres you go a little bit and you are already there. and they are more maneuverable than a tractor to get in tight spots. with say a front mount backhoe on them. i think you would be good to go being able to turn on a dime, and get in those awkward spots in an odd angle with a backhoe and go at it. swap out to a general duty bucket to back drag and fill in trenches. toss on a boom pull if needed for trusses or like.

for buisness, there is a "ditch witch" chain saw like chain on one end to cut ditches, and then a backhoe on opposite end, with a small little push blade to push dirt back in. more directly geared for trenching and not much else but... *shrugs*

overall
mini ex = 1st choice, (then skid steer or tractor for additional machine)
skid steer = 2nd choice.
TLB (tractor loader backhoe) = 3rd choice

==========
google
forestry roads

there is about 5 descent sites out there, that go over slops, crowns, ditches, grades, etc... for roads, and for most folks can directly apply to there driveway.

 

[Wellarmedlamb]

Great comments boggen! And you pretty much described the exact thoughts I've been having. There won't be much water line digging. When the digging happens it will be in all soft ground and never deeper than 3 feet. For that reason the mini ex just doesn't fit the bill due to the lost versatility compared to tlb or skid steer.

I leaned away from the skid steer option for mostly four reasons: limited ground clearance, limited traction due to short wheel base, loss of PTO or rear implementation and inability to have fel and bh (or other implement) attached during transit and ready to go upon arrival.

 

[WVH1977]

An 18,000 lb mini excavator for one week including fuel and delivery is around $ 2,500. It is the biggest size you can get in a mini-ex and will clear out an acre in a week easily if you know how to operate it. I cleared an acre behind my house with 18" dia. plus trees and buried and old dump pile. The machine knocked them down like they were twigs and pulled up the stumps with ease. It had a hydraulic thumb and I dug and picked all the stumps, dug a hole, put the stumps in and burned them. I used the dozer blade to rough grade the ground after all the destruction. Best vacation ever!



Once the heavy work is done, go get your compact tractor with backhoe for your job and maintenance work around your new place.

 

[jeff9366]

I want to be able to use the tractor backhoe to repair water lines in areas to tight for the system's full size backhoe. This is important for two reasons... The tractor needs to be capable of good quality light backhoe work.

Can you obtain permission to take the full size Backhoe home for an occasional weekend? Do you have the truck and trailer to do so?

 

[Wellarmedlamb]

Actually I could get it for considerably longer than the weekend. It would cost a few hundred bucks transport each way. No truck or trailer. My general plan had been just that. Use the old 580C for the big work and get a reasonably sized tractor for general use and small jobs here and there.

 

[airbiscuit]

Actually I could get it for considerably longer than the weekend. It would cost a few hundred bucks transport each way. No truck or trailer. My general plan had been just that. Use the old 580C for the big work and get a reasonably sized tractor for general use and small jobs here and there.

That's good to hear. You can take stumps out with a Compact tractor, and you can break a compact tractor with stumps, and there is a good chance you will do both.

 

[airbiscuit]

I don't think you can put a backhoe on the John Deere 3032e because of the aluminum rear end housing.

You will want a tractor that is large enough to be comfortable to operate.

That said, something like this would be big enough for your property and intended needs (except stumping) and easy to trailer, if you fit comfortably on it.

 

[Wellarmedlamb]

The 3032e is often packaged with a woods groundbreaker, 3 point, PTO backhoe.

 

[airbiscuit]

 

[pinetree10]

Maybe you could rent some heavier machines to get the bulk of the heavy work out of the way first and then finish off with your own equipment. I've found that my own JD 2720 with its bucket and PTO chipper is great for regular maintenance and smaller scale work. However, when it comes to large volume jobs I'd rather rent a commercial machine to get the bulk of the work done and then finish off with my own equipment.

I have 2.5 acres of mature trees and the chipper and loader have been great for steady maintenance over the years. I've had quite a few trees taken down over the years and managed them as they came, but we had a major wind event in March that forced me to take down 40+ pine trees all at once, all of which were well over 80 feet tall. I hired a guy with a mini excavator and a skid steer to take all of the trees down and off my property because all that weight and abuse would have put way too much wear and tear on my tractor for my taste. The logs were huge, often several feet across, and far too heavy for what I own. I had him leave the branches so I could chip them and use the wood chips to cover the forest floor, keep the weeds down, and make it look nice when it was done, but I'm not using my chipper for that job. I'm going to rent a commercial self-feeding chipper once he's done and spend a day or two grinding up hundreds of pine branches of varying sizes because I don't want to put my tractor and chipper through what I think is a bigger job than I want them to do.

After watching the guy use his mini excavator I'm convinced that those things were a fantastic invention. It's incredible what that little thing can do for its size. Good luck and post some photos of your progress.

You listed the 3033r so I figured I'd attach a photo. I'd love to hear from anyone who has this setup. It has to be fun to operate.

 

[Wellarmedlamb]

Pinetree, thanks for the first hand examples of what you do and don't want to attempt with your tractor. The 3033r is nice but bigger than I need if the big work is knocked out ahead. I really want the new redesigned, built in Georgia 2032r or 2038r but the price is painful. I'm waiting to see if JD follows through and works over the 2025r at the end of the summer. Might be perfect.

On a separate note, so far I best like the John Deere and Mahindra products. I don't fit well on the Kabota stuff. The New Holland tractors don't seem as nice for the price and my Kioti dealer has next to no inventory which means I haven't actually looked at a Kioti.

 

[airbiscuit]

Mahindra isn't in quite the same league as Deere and Kubota as far as quality and sophistication.