SCUT or CUT.....that is the question!

[mahd776]

Looking to purchase a first tractor other than a Garden Tractor. My primary residence is a lake front ranch that sits on maybe 2 acres. Mow with one or the other of the JD Garden Tractors that I have with 48 inch decks and takes about 2 hours. Yard is generally flat for most part with quite a few low spots scattered about. One of the jobs I want to tackle is leveling those spots and seeding. Also want to put in some more landscaping flower beds as well as work on and improve ones we already have. Our largest is 120 foot long by 4 foot wide. All our currant flower beds need more soil or mulch added. Want to improve surface drainage around house foundation by adding soil. Have a sidewalk that needs torn out and replaced and a area where I park a utility trailer and a boat that I need to whiterock.
In addition to the primary residence my brother and I have a 55 acre deer hunting area about 30 miles away. We usually mow around our trailer several tines a year and transport our Garden Tractors to do that. In addition there is about 8 or 9 acres of the 55 that are open grass field. One of the fellows that hunts with us usually mows that with a pull behind ATV mower once a year. So I have started looking at purchasing a smaller tractor with a FEL, MMM and a rotary cutter. Unit needs to be small enough to be handy at the primary residence and capable of doing what I want to do there. At same time want to do work at the deer camp. Mowing around trailers should not be a problem of course. The 8 or 9 acres of grass and weed field I want to mow more often hence the rotary cutter probably a 48 inch model. Have a gravel access road to blade once in a while and possibly move some dirt to build a shooting backstop. Looking for advise on tractor size. Small enough for around house use but still capable of doing what I want at the deer camp. Have looked a bit at JD, Massey and Kioti. Have not looked at Kubota yet. I am going on 68 years old and I am retired so time is not a factor in getting things done as quick as possible. Am getting to the age a shovel and wheel barrow is not much of a option anymore. SCUT or CUT. Looking at new but used is possible. Really like the JD 1025R and Massey 1715 in new models.

 

[Tractorable]

Go bigger than the 1025R and 1715. The lack of ground clearance and tiny wheels will be problematic at your hunting property. Tiny wheels fall into every small hole and make for a rough ride. They're not much more machine than your garden tractor.

2 series Deere at least.

 

[cphilip]

I agree that at CUT would be better for the bigger mowing and land maintenance but you seem to want a mid mount mower and those are not as easy to get on a Cut. Also remember you have to transport this thing so do you have a vehicle big enough to take the trailer and tractor you want to mobilize? A small CUT with FEL will probably be near 4000 pounds without attachments. Closer to 5K with them.

 

[mikester]

I have neighbour's with both machines - each one loves theirs. I think the Massey is a 2015 and the Deere was bought last year.

The Massey is a really nice machine and looks solidly built more like an ag tractor with beefier looking castings. From what I've seen the small Deere's are built more like homeowner duty garden lawn mowers with more stamped sheet metal and welded parts. Take a good comparison look at the front axels, loader frame mounts, and 3PH.

It shouldn't really be that much of a difference but I'm a little biased after the Deere neighbour brought his machine over last summer on a long weekend for me to re-weld one of the mower anti-scalp wheel brackets that fell off on him. Cold lap weld joint. Should have been a warranty repair on his new machine but he didn't want to wait a week to arrange for the dealer to pick up, fix and return the machine.

If it were me I'd be probably be putting my money down on the Massey SCUT over that Deere model.

On the larger CUT's both are good brands.

 

[mahd776]

When I was typing this at 1:00 in the morning it was in paragraphs. In the course of editing my laptop started rearranging things. Probably a setting of some sort but it was late and decided not to fight with it and just posted it. I figured, like myself, if anyone wanted to contribute constructive advise on the subject would just read it and do so.

 

[flingwing1969]

In my mind, bigger is always better but, with a small property and transport issues a SCUT seems to be what would work best for you on the two acres, but you would certainly be better served by a good CUT on the hunting property. As already mentioned, make sure you have a means of transporting it properly - no compact pickup trucks here, you need a towing vehicle with some grunt, and at least a 16' trailer with dual axles and brakes all around.

 

[mahd776]

I do have a 3/4 ton Ford diesel pickup and a 20 foot double axle utility trailer with brakes. Rated at 7000 lbs so hope transporting to land and back would not be a problem.

 

[flingwing1969]

That'll do it. I'd go with a CUT myself for sure.

 

[mahd776]

To those who choose to contribute to helping me make my decision I thank you! Looks like heavy in favor of a CUT over a SCUT.

 

[dodge man]

I live not to far away near Macomb, Il. I have a Kubota BX which is a SCUT, but I agree, a CUT would be better for your other property. I'd also get a bigger brush hog than a 48". A 5 or 6 foot wide one will cut a lot faster but you also need the horsepower to go with it. A SCUT would work for you but like already said, the small tires make it not as good on rough ground.

 

[mahd776]

With the majority recommending a CUT over a SCUT what size or category of CUT would be recommended? With the above requirements in mind of course.
See JD has a new 2025R this year. From what I am reading sounds like a 1025R with more weight and larger tires. That a cantidate or some what bigger? Thanks!

 

[dodge man]

In Kubota I'd look at a 25 to 30 HP in the B series. They have a Kubota dealer here in Macomb, Birkeys. I'm not sure where else you would go, Galesburg, Peoria? They also sell JD's in Macomb.

 

[flingwing1969]

I like the upper range of HP and size (35 to 41 hp). Make sure you have enough FEL and TPH capacity to suit you and good hydraulic fluid flow is something you will appreciate if you add to your collection of implements. I had a 21hp B21 Kubota and loved it, but I'm much happier with the 38 horses my current tractor gives me - along with being able to lift a "too large" 4n1 bucket filled to overflowing with wet roadbase. I B21 would take me much longer to do any job.

It seems that what seems great when you first get it, looks anemic after you've used it for a while at its limits - but that goes for almost anything I guess. I remember buying my first motorcycle, a 250 and thinking, wow! A couple of weeks later I was wondering why the throttle didn't seem to be able to turn as far as it once did.

 

[ovrszd]

In Kubota I'd look at a 25 to 30 HP in the B series. They have a Kubota dealer here in Macomb, Birkeys. I'm not sure where else you would go, Galesburg, Peoria? They also sell JD's in Macomb.

I agree. A B series Kubota will do everything you want including mowing the yard. Much better ground clearance. Much better ride. Small enough to mow with, large enough to do FEL work with.

In JD, not sure what that equates to?? 2 series or maybe 3 series??

 

[dragoneggs]

I looked at B and BX before settling on the BX. Glad I did but I have really tight spaces to navigate and I don't ever plan to take off the 1.5 acre hilly property. Seeing that you plan to use remotely and you have a trailer to haul, it sounds like the B or similar is your solution. If money isn't an issue, a separate zero turn mower might make you happiest. I went this direction because I didn't want to deal with a MMM and the lousy ground clearance. Good luck with your purchase(s)

 

[airbiscuit]

The subcompacts are about the same size as your JD GT275, only diesel and 4wd. That said, they still have limited traction and ground clearance. Great for the suburbs - less great for the hunting camp. A John Deere 2 series tractor is probably a good compromise for your home and hunting camp needs (or same size from a competitor).

 

[RalphVa]

With the majority recommending a CUT over a SCUT what size or category of CUT would be recommended? With the above requirements in mind of course.
See JD has a new 2025R this year. From what I am reading sounds like a 1025R with more weight and larger tires. That a cantidate or some what bigger? Thanks!

Don't know about the new 2025R. Have one about 2 years old. Absolutely no troubles with it at all. Before, I had a 4010, which is like a 2019E if named today. Only troubles with it were turnbuckles breaking because I didn't tighten them tight enough a couple times and with the R3 (turf) tires for use with the FEL. In between, I had a 1025R. Had all sorts of problems with it. Only thing I liked about it over the other 2 tractors was the gentle start on the PTO and side fuel tank.

On some SCUTs, they have the hydraulic cooling fan down below where it'll get its fan blades knocked off unless you put an aftermarket underbelly protector.

Use a 4' bush hog and chipper/shredder mostly but have had an on JD M on the 4010 and have a carryall and back blade.

The 2025R's FEL action is the absolute best I've had. It's flawless in its action and even digs reasonably well. I would have never used the 1025R's FEL to put something into my pickup. It was absolutely very quirky.

Ralph

 

[Tractorable]

A Kubota B3300SU may be a good option for you. Small enough to get into tight spaces and trailer, big enough to power a 5' bush hog. I'd steer clear of the MMM, expensive, proprietary, and just gets in the way. Stick to rear implements.

 

[ovrszd]

A Kubota B3300SU may be a good option for you. Small enough to get into tight spaces and trailer, big enough to power a 5' bush hog. I'd steer clear of the MMM, expensive, proprietary, and just gets in the way. Stick to rear implements.

More B series Kubotas are sold with MMM than without. Very easy to install/remove. Do a great job of mowing. Surely cheaper than buying a separate lawn mowing machine. There are tens of thousands of B2710, B2910, B3030 tractors sold with MMM. Might look for a used one that also has an FEL.

 

[cphilip]

Unless you really need a lawnmower with some capabilities and really small I would get a CUT.