2 acres too small for a tractor?

[jeff9366]

We bought a hillside in the northwest. I'm worried about driving a tractor due to the slopes, although my JD lawn mower does fine.

A subcompact tractor with rear wheel spacers and with the Loader removed will be more stable than your lawn mower.

If you order the optional SSQA (Skid Steer Quick Attach) Loader to Bucket connection, you can drop the 200 pound bucket in one minute.

Removing the entire Loader takes perhaps seven minutes on the current generation of subcompact tractors.
VIDEO: Kubota LA34 \ LA344 Swift-Tach loader for BX-8 series tractors - YouTube

It is carrying Loader loads raised higher than 12" on slopes that makes tractors particularly unstable.

You may wish to consider rear wheel weights too. Wheel weights provide more stability than liquid filled subcompact tractor rear tires, which have very low internal volume.

R1/ag tires provide somewhat better traction on slopes, both up/down and across, however almost all tractors sold with Loaders are sold with R4/industrial tires, as six-ply R4s do not squat down under Loader loads like four-ply R1 tires. R4 tires usually do not mark lawns. Pretty close choice between R1/R4 tires on mostly sloped land.



The main drawback to subcompact tractors is low ground clearance of 7" to 9" depending on brand and model.

Compact tractors (CUTS) have 12" to 14" ground clearance.
VIDEO: Kubota BX Series VS. B Series - YouTube


WHAT IS THE ALTITUDE OF YOUR LAND? Non-turbo tractors loose 3% of horsepower for every 1,000' increase in altitude.

 

[cathy liebchen]

don't buy too big or too heavy

 

[MossRoad]

Unless you go in deep mud, ground clearance on a lawn, driveway, even on trails in the woods is over rated. If you put a mid mount mower on it, it's even less important. Don't let that be a deciding factor at all, unless you plan on going in the mud often.

 

[Tennsawdust]

We just bought a hillside in the northwest. Neglected; huge piles of yard waste, blackberries, settling soil, fallen trees, etc. I'm worried about driving a tractor due to the slopes although my JD lawn mowr does just fine. So is having a tractor on 2 acres overkill?

I think you will be able to put a subcompact tractor to good use. I know several people that have lots that size who have tractors. If you are trying to beat the jungle back (and it sounds like you are) then a riding lawnmower won't get it done.

 

[Teachu2]

don't buy too big or too heavy

Correct - stay under 87hp and less than 17,850 lbs.

 

[YLee Kioti]

Aaaaaaand finally TBN'rs love to spend OPM...:laughing:
Now ask us what model you should buy, should be good for another post or two....

 

[newbury]

Well I bought my 23HP B7610 when I only had a 1/4 acre lot to maintain in Northern Virginia.

But then another house on a half acre lot I've got in Northern Virginia needed a lot of brush removal. So twice the lot, twice the HP. I bought my 50HP M4700 and used that to clean up the property,

Worked well

/edit I've also got about 400 acres in Mississippi where the M4700 resides now

 

[dragoneggs]

Unless you go in deep mud, ground clearance on a lawn, driveway, even on trails in the woods is over rated. If you put a mid mount mower on it, it's even less important. Don't let that be a deciding factor at all, unless you plan on going in the mud often.

I agree. I don't have a belly mower and I have driven over small logs and navigated some real rough terrain with my BX. I did throw on under armor which I think is a must of you go off road/grass to avoid sticks messing up things underneath... at least with a BX.

 

[4570Man]

I hate belly mowers. So I use a 72” cut diesel zero turn to cut my 1 acre yard.

 

[/pine]

2 acres too small for a tractor?
On TBN that is a loaded question...
If you live in a "little" house on a postage stamp size lot but it has a driveway and it snows there at least 6" once a year...(according to some here) you will need a tractor and either a blower or a blade...

 

[Michael Aos]

I own & maintain 4 little properties, each about .25 acre. They back up to an empty / open space of about 26.75 acres.

I still kinda wish I would have started with a B2601, but the BX2370 has been great since I added some ballast.

Pulling up old fence posts, digging post holes, moving lots of dirt and rock. Pallet forks are super handy.

 

[dragoneggs]

I own & maintain 4 little properties, each about .25 acre. They back up to an empty / open space of about 26.75 acres.

I still kinda wish I would have started with a B2601, but the BX2370 has been great since I added some ballast.

Pulling up old fence posts, digging post holes, moving lots of dirt and rock. Pallet forks are super handy.

Yep, I second the usefulness of the forks. Real happy I got the Tach-n-Go QA and the adjustable forks. Very happy I didn't settle for the fixed forks. Been many times moving oddball stuff (planters, small pallets, etc.) where the fixed forks would not have worked.

 

[Seamonster124]

2 acres too small for a tractor?
On TBN that is a loaded question...
If you live in a "little" house on a postage stamp size lot but it has a driveway and it snows there at least 6" once a year...(according to some here) you will need a tractor and either a blower or a blade...

We get an inch of snow every 3 years....

 

[Seamonster124]

Have been....

 

[wannabeefree]

I say if you can afford one and think you will use it ,than go for it.

 

[flusher]

Something like the first tractor I owned, a new 2005 Kubota B7510HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto, hydrostatic tranny, power steering, FEL with 4-ft wide bucket, $12.5K). You could fine one of these used for ~$8K. You need to be careful on slopes. I nearly rolled that little tractor when the right front wheel dropped into a tire rut while scooping dirt on level ground. I'd run dual rear wheels if the slope is too much.

Good luck

 

[wwdiii]

I have 2 acres and a 50 hp new Mahindra. It don稚 matter.

 

[AndyMA]

3 acres Kubota MX5200 with BH92 & Deere X748SE. Plenty of work to keep both busy

Andy

 

[NuBota]

Every man (uh, person) should have a tractor - period. I consider it therapy after sitting at a desk all week. I would use the FEL to take in the groceries, if I couldn't find a suitable use! You will find (or expand) projects you would never have considered once you have it.

Kubota BX24 for 3 acres, 2 are wooded. Mow on 25+ degree sloped hills with no issue (loaded tires, FEL off, weight uphill, etc.). Plan on buying a trailer, because friends/family will help you put it to use as well. Backhoe seemed like overkill, but it has been very nice to have. Rear blade for snow. Spreader - takes me longer to load the hopper than to actually seed and fertilize an acre. Same with the sprayer. Forks and/or 3ph carry-all for moving big stuff (500# gun safe, refrigerator, etc.)

As others have said - start shopping!

 

[Diggin It]

^^ True to an extent but remember that the more stuff you have the less land you have because all that stuff takes up land to store it. If you don't have weekly use for a 20' trailer, do you really need that trailer? Some could easily answer yes, while others (like me) would have trouble doing so. I may have 4-5 acres, but I really don't have a place to park a 20' trailer long term. Others have said one reason they don't have a trailer is because others are always asking to borrow it or have them do stuff.