I Need a Bigger Tractor

[DanielDD]

We purchased a 90 acre property with a beautiful home. Rolling hills and some flat areas here in southern Tennessee. Half the property is suitable for hay cutting, so it gets cut at least twice a year by someone else (back to this issue in a moment). I bought an L3901 4WD/geared tractor and a 6 foot brush cutter in late June. I have approximately 80 hours on the tractor as of late.

I like for the property to look nice and them cutting for hay only twice a year is not enough for me. Maybe this is something I just need to get over with...

Just found out the hay cutter will not be doing a 3rd cut this year, although I think it needs it. It is possible he may cut the lower hay field (20 acres), but that is yet to be determined. I am cutting all the other areas myself. I cut for 17 hours this week and I am probably half done, so I've got another 17-20 hours of cutting to do. At that point I don't expect to be on the tractor until next spring.

Bush hogging with a 6 foot cutter seems to take forever. I've looked into a Rhino TS10 flex cutter. My tractor will pull it according to the specs on it. List price is about $10K for the cutter. A 10 foot cut would be much preferred over a 6 foot cutter and would reduce my cutting time.

I like the L3901, it is agile, gets into tight places and is easy to drive - but it has one serious flaw. The ingress/egress of the tractor is a real pain. You can forget about getting off this tractor quickly. The gear shift is in your way. Additionally, I wish I had gotten the HST as a lot of back and forth cutting under trees leaves my knee hurting due to the significant clutch action.

So, I made a mistake in my tractor selection. I should have gotten a bigger tractor to accommodate a larger cutter and more operator room. I was overwhelmed with the newly purchased property and didn't know squat about what I really needed. I thought I was only going to have to cut the areas the hay cutter didn't cut, like under the tree line and in the woods, but it now evident to me more frequent cutting needs to be done.

I like the MX5400/6000 and I may opt for a cab model. I am seriously thinking about trading it in, but I don't know if they will give me a good trade in offer or not. I do own the tractor outright and will be paying for the upgrade out of pocket, so there will be no financing. Should have made the right decision the 1st time, but it seems I have learned a valuable, if not expensive lesson...

 

[dusty3030]

One thing to consider, keeping everything mowed all spring / summer pretty much sucks for wildlife. You'll end up mowing up turkey nests, deer fawns etc plus with no cover from predators forget quail and many other bird species. Even if you don't hunt and never plan to consider reducing the amount of land that you keep cut.
Pick out some areas around your home or road frontage / driveway to keep up but also consider managing other areas with wildlife in mind.
Native grasses / wildflower areas are great to enjoy with their beauty as well as the butterflies, humming birds, bees, and all the other wildlife they attract. Keep you some paths cut out to ride / walk through between the native fields and go enjoy your 90 acres instead of trying to keep it looking like a golf course all the time.

I had a state biologist and a guy from Quail Forever help me plan out mine and couldn't be happier with the results. It is a multi year process that gets better every year.

Habitat Programs and Grants

 

[SDT]

We purchased a 90 acre property with a beautiful home. Rolling hills and some flat areas here in southern Tennessee. Half the property is suitable for hay cutting, so it gets cut at least twice a year by someone else (back to this issue in a moment). I bought an L3901 4WD/geared tractor and a 6 foot brush cutter in late June. I have approximately 80 hours on the tractor as of late.

I like for the property to look nice and them cutting for hay only twice a year is not enough for me. Maybe this is something I just need to get over with...

Just found out the hay cutter will not be doing a 3rd cut this year, although I think it needs it. It is possible he may cut the lower hay field (20 acres), but that is yet to be determined. I am cutting all the other areas myself. I cut for 17 hours this week and I am probably half done, so I've got another 17-20 hours of cutting to do. At that point I don't expect to be on the tractor until next spring.

Bush hogging with a 6 foot cutter seems to take forever. I've looked into a Rhino TS10 flex cutter. My tractor will pull it according to the specs on it. List price is about $10K for the cutter. A 10 foot cut would be much preferred over a 6 foot cutter and would reduce my cutting time.

I like the L3901, it is agile, gets into tight places and is easy to drive - but it has one serious flaw. The ingress/egress of the tractor is a real pain. You can forget about getting off this tractor quickly. The gear shift is in your way. Additionally, I wish I had gotten the HST as a lot of back and forth cutting under trees leaves my knee hurting due to the significant clutch action.

So, I made a mistake in my tractor selection. I should have gotten a bigger tractor to accommodate a larger cutter and more operator room. I was overwhelmed with the newly purchased property and didn't know squat about what I really needed. I thought I was only going to have to cut the areas the hay cutter didn't cut, like under the tree line and in the woods, but it now evident to me more frequent cutting needs to be done.

I like the MX5400/6000 and I may opt for a cab model. I am seriously thinking about trading it in, but I don't know if they will give me a good trade in offer or not. I do own the tractor outright and will be paying for the upgrade out of pocket, so there will be no financing. Should have made the right decision the 1st time, but it seems I have learned a valuable, if not expensive lesson...

Your 3901 is marginal for even a light 6' rotary cutter and not nearly powerful or heavy enough for a 10' BW.

A MX6000 will operate a 10' BW in modest conditions but it will be working hard in anything but light cover.

Before buying a BW check the distance between the tractor drawbar and PTO shaft and the required distance as specified by the mower manufacturer. Not all BWs can be used with all Kubota tractors.

SDT

 

[DanielDD]

Dusty - Perfect. Thank you for your enlightening post.

 

[fried1765]

We purchased a 90 acre property with a beautiful home. Rolling hills and some flat areas here in southern Tennessee. Half the property is suitable for hay cutting, so it gets cut at least twice a year by someone else (back to this issue in a moment). I bought an L3901 4WD/geared tractor and a 6 foot brush cutter in late June. I have approximately 80 hours on the tractor as of late.

I like for the property to look nice and them cutting for hay only twice a year is not enough for me. Maybe this is something I just need to get over with...

Just found out the hay cutter will not be doing a 3rd cut this year, although I think it needs it. It is possible he may cut the lower hay field (20 acres), but that is yet to be determined. I am cutting all the other areas myself. I cut for 17 hours this week and I am probably half done, so I've got another 17-20 hours of cutting to do. At that point I don't expect to be on the tractor until next spring.

Bush hogging with a 6 foot cutter seems to take forever. I've looked into a Rhino TS10 flex cutter. My tractor will pull it according to the specs on it. List price is about $10K for the cutter. A 10 foot cut would be much preferred over a 6 foot cutter and would reduce my cutting time.

I like the L3901, it is agile, gets into tight places and is easy to drive - but it has one serious flaw. The ingress/egress of the tractor is a real pain. You can forget about getting off this tractor quickly. The gear shift is in your way. Additionally, I wish I had gotten the HST as a lot of back and forth cutting under trees leaves my knee hurting due to the significant clutch action.

So, I made a mistake in my tractor selection. I should have gotten a bigger tractor to accommodate a larger cutter and more operator room. I was overwhelmed with the newly purchased property and didn't know squat about what I really needed. I thought I was only going to have to cut the areas the hay cutter didn't cut, like under the tree line and in the woods, but it now evident to me more frequent cutting needs to be done.

I like the MX5400/6000 and I may opt for a cab model. I am seriously thinking about trading it in, but I don't know if they will give me a good trade in offer or not. I do own the tractor outright and will be paying for the upgrade out of pocket, so there will be no financing. Should have made the right decision the 1st time, but it seems I have learned a valuable, if not expensive lesson...

Once AGAIN the old quote from TBN member Jeff9366 comes into play!

"BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR"

Please enter your location in your profile.
It may help someone here to help you.

 

[DanielDD]

SDT - The PTO specs on a 10 foot Rhino is 25HP minimum. The L3901 PTO HP is 32, so it will pull the implement, but I do agree the L3901 is marginal for a 6 foot rotary cutter. Even though I have used the cutter for the past 4 months, I have had no issue with pulling it. My hills are not extreme, so that may be a factor. The MX6000 has 52 PTO HP, so it should be no problem to pull even a TS12 cutter (specs on this cutter require 35-50PTO HP).

As far as whether the Rhino cutters can be used with a Kubota, I am not sure. Obviously, something to consider and investigate. Thank you for your input..

 

[DanielDD]

Once AGAIN the old quote from Jeff966 comes into play!

"BUT ENOUGH TRACTOR"

Well... yeah, but my naivety got in the way of making the correct choice coming out of the gate...

 

[fried1765]

Well... yeah, but my naivety got in the way of making the correct choice coming out of the gate...

Understood!

 

[shooterdon]

Consider negotiating a better deal for you with someone who wants to use your fields. For example, a penalty if they do not take a third cut by Oct off.

Buying a large tractor and equipment to cut grass seems like a poor option to me. Is there another crop that your land will support? Incorporating some of the suggestions offered by Dusty3030 are worth looking at as well. Maybe a mix of less cutting and better use of fields that are left.

 

[jeff9366]

As whether the Rhino cutters can be used with a Kubota, I am not sure.

The Three Point Hitch ((TPH)) has had an industry standard since about 1960. There are several weights/sizes, but compact tractors discussed on TBN have either a Category 1 TPH or a Category 2 TPH.

The 2,700 pound bare weight L3901 has a Category 1 TPH. The 3,700 pound bare weight MX open station tractors have a Category 1/2 TPH. Category 1/2 TPH means MX has a Category 2 TPH but Kubota supplies a number of sleeve adaptors in the MX toolbox, so Category 1 implement pins and be sleeved up to Category 2 dimensions and mount on an MX Category 2 TPH without issue.



TPH DIMENSIONS: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...mensions-3point-hitch-standard-dimensions-jpg

 

[DanielDD]

Consider negotiating a better deal for you with someone who wants to use your fields. For example, a penalty if they do not take a third cut by Oct off.

Buying a large tractor and equipment to cut grass seems like a poor option to me. Is there another crop that your land will support? Incorporating some of the suggestions offered by Dusty3030 are worth looking at as well. Maybe a mix of less cutting and better use of fields that are left.

Yes, bad option just to cut grass. We're city folks and just moved out to the country 5 months ago, so this is all new to us. I am sure whatever next tractor I decide on will do more than just cut grass. We plan on having a vegetable garden and there are a couple of downed trees that I'm sure the tractor could help with.

No penalty on the hay with current person. My agreement with him was simply to cut it and move it for FREE. Well, it hasn't worked in my best interests currently. Most likely I will terminate the relationship and find someone else. Wife wants a butterfly field and a wildflower field, so we will be looking into all that as well. Right now its just been all I can do to just deal with trying to get a handle on how to maintain the property. We came from a .25 acre residential lot to a 90 acre farm. Never thought in a million years I would be on a tractor and doing farm types of work...

 

[fried1765]

Yes, bad option just to cut grass. We're city folks and just moved out to the country 5 months ago, so this is all new to us. I am sure whatever next tractor I decide on will do more than just cut grass. We plan on having a vegetable garden and there are a couple of downed trees that I'm sure the tractor could help with.

No penalty on the hay with current person. My agreement with him was simply to cut it and move it for FREE. Well, it hasn't worked in my best interests currently. Most likely I will terminate the relationship and find someone else. Wife wants a butterfly field and a wildflower field, so we will be looking into all that as well. Right now its just been all I can do to just deal with trying to get a handle on how to maintain the property. We came from a .25 acre residential lot to a 90 acre farm. Never thought in a million years I would be on a tractor and doing farm types of work...

You will quickly learn to LOVE it!!!

 

[DanielDD]

You will quickly learn to LOVE it!!!

I sure hope so! I'm not quite there yet...

 

[jeff9366]

We purchased a 90 acre property with a beautiful home. Rolling hills and some flat areas here in southern Tennessee. Half the property is suitable for hay cutting.

For 45 acres, if all were to be worked for paying crops, the majority here would recommend a wider 5,000 pound bare weight tractor.

Assuming you will work about 20 acres and get into the woods, a 3,700 pound to 4,100 pound bare weight tractor would be about right.

VIDEO: Kubota MX Series VS. Kubota M Series - YouTube

 

[DanielDD]

For 45 acres, if all were to be worked for paying crops, the majority here would recommend a 5,000 pound bare weight tractor.

Assuming you will work about 20 acres and get into the woods, a 3,700 pound to 4,100 pound bare weight tractor would be about right.

VIDEO:

Thanks Jeff. Also, appreciate the origin of the word "tractor"

 

[Richard]

Hi DanielDD,

I'm in the Knoxville area. The wife's family farm here is about 250 acres, essentially 50/50 wooded/fields. I like to keep it cut. It was leased out at one time but he created more of a mess for us so he's gone.

I worked backwards... it literally, used to take me all summer to cut the farm... a bit on week day's and a lot of weekends. Wore me out. Decided to upgrade and bought 15' flexwing. Now, I need a tractor for it. I ultimately got a tractor bigger than needed but it was cheaper than a smaller one so I was fine with it. Meanwhile, it's large enough to stop me going down the hill we live on.

There is/was an Alamo Hydraulic mower in Chattanooga (tis what I have). It does a fine job wiping out everything before it. I think you need to forget tractor....and work backwards. What mower do you want/need and THEN focus on tractor.

Today, if I got up early and made it a long hard single DAY, I can cut entire place as contrasted with wiping out my entire summer. In fact, because I enjoy it, there is one field I cut every couple weeks (within view of house so it looks nice gazing out to farm).

One field went from maybe 10/12 hours to cut down to about 2 hours AND, I don't bog down going up hill. Bigger tractor has the power to keep on without much sweat.

 

[jeff9366]

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor weight is more important identifying compact tractor capability than tractor horsepower.

The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to first identify potential tractor applications, then, through consulataton, establish bare tractor weight necessary to safely accomplish your applications. Tractor dealers, experienced tractor owners and TractorByNet.com are sources for weight recommendations.

Bare tractor weight is a fundamental tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used. Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices. Collect a dealer brochure for each tractor model in your weight range.

I spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise which cuts through specification clutter. I have a column for cost per pound.

Subcompact and compact tractors under 3,000 pounds bare weight operate in landscape, kitchen/commercial garden or hobby farm applications on one to ten flat acres.

Tractors are inherently unstable operating on sloped ground. Tractor rear wheel/tire spread, sometimes adjustable, is a critical factor increasing compact tractor stability working sloped or uneven ground. A 6" to 10" wider rear axle substantially decreases tractor rollover potential.

When considering a tractor purchase, bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR.​

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...isons/430013-kubota-mx5400-6000-two-part.html

MOWER CALCULATOR: Mowing Calcuator | How many acres can I mow in an hour

 

[jeff9366]

I am seriously thinking about trading in the L3901 but I don't know if Kubota will give me a good trade in offer or not. I own the tractor outright and will be paying for the upgrade out of pocket, so there will be no financing. Should have made the right decision the 1st time, but it seems I have learned a valuable, if not inexpensive lesson...

I like the MX5400/6000 and I may opt for a cab model.

VIDEO: So you want to TRADE UP for a new Tractor? - TMT - YouTube


My local Kubota dealer tells me Kubota will announce price increases of around 15% in January 2021. Dealer has a short period to order now at 2020 prices for delivery in 2020 or as available.

 

[JethroB]

Is a Kubota Grand L in your considerations? It would be difficult to have buyers remorse when it comes to features. The HST Plus transmission is top of the line. I believe cost is in the neighborhood of $5k over a comparable MX.

 

[DanielDD]

Hi DanielDD,

I'm in the Knoxville area. The wife's family farm here is about 250 acres, essentially 50/50 wooded/fields. I like to keep it cut. It was leased out at one time but he created more of a mess for us so he's gone.

I worked backwards... it literally, used to take me all summer to cut the farm... a bit on week day's and a lot of weekends. Wore me out. Decided to upgrade and bought 15' flexwing. Now, I need a tractor for it. I ultimately got a tractor bigger than needed but it was cheaper than a smaller one so I was fine with it. Meanwhile, it's large enough to stop me going down the hill we live on.

There is/was an Alamo Hydraulic mower in Chattanooga (tis what I have). It does a fine job wiping out everything before it. I think you need to forget tractor....and work backwards. What mower do you want/need and THEN focus on tractor.

Today, if I got up early and made it a long hard single DAY, I can cut entire place as contrasted with wiping out my entire summer. In fact, because I enjoy it, there is one field I cut every couple weeks (within view of house so it looks nice gazing out to farm).

One field went from maybe 10/12 hours to cut down to about 2 hours AND, I don't bog down going up hill. Bigger tractor has the power to keep on without much sweat.

View attachment 672659


View attachment 672658

Beautiful landscape Richard! I am encouraged by your testimony that you cut your mowing time down considerably by going to a bat wing. I am leaning strongly toward a 12 foot one. At least I shouldn't feel so bad now, knowing you have a great deal to cut than I do!