4025 4WD sliding or constant mesh transmission?

[Notforhire]

Besides the lower HP requirements, which is the biggest reason I suggested a sickle bar.check out

Tractor Rotary Cutters by Fred Cain, and King Kutter Free shipping on Tractor Rotary Cutters

A Fred Caine 6ft cutter cost $1705, move up to their 8ft and the cost is $4995. New sickles are also expensive, but not many people use them anymore so you can find them used at a fair price. With a belt drive like a NH brand you can lower the cutter below level and cut slopes like you find around ponds. A rotary is behind you rather than along side like a sickle. Each has it's own good and bad points.

 

[keegs]

Thanks ...I'd been looking at the sickle bar mowers a month or so ago and it seems I can probably pick up a used one at a good price. I imagine that many or maybe even most are designed to fit /attach to most tractors.

 

[Notforhire]

I imagine that many or maybe even most are designed to fit /attach to most tractors.

To the best of my knowledge that is true. I would look at the belt drive type rather than the push rod design used by Ford. Some have a hyd. cylinder to raise and lower the cutting arm. You would need a rear hyd. remote on your tractor for that type. When you buy your tractor, at least one remote is a good idea anyway.

Good luck, Bill

 

[AchingBack]

I love the advice being given here. Especially like hearing about the sickle bar mower. Once a week I drive by my dealer, and see which new models of Mahindra have arrived. The 4025 makes me drool. I just don't have enough property to justify one.

 

[Notforhire]

I love the advice being given here. Especially like hearing about the sickle bar mower. Once a week I drive by my dealer, and see which new models of Mahindra have arrived. The 4025 makes me drool. I just don't have enough property to justify one.

I don't think that tractor is too big for mowing 50 acres. As a matter of fact, if it were me I would look at utility size rather than a CUT.

Looking at the spec. TractorData.com Mahindra 4025 tractor information I notice dry brakes. Most modern tractors have gone to wet brakes. Just another thing for you to think about.:confused2: There are lots of tractors out there, and lots of brands. Someone recomended a shuttle shift. Doing field work you wouldn't care, but doing loader work a syncro. shuttle is SOOO much easier.:thumbsup:

Happy shopping

Bill

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

Here is a link you might also find useful.

TractorData.com - Mowing with tractors

 

[keegs]

......Just another thing for you to think about.:confused2:

When you consider the long list of requirements that one might consider with the selection of a tractor and the fact that many of us are unfamiliar with the kind of features not only offered on the tractors but the attachments as well....this can be a difficult task.

Thanks again...to you guys for helping me get my head around it.

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

Here is something else to consider thanx to a buddy of mine puttin me in this thought process when I was looking and I'll share with you.

Tractor A cost $21,000 will do everything I need it to and is probably the right size and power.

Tractor B cost $27,000 and has 10+/- HP more and will definitely do everything I could imagine.

Now if I buy Tractor B I have one really nice tractor with power and possibly the bells and whistles to go with it. I can probably knock out my task a LITTLE faster, but not much. I can buy larger implements and attachments and probably will have to in order to cover the wider tire tracks/path. Now I am out of money because this tractor took all I had or is takin it all in monthly payments and not to mention the cost of the bigger implements and attachments. Now all you can do is look at it and wish you could use it! You end up with a tractor you cannot use.

Tractor A on the other hand will do it all with a little time and maybe creative thinkin from time to time, but works great and is cheaper, but the same exact quality and craftsmanship as Tractor B. Not only did I save a few thousand dollars, but now I have money left over or less of a payment which increases my chances of buying new and/or used implements and attachments that I can use. Now I am not just daydreaming bout using my tractor I AM USING IT!!

Once you have the big intial one time things done and over with how much power do you need to just be happy and maintain what you got going on? I am all for bigger is better! I live in TEXAS and it is all about BIG, but I would like to have a big pocket book one day also. Not to mention the bigger the unit and something happen usually the more expensive the parts.

Just another wrench in your thoughts!

You know you want the 4wd 4025!....lol...again.....lol.

Good Luck!

 

[streamin]

Just to add my comment, I would always go a bit bigger than you think you'll need. I have regretted buying too small, 3 years later I sold to go bigger and lost the money I had invested which would have paid for the difference in the beginning for the bigger one. I went from 32hp to 50hp. BTW, the 50 hp did great with a 6ft brushhog.

 

[Notforhire]

Just to add my comment, I would always go a bit bigger than you think you'll need. I have regretted buying too small, 3 years later I sold to go bigger and lost the money I had invested which would have paid for the difference in the beginning for the bigger one. I went from 32hp to 50hp. BTW, the 50 hp did great with a 6ft brushhog.

I agree. I have a 5 acre mini farm, and I sometimes push the limits of my 34hp tractor. The small tractor works out well because of some tight areas I have, if I had 50 acres things would be spread out a little more. I think a 45 to 55hp full size utility rather than a CUT will do just about anything you need to do. I also think that the utility size units are built heavier/ stronger.

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

To my knowledge the 4025 is the smallest utility tractor Mahindra makes. I have heard of it mentioned as a compact before also. I would have to say the 4wd 4025 is a compact utility tractor. Best of both worlds.

Contact others with the units you want and get their personal opinions on them. I did PM some members on here asking them bout their 4025 units. Of course 2wd because they just now came out with 4wd in the 4025. Not one of them had anything bad to say and each said it was more than enough tractor. I talked to guys that had anywhere from a little plot to 100+ acres. One guy just went on and on bout all of his accomplishments with it. More than one said it was enough tractor, but wished it was 4wd. I am bias to the 4wd 4025 because I have one, but really talk to others with the different units you are considering and see what they say.

I would like more power just to say I got more power, but thats an ego, macho thing also that hurts my pocket book. They did it along time ago with less than what you are considering.

Good Luck.

 

[keegs]

...welcome to my world.

I don't have a crystal ball but as I may have mentioned I see myself needing something to cut hay, move snow, groom the driveway and on occasion haul logs out of woods. I like the relative simplicity of the 4025 and while it's a heavy machine, it seems to me, w/4WD, to be easy enough to manuver around the pond, in the woods...etc and it's affordable.

I've been scouting out the used sickle bar mowers. It looks like I can get a decent belt driven for around $2k. Not sure whether to go with an FEL right off the bat unless they have an incentive on them. I may get a remote for the rear.

Bonuses are distributed in Feb. I'll likely be pulling the trigger around that time maybe March or April. This past July I worked with a local high school teacher to put up a garage for it.



Thanks again for all your inputs.

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

Nice garage. Glad to see you got that out of the way.

I have the skills to build one. I framed houses for my cousins husband for 10+ yrs and he would help me to this day build whatever I want, but money is the problem because I dont want to finance it. So mine sits in weather. I told wife come spring we are at least building an awning/carport for it.

 

[keegs]

Thanks..I thought the garage might give me some measure of theft as well as weather protection. i did some checking at my CU and they'll only finance a tractor through a personal loan the rates for which are pretty high. I'm likely going to take the manufacturer's financing for a chunk of it.

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

I checked my CU also and they would only do it like a commercial sort of loan something or another for 7.25%. So I got Mahindras at 4.25%. But if I want a brand new King Ranch F350 4 door 4wd fully loaded Ford pick up I can get less than 2%. Now imagine that. Them King Ranch Fords are nice, but there goes my pocket book again. No King Ranch for me. As far as the theft thing goes that is a good idea also. Bout 5yrs ago old man down the road got his tractor stolen, but I'm willin to bet it had the key in it and it was parked right near the gate and the gate was probably wide open. I park my next to my goose neck trailer and chain the 2 together and my gate is always closed because we let the cows up in the yard to mow....I mean eat. If someone wants it they will get it, but thieves are lazy so the harder you make it the more likely they will go on to the easier job.

 

[Notforhire]

To my knowledge the 4025 is the smallest utility tractor Mahindra makes. I have heard of it mentioned as a compact before also. I would have to say the 4wd 4025 is a compact utility tractor. Best of both worlds.

The 4025 is indeed a compact utility, but I don't know if it's the best of both worlds. Compacts, CUTS, and Utilities all have their strong and weak points. Unless you need to work in confined areas, like I do, Utility size gives you more bang for the buck than a CUT in the same HP range. I think of CUTS more like mid size PU trucks. They are easier to park, but won't do what a full size will do.

 

[keegs]

Bout 5yrs ago old man down the road got his tractor stolen, but I'm willin to bet it had the key in it and it was parked right near the gate and the gate was probably wide open.

Now that sounds old school :laughing:

Don't have any cows but if we do land up there full time someday and if it makes economic sense, I thought about fencing off the smaller field on the one side of the driveway for grazing. It's just an idea though..

First time I contacted the CU about a loan they suggested that auto loans are available for tractors if I could title it (which is available in Maine)...so I submitted an application. After a few days they called to ask some questions and toward the end of the conversation said my auto loan was approved. To be sure, I mentioned again that the loan was for a tractor. Can't say for sure but I bet the woman's face was red. She put me on hold and when she returned to the phone told me that a tractor didn't qualify for an auto loan. I think she did mention something about a buisness loan also.

4 1/4's not a bad rate.

 

[keegs]

The 4025 is indeed a compact utility, but I don't know if it's the best of both worlds. Compacts, CUTS, and Utilities all have their strong and weak points. Unless you need to work in confined areas, like I do, Utility size gives you more bang for the buck than a CUT in the same HP range. I think of CUTS more like mid size PU trucks. They are easier to park, but won't do what a full size will do.

Thanks Notforhire...The requirement that most concerned me is the mowing. I'd been considering a larger 7-8 foot bush hog but I think a new or used 7-9 ft sickle bar will do just as well. There are some areas, particularly around the perimeter of the fields that will likely require bush hogging so I'll likley pick up a used 5 or 6 footer. And there's always the possibility that I can get someone to cut the fields for the hay.

I agree though that I might be low balling it on the HP. It's a tough call but I think I should be able to get most if not all of what I need to get done with the 40 horse machine.

 

[Notforhire]

Just to give you ONE MORE thing to think about. Cold weather starting. If you are moving to Maine how well a diesel starts in the winter is importaint. I had a Ford 1920 that would start easily in 10 deg. weather without using the glow plugs. I also had a NH TC40D that didn't like to start if it was 20 deg. and I used the glow plugs.
30 years ago I had 67 acres in Summerset County, Me., so I've been through the New England cold weather start thing.
I think you can get by with 40 hp fine. I don't think your lowballing. I did the same type of thing your looking at with a 1947 25? hp Farmall C.
Sickle mowers tend to push the front end to the right as you cut. Longer wheel base helps, so does weight. I guess the point I'm trying to make is, physically larger longer tractors tend to be more stable than compacts. You can do the work with just about any machine, just some are less work than others.
Just throwing ideas at you. Grandpa got by with just a horse.

 

[keegs]

Just to give you ONE MORE thing to think about. Cold weather starting. If you are moving to Maine how well a diesel starts in the winter is importaint. I had a Ford 1920 that would start easily in 10 deg. weather without using the glow plugs. I also had a NH TC40D that didn't like to start if it was 20 deg. and I used the glow plugs.
30 years ago I had 67 acres in Summerset County, Me., so I've been through the New England cold weather start thing.
I think you can get by with 40 hp fine. I don't think your lowballing. I did the same type of thing your looking at with a 1947 25? hp Farmall C.
Sickle mowers tend to push the front end to the right as you cut. Longer wheel base helps, so does weight. I guess the point I'm trying to make is, physically larger longer tractors tend to be more stable than compacts. You can do the work with just about any machine, just some are less work than others.
Just throwing ideas at you. Grandpa got by with just a horse.

I don't have electrics in the garage yet but I do plan to put in a sub-panel sometime in the future. The garage is about 100' from the house....uh-oh.. guess I'll need that backhoe attachment now.

My guess is an after market block heater might help some with cold starts but if not maybe a space heater ? ....jeez...now i have to think about putting up a ceiling :laughing: