Buying Advice 4x4 or 2x4

[stlawrence]

I've read years worth of posts on this website - I'll tell you, ya'll are a wealth of information. I marvel at the power of the web - at the information available.

Well, here's my situation. We're buying (I hope, Good Lord willin' and the loan comes through) about 80 acres in upstate New York. It is in the Finger Lakes area, which means we have drumlins (rounded hills). Some of the land is steep enough that it will require up and down working, I think. The land has about 50 acres of abandoned pastures that are grown up with brush, saplings, and goldenrod. The saplings are around 1" - those that are bigger, I guess I'll just cut out with a chainsaw.

I would like to be able to bushhawg the pastures to get them presentable. If I want to cultivate later and plant a crop (alfalfa, white clover, or some other good ground cover), I might contract that out. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

I would like to have a FEL, but my wife says money is tight and we might have to get the tractor without the FEL first, then get the FEL in a year or two (after I win the Lottery, which could be any day now).

We will have about five acres of lawn that I would like to be able to cut with the tractor, which would save having to buy another piece of machinery.

So.

I would love to have a JD 4120. That, without the FEL, would just about max out my tractor budget. The bush hog is a necessity - the FEL will be a luxury, I guess. I think a 4105 might work, but I fear it would be a little underpowered for my need to bush hog about 50 acres.

On the other hand, I really like the 5045. That would give me extra hp for a bigger bush hog. It brings several questions, though:

1. For the average farming, is the 4x4 worth the extra cost? I grew up with RWD tractors, and they did everything we wanted them to do. Will I be sorry later if I go with the 5045D, rather than the 5045E? (If I get the D, I can afford the FEL now)
2. What about the HSL drive? I won't be doing a whole lot of FEL work, but is that one of those things that mitigates toward the 4105 or 4120 over the 5045?
3. Mowing the yard - I can't go too big, or I'll leave ruts in Miz Shelley's yard, which would be bad news for everybody. What about turf tires? Would they keep the yard nice, but still be tough enough for field bush hogging?

So, to pin it down - I'm deciding between the 4105, 4120, and 5045. I'd like your opinions, because you know what you're doing, and I clearly don't.

Thanks. Dave

 

[JDGreenGrass]

You need 2 machines.

A lawn mower and a tractor.

 

[rekees4300]

4X4 is prudent with FEL especially on hills. With 80 acres get as big a tractor as you can afford. Nothing worse than having buyer's remorse later.

 

[jenkinsph]

I agree you need two machines.:thumbsup:

Consider buying an X320 mower new or larger for around the house, and look for a used 110tlb with the optional three point hitch. Then buy a new MX6 or MX7 brush hog to mow the pastures.

 

[stlawrence]

Ha!0

Steve, I had to laugh out loud at the 110 tlb suggestion. I told you, I expect to win the Lottery any day, but until then....

I'm looking to stay under 20-22k. Given my lack of mechanical ability, I would like to buy something still under warranty. Who wouldn't prefer a new tractor? On the other hand, I figure something with less than 500 hours is just getting broken in.

 

[flyingcow]

2 wheel drive tractor+ a $1200 lawn mower, and a decent bush hog.

Keep fishing, you should be able to find a set up to do what you have to do. Done an pile of bush hogging w/2wheel drive. On some very steep hills. Generally with mid 70's tractors. No problems, no major repairs. A few hundred dollars every once in a while.


If you think you can get someone to hay the ground after a few yrs...good luck. You may be able to get someone to do it, but it will take a lot of input $$$'s to make it so you get stumpage out of it.

 

[Interlaux]

St. - get the 4120 if you can afford it. I take care of 50+ acres of mowing which includes around 12 acres of finish mowing with a 4610. With the 4120 and a RFM and a RC you can do the same but...

I would look for a high hour previous gen 46xx - 47xx ehyrdo or maybe a 4500 PRT. I paid $13,500 for a 2001 4610 ehydro w/460 fel. I guess the key for the $ compared to the $ on tractor house was the hours. Mine had 1440 hrs last year when I bought it - my first. It now has 1730ish trouble freeish hours. I mow a lot! With a RFM ,R4s and HST there is no need for a "mower"

The ehydros are ONLY MFWD and for mowing, IMHO the cats MEOW!

If CASH in HAND is a problem check with your bank. Premium JDs are Premium JDs and you maybe able to get cash for a used unit at a better rate that you thought.

I hope God blesses you with the 80 acres and the tools you need :.thumbsup:

Lots of good info here on the 4xxx series MFWD usage and issues with the MFWD but to me its a really solid unit and axle.

 

[jenkinsph]

Ha!0

Steve, I had to laugh out loud at the 110 tlb suggestion. I told you, I expect to win the Lottery any day, but until then....

I'm looking to stay under 20-22k. Given my lack of mechanical ability, I would like to buy something still under warranty. Who wouldn't prefer a new tractor? On the other hand, I figure something with less than 500 hours is just getting broken in.

Look at the 110 listings on Construction Equipment For Sale at MachineryTrader.com: Dozers, Scrapers, Wheel Loaders, Excavators, Motor Graders, Caterpillar, Komatsu, Case, John Deere, Volvo seems with talking down a little that you can find something close to your budget.
Same hp as the 4120, better loader, backhoe, 3pt hitch ....worth a look.

A new 4120 with ehydro and 400CX lists for 32,000 I think you can find a good used 110 for 20k to 25k with a loader.

 

[LD1]

I agree with those that say you need 2 machines.

for the acerage you have to bush hog, I'd be looking at getting the most HP I can to spin the biggest bush hog that you can.

You would probabally be ahead (as someone already mentioned) to get an older 70's-80's 2wd. It is about the cheapest HP you can get. Typically tractors of that era in the 60-80HP range are selling ~5k. That gives you pleanty to spend on a mower and bush hog and still come in under buget.

If you dont feel comfortable doing that and insist on buying new, don't rule out other brands too. Shop all of the dealers in your area, not just JD. Even if you do decide on the JD, if they know you are shopping other brands, you might be able to negotiate a better price with them.

 

[Deadman]

You are not going to mow your lawn with a tractor of that size, so thats already out of the question. You need a tractor, and a lawnmower.

 

[jenkinsph]

Rereading the entire thread makes me suggest that 80 acres requires a larger expenditure for equipment than you may be able to afford at one time. I would venture to say that most of us have built this equipment up over time. I would also say that most of us have had to learn alot about mechanics to stay with it.:laughing:

I suggest if money is tight with the new land purchase that you hire someone to cut the fields once every year until you can buy your own equipment.

Buy a new larger mower for the house area, get a good one that will last for years and mow the yard quickly. I assume you will need one large enough to handle a snowblower too. Recover from the cost of buying the property and then add the larger equipment as you can. In the meantime you can focus on getting the 5 acre lawn in good shape along with any outbuildings and of course the house itself. All of this takes time, money and patience.

 

[TripleR]

On our flat land farm, we use 2WD and on our hill farms we use only 4WD.

I tried 2WD up here for a few years, but going down hills

 

[twarr1]

I won't be doing a whole lot of FEL work, ...

Are you sure?

 

[foggy1111]

Rereading the entire thread makes me suggest that 80 acres requires a larger expenditure for equipment than you may be able to afford at one time. I would venture to say that most of us have built this equipment up over time. I would also say that most of us have had to learn alot about mechanics to stay with it.:laughing:

I suggest if money is tight with the new land purchase that you hire someone to cut the fields once every year until you can buy your own equipment.

Buy a new larger mower for the house area, get a good one that will last for years and mow the yard quickly. I assume you will need one large enough to handle a snowblower too. Recover from the cost of buying the property and then add the larger equipment as you can. In the meantime you can focus on getting the 5 acre lawn in good shape along with any outbuildings and of course the house itself. All of this takes time, money and patience.

This is pretty sound advice Jenk's. I would think you could locate someone to do the brush-hogging for a reasonable price....or even rent equipment to do the job for a few seasons. It may buy you some time to research and find a great buy on the tractor / loader / brush hog, and equipment for your long-term need.

 

[whistlepig]

I live on ground that is pretty flat. The only time I use 4WD is when using the loader. For loader work the 4WD is worth it's weight in gold. For snow removal with a loader I can't see where 4WD helps as much as tire chains on the rear. A 2WD tractor with tire chains will push far more snow than a 4WD without tire chains.

 

[doall]

If you are going to bush hog all that acreage, I think you will want a machine that will at least pull a 10 ft. hog, if not more. So older 2wd tractor and lawn mower.

 

[Skyco]

Personally I require 4wd...I've run in 2wd and gotten stuck or had major slippage, sure is nice to add the front wheels in when needed. And as stated, when using a FEL for heavy stuff the rear wheels don't have a lot of traction.

 

[bglz42]

I love my 5045d. I have yet to get into a situation where I miss 4wd. Not knocking it, just wanted my tractor SIMPLE.

Get the loader... you will use it all the time!

 

[jenkinsph]

I love my 5045d. I have yet to get into a situation where I miss 4wd. Not knocking it, just wanted my tractor SIMPLE.

Get the loader... you will use it all the time!

Glad to hear the new tractor is working out for you but you may not have had it long enough to need 4x4 yet. I think you have had this new one for a month or so?

 

[Bigfoot62]

4X4 is prudent with FEL especially on hills. With 80 acres get as big a tractor as you can afford. Nothing worse than having buyer's remorse later.

Agree. 2wd would probably be OK until you add the FEL. Then, it will be "crippled." Even a 100 hp 2wd tractor with FEL is useless with a full bucket of dirt. Besides, even without the FEL, what if you want to disc one of those hills? Are you just going to cut it going downhill?

Also agree with Jenkins. Hire the 'hogging done until you can afford the tractor that you need. Or, consider getting an older 2wd tractor to "get by with" until you can get what you want. Until about 15 or 16 years ago, a Ford 2600 was the only tractor that I had. (I still have it, too. It's my "lawn mower" now with a 6' finish mower) Then, I bought a (well) used JD 4020 with a 14' disc, and later a 10' hog. Made do with that until I was able to replace the 4020 with a used NH 7610S MFWD with a FEL. Just replaced the 7610S with the JD 5085M. (and yes, I love it!) Point is, sometimes you have to "crawl before you can walk."