Tractor Sizing 6M vs 5M for Field Mowing

Thowle · Jul 10, 2013

Guys,

Thinking of getting a tractor (either 5E, 5M, or 6M) and a CX15 or MX15 mower to start mowing fields here that are in the USDA CRP Conservation program.

Some fields will be flat, others may have quite a bit of uneven terrain.

What do you think would be the best tractor for the job, with enough weight and a wide enough stance to feel secure on the roughest and uneven terrain.

The 5115M seems nice, as does the 6105M.. decisions decisions.

arlen4720 · Jul 10, 2013

The 5115M is a good machine for that. The 6 series is in a whole different price point.

Robert_in_NY · Jul 10, 2013

If this is the only purpose you have for the tractor I would go with a low profile 6 series and set it as wide as you can so that if you do get into steeper areas you will feel safer and be safer.

Thowle · Jul 11, 2013

What's the big difference in a 6D? Just a watered down tractor? Be better with a 5000 than a 6D?

Edward. S · Jul 11, 2013

Thowle said:
What's the big difference in a 6D? Just a watered down tractor? Be better with a 5000 than a 6D?

A more basic 5M thats built in mexico, comes with bias tires and a slow transmission that wont be a good combo on the road. I would go for a 6M just for the PowrQuad transmission. Its a no brainier to get that than a 5M.

Robert_in_NY · Jul 11, 2013

Thowle said:
What's the big difference in a 6D? Just a watered down tractor? Be better with a 5000 than a 6D?

The 6D is a no frills tractor. Less electronics and gadgets but still plenty of power. I personally would go with a 6 series for what you want to do. I'm looking at the 6105D and if I decide to buy it one of the first implements I buy for it will be a 15' rotary cutter. I would be buying it to run my big plow and my baler but the larger rotary cutter would just be to speed up farm chores.

Thowle · Jul 11, 2013

Is the power reverser in the 5 series not as good as the power quad you mentioned in 6?

Thowle · Jul 11, 2013

Eh, maybe my naming isn't sticking the same... But I see the 6d on the configuration has a 9/9 power reverse max, and the 5m has a 32/16 power reverser

Edward. S · Jul 11, 2013

Thowle said:
Is the power reverser in the 5 series not as good as the power quad you mentioned in 6?

The PowrQuad is 10 times better. You can press a button and it changes gears, for the cab. For a open station you just push the lever. Basically everything is synchronized.

Thowle · Jul 11, 2013

Didn't see a powerquad option on configuration for the 6...

Edward. S · Jul 11, 2013

Thowle said:
Didn't see a powerquad option on configuration for the 6...

6M not 6D

Thowle · Jul 11, 2013

Hmm, seems nice. Wonder what a reasonable price on a 6105m and cx15 package would be... About 90k total or so?

Piston · Jul 11, 2013

Why don't they offer the power quad transmission in the 5m series? It seems like the only series without a nice transmission option.

Thowle · Jul 11, 2013

Guess I though was spoiled when I got in the 5101e a few years ago to now... Was nice. Still nothing compared to whatever transmission was in the jd 644j loader tho! I assume the powerquad is more comparable to that.

Big price difference in the 5m vs 6m though!

Zebrafive · Jul 11, 2013

Piston said:
Why don't they offer the power quad transmission in the 5m series? It seems like the only series without a nice transmission option.

I think it (PQ) is more of a module that goes into a full frame tractor.

JD3520Turbo · Jul 16, 2013

I have a 5083E and I mow with an HX15 and it works pretty good. I can't see spending a gob more money to do the same job. That 5m series should do the job at a lot less cost. I would go with the 5000 series.

JD6400NZ · Jul 16, 2013

Thowle said:
Guess I though was spoiled when I got in the 5101e a few years ago to now... Was nice. Still nothing compared to whatever transmission was in the jd 644j loader tho! I assume the powerquad is more comparable to that.

Big price difference in the 5m vs 6m though!

I have 4 6000 series 2x6400's and 2x6910's, In my eyes the 6000 series are a lot more tractor and are capable of a lot more, I have driven a 5100M with power reverser and I must say it is not near as nice as the 6125M I also had a go in with the Power Reverser tranny... Go with the 6M :thumbsup:

bigblock · Jul 19, 2013

JD6400NZ said:
I have 4 6000 series 2x6400's and 2x6910's, In my eyes the 6000 series are a lot more tractor and are capable of a lot more, I have driven a 5100M with power reverser and I must say it is not near as nice as the 6125M I also had a go in with the Power Reverser tranny... Go with the 6M :thumbsup:

I agree with everything that you say except that the man seems to be concerned, like many of us, about price. While the 6000's are clearly more capable tractors, I would not hesitate to hook my 5105M to a 15 or 20 foot mower.

Piston · Jul 19, 2013

What are we talking about for a price difference?

ovrszd · Jul 19, 2013

When I was shopping I looked hard at the 5M tractors. I glanced at the 6 series and was so shocked at the price difference that my memory automatically deleted the numbers so I can't tell you exactly, but it was several thousand difference. But as said above, the 6 series is considerable more tractor so price difference is expected. For what the OP has described I think a 5M would serve him very well.