Buying Advice Advice Needed on Potential L4400DT Purchase

kponds · Feb 18, 2006

Looking for advice on possible tractor package purchase. I am building a new home on 18 acres most all of which is rolling hill pasture land with scatterred trees. A portion of the land (maybe two acres) backs up to a watershed lake so I will want to use the tractor for some brush clearing and tree removal along a portion of the lake - most of the trees to be removed are 2 to 5" diameter willows. In that area, I will want to remove some of these trees, along with the stumps, and do some grading of the area to improve both appearance and access. Other planned usage of the tractor will be grass cutting the remianing 15 to 16 acres.

I have visited several local dealers in Jonesboro AR and the local Kubota deakler has given me a few recomendations on a package deal to include the tractor, FEL, cutter, box blade, and a 16ft utility trailer. At this point I am settling into the following:

L4400DT Tractor
LB 552 loader
Woods BB72 cutter
Tuffline 6ft HD Box Blase'
16 ft Utility trailer

All equipment is new. The quoted price for the package is approximately $21,000 plus local sales taxes (about $1250). I would appreciate comments relating to whether this appears to be a good selection of equipment for the application as well as any recommendations of alternate equipment which may be more applicable to my particular situation. As this will be my first potential tractor purchase, I am somewhat uncomfortable and am seeking advice. I prefer to buy good quality equipment but want to make sure I am getting the right stuff for the job at the right price.

equipman · Feb 18, 2006

I wonder why he didn't quote the LA703 loader with that tractor and I think you will be hard pressed to load all that equipment onto a 16' trailer.
Lewis

kponds · Feb 18, 2006

I am not sure at this point if the trailer is 16ft (he said trailer and I am sorta assuming its a 16ft at this point). The land is about 7 miles form the dealer so I am not too concerned about the trailer as far as this discussion - I will end up getting a trailer to fit even if it costs a few bucks more.

Your comment about the LA703 vs LB552 is enlightening. I have made a note of it and will ask the dealer. I am not sure how much the additional price would be with the stronger LA703 loader but I will certainly find out and consider it.

One comment I pickerd up in the forums was that the BB720 bushhog (with chains) may really load up the L4400. Most all of the grass cutting/bushogging will be a relatively light load in my application. Should I possibly consider a lighter bushhog or larger tractor. What I am really looking far in a cutter is width - I really want to minimize time doing the normal grass cuting on 15 or 16 acres.

equipman · Feb 18, 2006

If you are cutting grass and weeds (up to 1" in diameter) the SQ720 will be the right mower. If you are cutting brush (up to 2" diameter) the 286 will be the choice. I don't recognize a BB720 mower. The SQ requires 30 hp. the 286 requires 40 hp.
Lewis

DmansPadge · Feb 18, 2006

The L4400 shouldn't have any trouble pulling a 6' hog... but that is about the biggest you would want to still be productive.

Bob_Young · Feb 18, 2006

kponds, your first post lists a BB72 mower which is the Woods 'Standard Duty' 6' bushhog. That should pose no problem for an L4400 whatsoever. If all you're going to mow is weeds and grasses, it's probably all you need.

Your second post mentions the BB720 mower, which is the Woods 'Medium Duty' 6' Bushhog. It's what I've got and I pull it behind an L4300, predecessor to your L4400. The BB720 is built like a tank and weighs about 400 lbs. more than the BB72. It's overkill for just knocking down weeds. In my case, I felt I needed the extra beef for the woody stuff (sumac, ash and other trash) I often get into.

My L4300 does have enough power to handle the BB720 OK, but the weight of the FEL is needed up front to keep the front wheels down. The 720 is also right at the limit of what the L4300's 3-pt. hitch geometry can accomodate. Hooking up is a chore.

If my understanding of your mowing needs is correct, you're better off with the BB72. It's lighter, the hitch is more conveniently sized, and it costs about half as much as the BB720....that extra '0' don't come cheap /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

If you plan to trailer your tractor and bushhog around to do mowing jobs for other people, you'll need more than a 16' trailer. I have a 20 footer and it won't accomodate the L4300 with the BB720 unless I take the FEL off. But then mine is a pipe trailer with a swing-up tailgate (i.e. no overhang allowed).
Bob

Runk · Feb 18, 2006

I have a L4330...
am looking to purchase a brushhog so am following the various conversations to learn what I can too...
in response to your ??s:
box blade with TnT is money very well spent.
also, a 4in1 fel bucket is very very useful.
these attachments are very expensive, nevertheless if at all possible they transform what the tractor is able to do exponentially.
i agree with the others that a 16' trailer is too short. mho is 20' at minimum. also mho get 16" wheels with 8 lug hubs, brakes on all wheels.
thanks,
runk

kponds · Feb 18, 2006

I am pretty sure the bushhog is a BB72. When the salesman was giving me model numbers I wrote down BB72. I questioned it after reading several posts about the BB720 here and I assumed I may have written the number down wrong.

At any rate, I don't expect to be using it to cut down anything os a size significance so I think I will be fine with the lighter version BB72. Also, if it allows me to safely cut without the FEL, I would prefer that.

Now I guess the only issue to wrap up in my mind is the FEL. The one he quoted looks like a lighter duty version compared to the one mention by other poster (LA703). I think I will be fine with the lighter version. If anyone knows of the approximate price difference between the two loaders, I can use that to help decide.

I was originally considering a smaller tractor (35HP or so) but the main reason the salesman pointed me to the 45HP unit was the request that I be able to use a 6 ft cutter and use it quickly to cover the 16 or so acres that needed to be cut. The difference in price (tractor alone) in the package was about $2000 between the 35 and 45HP units and I felt that $2000 would be good money spent over the long haul.

DmansPadge · Feb 18, 2006

kponds,

If I remember correctly the BB72 is light duty, BB720 medium duty, and BB7200 heavy duty. That being the case you will not have any trouble using the BB72 with the FEL or without. With the heavier units (720, 7200) you probably would need some counterweight in the front.