Advice on buying new tractor

[BWGE_Indy]

Hello all, as the title states, I need advice on buying a new tractor.
We have an 11 acre property almost entirely flat. The property consists of 7-8 acres of "lawn" grass with groves of mature black walnut trees mostly towards the borders of the property. There is a small pond on the property as well as a 3-4 acre pasture that the previous owner cut for hay a few times a year. The property is in Indiana close to the Ohio border.

I have compiled a list of tasks I would like to be able to use the tractor for including:
Property maintenance
-mulch beds (many flower beds all over property)
-removing bushes
-moving stone
-maintain gravel driveway and parking areas
-clear snow
-removing dead trees/logs/branches
-moving dirt and gravel
Garden
-till 1-2 acre vegetable garden
-help with composting
Construction projects
-installing hardscape areas
-moving lumber and materials for several planned building projects down the road
-installing gravel parking area

I have no experience with tractors beyond garden tractors but I am a fast learner and very handy. We have a zero turn riding mower for maintaining the lawn. I have been looking mostly at Kubota because the Kubota dealership is closer than the John Deere dealership. I have been researching for a few weeks now and I'm leaning towards a BX or standard L series, just not sure on the exact one. I'd rather have more than enough than not enough and I'm kind of a buy once cry once kind of guy but at the same time I don't want to go overboard and have an unwieldy tractor I can't actually enjoy using.
Thanks for any advice!

 

[ZTMAN]

Welcome. A BX will do all the things you listed, the L will do it a lot quicker.
I would go to the Kubota dealer and relay the above list of chores and drive both tractors. Have the dealer option out both tractors for you needs and pick your poison.

 

[sea2summit]

I think a BX would be a horrible choice for you, it would take too long to drive from one end of the property to the other. And tilling 2 acres would be about a week long process. It's also not heavy enough to move much dirt/gravel which it sounds like you want to do a lot of.

B or L are probably about the right fit depending on what you need to lift and the size/type of stone you're talking about. L25 would probly be my recommendation just because it's a nice heavy tractor with no emissions. It would also allow you to get away from the tiller and use discs (because it has enough weight) which reduces the maintenance on attachments you'd need to do and gets the job done much faster.

Installing a gravel parking area? That may be something I'd recommend renting something to do just to reduce wear on a small machine.

Edit to add:
Tilling, 48" tiller at 1.5mph you till .65 acres an hour (cost $2,500 yearly maint and more if you hit something hard).
Discs, 5' at 4.5mph you till 2.45 acres per hour (cost ~$1,000 little maint).

 

[jyoutz]

L2501 for Kubota.

 

[wolc123]

I would recommend something about 25 hp, 4wd with front loader, R-4 tires, and a hydro transmission. If you go any larger, you will need to deal with emissions, paying more money for less efficiency, but cleaner exhaust.

I think a Kubota from the close dealer would be a smart move. You might get slightly more bang for the bucks with a Korean make, like Kioti or TYM, but the close dealer is a definite advantage and the Kubota will definitely hold its resale value, compared to most others.

 

[jeff9366]

I need advice on buying a new tractor.
We have an 11 acre property almost entirely flat. The property consists of 7-8 acres of "lawn" grass with groves of mature black walnut trees mostly towards the borders of the property. There is a small pond on the property as well as a 3-4 acre pasture that the previous owner cut for hay a few times a year. The property is in Indiana close to the Ohio border.

Assuming you will NOT mow the eight acres of lawn with your potential tractor, your net acreage on which to work your potential tractor is four (4) acres. Right?

I have compiled a list of tasks I would like to be able to use the tractor for including:

Property maintenance
1)-mulch beds (many flower beds all over property)
2)-removing bushes FEL + Bucket Spade
3)-moving stone
4)-moving lumber and materials for building projects
5)-help with composting
1-5 are applications most will tackle with the Front End Loader (FEL)

-clear snow How much snow?

-removing dead trees/logs/branches Tow with chains attached to tractor drawbar.

Tractor DRAWBARS & CROSS DRAWBARS Illuminated

CROSS-DRAWBAR ~~ PHOTO #1 A tractor cross-drawbar mounts through the "bullseyes" integral to the left and right Lower Links of the Three Point Hitch then secured with lynch pins. An inexpensive fitting, known as a drawbar lock, Photo #3, couples the cross-drawbar and one Lower Link to prevent...

www.tractorbynet.com

-moving dirt and gravel FEL to transport, Box Blade to spread.

-maintain gravel driveway and parking areas FEL + Box Blade

-till 1-2 acre vegetable garden (huge garden, PTO powered Roto-tiller. )

-install hardscape areas FEL + digging tooth bar; Box Blade.

-installing gravel parking area Box Blade


Box Blades and Roto-tillers are common choices for Three Point Hitch counterbalance to heavy FEL lifts.


TRACTOR ATTACHMENTS AND IMPLEMENTS:

https://www.lsuagcenter.com/~/media/system/e/6/6/e/e66ed13be4f5a5216aa214276e14dacb/pub2917tractorimplements1.pdf

 

[jeff9366]

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

As your land is flat, a 4-WD tractor with a bare weight of 2,700 pounds bare weight to 3,000 pounds bare weight is adequate. The Kubota 'Standard L' series are in this weight range, 25, 33 and 39 horsepower options. If you need tire chains for snow work you may have to order optional rear wheel spacers.

A more stable, wider, heavier, more powerful option is the Kubota MX series weighing 3,700 pounds bare weight to 4,000 pounds bare weight. Engine choice on current models are 55-horsepower and 63-horsepower. A less hazardous platform for a new tractor operator to learn operating skills..

 

[jeff9366]

A BX (subcompact ) will do all the things you listed, the L (compact tractor) will do everything faster.

There is a 3-4 acre pasture that the previous owner cut for hay a few times a year.

Tractor Sizing - Almost Daily Thread: SUBCOMPACT or COMPACT TRACTOR?

Repetitively typing almost the same advice on the Topic: SUBCOMPACT or COMPACT TRACTOR? is not that interesting. I am going to accumulate some well considered, well punctuated standard replies, then refine the advice. Everyone is welcome to contribute.

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[Torvy]

If hay is something you intend to continue, you will need more tractor than for most of the other tasks.

From your brand choices it sounds like budget is not a real concern, so that makes it easier. The sales guys at JD and Kubota will know your area and be happy to sell you something that will do the jobs.

 

[MF243RedTop]

For your acreage I wouldn't use anything less than 40-50 hp range
Don't get sucked into the compact 25hp tractor fever