Basic Homestead Tractor for Mowing / Bushhogging / Box Blading

[BamaB99]

Looking for suggestions for an older reliable tractor that I can bush hog, box blade, mow my yard with that doesn稚 brake the bank. I know just by pricing most of the tractors with front end loaders are out of my price range. Looking to stay under 5k. Suggestions?

 

[Tractorable]

If your on a $5K budget and can live without a front end loader, I’d recommend a Ford 3600. If you can stretch the budget a little bit the John Deere 750/850/870 series is a good option.

 

[BamaB99]

I壇 prefer to have a front end loader but everything seems to be i. The 7-10k range with a loader. Would the Ford 3000 or JD 750 give good options for mowing 2 acres of grass?

 

[Tractorable]

Yes, the Ford 3000/3600 series is 47hp and would shred two acres easily with a 6ft mower.

The JD 750/850 series is more likely to have a loader and has 25ish horsepower. It could mow two acres as well.

 

[BamaB99]

Yes, the Ford 3000/3600 series is 47hp and would shred two acres easily with a 6ft mower.

The JD 750/850 series is more likely to have a loader and has 25ish horsepower. It could mow two acres as well.

What about the Yanmar 2500s? Aren稚 they basically the same as the JD 850?

 

[ovrszd]

Not to sound condescending but, 2 acres of mowing isn't very much. The other tasks you list might require a bit of tractor. I mow app. 3 acres with my little JD2210. Add a loader to it and you'd be set. But you can't buy one for $5K.

I'm afraid your budget is too small to get a tractor that will conveniently do what you need. An older, cheap tractor will be very cumbersome for your small tasks and will be hard on a yard in wet conditions.

 

[BamaB99]

Not to sound condescending but, 2 acres of mowing isn't very much. The other tasks you list might require a bit of tractor. I mow app. 3 acres with my little JD2210. Add a loader to it and you'd be set. But you can't buy one for $5K.

I'm afraid your budget is too small to get a tractor that will conveniently do what you need. An older, cheap tractor will be very cumbersome for your small tasks and will be hard on a yard in wet conditions.

I have 13 acres overall. My actual 土ard is 2 acres. I also have an acre field that needs bush hogging and also another 0.5 acre field that needs bush hogging. The rest is a wooded lot that will need bush hogging as well. I also need to maintain the gravel roads in.

 

[tmc_31]

Back in the mid 90's I bought a Ford 2000. It is listed as 36 hp. With it I bought a 6' shredder. I mowed lots of 2-5 acre plots with it including my own 5 acre place. I think i gave around $4500 for it. After a few years, I added a Koyker front end loader. Doubled my investment, worth every penny.

I just looked at a couple of used tractor sites, prices are mostly less than $5k.

Tim

 

[rbstern]

Bama, I was in a similar situation before I bought my first tractor. Had 16 acres with a couple of acres worth of mowing, long gravel driveway to maintain. All told, I spent about $6K on my (newly refurbed) Yanmar 2210, a bush hog, a box blade, and an older riding mower. That setup worked really well for me. I added another 45 acres the following year, but it was mostly woods. In addition to the rough cutting and box blading, the Yanmar helped cut a lot of trails, moved a lot of dirt (bought a 3pt dirt scoop eventually).

I got a LOT of stuff done with that 2wd Yanmar, and still use it. They are excellent, reliable, simple machines, with good aftermarket support.

 

[Tractorable]

I have eight acres and still use a 1952 Ford 8N. It’s not ideal by any means but I get by until the financial stars align to drop $30K+ on a new tractor.

You can pick up a good running 8N for about $2K. Parts are cheap and plentiful and they’re easy to repair.