BX Nearly dies, how much tractor for 20 acres?

KPotts · Dec 20, 2004

I have a BX 2200 with a MMM we us to mow our yard (2acres) with. And we use the FEL for driveway maintenance. I have 20 acres that was leased until recently. We've decided to maintain the 20 acres ourselves for a while. This weekend I loaded the BX up and took it out to mow down several sticker bushes and a few very small cedars. Just moving around the land proved painful. Armadillo holes and small limbs would cause the BX to bounce forcefully off the ground. I finished the sticker bushes and loaded the BX back up. I'm worried it's just not enough tractor to do this kind of work. Any suggestions on what size Kubota would be large enough to brush hog this amount of land? I would also like to keep it small enough to move on the same trailer we use to move the BX.
Thanks for the help.

theboman · Dec 20, 2004

First of all SLOW down... If you're bush hogging try 4 low and crawl in the places you know there's holes.

I have a B7500 on about 11 acres. It does everything I ask it to do, but when I win the lottery I can see a BIG ORANGE tractor in the yard... Or at least a 3130.

Tom_H · Dec 20, 2004

Are you using the MMM to cut that rough stuff? You mentioned bush hogging, but you didn't actually say that you do have a 3ph mounted rear PTO powered rotary cutter. I have a 42" GearMore rough cutter that I use with my BX2200. It will cut anything, but 20 acres would take 20 to 30 hours. I love my BX, but if I went to a bigger tractor I'd look at a NH TC45DA with SuperSteer.

btolle · Dec 21, 2004

I have a B7510 and don't know if it would be big enough to bush hog 20 acres unless I had plenty of time and/or it was done regularly enough.

The trailer issue may be a problem. I was thinking of buying a trailer and found a great deal on a 16' tandem axle but held off on buying until I got my bush hog last Saturday.

With the 4' bush hog and front end loader on it it measured about 19' 3" overall length, way too long for a 16' trailer. I figure I will need a 20' so I have some "wiggle" room to be able to balance it on the trailer correctly and even then the bush hog tailwheel may have to hang off.

If bush hogging is the only real issue you might consider keeping what you have and buying an older large tractor and leave it at the 20 acres to bush hog with. You can take off one of the front wheels and take it with you when you leave, that's what the highway mowing guys do around here to lessen the chance of the tractor being stolen.

Bill Tolle

art · Dec 21, 2004

As others have stated you are pushing the envelope here. I'd be looking into the 30 to 40 horsepower L series size and there goes the trailer.

WiJC · Dec 21, 2004

b7610 works great on my 20+ acres.

while some jobs would be quicker with a bigger tractor...i enjoy the tractor time, and they would have a lot harder time getting into some of the tight spots.

John