Chipping

[b33b]

OK, a variation on the tractor search. I need to take care of some downed trees (spruce - several each year) and work on raking/leveling several acres, don't need any mowing.

My base for comparison is the B7800 for $15,990(and 0%) but prefer more pto hp to run the chipper without getting too large to get through the woods. I like the NH TC30 but it looks a little bulky.

The JD dealer advertises a 3203 w/loader, 5' rotary cutter, and rear blade for $18,600 - also 0%. Similer total and pto hp.

$18K is about as much as I want to borrow so I am trying to stay below 20K and will be paying cash for the chipper. Looked at used but dealers seem to want $12k+ for anything decent and that is too close to the new price.

Thanks for any sugestions.

Cal

 

[Superduper]

If you are considering the 3203 deere tractor, I suggest you go a step up and get the 3120 tractor instead. It costs just a little bit more but the 3120tractor will be backhoe capable, the 3203 will not be. The 3203 tractor uses the 300 loader, which has a capacity of something like 750 lbs. The 3120 tractor uses either the 300x or 300cx loader, which has capacities of 1360 or 1650 lbs capacities respectively. The 3120 has stronger hydraulics @ 2400psi vs 2100psi and has greater lift capacity at the 3pt hitch, 2530lbs vs 2149 at link ends. All figures are from memory and approximate. You might want to go to the deere website to get more comparison before buying. Needless to say, deere advertises that the 3120 tractor is capable of utilizing a significantly greater assortment of attachments than the 3203. Again, you'll want to weigh the differences vs. price. Both tractors are similar in size. However, if you spend all that money only to find some time in the future that there is an implement that you can not use because you saved a bit now, you might not be very happy.

 

[Timber]

I'm not a dear fan but that doesn't mean its a bad tractor, I looked at the TC30 and the Boomer and bought the B7800. The big difference between the TC30 and the B7800 was the Kubota has a 4 cylinder and the Ford has a 3 cylinder diesel. It depends on the chipper you want,
Also be careful about that 0% financing. after 3 years if you don't have it payed off all that interest is retroactive so transfer the balance of that loan 2 months before your 3 year anniversary of your purchase

 

[BlacknTan]

Am I reading here that the B-7800 does not have the HP to run a 3pt Chipper? That's one of the attachments I wanted..........

 

[shvl73]

Am I reading here that the B-7800 does not have the HP to run a 3pt Chipper? That's one of the attachments I wanted..........

It has plenty of power to run a chipper. Check the chipper mfgs for pto hp reccomendations and size it from there. Check the 3pth lift capacity on the 7800 and go over the chipper weights that will be listed as well.

 

[Timber]

Yea the B7800 can run a chipper just fine. I looked into that myself as it will probably be my next new attachment. There are some things I buy new and some used. The bottom line is you buy the attachment that goes with the tractor.

 

[rswyan]

I'm running a FarmPro (Jinma) 6" chipper behind my B2910 Kubota (same engine as the B7800) - works fine for 4" diameter and under - anything larger and you have to feed it short (3' - 4') sections because there just isn't quite enough hp to handle that large of a log.

 

[The Gardener]

I need to take care of some downed trees (spruce - several each year) and work on raking/leveling several acres, don't need any mowing.

With mowing as a non issue, you might look at the L2800 (29 hp w/ hydro), the L3400 (34.7 hp w/ hydro), or the L4400 (45.3 hp w/ no hydro transmission option). You'd get more horsepower and more weight for chipping and dragging the trees.

If hydro is not important, I think a number of people feel that the L4400 is a terrific deal.

Food for thought ...

The Gardener

 

[b33b]

If you are considering the 3203 deere tractor, I suggest you go a step up and get the 3120 tractor instead.

Thanks for al the comments, I haven't looked at green as much as I have orange, but I did see a used '91 JD1070 for $12K. Liked the 40/35 hp but not the price.

4" chippers need minimum pto hp of approx. 16 hp and 6" are in the mid 20s. Dealers have been consistant in telling me that the min hp means slower feed, smaller pieces, and/or more clogged output. I, of course, would like a used 6" chipper with hydraulic feed.

Kubota, especially with HST, loses a lot of hp on the way to the PTO, NH does a bit better. Going for more hp usually means a larger but less nimble tractor, plus more money. Larger is also a benefit when loading the logs for the ride to the sawmill.

The L3400 may be just right, hadn't looked at it, but it has 29 pto hp vs. 22 for the 7800. The L4400 is probably overkill with 45/37 hp.

Hadn't read the fine print on the 0% loan, thanks for pointing it out. 0% saves about $48 a month on a three year $18K loan or a bit over $1700 - which helps narrow the gap between new and used.

Time to play with some more numbers.

 

[The Gardener]

The L4400 is probably overkill with 45/37 hp.QUOTE]

I am certainly not one of the more experienced or one of the highly qualified members on this forum which is why I tender any opinion as merely food for thought.

With that said, I really think that your intened use of your forth coming tractor [chipping, tree clearing, etc.] warrants as much horsepower and as much tractor weight as you can possibly afford. I don't think "overkill" is possible especially when using a tractor driven chipper. I have seen several of those tandems in use, and the bigger the tractor the better the performance - hands down.

I would place the Kubota L4400 at the top of your list as the tractor to beat [assuming HST is not a desired feature which I sense is the case with you].

I have test driven the L4400. It is a gem. It has power steering for easy handling. It weighs 553 pounds more than the L3400. Its FEL can lift 529 pounds more than the L3400 at the center point. Its PTO lift capacity exceeds the L3400 by 875 pounds. It has 10+ more horsepower. It has larger tires and 2.3" more ground clearance. The tractor itself is 11" wider. It most certainly can out pull the L3400 if dragging trees with chains becomes important. Every spec that has value in the woods favors the L4400.

I am just looking at the brochure for these comparisons.

I have done a lot of woods clearing on our 15 acre property with a lot more ahead of me. That's one area where I can tap a substantial amount of experience when sharing an opinion. We're now looking to buy a replacement tractor, and I have narrowed my choice down to Kubota. I do want HST which rules out the L4400. Otherwise, this would be my tractor choice.

Best of Luck with your choice.

The Gardener

 

[b33b]

Gardner, sounds as if the 4400 is a great tractor but I am getting grief from the budget department about the size of the 7800. Also, my more occasional woods use makes it harder to justify a larger tractor - unless there is great price on it.

I also look at my brother with his Ford 1710 runing a 4" chipper and claims he has rarely felt the need for more power.

Thanks for the numbers on the 4400, I will do some price comparisons between the two.

 

[The Gardener]

You are certainly putting in an impressive effort of research and TBN requests for assistance. I have no doubt that you will make the perfect choice.

I have noticed after pouring through a lot of threads on TBN that it is rare that anyone down sizes. It seems that most discussions center around someone upgrading to a larger, more powerful tractor.

However, you are absolutely correct that the tractor should be matched to the property and the jobs ahead.

Tractor size and strength can be translated into different categories. Aside from the obvious space constraints and issues whe working around obstacles and/or buildings, the larger the tractor the faster the job can be accomplished in most scenarios. If it's hauling materials, stumps, tree lengths, brush, boulders, etc. across a large property, the larger tractor will require fewer trips. It might equate to less initial chain saw cutting since the larger tractor can carry heavier limbs and/or tree lengths. The attachments can be larger which also reduces the number of passes, strokes, etc. to complete a job.

Many people are often quoted as saying you can never have too big of a tractor. I agree. This statement has under tows of being realistic, but it speaks volumes to the common occurance of people realizing that they's like a larger tractor than the one they presently own.

We sold our tractor to acquire a more modern one with features that were becoming essential. Our tractor was only 2WD, and it did not have a center PTO. Those were needed upgrades after 7 years of use. We moved from doing jobs around the house area [groomed acreage] to expanding our reach into our many acres of hilly, wooded acreage. 2WD, a center PTO, and more h.p. have become necessary to handle the expanded role the tractor must now serve. Horsepower has become the most important factor in our present search for a new tractor: [and, typically, horsepower = size]. We recognized that our previous tractor was performing at the limit of its capabilities on most projects. It required more trips, smaller bites, and more time.

Ideally, we could use two tractors: a B3030 and a Grand L. That tandem would address all areas of our property from tighter spaces, to open fields, to uneven, wooded acreage. Alas, it is unlikely that I could afford both tractors anytime soon - if ever. For this reason, I'll most likely opt for the Grand L. I'd rather own the larger tractor since I must choose. I am betting that the number of occasions where the tractor will be too big will be far fewer than the number of occasions where I would have preferred the larger tractor.

I could also opt for the B3030 and continue to rent out the bigger jobs to a hired hand who shows up with a huge excavator and bulldozer. That is a very nice option as well. The B3030 would perfectly match our groomed area. Either way, I'll be elated to have a Kubota on hand.

All food for thought ...

Best,
The Gardener

 

[AndyMA]

I run a Valby 6" hydraulic feed chipper on my Ford 2120, 35 pto hp. Even then it is not quite enough hp to run full length 5-6" hardwood trees through. When I put the chipper on mt TN, 62 pto hp, I really notice the difference.

Andy

 

[b33b]

Thanks Andy that fits with what dealers are telling me, hp anywhere from four to ten times the diameter equals what can be handled without slowing down. I had thought ten was excessive.

Any hardwood will be saved for firewood so I will be chipping coastal spruce which hopefully needs less hp. Any larger than 6" will get squared off for future building needs.

Cal

 

[Ed_Indiana]

I run the Jima 6 Chipper behind my B 7800. The 30 HP engine is all I need for this work. Fed a solid 23 foot Sycamore limb through the chipper and the RPMs only dropped by a third. This being the largest & longest solid limb at 6 inches at the base tappering to 2 inches at the end was a deliberate test I wanted to try out on both the chipper and the Kubota. The chipper and the B 7800 have worked flawless on all I can feed it. The engine is superb. I have no trouble getting through tight places in my woods with this tractor. Have had my B 7800 for a year and a half now, with 172 hours. The LA 402 loader & 60 inch MMM also have been flawless.

 

[Jeff M]

Cal,

I think the tractor size would depend on the size of the chipper you require to chip your branches and trees. I have chipped a fair amount with mine and have found the info the chipper rep. gave me on the front end was pretty good. He said I need approx 7 hp per inch of dia. for hardwood. I agree with this requirment. I have approx. 40hp to my PTO and I can stall the tractor with a 6" hard maple if the branch is too long and I feed it too fast. With spruce you could get by with 1/2 to 2/3 that horse power. My tractor does not skip a beat with a 6" pine tree. I have plugged the chipper with lots of green needles though.

Good luck,

Jeff M

 

[b33b]

Ed and Jeff, thanks for the input. I have about 80% spruce and almost 100% of the trees that fall down are spruce. I will measure one next week but probably a foot plus in diameter at the base and a lot of branches in the top third. The rented chipper, with a four cylinder gas engine, did fine up through 6"-7" but slowed down on the needle full tops.

Not sure I am going to be standing there feeding anything much more than 6" trees but I like the larger openings to stuff the tops in. I prefer a 6" chipper but they get expensive and require a more expensive tractor. So I am tying to decide if the 6" is worth the extra bucks for part time chipping.

I also like the B7800 which I am seeing (ME) for 16000 but the previous coments about an L3400 (approx 2200 more) make it very tempting, plus it can run a larger chipper. Maybe time to go look at used again.

With all the talk about signs of inflation, I wouldn't be surprised to see a price increase this winter. Which makes the current 0% financing a very nice opportunity to buy new for the next few weeks.

Cal

 

[Timber]

When shopping for your tractor be sure to consider everything you want to do with it and not just the 1 task. What might be perfect for 1 job might be imposable for another. Keep the big picture in mind. The other thing and this is just my personal opinion. If I have the option of going new or used I will always go new. Tractors can have a rough life in the wrong hands