Help me decide!!!

[Tjc50]

Although I am not ready to purchase for another 1.5 years, I am having a hard time figuring out what exactly I want/need. I currently maintain 2 acres around my yard,pond, and 300 ft gravel driveway. I also have access to 15 acres of woods which I gather my own firewood. So I have been eyeing a deere 1 series or the kubota bx series. Problem is the price. I mean I could swing it once the car/truck is paid but want to make sure something of that size is really needed. I am having a very hard time deciding between an atv, x500, or the above mentioned. I would love one piece of equipment for snow removal, mowing, picking up all the leaves, picking up all the hickory nuts, and gathering firewood. The woods I would be traversing is relatively flat with a good selection of downed trees and some bad storm damage. I would really only be pulling a cart, saw, fuel in the woods and carting split rounds back to the garage. I will not be skidding large logs or anything crazy. Can someone please offer any advice between these pieces of equipment as I have been reading until I'm blue in the face and still cannot decide! Thank you any help is appreciated

 

[MikeInEburg]

In my opinion neither if the units you're considering has adequate ground clearance to be effective in the woods - unless you're always working from fairly flat roads. They'll do the other tasks just fine.

 

[Tjc50]

So you think I would possibly be better suited with atv for woods and possibly x500 and blower for all yard duties? Currently have a d120 box store deere that I bought for 500$ only 30 hrs on it but needed ASAP as we have only been in our home for a year. But that thing just hurts when a cart full of wood is being hauled. The woods is mostly flat only thing getting I the way is downed trees but I would be making a path for myself to get back there and then probably use strap / chains to pull out enough I would be able to cut and split

 

[dave1949]

It sounds like you could get the job done with a robust ATV and the X500. A small tractor with a FEL wouldn't go to waste, but probably falls into the "nice to have" category for your needs.

I would get a log splitter on wheels, drag that to the woods with the ATV. Split the wood there rather than dragging it out. Take the splitter back home, hook up a cart/wagon behind the ATV and haul back ready to stack firewood. That should work, unless it gets too time consuming based on the number of cords of wood you do and how far it is to the woods.

I lived near Fremont (1974-1985). With the exception of the Blizzard of '78 :laughing:, an X500 with a blower should handle a 300' driveway.

 

[rjwerth]

I would also recommend a good ATV for your woods chores. I really like the size and versatility of my Polaris 550 x2. If money is a factor, consider looking for the biggest stand alone blower for your drive. That will let you get a x300 series mower or equivalent. The 3 machines combined won't cost you near what a 1 series will.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I agree with rjwerth. A good ATV and a ZTR mower (for your lawn) would probably be a good combination (and less expensive than a small tractor) if all you're doing in the woods is collecting firewood.

 

[Tjc50]

It sounds like you could get the job done with a robust ATV and the X500. A small tractor with a FEL wouldn't go to waste, but probably falls into the "nice to have" category for your needs.

I would get a log splitter on wheels, drag that to the woods with the ATV. Split the wood there rather than dragging it out. Take the splitter back home, hook up a cart/wagon behind the ATV and haul back ready to stack firewood. That should work, unless it gets too time consuming based on the number of cords of wood you do and how far it is to the woods.

I lived near Fremont (1974-1985). With the exception of the Blizzard of '78 :laughing:, an X500 with a blower should handle a 300' driveway.

I am far to young for blizzard of 78 memories but parents and relatives always remind me. But snow like that is once in a blue moon. I almost feel like both an atv and a x500 is a waste . I am sure I could get by with just an atv/plow setup. I did plan to drag the splitter back In the woods which are located in my backyard thank god. I kinda thought i could get by with just the x500 by setting up a little splitting station in woods and drag small logs to the splitter then cart em out. I like the idea of a garden tractor handling everything atleast! Typing on phone is not enjoyable

 

[dave1949]

I am far to young for blizzard of 78 memories but parents and relatives always remind me. But snow like that is once in a blue moon. I almost feel like both an atv and a x500 is a waste . I am sure I could get by with just an atv/plow setup. I did plan to drag the splitter back In the woods which are located in my backyard thank god. I kinda thought i could get by with just the x500 by setting up a little splitting station in woods and drag small logs to the splitter then cart em out. I like the idea of a garden tractor handling everything atleast! Typing on phone is not enjoyable

I don't know much about X500's, but I wonder if dragging trees large enough to need splitting is a good idea? If you can get to the log with the X500, you can get the splitter to the log too, and skip the dragging.

If the ground is smooth enough, you could hand clear and keep a path mowed out that the X500 with the mower deck mounted, could travel without getting damaged. That would eliminate the need for an ATV. I wouldn't want to have to take the deck off and put it back on a lot unless it is one of those drive-over decks that works well.

 

[jeff9366]

In my opinion neither if the units you're considering has adequate ground clearance to be effective in the woods - unless you're always working from fairly flat roads. They'll do the other tasks just fine.

Sub-compact tractors, such as Kubtoa BX series, are basically for mowing and have nine inches of ground clearance. You cannot readily get over fallen timber or deep ruts. Maintaining a high crowned gravel road would be iffy.

Compact tractors and Utility tractors usually have 12" - 14" ground clearance.

Sub-compact tractors with <20-horsepower have a Category '0' three point hitch for which implements are limited.
Compact tractors have a Category '1' three point hitch to which every implement maker caters. This is the "big" category for tractors.

Trust me, you WILL be skidding logs, which is not crazy in the least, with proper equipment.

Plan to include a Front End Loader, (FEL) the single most useful tractor option.

Move up an increment in the size tractor you will consider.

TractorData.com - Three-Point Hitch

 

[ajd187]

Sub compacts have category 1 three point hitches for the most part. The jd 1 series, Kubota bx, etc all do.

Category 0 is on machines such as.the jd x700 series.

 

[dave1949]

Sub-compact tractors, such as Kubtoa BX series, are basically for mowing and have nine inches of ground clearance. You cannot readily get over fallen timber or deep ruts. Maintaining a high crowned gravel road would be iffy.

Compact tractors and Utility tractors usually have 12" - 14" ground clearance.

Sub-compact tractors have a Category '0' three point hitch for which implements are limited.
Compact tractors have a Category '1' three point hitch to which every implement maker caters. This is the "big" category for tractors.

Trust me, you WILL be skidding logs, which is not crazy in the least, with proper equipment.

Plan to include a Front End Loader, (FEL) the single most useful tractor option.

Move up an increment in the size tractor you will consider.

TractorData.com - Three-Point Hitch

???? What in the OP's requirements leads you to believe he will, or has to, skid logs?

If I understand him, he is trying to get the job done with a minimum of equipment. There is nothing wrong with that, it's admirable actually, and he sure doesn't need to skid logs from anything he has stated so far.

For some reason, most people on TBN are in love with the idea of skidding logs--even if they could save time and lots of money by NOT skidding logs. If you want to drag your firewood logs around between dropping them and bucking them, fine, but don't tell others they need to buy a bigger machine, dirty-up their logs and dull their saw chains when they buck them up because you like the idea of skidding logs whether it is necessary or not. If you have to skid, you have to skid, but if you don't then why do it if it means buying machinery you aren't really interested in owning?

Sorry to rant on you, but this advice just seems off and costly.

I noticed the OP said he "has access to" 15 acres of woodlot. If that were my 15 acres, I would want him to tread as lightly as possible in them while removing the wood.

 

[Tjc50]

???? What in the OP's requirements leads you to believe he will, or has to, skid logs?

If I understand him, he is trying to get the job done with a minimum of equipment. There is nothing wrong with that, it's admirable actually, and he sure doesn't need to skid logs from anything he has stated so far.

For some reason, most people on TBN are in love with the idea of skidding logs--even if they could save time and lots of money by NOT skidding logs. If you want to drag your firewood logs around between dropping them and bucking them, fine, but don't tell others they need to buy a bigger machine, dirty-up their logs and dull their saw chains when they buck them up because you like the idea of skidding logs whether it is necessary or not. If you have to skid, you have to skid, but if you don't then why do it if it means buying machinery you aren't really interested in owning?

Sorry to rant on you, but this advice just seems off and costly.

I noticed the OP said he "has access to" 15 acres of woodlot. If that were my 15 acres, I would want him to tread as lightly as possible in them while removing the wood.

Precisely. It is a farmer who owns and he let me have dibs on fallen trees. I just want to drag a cart splitter saw and fuel back to a site and do most by hand! I think the smartest decision is a rancher 420 with a snow plow for 4700$ keep my cheapie d120 I got for 500$ and run the snot out of her. When she croaks a garden tractor will be purchased. But like all of us the idea of bigger and badder is intriguing !

 

[Gary Fowler]

Precisely. It is a farmer who owns and he let me have dibs on fallen trees. I just want to drag a cart splitter saw and fuel back to a site and do most by hand! I think the smartest decision is a rancher 420 with a snow plow for 4700$ keep my cheapie d120 I got for 500$ and run the snot out of her. When she croaks a garden tractor will be purchased. But like all of us the idea of bigger and badder is intriguing !

It sounds like you have the right idea with an ATV rather than a tractor but don't give up on a side by side ATV with a dump bed (hydraulic). They are very handy for all kinds of chores, can also be fitted with a snow plow and have the luxury of a top and windshield available.

 

[farmer2009]

Precisely. It is a farmer who owns and he let me have dibs on fallen trees. I just want to drag a cart splitter saw and fuel back to a site and do most by hand! I think the smartest decision is a rancher 420 with a snow plow for 4700$ keep my cheapie d120 I got for 500$ and run the snot out of her. When she croaks a garden tractor will be purchased. But like all of us the idea of bigger and badder is intriguing !

While reading through this thread I was thinking a 500 series UTV would fit you really well. You state you already have a mower, so that it taken care of. And a UTV of any size would plow snow (might need chains) and haul wood and you could pull the splinter in and put wood in bed then bring splinter back out with you cutting down on trips in and out of woods. It would skid small logs in you got in a pinch. They have factory cabs too. A little more money than the ATV you listed but not much I don't think(could be wrong).
Good luck. Keep us posted.