Landscaping Tractor 1.25 Residential Acres

[ssrfenton]

I have hired help that cuts lawn, edge trims and cleans up for $35 on 1/2 acre. With the machinery he has I could never do what he does for the price or the time. So I have no use for a MMM.

However I do have multiple landscaping projects where a SCUT or a GT would be useful. I would need a bucket and small box scraper as attachments.

I did see a Cub Cadet SC2400 for $9,9999 that seemed like a good deal with FEL but I don't need that much of a machine. However if the price was right then it must be a consideration. I have also looked at the Johnny Bucket attachment for a GT that may have a uses too.

Your thoughts on recommending machinery brand and model would be appreciated.

 

[meburdick]

I would suggest listing the tasks you want to accomplish with a machine, what your potential budget might be, and any other "extra" pieces of information (like, I need something small enough to fit on a utility trailer).

That will get you more, and better, responses.

 

[ssrfenton]

Task List

1. Transport and Level 1.5 Acres of Topsoil. The existing 1/2 acre is just OK but many waves.
2. Small enough to get between our buildings and tree, Less than 50 inch width
3. Easy enough for my lovely wife to handle for her potting mixture and plant carrier.
4. Strong enough to move topsoil around. I need about 80 yards to level out the hollows. So I need to distribute and level. But this is a one time project., I hope.
5. Want to lawn aerate occasionally and spread fertilizer.
6. The other 1/2 acre is brush and large trees. It would be nice to take out the brush, level out and sow grass in that area. There are so many dead trees and tree limbs just covering the area. Probably 50 stumps too!!
7. I do not need to rush these projects so time is not an issue. a little progress a week...month is fine.
7. When all is done it will be light maintenance.
8. Our drive is 480 feet and we have a two season old $900 walk behind 2 stage snow blower that works great. I thought about attaching this blower to a FEL bucket and pushing it around in winter.
9. I would like to budget less than $6,000 if possible
10. Our steel Utility trailer is 52 inches wide and 80 inches long inside measurements, Gross 2000lb capacity

Our only other machinery is a power washer and small push mower and chainsaw plus a few garden tools like blower and weed wacker.

 

[XSKIER]

$9,999 for a SC 2400 with FEL is an awesome price! Any decently capable 2wd GT with a Johnny bucket will easily cost that much. With the GT, the only things you will be missing are: 4WD, FEL, 3PH, rear PTO, and diesel engine. I would for sure jump on that SC before someone else does. Fwiw, a Deere in that size is $5K more.

 

[meburdick]

With the GT, the only things you will be missing are: 4WD, FEL, 3PH, rear PTO, and diesel engine.

And, miss them you will.

 

[jenkinsph]

ssrfenton,
I would suspect you can find a little garden tractor or sub compact with a few years on it that will meet your criteria. A budget of $6000 should suffice for this. Check the classified ads, machinerytrader,tractorhouse and machinefinder to see what is available. Inquire around too, one of your neighbors may have a lead on one.

I do alot of smoothing of lawn areas and rather than buy a bunch of topsoil it might be more feasible to simply smooth and average out your lawn areas instead. Good topsoil in my area sells for $25/yd just depends on where you live. Might consider a small landplane grader to work over your lawn sized to whatever machine you wind up with. I have small and medium implements for my residential work to get the jobs done fast but for your own property the small equipment will get the job done.

Here is my garden tractor with 3PH, 4x4, aws rear 540 pto with some attachments I use for this work. I also use a DR pto chipper and Howard 5' tiller with this little tractor too with good results. At any rate a small tractor this size can get your yard in shape within a couple of weeks in most cases. Since taking these pictures I have everything setup for an IMatch so swapping the implements is a snap. A tow behind spin spreader, cart and roller will work with just about anything you buy.

 

[ssrfenton]

I just stopped into a local JD dealer and was advised against the X700 series if Hydraulics were fitted based on the price comparison to the 1 series SCUT. They had a 1026R on the floor and it is a beast of a machine for sure, a real tractor but I think way too much for my needs. I'll look for a used GT and go from there.

 

[meburdick]

Task List

1. Transport and Level 1.5 Acres of Topsoil. The existing 1/2 acre is just OK but many waves.
2. Small enough to get between our buildings and tree, Less than 50 inch width
3. Easy enough for my lovely wife to handle for her potting mixture and plant carrier.
4. Strong enough to move topsoil around. I need about 80 yards to level out the hollows. So I need to distribute and level. But this is a one time project., I hope.
5. Want to lawn aerate occasionally and spread fertilizer.
6. The other 1/2 acre is brush and large trees. It would be nice to take out the brush, level out and sow grass in that area. There are so many dead trees and tree limbs just covering the area. Probably 50 stumps too!!
7. I do not need to rush these projects so time is not an issue. a little progress a week...month is fine.
7. When all is done it will be light maintenance.
8. Our drive is 480 feet and we have a two season old $900 walk behind 2 stage snow blower that works great. I thought about attaching this blower to a FEL bucket and pushing it around in winter.
9. I would like to budget less than $6,000 if possible
10. Our steel Utility trailer is 52 inches wide and 80 inches long inside measurements, Gross 2000lb capacity

Our only other machinery is a power washer and small push mower and chainsaw plus a few garden tools like blower and weed wacker.

Here's what comes to mind after reading this:

1) Something "manageable" for your wife is a bit subjective, so it's hard to quantify. And, how a machine is equipped at a point in time can change the feel. For example, my 2520 feels VERY different depending on whether or not the FEL is attached. I mow with the loader attached and the implement removed (bucket / pallet forks). Pulling the FEL off entirely makes the machine feel like a [very] overgrown riding mower.

2) I would think that anything in your price range will fit your trailer in terms of width. However, I don't know if you'll be able to transport it "equipped" due to possible constraints on length and weight. A 2320 tractor with no implements would fit and be under weight as long as you didn't have the rear tires filled. Put on a loader or fill the tires, and your trailer won't hold it. The 1 series is a little shorter and a little lighter, but it's still pretty close with no implements (only about 200 pounds lighter than a 2320).

3) Most of the items on your list directly require or may indirectly benefit from a FEL. You may want to simply "start there" for your initial purchase. If you get yourself a SCUT or nicely priced CUT (the JD 2305 is a very nice "homeowner-friendly" machine) in the used space, you can add Category 1 3PH attachments as you find need. That could be a tiller, an aerator, brush hog, or anything else for that matter.

Personally, I believe you should be looking for machines with 4WD and a diesel motor to give you the most usability and the best longevity. Green, Orange, Blue, Red... Doesn't matter who makes it if you get the right combination of features.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Don't discount a Johnny Bucket. They turn a garden tractor into a pretty handy machine. You could get a Craftsman Garden tractor ,Johnny Bucket,GT box blade,wheel weights and a garden cart. you can get a lot of work done with a setup like this and still come in at around $5500.

 

[boggen]

the 80 yards of top soil, and the 50 stump removal. are only 2 major things i see.

i would just rent, an excavator. and pay tow charge for delievery and pickup if you do not have vehicle able to pull it to and from a local rental place. to remove all the stumps. once stumps are removed, you will need to back fill the holes with some sort of dirt / top soil

the 80 yards of top soil is a tuff one, i would say rent a "skid steer" tractor or multi purpose tractor from local renting place. to move the dirt and rough things out.


everything else, not a riding lawn mower, but a garden size riding lawn mower. could possibly do what you want for up keep / light maintenance. and possibly cheaper to actually buy a snow blower or snow push blade or like for. vs a actual tractor.

ya having a FEL, and little bit bigger tractor is always nice. but *shrugs* just saying.

on other hand, just having a small size tractor that do various stuff easily and not take as much time. and not get stuck as easily. *ughs* been there done that. and wished i had the bigger tractor with FEL and like.