Buying Advice Looking for a tractor

[51allis]

Everyone's assuming agricultural land. Could it be playing fields, parkland, airport or something where the grass needs to be kept short?

Good info but one thing beckons....in the case of it being "playing fields, parkland, airport or something where the grass needs to be kept short" they would have maintenance crews where all this mowing would not fall on just one person....

 

[JWR]

If you have 40 acres to mow.... why on earth would you do it every single week? Most people only mow that many acres 3-5 times per year.

Great question. I am wondering if this is a large area mowed like a lawn or lawn quality? Being a very inexperienced non-tractor-so-far guy the OP may just not know how often to mow it and 'weekly' may have been a wild guess.

 

[jbeanenc]

Rather than a tractor you might want to consider a commercial zero-turn with a 90+ inch deck. The initial purchase would be cheaper as would the operating costs. You can find some that have cabs and AC but those are costly. You also have less maintenance needed on a zero turn unless the back 40 was used as a bombing zone.

 

[alpacalips]

It is also possible that he went ahead and bought what he was already thinking of buying when he posted to ask for recommendations. Wouldn't be the first that happened.

Probably a 1023E

 

[clewis]

Good info but one thing beckons....in the case of it being "playing fields, parkland, airport or something where the grass needs to be kept short" they would have maintenance crews where all this mowing would not fall on just one person....

Most municipalities would outsource that sort of job to a contracting company that would ALREADY have the equipment and people who know what they're doing.

I've seen suburbanites move out into the country with very large properties, and expect a nice neat lawn. That usually doesn't last long. I been one kinda of the lazy type ;-) My property is 10 acres, about 6 wooded. That didn't last long - we planted trees (over 1500!), and left other areas to overgrow, and reduced the mowable area to about 1/2 acre. Takes me 2-3 hours with a 43" deck garden tractor. Most of it is the road allowance outside the (no longer existing) fence line. It's not just easier, it encourages wild-life - we seem to have become the local deer birthing centre.

 

[JWR]

I certainly thought the same as you, he wants to mow the same 40 acres each week. But then knowing how some people often don't provide enough details, the OP could be referring to a mowing goal of 40 acres per week, and mowing a total 160 acres (quarter section) every month.

Yeah, but how in H does that kind of thing get dumped on a guy who knows nothing of tractors and is new to the entirety of the technology? I'm waiting for his clarification.

 

[rv7charlie]

For a data point:
I mow an 11 acre runway (4800' x ~100') that has runway lights on about 3000 feet of the length. I use a 45 HP 2WD Kubota tractor & 7' finish mower, mowing in high 3rd gear. It takes about 2 & 3/4 hrs to mow, including using a zero turn mower to mow around the runway lights. Obviously, it's straight, level, and no obstacles except the lights.

I don't understand the need for a loader & 4WD, if all you're going to do is mow. Plenty of uses for both, but they don't involve mowing. In fact, the loader would be a big disadvantage while mowing, in my opinion.

 

[JWR]

I do not see a single post since the first from the OP. Until he clarifies his circumstance all 34 posts above are wasted and mostly irrelevant. Mine included.

He just started the thread day before yesterday... do we all have so little to do that we jump in with over 30 posts before the OP ever clarifies?

 

[Andrus]

Looking for a good used tractor to mow 40 acres once a week. I'm new to tractors so help help help. I hear I need a diesel, four wheel drive front end loader and mower. I don't need something that is going to break down and I also need a tractor 101 education so I can care for it properly, operate it safely, etc.

If you're just mowing 40 acres a week, do you really need a front end loader? And what is the terrain like? Do you need four wheel drive?

 

[plumbyII]

I have a 2004 80 hp Tn80F that can do that. I also can rarely use it due to needed repairs (can not get it in my garage for self repair/maintenance). If you are buying used the most critical factor is cab height (too big and you can not get it in your shed/garage) and weight (too heavy and its difficult to tow it yourself to the dealer). Buy the lowest overall height, lightest machine that will handle a decent size batwing. I intend to trade my TN80f for a low (under 76"), light machine setup to add extra weights.