M-Series Snag!!!

[Glowplug]

By the way, I am not purchasing this tractor just to get a few jobs done and to get them done with the cheapest tractor I can get by with. Some people buy antique cars. Do they use them for transportation? Many people I know buy boats, motorcycles, and even airplanes. Are they a necessity of life? A couple of my colleagues drive (commute) in their $125,000.00+ Porsches and Mercedes as their primary vehicles. Oh, and both of those guys have Ford F350s as their secondary vehicles.

A lot of this has to do with what I want. It's a bit of a hobby and lifestyle for me. Some guys drive their expensive cars and spend their freetime playing golf. Me, I drive a Dodge pickup and spend my free time working on my land. . .for enjoyment. . . .as a hobby!!

 

[n8wrl]

....
[*]Excavate (eliminate) 2 acre outdoor riding arena by removing 6" x 1 acre of sandy soil.
....

That's what I need to put IN!

Life's too short to wring your hands all the time. You like the M? Get the M. I probably have much more tractor than I need but I'm having a ball with it.

Enjoy!

-Brian

 

[Glowplug]

That's what I need to put IN!

Once I get it all piled up I'll package it up and mail it to ya!! I'm sure the postage wouldn't be too much on 900 cubic yards of dirt!!

Or, on second thought, maybe I could just drive it down to you. I could then drive a few miles across the state line and visit my folks! That may be cheaper but probably more torture in the long run.

 

[Oleozz]

I've read many of your posts and when I first started reading them I thought to myself, "Wow, this guy is out of touch with reality." BUT, after reading on I got the feeling that you really wanted to do all the research and make the right decision and you truly enjoyed thinking and talking about tractors. With all that said I think you should get what you want, the M7040 sounds like the right size and I bet you will be extremely pleased with it. Good Luck.

 

[Glowplug]

"Wow, this guy is out of touch with reality."

LOL! Man. . . .I don't think ANYONE has ever said or thought that about ME! I'm being serious. This thread has become a real eye opener. I wonder if anyone out there has thought that I may be psychotic or something!

. . .you really wanted to do all the research and make the right decision and you truly enjoyed thinking and talking about tractors.

Now that statement, yes, many people have told me that! Just about everyone I know knows that I am obsessed with tractors. My secretary even got me a toy tractor for Christmas!!

 

[IslandTractor]

By the way, I am not purchasing this tractor just to get a few jobs done and to get them done with the cheapest tractor I can get by with...... A lot of this has to do with what I want.

Fair enough.

 

[n8wrl]

Once I get it all piled up I'll package it up and mail it to ya!! I'm sure the postage wouldn't be too much on 900 cubic yards of dirt!!

Or, on second thought, maybe I could just drive it down to you. I could then drive a few miles across the state line and visit my folks! That may be cheaper but probably more torture in the long run.

I'll send you directions! This project is definately in my future.

BTW my other-other hobby is home theater, for which there are many boards like this one. One guy posted about how he discussed his home theater hobby with his wife, to which she responded, "buying things is NOT a hobby!"

Have fun!

-Brian

 

[rbargeron]

" I don't plan on getting any other tractor, probably in the next two decades, so I had better be satisfied with the size."

I think the issue is right there. A tractor is a tool. Like a hammer. I have lots of hammers - from little tackers up to 8 pound sledges.

Get a tractor based on your best judgement now (which is what you are developing). But be open to the idea of trading up or down later as your tasks for it change.

 

[m7040]

In my case I had a Z28 zero turn for mowing, a 50 hp massey ferguson, and a four wheel steer g1800 mower. The deciding factor for me was to mowe the acres quicker now that the kids are out of the house and it is left for me to do. So got the M7040 and a 15 ft woods mower and that has cut down my mowing time significantly all the while I am in comfort in the cab and on the air suspension seat. Sure the the MF will do the job but at a lot less speed and comfort. Also the ability to run an 8 ft snowplow is good so when the snow comes I am ready in the heated cab. It is not about payback like for a commercial venture it is about comfort, satisfaction and fun. Thats why some people drive BMWs, mercedes etc and others drive chevys

 

[Doc_Bob]

I have a 2003 New Holland TN70A on 15 acres. Weighs around 5800 pounds. AG tires. Power shuttle. The thing is a "beast". I demoed a Kubota Grand L3830 and a NH TC40DA on my land. Both are fine machines. If I had purchased either one, I would have been very happy. Then I got a great deal on the TN70A (used). I have no regrets at all! The TN70A will do work that the Grand L3830 and the NH TC40DA would take a lot more time to do. I move a lot of dirt, wood chips, and compost. The lift capacity of the FEL is outstanding. I pull a 3 bottom plow with ease. The 6' rotary cutter has power to spare. I have an 84" snow blower. I am a HP "junky". If I could have purchased a TN85 I would have done it in a heart beat. But I am "stuck" with a 70HP tractor .

The point is, you will love the power. Buy "big" it if you can afford it.

Start a thread and ask folks if they wish they had purchased a bigger or smaller tractor then the one they now own.
Bob

 

[Doc_Bob]

It is not about payback like for a commercial venture it is about comfort, satisfaction and fun.

Amen!
Bob

 

[rbargeron]

it is about comfort, satisfaction and fun.

Completely - and a huge part of the fun is shopping for the tractor. The hunt is the thing. It's almost a let-down when the trigger is finally pulled. This thread is already on its second or third chapter - and several more are possible. Bet Chuck hasn't even considerd Landini yet.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Chuck, go with the M7040, I was going to agree with you about getting the bigger M8540 up until you mentioned having to transport a few times a year to your in-laws 50 acres. The M7040 will be an easier move.

I think what a lot of people here on TBN forget is that a lot of us just don't have the time to get some of these projects done in a lackadaisical time frame. If we are lucky we might average 5-6 days a month to work on our property. We have a lot to do and not enough time to get it done in. Yes it could be done with a smaller tractor, heck, it might even be more fun with a smaller tractor. But it simply takes to much time to get some of this stuff done.

Myself as an example. I have 80 acres, 70 of it I try to disk twice a year. Mostly for fire protection, but I sure like the way it looks when its done. The 1st few times that I did it, it was taking about 2 1/2 hours per acre, a long time when you only have the weekends. I got a bigger tractor and bigger disk and now have it down to about 35 minutes per acre. Guess what, still to slow, now thinking about a 140 hp tractor with bigger disk. This all for something that only needs to be done a couple times a year. Yes it can get done with a smaller tractor, but do you have that much time.

I know that you have a lot of different tasks to do once you finally get your tractor. Don't go to small, the last time I looked around nobody was getting any younger. If you find that there are a few things that can't be done because of the size, the smaller tractors aren't much more than some of the implements that you will be buying.

Get the M7040 and GO TO WORK!
Just my thoughts, and they are worth what you paid for them.

PS, I forgot to tell you that the 7040 is a great looking tractor

 

[m7040]

So glowplug do you feel better about the M7040??

 

[Sully2]

.....

I think what a lot of people here on TBN forget is that a lot of us just don't have the time to get some of these projects done in a lackadaisical time frame. If we are lucky we might average 5-6 days a month to work on our property. We have a lot to do and not enough time to get it done in. Yes it could be done with a smaller tractor, heck, it might even be more fun with a smaller tractor. But it simply takes to much time to get some of this stuff done.

And on top of "time constraints" let toss good old mother nature into the mix...with unusally high rainfall..!

I have a back yard..thats "about" 1/3 acre. Brick blown clay...totally shaded in the summer. GRASS DONT GROW!. Decided to do it all into flower beds. Dug down about 4 inches and filled in with top notch composted topsoil built up about 6 inches higher than ground. Planted Hosta's...ferns...coneflowrs to beat the band. Got about 3500 SQUARE FEET of grass to plant in the "aisles" between beds. NADA! Never got it done. Never had but one week that it didnt rain and make super glue gumbo out of the clay pathways...which when it did dry meant back to disking to break it back up..and get ready to seed....LOL..LOL..RIGHT!

I spent tooooo many hours inside holding a cup of coffee..looking out the window hoping it would stop raining! *sigh*...maybe this year???

 

[Glowplug]

I think a lot of the earlier posts were obsessed with looking at the hp. If I would've said I was going to get the L5030 there would not have been so much hollering that I was buying too "big" of a tractor. So the L5030 is almost 50 hp. I would seriously consider the M5040 at about 47 hp. It has essentially exactly the same frame, dimensions, footprint as the M7040. The L5030 actually weighs 4090#, the M5040 weighs 3968#. What?!?!?! An M-series tractor weighs LESS than an L-series?!?! The M7040 weighs 4608#. A relatively light tractor for 68 hp. The size dimensions between the M5040 and the M7040 are all within 1 or 2 inches. The Mxx40s appear to actually be rather "compact" for their power. So they're really not that "big". They pale in comparison to comparable hp tractors such as New Holland and Mahindra. The only problem I have with the M5040 is that it doesn't have cast wheels or limited slip differential like the M7040. So it's not all about horsepower. I really feel that some of the guys look at the situation from the outside and see me as some young newbie whipper-snapper with visions of massive horsepower in his eyes, who's not really a farmer but a professional, buying a big tractor for his "estate" because it would be the cool thing to do. Let me tell you, that's just simply not the case.

I had a long drive today to some of my relatives in eastern Kentucky. I was on the road for over 2 hours. I started thinking that maybe they were right. Maybe I SHOULD seriously consider the L4330 or L4630 again. I thought about this for a long time.

I have looked at this situation from all different angles. When I try to think about this whole thing objectively from an outside point of view I think that anyone with 16 acres would be best served with something in the range of an L4330. I would think it would be overkill for that person to get an M-series. I even forget that I have "only" 16 acres since I am looking at the M7040. The M7040 seems like the right tractor but the fact that I'm talking about using it on 16 acres just isn't logical. But when I gaze out across my land and visualize a tractor on it things change. Me, on an L-series tractor on my land just doesn't seem right out there. It just seems unnatural and uncomfortable. It seems like a square peg forced into a round hole. On the other hand, when I visualize me on an Mxx40 series tractor on my land doing some chores it just seems right. It seems like it was meant to be. It is though me, my land, and the M7040 were made to go together. I know this may sound like a bunch of psycho-babble fluff. You may think that I've lost my mind and finally gone off the deep end. You can feel free to think that if you want. But I believe there's actually a lot more to buying a tractor than just looking at spec sheets, prices, planned tasks, and land size then matching someone up with a tractor based almost on a mathematical formula. A very large portion of tractor buying is feel and instinct. And for me, my gut feeling and instinct tells me to get the M7040.

 

[aesanders]

Hopefully round bailing hay on approximately 2 acres with Vermeer Rebel bailer. This is mainly for hobby, and for the neighbors horses, not for profit.

It's your life and I hope you get the tractor that you like. That said, for 2 acres of hay, this is the last thing in the world I would ever do. Even if you had your full 28 acres in pasture to round bale, I still wouldn't do this. Way to easy to find a local person to come in and round bale for you.

I've done a lot of haying in my day, and for the upkeep of the equipment just is not worth it in my mind. The nostalgia would soon pass and then the reality of the situation would soon set in.

Also, someone mentioned that most people get larger machines over time and few get smaller. Well I'm one that got way smaller. Have one of the smallest tractors around and could easily do most of the jobs you mentioned with my tiny tractor. I've owned large Steiger's and large Cat loaders and full size backhoes etc. Too many to count. That was in my last life when I use to dairy farm. Now I am happy with just tooling around with my itsy bitsy machine. Find it challenging to see what I can do with it. I've been clearing some old fence rows lately with trees around 1-4" in diameter. A couple larger one's still are left for later. Just finished putting in around 600 feet of 4 board fencing.

I'd agree with some other's that you could take care of all 28 acres with an L series machine quite easily, but also can see your point of getting what you want. I'D SAY get the M since this is what you have your heart set on. I'd still recomend avoiding the baling though.... Just my 2 cents.

 

[Glowplug]

Now I am happy with just tooling around with my itsy bitsy machine. Find it challenging to see what I can do with it.

Well good for you. Let's see. You have six acres with a very "tiny" JD2320. Let's say your pond is 1 acre. That leaves you with 5 workable acres. The 2320 is 24 hp. Now I have over three times the land as you. So, to extrapolate hp per acre that means an "itsy bitsy" tractor for me would be . . . .72 hp! Hmmm, kinda makes one think.

I'm just yanking your chain. I know it's not possible or practical to make comparisons like that. But I am definately not looking for a tractor challenge. I don't want to see if I can push it beyond its expected limits so that I can surprise myself all the while risking possible frustration leading to failure. I am in the same situation as "MtnViewRanch". I need something that can get things done, get 'em done efficiently, and work for me so that I continue to find "work" a pleasurable hobby. I'm not in this to cut cost margins, or to see what the least tractor is I can use to accomplish my tasks, no matter how long it takes. I feel kind of like I'm starting to repeat myself (all over again).

I respect and appreciate your advice on bailing hay. Thank you very much. That may very well be something I decide to pass on.

 

[john_bud]

I think a lot of the earlier posts were obsessed with looking at the hp. If I would've said I was going to get the L5030 there would not have been so much hollering that I was buying too "big" of a tractor. So the L5030 is almost 50 hp. I would seriously consider the M5040 at about 47 hp. It has essentially exactly the same frame, dimensions, footprint as the M7040. The L5030 actually weighs 4090#, the M5040 weighs 3968#. What?!?!?! An M-series tractor weighs LESS than an L-series?!?! The M7040 weighs 4608#. A relatively light tractor for 68 hp. The size dimensions between the M5040 and the M7040 are all within 1 or 2 inches. The Mxx40s appear to actually be rather "compact" for their power. So they're really not that "big". They pale in comparison to comparable hp tractors such as New Holland and Mahindra. The only problem I have with the M5040 is that it doesn't have cast wheels or limited slip differential like the M7040. So it's not all about horsepower. I really feel that some of the guys look at the situation from the outside and see me as some young newbie whipper-snapper with visions of massive horsepower in his eyes, who's not really a farmer but a professional, buying a big tractor for his "estate" because it would be the cool thing to do. Let me tell you, that's just simply not the case.

I had a long drive today to some of my relatives in eastern Kentucky. I was on the road for over 2 hours. I started thinking that maybe they were right. Maybe I SHOULD seriously consider the L4330 or L4630 again. I thought about this for a long time.

I have looked at this situation from all different angles. When I try to think about this whole thing objectively from an outside point of view I think that anyone with 16 acres would be best served with something in the range of an L4330. I would think it would be overkill for that person to get an M-series. I even forget that I have "only" 16 acres since I am looking at the M7040. The M7040 seems like the right tractor but the fact that I'm talking about using it on 16 acres just isn't logical. But when I gaze out across my land and visualize a tractor on it things change. Me, on an L-series tractor on my land just doesn't seem right out there. It just seems unnatural and uncomfortable. It seems like a square peg forced into a round hole. On the other hand, when I visualize me on an Mxx40 series tractor on my land doing some chores it just seems right. It seems like it was meant to be. It is though me, my land, and the M7040 were made to go together. I know this may sound like a bunch of psycho-babble fluff. You may think that I've lost my mind and finally gone off the deep end. You can feel free to think that if you want. But I believe there's actually a lot more to buying a tractor than just looking at spec sheets, prices, planned tasks, and land size then matching someone up with a tractor based almost on a mathematical formula. A very large portion of tractor buying is feel and instinct. And for me, my gut feeling and instinct tells me to get the M7040.

Glowplug,

I carefully read the posts from start to finish. Didn't see where anybody thought you were off the deep end for wanting the big M tractors. (they are nice machines.) Once you listed your objective of cutting 16 acres 2x a month and not wanting to spend your life at it, the M70 or M85 made a lot of sense. But, if you want to transport it on a trailer to do work off your property or on your country land, then the M85 may be too big to transport. That would put the M70 at the head of the list.

The final "nail in the coffin" is the fact that you actually LIKE the "M's" better. Nothing wrong with getting what you like.

Oh, just reminding you that I did say,

"we can't get real close to good advice. Only guesses and speculation. While fun for us, it's probably frustrating for you."

From some of your later posts, it does seem that you are about fed up with our wisdom and especially our lack thereof.

jb

Oops! I checked the Kubota web site and the M8540 is not too big to trailer. It's only 5500#. Figure 7500# with loaded tires, 9500# with the loader on it. You would need a 24-26' gooseneck with 16,000# rating to haul it and a couple attachments around, but that's not so bad. You won't even be close to the CDL cut off of 26,001#. If you current dodge is a cummins, then you're already in fat city, just hook up and haul it home!

And for those wondering, the turning radius is just a touch over 13' for the M8540. That's tight enough for all your chores, even if you never go beyond your current property size.

Now go out and stimulate the economy!

jb

 

[rbargeron]

Back in the '90's Kubota's L3 tractor model line had "grown" to the point that the biggest one, the L5450, weighs 4300 pounds and has a 60 hp 5-cylinder engine. With LA1150 loader and ballast it is close to 8,000 lb. To my mind it's a perfect combination of power, strength, and weight - enough to do anything, but still reasonably compact. I found one for sale and pounced on it.
Some people said it was a beast, a monster, way too much tractor, etc.etc but the only person who can really decide that is its owner. To me its the perfect tool.
Stay true to your mission, Chuck - forget all the horsepower/acreage theories - get the one that feels right to you.
As always, prompt cheerful refund if advice is bogus. Take care, DickB