M4800 - MX5000 - L5030

[imported_NYFarmboy]

After looking through stacks of information on the three tractors, I am finding myself more unsure as to which tractor may be best for me. I want to put a FEL on it and plan on doing a fair amount of bush hogging and tilling. I would be interested in all comments pro's and con's as well as your experiences, comparisons and pricing on them. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Hiya NY, how goes it? Welcome to TBN, you're definitely in the right place.

I have a couple of thoughts before even beginning to think about trying to help you decide what tractor you should get.

The people here are INCREDIBLY knowledgeable and helpful, but they/we need as MUCH INFORMATION AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE to get you the useable information you need.

A good place to start is by filling out your bio/personal information. Location, background, prior tractors/equipment /attachments if any you have owned, number of acres you'll be working, anything that might help people figure out how best to help you.

Next, I'd just suggest that you make another post that says in great detail EXACTLY what you want to do with the tractor (besides what you have stated), how much tilling, how much bush-hogging, WHAT are you going to be bush-hogging, how often, what's your price range, what's your terrain like, what you're going to be using the loader for, how strong it needs to be, everything but your hat size and sign. That will help to get the ball rolling.

That said, get the 5030. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Just kidding, but who knows, that might be where you get pointed to. Hard to say, the more info the better.

And READ, READ, READ. There are over 700,000 posts here, and 24,000 members. Almost every question you could possibly ask has likely been answered here, at some point, many, many times over. Use the "search" function to its fullest. I think it's really good to read as many posts as you can, and choose from the advice of thousands of people, not JUST the people who reply to your thread.

The more opinions the better - but hey, that's just my opinion. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Good luck, John D.

 

[imported_NYFarmboy]

Okay sorry CT tree guy /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Here goes. I'm a 36 yo male located in south central NY. I'm looking for a tractor capable bush hogging with a 6 or 7 ft hogger about 60-80 acres. I also expect it to be able to till about 40 -50 acres.

I need to tractor to be able to handle a FEL for various other tasks on the land. I also have 60 acres of heavy woods that it will have to be able to pull many a log.

I don't see a large spread in the price of these machines however just because price is not a factor that doesn't mean that I want the biggest and most expensive, or I would not be asking for help.

So, this brings me back to my original questions. I would be interested in all comments good and bad, experiences and pricing on the 3 models or any other suggestions that the folks out there may have. I realize that the folks on this site are the best source of info.

Oh yea, I'm going to fill my bio now, and I don't like hats and I'm a Leo /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I see that you have a 5030 so I'll probably be tapping you for alot of info

 

[JoeR]

Are you married? If so, this may change all decisions, and you will have to sell her on the idea too. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If I had that much property, I would probably be able to justify the M105X. You are looking at about 530 dollars per HP, and that would be somewhere between 50 and 60K. You can get an L5030 with a cab for 700 dollars per HP, but it would be closer to 35K with FEL and options. Of course, your area will dictate price and this could vary upwards of 5K. Overall, the larger tractor would do more, but the implements cost more too since they are much larger. If you need to get things done quickly, then bigger is better. If this is more a hobby, and you have more time than money, then I would lean towards the 5030 and smaller less expensive implements. If you plan on doing any haying, then bigger is better... The L5030 is probably a better all around multi function tractor due to its smaller weight and size, so you could clear snow easily around the driveway, whereas, you may be afraid to drive the heavier tractor on the driveway.

The L5030 could easily handle 6 to 7 foot implements...

Joe

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

<font color="blue"> Oh yea, I'm going to fill my bio now, and I don't like hats and I'm a Leo </font>

I like you already. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I don't have much time now, but I'll try to start the ball rolling by saying WOW them's a lot of acres to be bush-hogging and tilling. I do love my hydro (a lot) but I can see you with a GST tranny , or the equivalent in the other tractors on your list, with all that ground-engaging. I don't know a whole bunch about the other two yet, but here's my big chance.

We'll have to see how you arrived at those 3 choices. Did you rule out the bigger "M" series Kubotas? The 6800, 8200 and 9000 are awesome, and they've just come out with a whole new line of M's that I'm not up to speed on.

Check out posts by "5030" about his M9000, and "Skypup" explains very well the virtues of the GST tranny. He ALMOST, but not quite made me regret my decision to go hydro.

OK, that's it for now. Good luck, start reading, and I'm sure this is just the beginning. Come on everyone, help this guy out. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Take care, John

 

[slowzuki]

That is a lot of acres to hog, with a 5 or 6 foot hog that could be up to well 10 good days of hogging, the tillage is another story. I'd suggest the M4800 as a minimum from your list.

If you moved up to an M6800 or similar you could pull a 3 or 4 furrow plow depending on the ground. I assume you don't plan on using a rototiller. A rototiller could take a person half a year to do all that then be time to buy a new one... depending on the soil of course.

 

[Bob_Young]

That's a lot of acreage, Farmboy. I'd be looking at more than one tractor. Maybe a big (75 to 100HP) used 2WD Ag tractor with a batwing mower for all the bushhogging and for pulling a plow or a big disc. Then maybe a smaller 4WD tractor w/FEL from the three you listed for the chores where precision, small size and light(er) weight are required. On those big field jobs, the big tractor can do easily in a few hours what the smaller rig struggles all day to do. Why beat up on a nice new small tractor trying to do a job that a big ol' brute was made to handle?

Might make sense another way too. You'll need a BIG bushhog to keep the weeds knocked down on that much land. Once you're all hooked up to the batwing or finally got your plow working right, you're not going to want to unhook to do a half hour's work with the loader or pull a wagon load of wood to the barn. With one tractor, you're essentially without a tractor for little interim jobs until the mowing job or the plowing is done.

Study up on Ag makes and models and start hitting the auctions. Large Cat II implements are pricey when new, but used they aren't that bad. Big old John Deere, NH and IH tractors can be found at auction too. You'll get a lot of HP and iron for your money.
FWIW
Bob

 

[tjkadar]

From the acreage you mentioned and the work you would like to do, I would probably start looking at the M6800 and go up from there. If you are planning on mowing and tilling that much land, you're going to need a bigger ag-type tractor to keep up.

What size tilling implements do you plan on using and how much time do you have to devote to each project?

You can get a M6800 with MFWD, FEL, Shuttle Shift, canopy (not cab), & two remotes for around $30,000. They are phasing out the current model M tractors and bringing in newly designed models, so you might be able to get a real good deal on a M tractor.

 

[EastTexFrank]

I think Bob Young has it right, you need 2 tractors. (2 has to be better than 1 ... right?) Find a big, older, used tractor in the 75 to 100hp range with the biggest bush hog you can handle on your property and keep it principally as your mowing machine. Then you can get a new, smaller machine with all the bells and whistles you need for everything else. For the new machine you might be able to step down a little in size from the machines you are looking at, but not much.

At my M-I-L's place, we have about 170 acres and we have always used an old 75hp MF with a 7' HD mower that very seldom comes off except when it's used to move hay. We also have an even older 38hp JD, which also handles a 5' mower, to do just about everything else. Last year we added a M5700 and hopefully soon there will be a M9000 with batwing but even so I sometimes have to take my little B2400 over there to do stuff when there is a need to get into tight spaces. It's just that sometimes you need sheer brute force and at others you need to be lighter on your feet. If you can swing it, the 2 tractor route is definitely the way to go.

 

[HRS]

Engaging the ground as you are planning, I would go with the M4800 or up. From what I understand, the M class is Kubota's heavy agricultural class tractor. I've looked at them myself and would pick it for a farm over the other two. The reason I say this is that it reminds me of the true, though smaller, utility tractors used on the farms when I was coming up. The M4800 has been around, and it is a workhorse that was designed for the field. If budget is a concern, as it is for most, I believe that this is your starting point, especially if you want to jump out and tear up 50 acres. That's going to take a while, but I have the feeling you've done it before, so that's not news to you.
Have fun.

 

[Seven_U_Bar]

Hope ya'll don't mind my butting in with a question--esp. for you, Tree Guy since, from your name and pictures I saw of your gear, you might be the resident expert on trees and brush:

I don't have as much tilling as NYFarmboy, but I have way more brush clearing (and am a novice with no pride, so don't hold back!)

I have to clear and keep clear about 7 miles of fence lines and clear several fields of small mesquite. My hope is that I can push them out with an FEL. I clearly don't have a use for the grapplers you use for trees, but I'm wondering at the best way to push out brush on fence lines. Do you use the bucket? If so, do teeth help? What is the best technique. What I am talking about here is 2-4 inch small oak trees, with vines and youpon bushes as understory. Stuff you can't even walk through and deer and hogs go around.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Hi Seven, welcome to TBN, hope it's a long stay. (Warning: it's highly addictive, and can lead to actual tractor use LOL)

As far as me being an "expert on trees and brush" - I can kick tree butt with the best of them, but brush and mesquite (never actually seen one, but I've heard 'em buzzing around) aren't my strong suits. I've never even run a bush hog, ever - just read a lot about 'em. So you've found me out - I'm not a tractor expert, I just play one on the internet. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

If you give some more details about exactly how the brush grows near the fences, do you have to get both sides of the fence, height/type/other dimensions of the fence, terrain, etc., that might help us figure out what might be best. It might turn out that there's a type of grapple I'm familiar with that might do some good, or someone might suggest something else like a flail mower, bush hog, sickle bar, who knows. There are things called right-of-way mowers (ROW) that kick butt on brush and small trees. I've seen them mostly for good-sized Bobcats and larger wheeled and tracked vehicles. They get pretty heavy and usually require quite a bit of power to run the hydraulics, so they're not for CUTs, or maybe anything less than an M9000 or bigger. Also, I've seen some good recent threads on tree shears for (CUT and up) tractors - maybe do a search for "Tree Eliminator". Dymax is one of the more popular "big brothers" to the T.E. among land-clearers.

Ditto on the mesquite as far as additional info - height, diameters, how thick is it growing, terrain, what you're going to do with it after you cut it (burn it?).

Also, someone might suggest a chemical approach to the brush along the fence. Roundup is pretty benign, and has the advantage of killing stuff dead so you don't have to keep cutting it. You can get it for as little as $1/gallon (after dilution) at Home Cheapo, probably more like $.60/gallon in 55-gallon drums. Might cost you several thousand dollars per application for seven miles of fence, but it might be worth it since it won't grow back (as much). Hook up a tank sprayer and go to town maybe, just like they do on the highways. Kill it and then whack it with something, or let mother nature take care of the rest (like Exxon did in Prince William Sound /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Anyway, hope this helps somewhat, and again, welcome!



John D.

 

[tjkadar]

If you are looking at moving a bunch of scrub oak at 2-4 inches in diameter, I would consider getting a Bush Whacker rotary mower. On most of their mowers, if you can run over it, you can cut it (depending on the HP rating of the gearbox).

The problem with moving brush with a FEL is that you can only go in one direction with the brush, forward. After pushing brush for a bit, the pile gets bigger and bigger and you really can't put it anywhere except in front of you. If you are lucky, you can kind of swipe off a pile to the side, but there it will sit.

Also, small scrub is a tough bugger and will tear up your tractor given the smallest chance. If you have a small scrap of a tree less then an inch thick, it will often times bend and not come out of the ground. This isn't too bad until you have to reverse direction. That little twig will find its way somewhere up into your tractor, and break, bend, or mutilate something.

Clearing thick brush is a tough job. I would actually consider using a root grapple for the job in combination with a rotary mower. A root grapple allows the bottom teeth to get into the ground and tear scrub up by the roots. It allows most, if not all of the dirt to stay behind. Plus, you can then pick up the scrub and place it where you want. After you've cleared your path, the rotary mower will help keep it clear.

You'll always want to keep at least an axe or machete handy when clearing brush (a chainsaw is very handy too). No matter how good you are, there is always something that will try to tangle up your tractor.

One more word of caution; if the vines are strong enough, and go from the ground up into the trees, they will bring stuff down on top of you while you are trying to clear them out. They are best handled by hooking them with a bucket or grapple and backing up. That way, whatever garbage they pull down from the top of the trees falls in front of you and not on you.

Using chemicals is an option. You might to contact your local farm supply store or ag agency to see what they recommend. After you kill the stuff off by chemicals, you can then mow over it.

Best of luck!

Tim

 

[Seven_U_Bar]

Tree,

Yes, I understand about he addictive quality of BB s where enthusiasts are concerned. I read and occasionally post on: tractors, metal detectors, beef cattle, University of Texas football and BB, and firearms of all kinds. I am trying to be rational about farm machinery so that I treat it as a business and not let it become another expensive hobby, but then I get here and see you guys telling newcomers to buy not one but (count 'em) TWO tractors, and that at a minimum. Sheesh. I know I've found another bunch of enthusiasts!! But so much the better--that's where you get folks who know.

The brush on the fences is extremely thick--small evergreen trees/bushes called youpon (think miniature liveoaks with 2-4 inch trunks and lots of them growing from the same spot. Also, thorny vines and overhanging branches. Now I realize a bush hog cannot deal with the overhead stuff, but I'm having difficulty imagining how it would even deal with the really heavy ground stuff. Do you just run over it first with the tractor and then the bush hog cuts it up once it pops up behind you? (Actually, you said you hadn't used a bushhog but maybe I can get some elementary explanation on that from someone else.)

Most of the mesquite are out in the middle of what was once improved grass fields that have been open fields since the War Between the States. But they have grown up in the last say, 5-7 years. Again, they are multi-trunked 2-4 inch boles, with brush, THORNY, deciduous tops, to 12 feet. I'm not sure what the capabilities of a medium duty brush hog are or what the tractor can effectively run over first. I'm having a lot of difficulty with the concepts here. Texas A&M recommends chemical treatment in the spring with dual chemicals one of which is called "Remedy". And I will do that as well, but eventually, even if the damned things die, I will have to pull them up or push them over.

Does anyone know whether round balers can stand tree roots cut off about 2 inches above the surface??? Or would they have to be flush? I'm sure a disc array would have to have them out entirely?

Thanks again for the help.

Russ

 

[kossetx]

Russ, Please fill out your profile. I have found out quickly it helps people better answer your questions. I assume your in TX as I am. It sounds like your in the exact same situation as I am, or was. I can tell you this from experience. YOUR GOING TO NEED POISON! Mesquite and Yupon are tough devils. I dug and cut and scraped for 10 years and never accomplished much untill I started using the TX A&M BrushBusters method (hope Aggie doesn't offend you /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. In the past year and a half I have reduced my scrub by 90% and will mostly eliminate it in the next few years, with then only needing upkeep on it. I read somewhere years ago that a mesquite bean can lay dormant in the ground for 50 years before germinating. The poison isn't cheap, but neither is the tractor equipment and I've found the poison to work better. You can find info on the brushbuster site using any search engine.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Texas A&M recommends chemical treatment in the spring with dual chemicals one of which is called "Remedy". )</font>

The farmer/rancher I worked with for several years used the Remedy mixed with diesel. He had a 25 gallon 12 volt spray rig he'd put in the bed of his Kawasaki Mule and just drive around spraying all the mesquite with the hand held nozzle. I can't remember whether the Remedy already had the color in it or whether he added a dye, but the ones he sprayed were a pretty blue/green color for awhile that let him tell which ones he'd already sprayed and which ones he hadn't. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

<font color="blue"> but then I get here and see you guys telling newcomers to buy not one but (count 'em) TWO tractors </font>

Only two tractors? Let's put that up for bid:

Two tractors, I got two tractors, who'll give me three now two now two I want three, gimme three now two ... Come on folks, this boy's got 150 acres! He needs more than two tractors! ... two now two I got two I want three gimme three gimme three ... OK then! Three from the man in the Kubota hat, thank you sir, that's more like it! ... three tractors I got three tractors now three now three gimme four now three I want four who'll give me FOUR tractors!!?? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

OK, we've got it all figured out for you Farmboy - just kidding about the four tractors, we think you can get away with just three!: An M105, a 5030HSTC, and a B2710. (We would have said B2910, but you've got to draw the line somewhere).

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your tractors, and please tell all your friends about TBN!

NEXT!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[JoeR]

I use Remedy on my fence line and it works great! I add silicone and dye. The silicone gives it some sticking power...

Remedy page

 

[notafarmer]

My Kubota dealer quoted me $17,500 for an MX5000 and $21,000 for that machine with a LA852 FEL.

Best deal on a new 50hp tractor I have seen between JD, NH, and Kubota.