Need advice - 15-20HP

[Shawn T. W.]

I have a Bush Hog RTC 50 rototiller, which is actually 48" of tilling, I have 19.6 PTO HP it does a fine job! RTC-50 Compact Tillers - Bush Hog they say 15-25 HP ...

From the other day ...

And yes, my GC is the same size as the BX & 1 series ...

Bruno's says they ship for free, I'm not sure how that works, but it would be nice if you had a dealer close by, not sure how some local dealers would treat you if you "imported" it from a few states away ... Like I said I chose to buy local, mostly because I'm not ever really sure when I'm gonna be home, and I don't mind paying more, as it has turned out into a good relationship with the local dealer, currently have a $1400 order for a pair of forks for my Kubota from the Massey Ferguson dealer, unfortunately he didn't have the used, no computer 50+ HP tractor I was looking for, I gave him three months to look, but they are hard to find, so I drove 80 miles and picked up the Kubota elsewhere ...

 

[Yander]

I have owned a '48 Farmall Cub in the past but have since sold it. Fun machine but it doesn't have the easy functionality i am looking for and is horrible for a loader.

I'm building a new house in SC with a little over an acre. I have a 36" walk behind zero turn mower that I bought new in'79. Seems like a tall task in 100 degree days. I could handle the work 90 percent of the time. Neighbors are buying 8-10k sit down zero turns. I can't justify that money for a single purpose machine. I'm quite mechanical so an older machine is just fine.

I'm thinking I need a 15-20HP tractor with a belly mower that has a pto for future attachments (box blade, tiller, FEL, landscape rake?). Does this sound right?

I'm thinking about $8k for a machine as a budget. Maybe Deere for parts availability.

Any suggestions?

Thank you.......

Massey GC series. Easily as good as Kubota or John Deere. And you can find them around $7,000 without the loader.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

My opinion from my experience, for my situation ...

When I bought my 16 acres 4 years ago, I NEEDED a BH! As I couldn't get a contractor to even return my calls , and I needed my new driveway that was just put in through a swampy hayfield fixed right, and be widened and be able to hold up my semi-truck, as the old verbal right of way via the cousins private road didn't convey ... They put in in "pretty" driveway, but UPS wouldn't come down the driveway after a rain, as they were sinking in 6"-8"!

I looked within 500 miles that I could drive and pick up a Kubota L or John Deere 3 series with a backhoe in the used market, nothing but a few ABUSED units, so I looked at new ones, but didn't want to deal with computers or emissions, so that limited me to 25 HP ...

Locally it came down to only a choice of the GC or a BX, when the Massey Ferguson dealer suggested the GC I literally LAUGHED at him, told him I didn't want a tiny overgrown lawnmower! He was polite and simply told me that I would be very surprised at what it could do, that he personally had one at his house ... I talked to my brother who has a Kubota B, and his son had a BX, he told me the same thing! the Massey dealer was MUCH easier to deal with, so I bought it after talking with him ...

To be honest ... If I were to do it again TODAY, with the availability of NEW tractors now (remember the empty lots during the "supply chain shortage"?) I probably would only have one tractor ... A Kubota B or a JD 2025R, and be happy!

The B2602 or 2025R are really just BIG SCUT'S, they are slightly longer and wider, but with much larger tires, they both have the ability to have a BH, unfortunately as far as I know the MF only Tractor Loader Backhoe (TLB) package is in there GC series ...

The relative tiny sized tires on the GC, BX, 1E/R are only 18" front, and 26" in the back, which make for a bumpy ride! The B & 2 are 32"-35" depending on style on the back ... Makes a huge difference in ride comfort, no suspension on these ...

But since I already have my GC customized to my liking with aftermarket stuff, and it WILL do everything I need on my place, I'm keeping it!

But on the 95° 90% humidity days that I have 14 acres of bumpy fields to mow, I'm very happy to leave my Little Baby Fergie in the barn, and step into my A/C cabbed Kubota Grand L with 52" tires!

I think it's probably a good idea to go visit a couple of dealers, just to see what size you really want ... Doesn't mean you gotta buy new ... See if you can drive it around there lot? I will say I still have not really warmed up to the treadle pedal on the Kubota, but 1st to admit I don't like change! Most other brand HST tractors have 2 pedals side by side like my GC ...

Here is a size comparison, I'm 6'1" 190 Lbs ... On my little overgrown lawnmower!

 

[3inthedirt]

Ok, it’s a MF GC!!!!

Thanks for the lengthy email Shawn! You have gone above and beyond! Thanks again to everyone who contributed!

Moving in the house in 2 weeks. I’ll have all winter to look.

 

[gstrom99]

What is the minimum HP I want at the PTO to run a tiller? Rakes and scrapers would round out the 3 point attachments. What if I wanted a 3 pt mower instead? Don't think it needs more HP than a tiller..........

My JD 855 is 24hp, 19hp PTO. It runs a 5ft tiller or 5ft bush hog, no problem. With a HST trans, you can just let off the go pedal if it bogs down.

 

[etpm]

I've never taken my loader off as I seem to need it constantly for just misc things. I use it to raise the riding mowers to clean under the deck, scrape the leaves off the driveway in the fall, move my dead pickup into the shop, etc. Once you get used to having it you don't notice it at all.

What Jaygyver says. My opinion is that a loader is essential. They are just too useful. It is amazing how much faster many jobs go having that bucket. And cleaning under the riding mower deck is just one job that is WAY easier using the loader to raise the front end of the mower to clean under the deck. I have hooks on my FEL. I chain up to the front axle, hook the chain to the bucket hooks and raise the front of the mower, fast and easy.
Eric

 

[3inthedirt]

An of old JD models mentioned in the thread are certainly in play for the right deal!

 

[tacticalturnip]

Catching up some.....

What is the minimum HP I want at the PTO to run a tiller? Rakes and scrapers would round out the 3 point attachments. What if I wanted a 3 pt mower instead? Don't think it needs more HP than a tiller..........

Some nice prices Shawn....

Yes, if I added a backhoe, that's $30k on a BX23S.

Still thinking used and still a little concerned about wanting more eventually from a BX or Series 1. Assume the MF GC is in the same category but seeing what Shawn can do with his is amazing and more than I would need.

The general consensus is that you want 5 PTO horsepower per foot of width on an implement. That said, things come into play that change that. On flat ground, running slower, you can run more width with less horsepower, but not that much wider.

With a subcompact, which run around 20 PTO horsepower you're perfect with a 48-56 inch tiller.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Ok, it’s a MF GC!!!!

Thanks for the lengthy email Shawn! You have gone above and beyond! Thanks again to everyone who contributed!

Moving in the house in 2 weeks. I’ll have all winter to look.

The GC is an excellent machine, they're very well regarded.