New member tractor advice

[jeff9366]

I do keep drifting more towards the older higher HP tractors while browsing. Then I think, how much diesel is that thing going to suck down, but then it’s pulling a wider mower so it will go faster.

From my experience with compact tractors I will speculate an older 100-horsepower diesel engine tractor will consume no more than 1-3/4 gallons of diesel fuel per hour while mowing with a 144" Rotary Cutter.

Surely your time is more valuable a commodity than diesel fuel while mowing......

When you shop used tractors inspect the tires closely. Tractor tires, especially low production rear tires, can be very expensive. Rear tire replacement is often the catalyst for old tractor sales.

 

[jeff9366]

There is more woods than fields but didn’t mention it because I was only concerned about the tractor.

How many acres will you mow?

 

[paulsharvey]

How many acres will you mow?

I’m in Tennessee.
How long to go from a bunch of crap to baling hay?
Also with CRP I’m not sure I could do it. Just now learning about that program.

So, about 2 days ago, I started a thread asking about CRP, and other stuff similar. You can find it, by clicking on my name, and looking for recent posts. It had some info that others gave me.

 

[wolc123]

From my experience with compact tractors I will speculate an older 100-horsepower diesel engine tractor will consume no more than 1-3/4 gallons of diesel fuel per hour while mowing.

Surely your time is more valuable a commodity than diesel fuel while mowing......

When you shop used tractors inspect the tires closely. Tractor tires, especially rear tires, are very expensive. Rear tire replacement is often the catalyst for old tractor sales.

That’s why I recommended that half his budget go to the pole barn. Too many folks buy tractors, leave them outside, and hope for the best.

I have (2) tractors from the 1950’s that have always been stored indoors and both still have their original tires and are still in useable condition. Sunlight is very tough on rubber.

The fronts could stand replacement on the Cub. I had to replace that right side rear rim on the Ford 8n two years ago due to calcium caused rust rot of the original. Oddly enough, it plows better than ever, with just a loaded rim on the sod side, and the new unloaded one on the furrow side. The 1951 front tires are still very good on it too.

 

[RHanna]

How many acres will you mow?

The 60-80. I calculated about 60 using google map measure distance. The tax assessor shows 10 pasture, 50 crop and 23 rotation. Not sure what the rotation is but I thought maybe all together 83. Doesn't really matter, I know it's at least 60. The woodland area is larger than the all the fields I just didn't include it in my story since it doesn't have any bearing on tractor purchase. I'd never use the tractor on any of it except for maybe road grading.

Good to know about the tires. I'm sure inspecting would be how much tread left, dry rot, and does it have any plugs. Anything else to look out for?

 

[RHanna]

So, about 2 days ago, I started a thread asking about CRP, and other stuff similar. You can find it, by clicking on my name, and looking for recent posts. It had some info that others gave me.

I'll check it out. I'm not overly concerned with it right now (it seems to be more complicated than I anticipated). We know the people that work at the USDA office in that county from the church we used to attend. They also came through my dad's funeral visitation.

There seems to be a little bit of every field enrolled in the program currently. I also started looking at carbon credits but I can't tell if that's worth the work.

 

[jeff9366]

Good to know about worn tires. I'm sure inspecting would be how much tread left, dry rot, and does it have any plugs. Anything else to look out for?

Many older 2-WD ag tractors used CORROSIVE calcium chloride tire fill for weight and to prevent tire-fill freezing. Look carefully at the steel rims for corrosion. You can buy replacement tractor tires easily. Replacing a corroded rim MAY present a problem. Older ag tractors were almost universally fitted with R1/ag tires. Today, not many are. Demand has moved away from R1 rims.

 

[rockinbbar]

I do keep drifting more towards the older higher HP tractors while browsing. Then I think, how much diesel is that thing going to suck down, but then it’s pulling a wider mower so it will go faster.

I think a loader would be nice but I’d probably use it infrequently.

Even a higher hp than what you originally posted probably wouldn't use much diesel, compared to the work it'll do.

I have an Ag Service business and run 2 tractors with batwing cutters. Yesterday I was on my 75hp New Holland Powerstar and running a 12' batwing all day. Used about 11 gallons of diesel, but covered lots of acres. The place I'm on is very smooth riding compared to lots of places I cut. I was running 3.4mph. That's making good time.

Last week I finished a big ranch that was thick and had lots of trees to cut around, which takes more time compared to open fields or pastures. I was running that 120hp Powerstar at 2.6mph max and 2.0mph in very thick stuff with a 15' batwing. That tractor uses about 16 gallons a day in hard conditions. But again, it covers lots of ground.

 

[CaptPat]

Given the acreage you are looking to tend I would be looking for something like a JD 5 series with no less than 75 engine hp. The HP and weight of the tractor will facilitate larger attachments. Other brands have offerings in this size as well. It should be reasonably easy to find something in the used market as this is a popular size. I consider a FEL mandatory equipment.

 

[airbiscuit]

I kind of like the pole building first.tractor second approach. It gives both the tractor and you shelter. You could spend a little less for your first tractor to get things started.

 

[DaBear3428]

For arguments sake; cause I do like to argue both sides;

You would probably spend between $1,000-4,000 per mowing cycle, or I would think a min of $2,000-8,000 per year, with just two mowing. That's a lot of money, but at the same time; let's look at a TYM 574, at $35,000 (or so), a 8 foot bush hog at $4500 (or so); fuel for 16 hours per mowing cycle; you Might be able to hire it mowed for between 5-20 years, before you reach break even point on the purchase.

Now, the other side; I would look at your budget, and if you can swing it, get the tractor and bush hog. I would expect, for $650/month, you can build a heck of a brand new cab tractor, with large mower, and loader. Now, that's $7800 per year, plus fuel, and you are within the range of what you might be paying to someone else to do it. You mentioned hunting, so a couple 2 acre food plots; possible fence work; ect, and you have something to show for your money. You can decide when to mow, what areas you want to mow, ect, on your schedule.

Also, maybe you can find a guy to mow for $50/hr now; don't think that rate isn't going to be x3 that in 5 years. Heck, right now, I would expect to pay atleast $80/hr, if not $120/hr.

all good points but you passed over the leasing option (he leases the pasture out) and gets payed and does not have to pay long term. been around a lot of property running a hay bailer where the land owner just got a 1/2 cut of the hay also, just haying it every year will keep them looking good for the most part and the money from selling the hay pays for occasional work hired out. this is not the path i would take but can be a valid option (but then again you do not get to buy a nice shiny tractor, so!). in the end it is up to what the OP wants to do more than anything else.

 

[DaBear3428]

I do keep drifting more towards the older higher HP tractors while browsing. Then I think, how much diesel is that thing going to suck down, but then it’s pulling a wider mower so it will go faster.

I think a loader would be nice but I’d probably use it infrequently.

IMO get the FEL they are MUCH cheaper to buy with the tractor than add later and they are a life saver in your situation. you will not believe you even thought about not getting one after having one for a wile.

 

[paulsharvey]

Pole barn part; a 12x16 shed or 3 wall structure would be fine, and probably cost less then $1500, assuming (sounds like you can) do the work. Just make the rooff high enough, atleast 8 ft min, maybe 9 ft above ground. Slabs, wall, ect, those all can come later. Or just trailer the tractor on a car hauler.

 

[paulsharvey]

A local sample (not affiliated). 1971 Ford 3400, with loader (bucket needs some welding, it's rusted through in corner) for $5000, it's gonna handle Maybe a 7 ft (prob a 6?) cutter; and a very nice 2018 JD 5045, that Might pull an 8 footer (prob a 7?), for $12k, no loader. And, I feel, the middle of the road, best deal, a New Holland 3930, with 6 ft bush hog, in great shape, $7500. If you can live without a cab/4wd/loader, you can get a lot of machine for under $10k

 

[2manyrocks]

At 4mph, a 6 ft cutter will take nearly 23 hours to cut 60 acres where a 12' cutter will cut it in 11 1/2 hours. Makes a huge difference if you have to drive 3 hours to reach the property.

Acres Per Hour Calculator

Calculate how many acres per hour you can mow and how fast you can complete work on your field.

www.omnicalculator.com

 

[paulsharvey]

On the nicer, more expensive, and better large machine. A good shape 4×4 75hp NH for $28k, with can, but no loader

 

[paulsharvey]

If I had your propety, and I'm imposing my own thought process on you... cause that's what we each base our suggestions on...
1) I got a feeling you will be up there pretty often, I would if I had 80 acres to hunt/atv/shoot/drink at a big fire...
2) you will start to wittle down the amount of acres you mow, to a manageable amount, probably, less than 20acres routinely; trails; plots; shooting lanes; ect

So based on that; I wouldn't be afraid of a 6 fr cutter and 30-50 hp machine. But you know You better than I do, and if 60 acres are really needing mowed; I would buy something with 60+ hp, and atleast 8 ft bush hog; or check into renting ground out;

But; the CPR might mean you can't mow like you want; still learning on that myself

We started with 80; now, we are closer to 60; but we mave multiple CRP fields, so our mowed acreage might really be down between 20-40 acres; Now; we are talking possibly a 12hr job, twice per year, with a 6 ft bush hog. If that is the case, and yiu have the money, I would consider, a new or newish, 35-50 hp, larger CUT, with 4wd, loader, and bushhog; skip the pole barn, and transport to the property when you go up there.

The far flip side; if you want to one day return the land to production; your going to need atleast a 75hp machine, with loader, if you want to move up there, and bail hay, or whatever. In that case, a smallish, loader machine would still come in handy,

Sorry for rambling.

 

[2manyrocks]

Consider how many times a year you will be mowing. We've had enough rain in Middle TN that I'm on my third cutting this year.

 

[Torvy]

For me, used versus new comes(came) down to a few things...ability to do maintenance and repairs...time to do maintenance and repairs...willingness to do maintenance and repairs. It also has to do with time and ability to evaluate used equipment adequately. Some people definitely have those skills, time and interest to dive into used. If that sounds like you, enjoy the ride. For me, I would only consider buying used if I knew the seller personally and was 100% confident he or she, was as good at maintenance and care of equipment as possible.

Unlike cars, tractors do not have such a steep depreciation curve. Have fun with the search and keep us posted!

 

[RHanna]

The #1 priority is to keep the fields as fields and not let the woodland encroach. Not sure if that just a once per year type mow or twice. I don't remember my dad mowing it more than once a year but that was over 25 years ago that I lived down there.

I do appreciate all the comments.