Recommended Tractor for 4.5 acres

[kenbgbill]

Hello! I’m under contract on a house with about 4.5 acres (1.1 ac wooded) and would like some opinions.

Most of the property is grassland, so mowing would be the most frequent usage. It has a 300’ dirt driveway and the property needs some grading and dirt work near the foundation, so I’d like a box blade. After the initial grading, the box blade usage will be seasonal for driveway maintenance.

The current owner is using a zero turn mower, but about an acre of the property is severely overgrown. I’d prefer a fail mower to a brush hog for maneuverability.

It also has a hobby farm set up that we’ll continue to use, so the loader will be handy.

It’s in Kansas, so some snow, but not in huge quantities… usually.

I was originally looking at the Kubota BX2380 and Deere 1025R. I’m leaning to Kubota, but it looks like I can get a B2301 for only $1000 more.

This will be my first tractor, but I often used my dad’s Deere 4310 when I was in high school on about the same amount of land. He lives in a state with a lot of snow, so it’s mostly used as a plow.

Are there any other contenders I should look at? And is the B01 worth the price jump over the BX?

Thanks!

I have 5 mostly wooded acres with rocky and slopes terrain. I went with a Kubota BX 25D for the back hoe and also a box blade. The tractor is highly recommended. I’ve used it to install a 700’ driveway and over 1000’ of water and electrical lines underground. The advantage to the Kubota to me we’re price and maintainable nature. Kubota uses standard hydraulics whereas JD uses several proprietary components. As for mowing, I went with a Cub Cadet ZTE, 56v battery powered 42” mower. If that deck meets your needs, I highly recommend it.

 

[Tony H]

I think, next body size up...30-35hp range.

 

[jdmeth]

Comfort is worth a lot. Drive different ones for an hour or so. I borrowed my neighbors L4300 to spread a load of lime-rock on my drive way. I found it uncomfortable to drive and hated the treadle control pedal. I bought a John Deere 1023E, a dream to drive and has all the lift and power I need.

 

[Honey Badger 2828]

Don't know if it was noted elsewhere in this discussion, but are you not going with a backhoe model? Plusses/minuses, like everything else, but if the BH is out, a "plus" is that it leaves more room within your budget for the brush hog, flail, etc. For example I think the Kubota BH models are around 25k these days (someone will correct me if that's inaccurate).

Also....congrats on your new property - sounds terrific!

No backhoe for me. I just don’t see me using it very often, if ever after I take care of the dirt work near the foundation. Thanks!

It sounds like once you get the 1 acre brush area cleaned out you won’t really need a brush mower. Might be better to rent or pay someone to clean out that area then maintain with the belly mower. Any sub compact tractor with a loader will need a counter weight on the rear such as implement or weight box even with loaded tires. I agree with the others that more weight is your friend. Also take into consideration the regeneration system of over 25 horse engines. Some are good others not so much.

Good advice, thanks. The reason I was looking at a brush mower is because I travel for work, and I know there will be times that I let the grass grow, so it’d be nice not to have to rent or borrow. But, I think I’ll rent the first time after I close this year, and I’ll hold off on buying a brush hog until next year at least.

I think that's a very valid solution for many circumstances, one exception being where mowing steep hills is required - especially if the ground will sometimes be damp. My little 4wd tractor is great for the steep hills I mow at our lake cabin...as long as I travel vertically up & down it, of course. I would be really wary of a ZT there.

That said, guessing the OP might not be facing hill issues in Kansas.

Correct. No hills on my property. The two things keeping me from buying a ZTM are cost and storage. I have a nice 24x36 metal building, but two machines would take up space from other things I’d like to put in there.

I could see if the current owner would be willing to part with his 52” Gravely.

But buying two machines might not pass the fiancé test.

 

[Torvy]

I am a big proponent of minimizing 'lawn'. If I cannot mow it in 30 minutes with a small push mower, I will plant something else or let it be long. It would be a different story if in incorporated areas with rules, but our place is completely rural with few, if any, requirements that way.

 

[kpsp50]

Hi there: go to Keno Tractors also on line they sell Branson tractors, they have a better lifting capacity then either one of those and are better priced. all steel no plastic. great people to deal with, they can suggest what size you need and what implements you should think about getting. Good luck and good buying

 

[Torvy]

Hi there: go to Keno Tractors also on line they sell Branson tractors, they have a better lifting capacity then either one of those and are better priced. all steel no plastic. great people to deal with, they can suggest what size you need and what implements you should think about getting. Good luck and good buying

Good idea, but from Kansas he could probably go to Big Tex and save some money. Less shipping distance.

www.bigtextractor.com

 

[tacticalturnip]

Branson makes a nice machine.

 

[7010P]

Hello! I’m under contract on a house with about 4.5 acres (1.1 ac wooded) and would like some opinions.

Most of the property is grassland, so mowing would be the most frequent usage. It has a 300’ dirt driveway and the property needs some grading and dirt work near the foundation, so I’d like a box blade. After the initial grading, the box blade usage will be seasonal for driveway maintenance.

The current owner is using a zero turn mower, but about an acre of the property is severely overgrown. I’d prefer a fail mower to a brush hog for maneuverability.

It also has a hobby farm set up that we’ll continue to use, so the loader will be handy.

It’s in Kansas, so some snow, but not in huge quantities… usually.

I was originally looking at the Kubota BX2380 and Deere 1025R. I’m leaning to Kubota, but it looks like I can get a B2301 for only $1000 more.

This will be my first tractor, but I often used my dad’s Deere 4310 when I was in high school on about the same amount of land. He lives in a state with a lot of snow, so it’s mostly used as a plow.

Are there any other contenders I should look at? And is the B01 worth the price jump over the BX?

Thanks!

Not sure if you have considered them or not but I own an LS tractor and have been happy with it. I bought mine used about 4 years ago with just under 500 hrs I have currently close to 1000hrs. I have had no issues with it and it is a 2013 72HP as I have 80 acres and most is still wooded. I think one of these might fit your bill maybe not the backhoe with it but should be in line with the others just not as expensive.

MT225S - 24.7HP - LS Tractor USA

The MT225S – 24.7HP from the MT2S Series provides a premium compact tractor with a high-performing and a highly featured compact tractor.

lstractorusa.com

 

[Jim in ICT]

No backhoe for me. I just don’t see me using it very often, if ever after I take care of the dirt work near the foundation. Thanks!


Good advice, thanks. The reason I was looking at a brush mower is because I travel for work, and I know there will be times that I let the grass grow, so it’d be nice not to have to rent or borrow. But, I think I’ll rent the first time after I close this year, and I’ll hold off on buying a brush hog until next year at least.


Correct. No hills on my property. The two things keeping me from buying a ZTM are cost and storage. I have a nice 24x36 metal building, but two machines would take up space from other things I’d like to put in there.

I could see if the current owner would be willing to part with his 52” Gravely.

But buying two machines might not pass the fiancé test.

I'd go with the B and a bush hog, if it was me. There's plenty of used implements for sale or at auction in the area, if you pay attention. Dealer support is huge for me. I live just outside of Wichita, and we have two good dealers in the area.

 

[paulfun9]

There is no way in H I would go with an LS tractor in lieu of other good brands when the LS dealer is 90 miles away.

90 miles, that is nothing compared to the savings so many report compared to other brands.
A couple hours maybe 2 trips when buying at your average earnings =? Then minus that from the thousands saved.

I also ask what if you don’t like the local brands? What is it worth to be stuck on a tractor you are not happy with or find out somehow someway the other brand 2 hours away was better for you in some way? What if your local dealer turns out not to be as upstanding as you were led to believe?

If You are buying with the assumption of needing the dealer frequently, that would actually force me to question quality. My John Deere saw the dealership quite a bit in its first few years and it’s still needy as I recently learned when it failed to operate properly for me. By comparison our Kioti hasn’t seen the dealership since they loaded it for delivery.

My experiance would have me finding a second reason to make the drive to ensure it isn’t a waste of a day if I didn’t like them. Maybe a good seafood restraunt that isn’t local to you or something else that fits your interests. Me I’m stuck on the seafood thought but I like seafood!

Shoot now I have a craving . Wonder if I can talk my sister into going for a seafood dinner an hour away. Don’t mind the drive, don’t mind paying just don’t like take out and don’t like eating alone!

Janet

 

[shooterdon]

I am a big proponent of minimizing 'lawn'. If I cannot mow it in 30 minutes with a small push mower, I will plant something else or let it be long. It would be a different story if in incorporated areas with rules, but our place is completely rural with few, if any, requirements that way.

Maybe I am just fooling myself, but I think having a decent sized lawn keeps the bugs down. I like in the middle of the woods, so my situation is not normal. I have about 2 acres to cut and got it done in less than an hour on the ZT yesterday. I have only cut the lawn 7 times so far this year, so it is not an onerous job. When it gets hot, I let the grass go dormant. When it needs cutting, I cut to a height of 3.5".

 

[Honey Badger 2828]

Maybe I am just fooling myself, but I think having a decent sized lawn keeps the bugs down. I like in the middle of the woods, so my situation is not normal. I have about 2 acres to cut and got it done in less than an hour on the ZT yesterday. I have only cut the lawn 7 times so far this year, so it is not an onerous job. When it gets hot, I let the grass go dormant. When it needs cutting, I cut to a height of 3.5".

That’s the nice thing about this property, there’s no lawn. Just wild grass. And I have zero interest in adding a lawn. If anything, I’d plant a microclover lawn.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Hi there: go to Keno Tractors also on line they sell Branson tractors, they have a better lifting capacity then either one of those and are better priced. all steel no plastic. great people to deal with, they can suggest what size you need and what implements you should think about getting. Good luck and good buying

Except now they pronounce "Branson" as "TYM". Not trying to start anything, just keeping it real.

I love my Branson. It's been rock solid. Over 5 years and over 300 hours without needing any repairs. But my dealer is gone, and so far the only TYM dealer is on the other end of the state. Sure hope they can keep it growing.

 

[7010P]

90 miles, that is nothing compared to the savings so many report compared to other brands.
A couple hours maybe 2 trips when buying at your average earnings =? Then minus that from the thousands saved.

I also ask what if you don’t like the local brands? What is it worth to be stuck on a tractor you are not happy with or find out somehow someway the other brand 2 hours away was better for you in some way? What if your local dealer turns out not to be as upstanding as you were led to believe?

If You are buying with the assumption of needing the dealer frequently, that would actually force me to question quality. My John Deere saw the dealership quite a bit in its first few years and it’s still needy as I recently learned when it failed to operate properly for me. By comparison our Kioti hasn’t seen the dealership since they loaded it for delivery.

My experiance would have me finding a second reason to make the drive to ensure it isn’t a waste of a day if I didn’t like them. Maybe a good seafood restraunt that isn’t local to you or something else that fits your interests. Me I’m stuck on the seafood thought but I like seafood!

Shoot now I have a craving . Wonder if I can talk my sister into going for a seafood dinner an hour away. Don’t mind the drive, don’t mind paying just don’t like take out and don’t like eating alone!

Janet

I am sorry that your tractor has needed the dealer so much. I haven't had mine into the dealer since I bought it.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

The XJ is 8 inches shorter and 5 inches narrower and roughly 800lbs lighter than the MT225e.

He's talking about the MT225 S.... not the "e".... not so much difference between the 225-S and the XJ2025. Here's a comparison.... there are a few more too....

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

The E is the same size frame as the S, but it is about 700 pounds lighter. I know the E is the economy model. I never looked into anything that small, but I can use the web ok.

No, they are NOT the same size frame. Not the same in the least! The 225 E is the same size as the MT230, 235, 240, 245. All of these are using the same size tires and frames.

The 225-S has 1006 lbs of lift on the FEL, the 225-E has 1600 lbs. the bucket on the S is 48", the bucket on the E is 66".

The overall width on the E is 68" on the rears, the S is only 52".

 

[tacticalturnip]

No, they are NOT the same size frame. Not the same in the least! The 225 E is the same size as the MT230, 235, 240, 245. All of these are using the same size tires and frames.

The 225-S has 1006 lbs of lift on the FEL, the 225-E has 1600 lbs. the bucket on the S is 48", the bucket on the E is 66".

The overall width on the E is 68" on the rears, the S is only 52".

That's what I thought; I really think they could have... not given them the same name.

 

[Torvy]

No, they are NOT the same size frame. Not the same in the least! The 225 E is the same size as the MT230, 235, 240, 245. All of these are using the same size tires and frames.

The 225-S has 1006 lbs of lift on the FEL, the 225-E has 1600 lbs. the bucket on the S is 48", the bucket on the E is 66".

The overall width on the E is 68" on the rears, the S is only 52"

Sorry, I must have fat fingered the wrong one on the website.

 

[hornett22]

Mahindra 1626 hands down.