Tractor Purchase Preparation

[volunteer]

Have been reading these forums for quite some time. Feel like I have learned quite a bit but still in the "overwhelmed" stage.

Two dealers close by: John Deere and Kubota. Driven by and asked questions. Kubota salesman helpful, JD only so so. Kubota has large inventory.

Bought 17 acres in middle TN. In center of property is large, steep hill. While having it surveyed asked surveyor about heighth. Using his gear he said it was about 770' tall. Am including some aerial shots. Anyway, home will be built on top of hill, leaving issues for keeping area around house and around hill mowed.

Intended usage of tractor:

1. Mowing/bushogging approximately 17 acres. House will be located on 770' steep hill. Trees line property on two sides. 95% of land is cleared, 75% flat.

2. Fencing, post holes

3. 1/10 mile long gravel driveway maintain, clear snow.

4. Landscaping, filling in ruts on hill. Garden.

5. Hauling firewood, etc.

Am concerned about stability of tractor on hillsides. 4WD a must. Do not want to spend days keeping land cut. Thinking 6 to 7' bush hog and RFM? Mid mount mower I don't think would work as hillside not smooth, a few rocks.

HST/GST?
Horsepower?
Implements?
Tires? R1 for sticking on hills?

Tons of questions! Including pics of land taken by friend with camera attached to remote controlled model airplane.

 

[Doc_Bob]

I think the folks in the Power Trac forum like the stability of their machines.
I live in the Midwest, very flat. Get a tilt meter and always go straight up and down hills. You might need two tractors (power trac and CUT). What do the locals use?
Bob

 

[Doc_Bob]

Look at the What to buy for my WA. property in this forum.
Bob

 

[Glowplug]

Welcome to the forum!!

I'm not going to give you any advice because I don't think I'm qualified yet. But feel free to check out my thread, "M-Series Snag!!!!" for some 'useful' advice on that size property.

That is really a nice spread you've got there. That looks like the type of place where I have always imagined building my retirement residence (notice I didn't say retirement home). Only I'd like a couple hundred acres.
When I first started reading your post I was thinking 4WD. It was the first thing that popped in my brain. Glad you said "4WD is a must". Just don't let Soundguy hear you say that.
I hear the PowerTracs are really good on hills. I don't know much about them. And I'm doubtful you'd even have a dealer in your area.

From my perspective that's a big hill but the grade is not unbelievably steep. You could probably use a CUT with mower, either green or orange. Of course, since you're a "volunteer" you'll probably strongly favor the orange.

Well, I said I wasn't going to give you any advice but went ahead and did anyway. But it wasn't very detailed. Hopefully it helps some.

Good luck!! Tractor shopping ain't like buying a car. It's a lot more stress and work but also a whole lot more fun!

 

[Steve_Miller]

Was that 770' feet above sea level or from the lowest point of your property? Just curious as I imagined it being steeper than the pictures show unless that its just deceiving from the aerial shots.

Steve

 

[volunteer]

Thanks for all the compliments on the land. It's really something to call your own after all these years. As to looking at the PowerTracs, I'll check them out.

The hill was measured from the driveway entrance.

Locals that I have met use all types. Neighbor with fairly flat land has new Kubota, L3830. Other neighbor has huge tractor, probably IH, I'll check. BIL has Kubota L4200 nearby while his friend has Ford about 30 hp.

Doc Bob, looked for link, not yet found but will find. Thanks.

 

[john_bud]

If you are wanting to quickly cut 17 acres, you should probably look to 8' cutters. That would move the tractor into the 45-65 hp range and 5000-8000 pounds. But bigger costs more, so you have to figure out how much your time is worth.

No matter what you get, you should move the rear wheels out the the widest postion and fill them with fluid. It makes the tractor much more stable. If you can find a smaller tractor with dual rear wheels, that is very stable too!

A Ford 3930 would be a good size if you are interested in used.

jb

 

[IslandTractor]

My initial reaction is also PowerTrac but I notice in the photos that someone has been mowing the lower hill sideways so it must not be too steep. Local knowledge would certainly be useful here so you might try to find out what your neighbors and whomever has been mowing the land up to now has been using.

Unless you need either a full backhoe or ability to lift your FEL over about seven feet high, the PowerTracs can do just about everything that a CUT can do for maintenance operations. Obviously pulling plows etc is not possible but it sounds like you are more interested in estate maintenance than farming. I'd opt for a larger PT rather than a combo of smaller PT plus CUT myself. If you check out the Powertracs you'll see they are quite versatile and can be equipped with lots of specialized implements.

 

[volunteer]

Thanks for link to WA. property. Visited PowerTrac website as well as two different owner's web sites. The hill shows tracks going up and down due to my new Wrangler. All the property, including the hill was bush hogged twice this past summer. I talked with the bush hog operator/owner and he said they did cut it going side to side rather than up and down. He recommended 90 hp tractor but said experience over the years was key or just save the money and have him do it on regular basis.

Looked at used BX7800 but dealer came by and said he would not tackle hill with BX7800.

Will continue to review PowerTrac models. Hoping to hear from hillside jockeys with JD's, ,botas, Massey Fregusson's, or NH's. Not afraid of used, just want to have availability of parts and service.

Looked up Ford 3930's for pricing but found few 4x4 and none with dual tires.

If and when trigger pulled to buy, rear tires will be filled and extended.

Thanks for input.

 

[Glowplug]

Thanks for link to WA. property. Visited PowerTrac website as well as two different owner's web sites. The hill shows tracks going up and down due to my new Wrangler. All the property, including the hill was bush hogged twice this past summer. I talked with the bush hog operator/owner and he said they did cut it going side to side rather than up and down. He recommended 90 hp tractor but said experience over the years was key or just save the money and have him do it on regular basis.

Looked at used BX7800 but dealer came by and said he would not tackle hill with BX7800.

Will continue to review PowerTrac models. Hoping to hear from hillside jockeys with JD's, ,botas, Massey Fregusson's, or NH's. Not afraid of used, just want to have availability of parts and service.

Looked up Ford 3930's for pricing but found few 4x4 and none with dual tires.

If and when trigger pulled to buy, rear tires will be filled and extended.

Thanks for input.

Dual rear tires, 4WD, and 90hp for mowing? Now I admit I'm a closet hp junkie but that sounds a little extreme. That sounds like a very good dealer that would come out to your place and give you recommendations based on your terrain. I'd seriously consider the Kubotas for that reason alone. You'd probably actually do well with a Kubota Grand L such as an L4630 or 5030. If you want a standard synchro-shift transmission consider the M-series, which I am, of course, partial to. But as stated earlier, I am not in a real good position to give you great advice since I am now just at the purchasing stage. I have done plenty of research and shopping though. Keep in mind about the PowerTracs in regards to dealer location. If you don't have a dealer for several hundred miles and you need a quick part or repair it could be a negative factor in that choice.