Trying to decide how big to go

[bth]

Finished building a new home on 80 acres last year in Central Wisconsin. 60 acres is rented out to a local farmer - the rest will be lawn, woods, swamp, etc. Relatively flat land. I need a tractor that will be capable of:

-maintaining a 1/4 mile driveway (I already have a truck plow for snow, so mostly used to maintain the gravel).
-mowing of lawn
-rough mowing of ATV trails etc.
-moving ground and rocks for landscaping
-moving brush piles
-garden tilling
-maybe backhoe usage in the future
-maybe mowing around 10+ acres of newly planted trees

I have been looking at the JD 3000-20 series machines. Are these machines big enough for me? I want something capable of moving large rocks and some dirt (enough power, weight, traction to dig in), but not something too heavy that I can't mow my lawn without rutting it up.

I have thought of jumping up to to 4000-20 series machines, but there is a substantial weight gain (I am not too concerned about the increase in frame size). But perhaps with the larger framed machines, I won't need as much counter weight for the loader . But the 4000-20 series machines seem to be quite large to mow my grass with...

Thoughts?

 

[rdbrumfield]

You are not going to find a tractor that is a great lawn mower that will do you any good with the rest of your place. Get a tractor in the neightborhood of 25-40 hp and a decent lawn mower for around the house.

 

[timb]

Depends on how much of a compromise you're willing to live with, and how nice of a 'lawn' area you're after.

The old mid-sized 4000's (4210-4410) were great machines for most of the duty you're looking at, and the replacement 3000-Twenties, especially with the 300CX loader, have even higher limits.

But (especially if you choose R1 or R4 tires) - you've likely got a machine that's a bit of a bull in a china shop when it comes to a really nice lawn. If the grounds at all soft you'll likely leave marks/ruts.

If your ground tends to be pretty firm and you can live with turf tires - or if you're only looking for a lawn that's "short and green" and not after the "Scotts catalog cover" fairway look - you might do just fine. Otherwise, as was stated - you can only stretch the role of one tractor so far. Get the machine you like that does the big jobs well - and get something else for the dedicated mowing on the nice lawn areas.

 

[twabscs]

Agree. Get a tractor for most of the work and a mower for the lawn. I've had places ranging from 20 to 160 acres. I'd look at something in the 30-40 HP range for your spread. I think in blue so it would be a TC35D or TC40D for the 20 acres, IMO.

 

[bth]

I might be sold on that idea. Probably skip the mmm and look at a rear finish or rough mower instead.

 

[hhw]

For what it is worth to you here is what we use:

1. Landscape/Heavy Work-BH Work; 110TLB
2. Gravel dispersement/grooming; 4010, rake/backblade
3. Mowing; Zero turn 757 and 445 bagger
4. Rough mowing; 4010 with rotary mower
5. Tilling; 445 and 450 tiller

It helps that this equipment is also utilized in a landscape business. Otherwise, would not have all the choices.

If required to make a limiting choice, I would go with mid size CUT such as the 3000's you mention, FEL, backblade, finish mower and tiller. If I could squeeze the money out of the boss (wife), I would go with the Tractor/FEL, rotary (rough) mower and tiller. Then finsh mow with a zero turn. Hope you find what fits your needs. No matter what you know you gotta have a "Tractor."

 

[Riddler]

As I mentioned in another recent post in another forum, I have become reluctant after several months of owning my NH TC45DA (a Class III CUT with filled R-4 tires) to use it to do the mowing, even in the less groomed areas. The tractor has been wonderful for all of the other jobs, but the combination of relatively soft soil and moderate sloping in some of the grassy areas at my place has led me to look for a large size ZTR to tackle the mowing chores. At least at my place, with its individual characteristics, I do not believe that I could have selected a "compromise" tractor that would have been suitable for the mowing chores and still have done half of the other stuff I have done with the 45DA.

 

[KiotiJohn]

With what you've posted are going to be your main chores for the 20 acres, I see no reason you couldn't get away with a Kioti CK30 HST or Synchro shuttle. You can add a backhoe later, and it will pull large enough mowers to do most anything you'll need. Of course, if you go larger, you'll do those things faster, but I don't think you'll need larger.
Considering what I do with my CK20HST, the CK30 should be all you'd need. Many standard features included, it's a great all-around, well-priced medium-framed tractor. Now, if you have a lot of clay in your soil, it may be on the heavy side, but then, most any tractor large enough to do all you want is really going to be a rutting problem in wet clay.
If I were you, I'd check out the CK30 and the DK35 (synchro shuttle only) and use the money savings over a larger tractor to buy more implements. John

 

[Glenn9643]

I agree with suggestions above to go with a mower for the lawn and tractor for the balance of the acreage. What happens if the 60 acre rental goes away down the road?
We're on 20 acres here and I use a JD455 mower for about four acres and the MF 1455 with bush-hog for the remainder. I've got a place in MS that I trailer to about twice a year and the MF was a good choice for me. I'd probably go with something about like my MF, 50 or so HP. There are choices in several colors. Good luck with your selection process.

 

[frank_f15]

without knowing the particular layout of your property , i will go out on a limb here and tell you NOT to mow you lawn with a big tractor. get a smaller GT decatided to lawn mowing and buy your big tractor for the rest.