Buy Tractor to maintain under 2 acres
Dhickey
Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 4 Knoxville, TN |
2015-04-12 192531
I am looking for a garden tractor to mow and garden on 1.6 acres. Will possibly need to level off some small areas and drag/clean limbs in areas. I'm currently looking at several tractors online trying to decide which to go look at. Need advice on price and reliability.
1) $2800 Yanmar 1700, 17 hp 2wd tractor w 4 ft fishing mower and 4 ft bush hog
2) $2800 Shibaura 14/1400 14hp diesel compact tractor. 4sp.hi/lo range and 540/1000rpm PTO w 4 foot tiller
3) 2003 Farm Pro 200 Series Tractor, 2 Wheel Drive (2WD), 20 Horsepower, 2-Cylinder Diesel Engine, 3 Forward & 1 Reverse w/Low High x 2, 540/1000 PTO
4) $5000 1946 9N Ford 12volt tractor for $2500 5) Massey ferguson 35 w finish mower, bush hog, blade and tines
5) $3500 Ford 1220 w belly mower and blade
New to all this so I need help!!!
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Buy Tractor to maintain under 2 acres
Dhickey
Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 4 Knoxville, TN |
2015-04-12 192532
Well I see several mistakes. First it's 1.6 acres not 16 and I posted 5 tractors, not 3. Still need advice. ....
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Buy Tractor to maintain under 2 acres
Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York Pics |
2015-04-12 192538
Small acreage, small tractor, scut is almost to much to justify but would easily handle it. For some that you show you would use the better part of the yard to turn it around! ....
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Buy Tractor to maintain under 2 acres
Dhickey
Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 4 Knoxville, TN |
2015-04-12 192542
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"Scut"? ....
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Buy Tractor to maintain under 2 acres
mcavvie
Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 2 Burton,New Brunswick, Canada |
2015-04-13 192545
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Sub Compact Utility Tractor ....
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Buy Tractor to maintain under 2 acres
candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1932 North Dakota Pics |
2015-04-13 192554
Dhickey,
Of the tractors you are looking at, I'd probably go with the Yanmar 1700.
Yanmar has been making John Deere's compact tractors for many years. They make a great product. Yanmar's diesel engine is legendary. It is used in 1000s of pieces of equipment, such as generators, pressure washers, concrete equipment, paving machines.....you name it.
14 horses would be plenty for your needs, but I'm no fan of the off-brand stuff.
Best of luck to you.
Joel ....
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Buy Tractor to maintain under 2 acres
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada Pics |
2015-04-15 192558
You also need to be aware that if the turf you want to keep cut is intended to be fine finished lawn you will have some issues with this plan.
First, tires, if you have turf tires you will be kinder on the turf, but you might have issues with mud, gardening or bush-hogging.
Second, a 3pth mower means both front and back tires have driven over, and pushed down, before the mower ever gets to it. If the grass is not kept cut regularly this will leave straggly rows of grass uncut or at least longer than the rest.
Also a SCUT will not be as comfortable on slopes than a smaller lower mower like a riding mower would be. Things like cutting ditch banks in particular come to mind.
Food for thought.
Best of luck. ....
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Buy Tractor to maintain under 2 acres
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina Pics |
2015-04-15 192559
Suggestions you have been given are good.
Be sure on those brands you can get parts. Farm Pro here is hard to get parts for or was recently. Don't just ask the brand but also the model number as all models of tractors are not USA models and therefore parts can be issue even for a name brand tractor.
On cutting grass, Murf is correct on using rear mower and even tires tearing grass at least under the right situation. I have used a much larger tractor with ag tires with good success on my yard, when dry. I have used a compact with loader tires when wet with better success than even pro mower with turf tires but let me add that is zero turn mower and when ground is wet hard not to tear the grass when turning with those mowers. If you have decent ground, stay off when ground is wet, ag tires with slow wide turns will probably be fine, well at least are for me.
One issue not sure has been address is what is in your garden? If you will want to use the tractor to cultivate the planted garden then tractor clearance will be a big issue. Sitting on flat ground measure the clearance and then subtract how high of rows you will have by the time you plow them say twice. Now your plants must be in the difference left. Lets say the tractor is 14 inches clearance, your row height is say 4 inches your plants have 10 inches of clearance. Some plants will bend a good bit and could even be 18 inches high but other corps will break off before bending so you have the firm 10 inches. Also a 4 inch bed is a very small bed if you use the tractor to cultivate, each time you do the bed gets higher (or does with most plowing) and the middle where the tires run get lower as dirt is moved to the plants.
I think you need to look at what you need for each job, rule out those you can not easy get parts for, then select the best combo. Do not overlook what Murf said about mowing on slopes if you have slopes, the higher the tractor and you on slopes the less safe you are.
Hey on tractors, be sure you can get the attachments for the size tractor you are considering before you buy. I would stay with Cat One for my lift and you want a lift that is not all the way up or down for the garden. ....
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Buy Tractor to maintain under 2 acres
DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998 Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ Pics |
2015-04-15 192560
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First of all the tractors you list are not what I call Garden Tractors, rather Compact Tractors. I changed the subject for that.
It sounds like you have some one time projects and a long term mowing requirement.
The prices you quote are highly depreciated from original new cost, which means that their maintenance free years are long long gone. So have your tool set ready or be ready to spend $$$ to get it fixed.
If your garden is small I think you would be better off not buying such large old Tractor.
Rent a Kubota B series or similar for the one off jobs for a day or weekend. Rent a Tiller once a year for the garden. And buy a zero radius front mower for the lawn.
Or if you have to have a small diesel tractor get a used Sub Compact Kubota BX or similar other make Sub Compact Tractor. ....
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