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 | SteveTX
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 5 Cedar HIll, TX 
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2003-08-28 62837
I have 2.5 acres to mow, landscape, dig post holes for fencing all around, till, etc. I will also have about 16 acres to begin developing in preparation for building in the near future. I have been offered a good deal on a Grand L3430. Is this too much tractor for my 2.5 acres?
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 | Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee 
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2003-08-28 62840
2 or 3 passes and you would be done on 2.5 acres; but for the 16 acres you are awaiting would be more suited. Definitely plenty of power for post hole digger and rotary cutter. If the 16 acres is not long term the L3430 might be a bit on the large side for 2.5 acres. Maybe something around the 25 to 30 hp range would be more suited and still maybe a bit on the large side. It really depends on how much and how heavy a usage you have in mind. Too much tractor with in reason is a good thing in my book! ;-) Too little will leave you wishing you had gone larger. Demo models in some different size classes and see what suits you and go for it. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-08-29 62851
We have two places with about an acre of finish mowing each. I have a 24hp tractor but use a riding mower for mowing. There are a lot of out buildings and shrubbery each place. I think mowing with the tractor would take quite a bit of maneuvering times and leave a lot of trimming, and using the riding mower is faster. The tractor is appropriate for most of the rest of what I have to do. A building demolition was contracted out though.
There's always going to be something to big for most any tractor. However, most of the really big jobs are one-time only and the risk of sizing a tractor to first year work is having an over-size tractor for many years. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when the beater of a riding mower has finally had it. I think the prices of a used riding mower and a decent 3ph mower are about the same. I'd probably have to have a different utility trailer and truck to get the tractor between places. Ten miles each way on a highway with narrow shoulders and heavy transport traffic isn't a fun time.
If the L3430 has ag tires it's probably not going to be desirable for finish mowing even if you're willing to lumber around a small yard on it. It's good to size a tractor by thinking what it's going to be doing five years from now.
I figure I have a pretty good match for the tractor if contracting costs plus operating costs for the riding mower etc. are a small percentage of the operating costs of the tractor. That's an impression. I haven't tried to play economist and actually estimate costs. It's probably better to keep in mind that tractors last a long time and are expensive. It's good to keep them busy.
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 | jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
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2003-08-29 62864
Too big a tractor and too cute a girlfriend are roughly the same thing. If its a good deal then buy it and NEVER worry about if it's too big or not!!!! ....
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