Go Bottomneed info and opinions
 | andrewnq
Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3 Australia 
|
2007-05-13 142045
Hi
I'm new to this board so please bear with me:). I have been looking (in Australia) at various compacts Chinese - Lenar, Eastwind, Europard, Jinma ; as well as refurbished/rebadged Kubotas. I've seen good reviews, bad reviews, good news, bad news on every one I've looked at. The prices all come out about the same (in $Oz). I dont mind paying the $ (up to a point) but I want to know that I get what I pay for..... Any opinions on quality , robustness, etc etc etc? I'm cleaning up 100 acres of wet and hilly lantana infested country in north queensland.
Thanks
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photoneed info and opinions
 | harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY 
 Pics
|
2007-05-13 142047
I do not think these small compacts there is a big difference from country to country. Most times it's cosmetic, gearing for roads, lighting, hook ups. Bigger equipment can change fuel, electronics etc for emissions.
DEALER SUPPORT is the most important feature. What are your dealers like? How much parts inventory do they keep? How close are they to you?
What are you neighbors using? How do they like the dealers?
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photoneed info and opinions
 | greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
Pics
|
2007-05-13 142048
After reviewing http://www.weeds.crc.org.au/weed_management/indiv_species_l.html#lantana, it looks like burn>slash>spray is the most economical and effective approach. But to efficiently slash>spray 100 acres is probably not practical with a compact. By the time you got to the end, the lantana may have re-established back where you started.
Have you considered something larger? That 85hp EuroLeopard with cab looks like it would be up to the job. I have two of them (KM454 and TS354C) and have been extremely satisfied with their productivity on my 35 acres. But I don't think they'd be up to working a 100 acre patch.
//greg// ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photoneed info and opinions
 | earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan 
Pics
|
2007-05-13 142052
Wet means means boggy to me. And boggy means you need something with high floatation. 100 acres is way too big for a tractor to be productive. I'd consider a tracked 40,000lb.-class excavator with a thumb, or a full size 4x4 backhoe with a grapple bucket and a hoe. I'd even consider a track loader (like a dozer but with a loader instead) with a grapple or 4-in-1 bucket. Even a D-3 or D-4 dozer with a winch to pull trees of the woods (or yourself) might be the ticket. Conside getting a root rake for the blade if you want to do grooming. You can also rent in the USA anyway, machines with high-speed rotating mulcher/grinders that reduce an entire tree to mulch in minutes. Smaller versions are available for skid loaders. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photoneed info and opinions
| andrewnq
Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3 Australia
|
2007-05-14 142064
Thanks.
Dealer support for work on a new machine would be difficult given we're about 80 km from nearest large town, so any work would be mine, altho parts would not be a problem.
A larger machine has means extra capital cost and ongoing running and maintenance. The extra grunt would be nice, but I dont think I can justify it.
Most of the lantana and weed I'll chainsaw then pull out - some of the slopes are too steep to risk pushing over or pulling out. The worst bits (of course :)) are on the the steep bits. A neighbour has a dozer and excavator which he parks on the property, and can do the heavy work. ps wet here is heavy rain that drains away nicely, so we only get boggy on the roads.
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photoneed info and opinions
 | kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
Pics
|
2007-05-14 142071
Andrew, "lantana and weed" not knowing how large these are but requiring chainsaw gets attention. Have done some clearing of small trees (about 8 inches down) for crop land and up to 2 feet for house site. I did not see what your plans are after you clear it. If you only want to clear those items could you use chemicals to do so? If so the cost would be much less. If you will be using a rotary rough cut mower say 5 feet wide and say you are able to run at 4 mph, if my math is correct you could cut about 2.5 acres per hour. I doubt you could run at 4 mph if brush is heavy and ground is not level. You also never cut the full width of a mower.
If you plan to plow after removing the weeds that require a chain saw, it will take horsepower to plow that ground. sharp plows (disc type work good) and slow speeds. Cut off stumps and roots are tough on rubber tires. Especially when pulling a load.
As for brand of tractor, my money I rather have the Kubota of those you mention. Have never owned or know anyone locally with the Chianese tractors.
Know that a small tree will bend sheet metal and tear off filters, hoses and such. The normal tractor is not built to run over such. kt
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photoneed info and opinions
| earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
Pics
|
2007-05-14 142094
Kenny these "Chianese tractors" you speak of: are they made by the same people that make the "Chia Pet"?
And are they better than Chinese tractors? Where IS Chia, anyway? ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photoneed info and opinions
| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
|
2007-05-15 142102
EW; I think the country of "Chia" is where Billy May gets all his magic potients from too. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photoneed info and opinions
| kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
Pics
|
2007-05-15 142105
EW, yep that one got out. I did it just to see if you were paying attention. You passed the test. Believe it or not I have very good friend and that spelling is his last name.
Andrew, you will find some here are a real sharp bunch. Then some like me just happen upon a nugget by accident. :) kt ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photoneed info and opinions
| andrewnq
Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3 Australia
|
2007-05-16 142137
Lantana is a woody weed up to 6 inches thick at the base with a widely spreading cover. once the main stem is cut it can be pulled aside by a tractor quite easily, then left to dry and burn. Once the brush is cleared out, the roots can be easily pulled out as it is quite shallow. The neighbour and local contractor has a dozer and excavator that he can use on the reasonable slopes and flats, where a tractor will also be useful. It is on the very steep slopes that I won't put the tractor (or the dozer) on to. Too much risk of rolling or sliding down the bottom. So there I plan to cut and haul out with rope attached to the tractor. Chemicals such as access mixed with diesel work well but are quite expensive. This is painted on to the cut stem, then I still have to cut and haul though. The other weeds are tobacco plant - a woody weed that looks like a small tree up to 4 inches at the base. easy to cut so I plan the same treatment as the lantana.
From talking around I believe that for this work a compact tractor 25-30 hp will do the job. plus for the other work - slashing once the weed is cleared, posthole digging, maintaining tracks and fences, hauling stuff around. Later we will be planting timber and agisting a few cattle for the neighbours.
I have come to the point of trying to find out if the chinese tractors will be reliable and robust, or go for a rebadged/refurbished grey market kubota, which seem to have a pretty good reputation, although kubota disown them. Most used tractors off the farm here are in poor condition. Most people buy them and keep them and use them til they drop.
I am also thinking about looking at the other more traditional manufacturers that are popular in Oz - such JD, Kubota, and maybe Mahindra. Would it be worth it for the extra cost?
This sounds like the bleeding obvious, but for me it comes down to reliability, robustness, parts and useability. And unfortunately having to work to a budget.
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo
Go Top
Share This