Go Bottom Go Bottom

HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
JM_OBRIEN
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 3 Louisiana
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-03-05          78956

Hey guys! Great forum! By luck I found you. Anyway, I am the new owner of 10 acres of pasture land. The previous owner used it for bailing hay, now we built a home and would like to keep a good cut on the yard. I'm going to town tomorrow to look around but I really am at the mercy of the salesmen and I'm not real comfortable with that.

I'll only use the tractor to finish-mow and some brush cutting. When it comes to blading or using a loader, I have my father's Kubota that I can use so that's not an issue. From what I've read, I think I may need something around a 30hp and the brands I have available close-by are Mahindra, Branson, Kioti, Kubota, John Deere and New Holland. I'd like to get a new one because of the interest rates.

Please help soon, ANY advice will be appreciated!!

Jon


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-03-05          78957

Might be heresy on a tractor board, but it almost sounds to me like you'd be well served by a good commercial mower and something like the DR brush cutter. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-03-05          78959

KWschumm
Read into his post a bit?? Does it sound like he is talking to his wife???? 30 horse for lawn???
LOL, I cant agree more!! In fact you better buy a 35 just incase it is wet when mowing, heck I talked my bride into letting me get a TC40 for the snow and diveway maintanance Ya got to have one that big just incase we get that storm of the century dont ya know, eh??
(then agin my wife still thinks all those racoons in the middle of the road are sleeping) The unlucky ones get hit while they snooze.
Good luck with your buy ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-03-05          78960

I certainly understand the need for MORE POWER! ARGH ARGH ARGH! But seriously, it's not like JM OBrien would save a lot of money by getting a commercial mower, but something like a 72" Scag ZTR would mow like a scalded cat and probably run circles around a CUT with a 72" belly mower. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
JM_OBRIEN
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 3 Louisiana
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-03-05          78961

OK, maybe I need to clarify a little. I don't need a loader or blade right now, BUT I'd like to upgrade later, hence the need for a bigger tractor. I apologize if I made it sound like the tractor was ALWAYS going to be used for mowing exclusively. As far as 30-35hp tractors, which would you choose and why?

....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-03-05          78962

OK, I'm certainly no mowing expert but there are probably a few issues. How soft is your soil? How hilly is your property? Do you have to mow when wet? How many obstacles do you have to mow around? Heavy tractors will sink into soft or wet soil more than light ones. Larger tractors are less maneuverable than smaller ones. On hilly property you would definitely need 4WD.

The tractors that come to mind in the 32-33 HP range are the JD 4310, the Kubota L3130, and the NH TC33. I looked at these and went with JD because I liked the deal, I liked the dealer, and I liked the tractor the best overall. Sometimes when you look at the machines one of them just stands out. I'm not sure about the other brands you mention.

Some comparable budget machines are the JD 790 (manual shift only) or the NH TC30. Not sure about Kubota in this range.

Remember, though, that these 30 hp machines are mid-sized machines that are a lot heavier than the small framed machines like the JD 4110 and NH TC29. Again, not sure about a competitive Kubota in this size.

All of these are fine tractors. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
JParker
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 152 Richmond, VA
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-03-05          78964

I can't seem to find the threads from back in the fall when I was pricing tractors, but I decided I wanted a 5 ft rough cut mower and/or a 6 ft finish mower (3pt or belly). That pushed me up to a 30 hp tractor. Now that I have the tractor, the manual recommends slightly a smaller rough cut mower, but the dealer seems to think the 5' should work if I stick to light duty model and leave the trees to the chain saw.

Good Luck,

- JP
....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
HuckMeat
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 121 Colorado
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-03-06          78970

We are definitly approaching this the wrong way...

He needs a big ZTR mower AND a CUT.

....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-03-06          78975

John Deere 777 or 797 enough said. You will love the cut and performance. A bit pricey but worth it. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
grinder
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 677 central Maine
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-03-06          78979

Is the Pasture ready to be mowed or does it need some work?
How smooth is it ? How smooth do you want it? Perfect lawn?
or mow it and let's go golfing?
Will you want a spreader down the road?
What tires does your father have on his tractor? R-1's will
not be friendly to your lawn when you have it all fixed up.
Just a few thoughts from someone who mowed a 10 ac. lawn
for a lot of years.

....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



HELP No clue what to get

View my Photos
TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2004-03-06          78988

I think the best first thing is to find a dealer you trust. Sorting out your kind of issues and producing happy customers really is their business. I good one will listen and can translate you needs into equipment and cut through all the confusion with very few words.

If what you hear donsn't make sense then maybe another dealer is in order. I would keep in mind that big 3 or 4 manufacturer prices are higher but reliability and support also tends to be better. the higher prices may be worth it especially for people who aren't going to do their own maintenance.

A lot of the answer depends on how good of a lawn you want and the current state of the pasture. Most people who want very good lawns go for fairly small tractors with mid-mowers and end up starting from scratch with a prepared seed bed. Of course the best tractor for that use isn't as good for other work. In general, a 10-acre property can use use a 30hp tractor OK but there should be an ample supply of work other than mowing to keep it busy enough to jsutify the price. I cut two one acre meadows we call lawns with a riding mower. My 24 pto hp tractor would take too long maneuvering around landscapping and out-buildings and would leave too much trimming to do but I have enough heavier work that a smaller tractor wouldn't do very well. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo


  Go Top Go Top

Share This
Share This







Member Login