We live on 13 acres with about 12 not in creek or street, and about an acre is yard that is maintained with regular lawn mowers. About 0.8 acres is along the edge in the rough and around the two 1/4 acre ponds and small forage pond and their banks that I have been maintaining with a D-R walk behind brush mower.
The rest (about 9 acres) is a hay field that is maintained and harvested by a neighbor who lives a couple of miles away.
I am trying to justify a small tractor for the place but keep coming back to "I can hire it done as needed and not have the expense and maintenance." Hiring means waiting a few days or weeks. I have been doing projects using wheelbarrow, shovel, and pickup and trailer, but it takes a long time and exhausting.
What do you guys have to maintain your places on a limited budget? Thanks in advance.
Last edited by John F; 02/27/1709:11 PM. Reason: modified title
I have a 1989 JD-1070 FWD that I bought new. It may be more than you need. A tractor with loader is a lot of help. Part of the decision is whether you like the work. If yes, then consider it a hobby, if not, hire it done. As you get older, a wheelbarrow gets harder. I think that gravity is getting stronger:)
Your and my needs sound pretty much the same. I bought a used JD 585X 4WD with FEL. It has a 3 point hitch, PTO and belly mower. Absolutely one of the best investments I've ever made. I retired my wheelbarrow. This little tractor does everything we need and lots of attachments are available.
I've been lusting after an LS brand XR4145 with fel for some time now. Even dropped by the dealer yesterday with my wife, just to get the feel of things so to speak. She's on board, so I'm thinking it's a done deal if I can just convince myself to turn loose of the cash.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
I've been lusting after an LS brand XR4145 with fel for some time now. Even dropped by the dealer yesterday with my wife, just to get the feel of things so to speak. She's on board, so I'm thinking it's a done deal if I can just convince myself to turn loose of the cash.
Now that would be sweet to have! I looked at tractors along that line but couldn't justify the cost for my little 6 acres.
I've got 50 acres and have worked it with a 65+ year old tractor for several years. It's done all I've ever asked of it and the view from up there is the best. I knew what I wanted when I started looking about 10 years ago and found one a few miles from home.
The best part was it was just over a grand so I didn't have to mortgage my house.
I've been lusting after an LS brand XR4145 with fel for some time now. Even dropped by the dealer yesterday with my wife, just to get the feel of things so to speak. She's on board, so I'm thinking it's a done deal if I can just convince myself to turn loose of the cash.
Now that would be sweet to have! I looked at tractors along that line but couldn't justify the cost for my little 6 acres.
That's a NICE small tractor! What extras are you thinking of? Loader?
This JD 790 went for $8100 at the auction I was at the other day. It had 797 hours on it. I would think something of this nature would probably handle most of your needs.
The 90 series is the newer version of the 70 series that I mentioned above. A friend bought a 1090 a few years back and loves it. These new one's have the exhaust run underneath which can be an advantage, or not, depending on what you do with it.
John F, I guess it really depends on what you can spend on a tractor and what type of mechanical abilities you have.
My experience with an old (1949) Ford 8N has been sour and sweet. It started on 12 acres and is now cleaning up and maintaining 40. I have had it for 14 years. The first year was a bit hard as the oil pressure dropped it's first summer and I had to sink rebuild money into it, BUT since then it has been a wonderful piece. Short story is... I ended up with a 4 to 5 thousand dollar investment (Used Brush Hog and Blade included) and it has been wonderful since. Old rule of thumb with antique tractors is that you will spend an hour working on the tractor for every 10 to 20 hours using the tractor to do work. Sometimes it's just 30 minutes making adjustments, other times it's a weekend repairing major worn out stuff.
Some folks get lucky and by an old rusty tractor at a low price that gives them many hours of moderately trouble free use, but it's a roll of the dice.
The flip side is one could add a bit of money to that and get a new china made outfit with some modern technologies and get many years of low to no tinkering use so long as you don't over exert it and break a big part.
I would advise getting as much horsepower as you can, while still being able to match the implements to the tractor. You need to be able to cut/grade the tractors width on one pass.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
John F, I guess it really depends on what you can spend on a tractor and what type of mechanical abilities you have.
My experience with an old (1949) Ford 8N has been sour and sweet. It started on 12 acres and is now cleaning up and maintaining 40. I have had it for 14 years. The first year was a bit hard as the oil pressure dropped it's first summer and I had to sink rebuild money into it, BUT since then it has been a wonderful piece. Short story is... I ended up with a 4 to 5 thousand dollar investment (Used Brush Hog and Blade included) and it has been wonderful since. Old rule of thumb with antique tractors is that you will spend an hour working on the tractor for every 10 to 20 hours using the tractor to do work. Sometimes it's just 30 minutes making adjustments, other times it's a weekend repairing major worn out stuff.
Some folks get lucky and by an old rusty tractor at a low price that gives them many hours of moderately trouble free use, but it's a roll of the dice.
The flip side is one could add a bit of money to that and get a new china made outfit with some modern technologies and get many years of low to no tinkering use so long as you don't over exert it and break a big part.
Noel is quite correct. The old tractors aren't for everyone. They do require a bit of your time and money. I've been blessed with mine. I already had my implements, so it was a natural fit. I did put a few dollars into a couple of new front end tires and I rebuilt the starter, new battery, fluids, etc.
I'm also the type of fellow that would take a 32 Ford over a new Vette. You gotta have love for them or you'll be disappointed sure nuff.
If you don't need a loader then the 9N/8N is a suitable mowing and bush hog tractor with the overrunning clutch installed. Just find one that doesn't smoke, can smoothly lift implements and has working brakes. You can even get one of those dirt scoops for it pretty cheap... Don't buy new. They are no front loader but beats the heck out of a shovel. With old tractors just make sure it's a 3pt hitch too. I personally like old Massey Ferguson because of the semi-modern features but still relatively easy to work on.
I would advise getting as much horsepower as you can, while still being able to match the implements to the tractor. You need to be able to cut/grade the tractors width on one pass.
+1
There have been a couple of times I wished my X585 had another HP or 3 and also that it was a little heavier for traction.
The loader is the key. My 58 Ford and 40 Allis do fine for most chores, as a matter of fact I will keep the Allis....the Ford will likely move along to make room for the LS. Not many older machines are that loader friendly.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
At the auction I was at there was probably 15+ tractors with loaders that went from as low as 4k to as high as 12k ranging from 30 to 85 hp. The 12K was a JD6400 with a 620 loader.
I've turned (turning) enough wrenches, I'm ready to hop on the seat and get the job done, without working on any more stuff. I find myself buying new these days.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
I've turned (turning) enough wrenches, I'm ready to hop on the seat and get the job done, without working on any more stuff. I find myself buying new these days.
I personally will not be buying a Tier 4 emissions piece of equipment for my own private use. The head aches I have experienced from the failure issues caused by using this equipment commercially is why I feel this way.
Also congrats on being able to turn your own wrench.
It's nice to be able to fix it myself, but it's also nice to pick up the phone and say "come get this". Yeah we talked about tier 4 and regen cycles. I like what I read concerning LS.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.
It's nice to be able to fix it myself, but it's also nice to pick up the phone and say "come get this". Yeah we talked about tier 4 and regen cycles. I like what I read concerning LS.
I do not have experience with LS and will not speak on them.
I do however make my living being responsible for maintenance. About 750 tier 4+ diesel engines fall under my control.
For my reasoning lets take for instance the Cummins engine just got thru rebuilding that oil soaked the emissions system. The Engine rebuild Kit cost $4,085.91. The DOC that was plugged and not reusable after being soaked with oil cost $3,902.10. The DPF that was in the same condition cost $2471.63.
With that being said as long as you have a good warranty and everything that fails is covered by warranty you should be good. It is when you get into that no warranty zone that things can get ruff.
In 2014 I purchased a house with 12 wooded acres. At the same time I purchased a New Holland WM35 tractor. (These are built by LS and get a New Holland label stuck to them.) Over the past two years I've been able to find some used implements and purchased some new ones. I can say that there would be no way that I could manage the property without the tractor. I did purchase a new one because of the warranty and the mechanics on it are a little out of my league. Since the fall of 2014 I have only racked up about 200 hrs on it but you can get a lot done in 200 hrs.
That's the key, gklop. How many hours will a consumer put on a piece of equipment vs. a commercial entity?
I'm a fan of overbuilding, but I also recognize that sometimes, good enough really is...good enough.
"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"
If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1) And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1) Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT? PB answer: It depends.