Tractors, Mowers, Chippers, Trailers, Chainsaws, Generators, Driveway Erosion Control, ETC.

Just curious why you recommend such a big tractor? I guess I could have been more clear on my usage but I definitely wasn't looking at something like this. It won't be used much for "working the land" per se. More just mowing the orchard and lawn, clearing the (surprisingly short - 70ft or so) driveway and hauling some brush, fruit, gardening equipment in a trailer.

While I'd love to buy something like that I wasn't really looking at it. Any reason why I should be looking at a tractor like that vs a sub compact? Sub compact was the biggest I was condisering. Maybe I'm just being uneducated but I wasn't seeing any cases where I need a large tractor.

Acreage size aside there isn't much extra work being done over your typical one or two acre property. Much of it is forest and river. Only a few acres need any sort of actual maintenance.

I was considering something like a Kubota BX80 series.

 

Kubota or Manhidra
Min 30hp, 4wd, FEL, hyd lines up front w/3rd function valve, R4 tires.

 

Get 60 or 72" zero turn for mowing.

 

R4 are pretty much a middle ground tire for use, wider and much less tearing up than R1. If worried about ruts, don't make tight turns regardless of which tire you use.

 

Couple of reasons. I'm basing it on my experience of buying an 18hp compact and thinking that it'll be plenty for 3 acres and then quickly needing more tractor inside of a couple of years. I get by with my little New Holland, but I have to do a lot of creative work-arounds for some of the jobs I use it for. And it takes longer. If you've got 20 acres, it's guaranteed to be only a matter of time before you start doing more than just plowing the driveway with your tractor. A larger unit will be capable of keeping up with you as you do more and more with your property. Running a subcompact at or near 10/10ths will lead to expensive things breaking. And in the meantime, you can think of the extra capability as a safety net. A tractor that's only working at 50% of its rated capacity will last longer, and you'll be safer while you're doing it.

 

Yup, and if he has the time, putting 30hp+ tractor to use on some side jobs will easily pay for itself, I'm down with OPP for a free tractor.

 

I'll likely buy a zero-turn eventually. The current owner has a little Husqvarna tractor as well as a Husqvarna zero turn. We tried to get them thrown into the purchase but they didn't bite.

 

Lost this tree from our Feb freeze, gotta love using the grapple, pulled this out yesterday.
Pushed over tree, then back rear tire up the trunk to finish breaking roots, made 3 cuts and 3 grapple loads.

 

Shrug. Like I said, it's just a personal bias.

 

Anyone have a specific brand of pull behind aerators for a ZT or Garden tractor they recommend? Looking to aerate the park. Don't really want to use the shops heavy equipment. Don't really want to go that deep. Water and electrical lines and what not. Also not really interested in plugging it.

 

If you have steep hills, get a Ventrac.

 

FUCK YES GET A VENTRAC. Endless fun lol

 

This is why I have a 60HP Ford with a loader and live on 1.2 acres


I do use it to maintain 44 acres where we hunt though

 

Yup, and each tire has specific use.

 

It happens.

 

My biggest hangup with the R4's is how they wear. They're a good compromise when they're new, but most of them have very little tread at the centers. So they smoke out in a hurry and then you're left with less traction than a turf, but still have that luggy square shoulder profile to tear your lawn up with.

 

I do side work, and subhire out some of my stuff, 99% of the time we're not doing light tractor work, and rarely is it near a house or main yard, so ruts are not a concern. Mark runs R4, I have Ag tires, I have too bucket float and smooth out my tracks a whole lot more than he does, and his machine is probably 1,000lbs heavier. Turf tires are not even considered, the ply rating can be less and we run ours with 80% water for ballast.

From working on various soils, after mine wear, R4 will be the choice because I cannot find any All Terrain tractor tires, lol.

 

So to follow up on this, I ended up replacing the carb, some fuel line, fuel filter, air filter, ignition coil and gas cap. Runs like a top now lol. Pretty sure it was the old carb, but as I was replacing it I noticed that it had no high speed needle to adjust. Not even a casting for it, I guess that's how you get a $12 carb to be $12. Sacrifices must be made lol.

I hate to carpet bomb a problem with parts, but since my cabin is remote I need to try and be thorough since I need it to work reliably. Also, the parts were like $20, tops.

I pulled the mower with my Kubota and really like the ability to set a speed and chill as opposed to my SxS that wants to go faster and needs constant peddle pressure. But the SxS is infinitely more comfortable to use so my next project is to get a hand throttle control set up. Cruise control setups are very expensive for a SxS, but I imagine I can achieve a similar effect with a mower throttle. Much cheaper as well.

 

Yeah, I guess R1's are the closest to an all terrain, but they're diggers.

 

Took my older and smaller ZTR down to farm last week, it will probably remain down there to mow the yard around the house.

This past Tuesday was a nightmare lol, rat snake crawls out of mower deck when I approach the mower. Battery is dead, so I put a charger on it and start string weed trimming. About hour later the mower starts, I get about 60' mowed and it stops, the battery is complete junk, not enough current to engage the blades. Drive to the nearest town, buy a battery and return about hour and 15 mins later, install battery and I'm back at mowing, and started mowing up hill and the side chute gets caught, folds under and the blades cut into it. Parked mower in shade put deck all the way up in transport mode, removed the last bolt on the side chute, not a big deal, I have been wanting to replace it with flex one. The blade surprisingly looks really good after cutting into that metal. Jump back on mower and engaged blades, duh, forgot to lower mower deck, the belt comes off, park mower again in shade, put belt back on deck pulleys stretch belt and lock in spring tensioner. Lower deck and start mowing again, 5 mins into mowing and the machine sounds much louder, I'm wearing ear plugs, so I stop and leave it running, discovered the bolts for the exhaust fell out, definitely WTH & WTF moment for sure at this point. Just F it, got on mower and finished mowing, after I park the mower and lift the seat, the belt was twisted the whole time, really surprised it didn't break. Walked away, another day.