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Need to mow, light excavation (say dig down 7 feet... foundation work, piers, etc), drag heavy stuff, plow. Thinking something in the 30hp range. Small 7 acre hobby farm.

Will have to clear land at some point so should be able to grapple logs when the time comes.

What are your ideas? o/

Need to mow, light excavation (say dig down 7 feet... foundation work, piers, etc), drag heavy stuff, plow. Thinking something in the 30hp range. Small 7 acre hobby farm. Will have to clear land at some point so should be able to grapple logs when the time comes. What are your ideas? o/

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[–] 1 pt

That's about the range everyone around my area had, at least the ones that weren't doing large scale farming. We used to plow a decent size garden and drag a brush hog for the fields. Did well enough. We had an old Yanmar, but I can't remember the rating. It replaced an ancient Allis-Chalmers (C, I believe) that was just getting difficult to maintain.

[–] 0 pt

Most major tractor companies make all different kinds of "add on" pieces for specific jobs. Say an add on mower uses the PTO and hitches onto 3 points on the tractor. Look for the add ons you specifically want, then look for the tractor. Understand just how much horsepower is lost from the drive wheels to the PTO once the add on is engaged. Any tractor should specify in it's book. Know how many RPM the engine has to turn before you engage the PTO. Should be on the tractor itself. The older the equipment, the harder it's going to be to get parts. You want older and cheaper, learn how to weld and keep rust at bay. Paint with used motor oil to keep rust off of surfaces. Know what needs greased and keep up on maintaining everything, including add ons. Learn as much as you can before things get expensive. For instance, there's a company that makes a back hoe, mower and a plow that will go onto a three point hitch. All separate pieces. It's green. Red probably does, too. And others.

[–] 1 pt

The used motor oil on my tools has been a game changer.

Thanks for this info friend. It will be put to use. Pretty sure I’m buying new.

[–] 0 pt

Store as much inside, out of the weather as you can. Barn, shed, etc. Adding even just a lean to structure that won't blow down can help. Farmers know, leaving anything out in the weather, it'll rust. Always park your tractor in the barn. If you don't have one yet, make that your first thing. Metal building and metal roof is the way to go, these days

[–] 0 pt

If you have telegram, join the "tractor hoarders group chat" ran by Chucke2009.

I'll tell you, you likely won't be lifting very heavy logs with a loader grapple at around 30hp.

Will you be working with round bales?

[–] 0 pt

TSC sells a compact. 800 lb. frontloader, cat 1 3 point hookup in back, front &rear hydraulics for a grapple, front &reat tow points, 18hp to the rear pto, designed to be easy to service. I'll get a name for you.

[–] 0 pt

I'm on 5 acres, have a 26hp Kioti with a 4-in-1 bucket on it. It's basically a poor mans (me) Kubota. Have a 5' 3-point linkage (cat 1) slasher for it that I use mow the paddocks with.

Fairly versatile machine, I think you can get a backhoe attachment for it, but I don't have one at the moment.

Not sure that I'd try using it for plowing though, it's hydrostatic drive with low-high range. Convenient for yard work with the bucket and mowing but not sure on the heavy pulling work.

What I would steer clear of is anything made in India or China, like Mahindra or Yanmar, etc. They are cheaper, but the quality can be pretty shit. If you can, go for more horsepower, there's a big difference between a 30hp and a 45hp tractor. In hindsight (and if I had the room to store it), I would probably have gone for a second hand tractor in the 40-45hp range. But, I only had a small lean-to available to store my tractor in, and only really needed it for mowing and light yard work, so the 26hp one was a goo fit for me.

[–] 1 pt

This is great info. I'll definitely be going with the gear transmission for this very reason. Get more torque for the money, I think. I don't want to be pushing snow with the HST.