Posted by Gordon Maney [108.160.226.179] on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 15:19:43 :
In Reply to: Kubota posted by Jerry in Idaho [24.223.94.244] on Tuesday, July 23, 2013 at 13:07:43 :
I would suggest that you first think about the physical size of the machine. What is the largest physical size that would be practical for you? What are you trying to fit in between, what are you trying to pass under — trees for example — and how large of a mower or loader bucket do you really want?
One perspective is simply to buy the largest machine you can afford. I have a Kubota 4x4 with a 24 hp, three cylinder diesel. It has a quick detach loader with a 48 inch wide bucket. I believe the lifting capacity on it is 600 pounds. I spent many years moving snow with that machine. I have a 48 inch wide, rear mounted, PTO driven mower having three blades. That kind of more is termed a finishing mower. It has limits with regard to the depth of grass it will cut. If you are far behind and trying to mow vegetation 24 inches tall you will struggle and have to make multiple passes. But if you keep up with your mowing you will do just fine.
That Kubota has a manual transmission that is not synchronized, just as most factors had for many years. It does not have a live PTO. Given the choice, you would like to have a live PTO.
If you are on level ground and have suitable ballast on your three-point hitch you will not tip your tractor over. If you are on the side of a slope sitting at an angle, and you raise your loader bucket too high, you could tip it over sideways. But that's going to be true of any machine no matter how big. All you need to gain the maximum benefit from your loader is ballast at the rear. As someone else are mentioned you can make one quite cheaply with a barrel or other container and concrete. Be careful, however, to calculate the final way of your formed up ballast so that it is not too heavy. No point in needlessly straining your three-point.
My other machine is a John Deere four-wheel-drive utility with 73 hp. I have a quick digest of order for it with a bucket measuring 84 inches wide. It is a large volume bucket for material. I use it for snow and anything else. Both loaders have suitable hooks attach bolts to use with log chains and nylon slings. The John Deere is my yard crane. The lifting capacity of that loader is 2500lb.
The John Deere has what is called a hydraulic reverser transmission. It has a synchronize shift with four speeds and it has four unsynchronized ranges. The base model has only three ranges but I paid extra for creeper gear. It was over $2000. With that creeper mode you can make it so that you can hardly tell the machine is moving. I found that useful for watering trees and I find it very useful and a shop or yard crane mode to slowly advance a load to its destination safely.
I also have a rare mounted more for the John Deere, it is 84 inches wide and is fitted with a single, large, hinged blade of the sort found on what some people term a bush hog type mower. Keep in mind, Bush Hog is a brand name. That type of mower is more appropriately called a brush cutter. The attractor has sufficient power to go through deep vegetation at a low height in a single pass.
In summary by the physically biggest machine that you can use and afford. I have a high opinion of Kubota; I bought mine brand-new in 1983. It only has about 600 hours on it. Because I have a 15 acre reforestation project I have had a lot of mowing to do over the years. It is a much easier and faster job on the John Deere with the bigger engine, the larger diameter wheels, and the bigger more. Do not underestimate the correlation between wheel diameter and ride quality. Your back will thank you, I guarantee it.
One of bought the John Deere I initially thought I would buy another, larger Kubota. At the time, Kubota did not make anything in that size that I found to be satisfactory with respect to transmission or ergonomics. That may be different today.
Whatever you choose to do, you will have fun with your tractor!