Tractor Needed But Where Do I Start?

[A.Texas.Yankee]

Interesting thread.

I have to clear about five acres of land of high native grasses, scrub brush, Mesquite, and Huisache.

The land is fairly level and well above any flood plain.

Will have to continue to keep that land cleared indefinitely.

Tractor? If so, what HP and brush cutter?

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Be well.

For just a rotary blade? I wouldn't go over kill, but in all my research and forum stalking everyone said of you can afford it, go at least 25, preferably 30 hp, because sooner or later you'll find a use for it and anything less that is JUST a lawn mower. The thickness of your brush would dictate the need I would think. But if you don't think you'll need it for anything else, then I don't know. There were plenty of 20 hp models with mid mount PTO and a brush hog.

Think of it this way, a 20ish hp might get you a 4 foot wide rotary, a 30ish might get you a 5 foot wide, and so forth. So the larger the tractor the faster you'll cut. A 20 will do what a 40 will, just a LOT slower.

OP.
If you signed, congrats.
If not, let us know. Ive got a suggestion.

I haven't signed anything since they couldn't process until Monday.

I have a Kioti CK30HST. Been good so far. Any questions I might be able to help.

How do you like the HST? Did you try the gear before you purchased the HST?

 

[Vaquero]

My best friend just bought john deere for his place. Erosion control and road maintenance.
He passed on the trailer because JD is offering zero finance. They won't go in on the trailer because it's not jd branded.
If you don't really need the trailer, look at a no trailer price on the same tractor and attachments.
They do push the trailer package.

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

My best friend just bought john deere for his place. Erosion control and road maintenance.
He passed on the trailer because JD is offering zero finance. They won't go in on the trailer because it's not jd branded.
If you don't really need the trailer, look at a no trailer price on the same tractor and attachments.
They do push the trailer package.

I actually asked about the trailer, not the the other way around, since I have nothing. He's rolling the trailer into the 0% (at least he said) and thus far I don't have the feeling he'd pull one over. No JD servicing dealers round here so I didn't consider them. It was Holland, Kioti, Kubota, or Mahindra. I wasn't driving 100 miles when I need service.

Thanks though and we'll see.

 

[Governors20]

If you need a trailer, you might want to consider this. Its the 102 x20 equipment hauler at the bottom of the page with drive over fenders. For the price you cant beat it, and it will carry anything you can put on it. It weighs around 3000 empty. I think the company takes their 20k gooseneck and makes it a bumper pull, so its pretty stout. When I was looking for trailers, I found a lot of expensive trailers that werent made half as strong as this one.

Trout Tire Center, Inc - Car Hauler Trailers

 

[Vaquero]

I actually asked about the trailer, not the the other way around, since I have nothing. He's rolling the trailer into the 0% (at least he said) and thus far I don't have the feeling he'd pull one over. No JD servicing dealers round here so I didn't consider them. It was Holland, Kioti, Kubota, or Mahindra. I wasn't driving 100 miles when I need service.

Thanks though and we'll see.

sounds like you're about set.
Pics when you get it!

 

[TeXJ]

I have a Kioti CK30HST. Been good so far. Any questions I might be able to help.

That one looks a lot like the New Holland we had.

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

So I just realized, I need straps to tie this sucker down to the trailer. How do y'all tie down the tractor?

 

[Vaquero]

So I just realized, I need straps to tie this sucker down to the trailer. How do y'all tie down the tractor?

Chains and boomers.

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

Where do you attach chains? Are there tie down points on tractors like cars?

 

[TeXJ]

Where do you attach chains? Are there tie down points on tractors like cars?

Yeah on our in the front there was a loop towards the front that we ran the chain through and used, a "boomer"?, to tighten the chain.

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

Yeah on our in the front there was a loop towards the front that we ran the chain through and used, a "boomer"?, to tighten the chain.

What about the rear?

 

[Vaquero]

What about the rear?

Get a shackle. Pin it to the rear hitch point. Run the chain through the shackle.

 

[Vaquero]

https://www.google.com/search?redir...browser-suggest&qsubts=1434496263707&devloc=0

I haven't followed any of these links. But it sounds like you're experience level is near zero.
I apologize if I'm wrong.

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

Get a shackle. Pin it to the rear hitch point. Run the chain through the shackle.

Will that work of you have any equipment attached (like a rotary blade) attached?

https://www.google.com/search?redir...browser-suggest&qsubts=1434496263707&devloc=0

I haven't followed any of these links. But it sounds like you're experience level is near zero.
I apologize if I'm wrong.

I'm familiar with tractors to a point (mostly used for the front loader and mowing). Never have I owned one or shipped one. I have trailered cars tons of times and assume it's just as simple. I've looked through almost all those links before you sent them and here's my concerns they don't answer:

Where on the tractor do they attach the straps? Anchor points? Axle straps? They don't say and I don't want to mess up a $20g purchase on something minor.

 

[outdare]

They should help you at the dealership secure the tractor to the trailer.

 

[country_boy]

If you just want to keep the Mesquite and brush down pay somebody to mow it once or twice a year.

If you want to keep it ankle high all year then buying a tractor is a good choice. I like a 30-40 hp tractor and had good luck with the Bush Hog I bought at Tractor Supply (but they are all pretty much the same in that price range).

If you want to plant crops or turn it into a putting green you are gonna have to look at a sizable investment in equipment.

I always suggest a front loader and 4x4 on a tractor. They make a tractor so much handier to have around.

If I had a say with my family, would bought a mahindra. I did use the front loader and 4x4. 30+ hp like was mentioned.


Only sigs,toyota, and ak's allowed.

 

[Vaquero]

Will that work of you have any equipment attached (like a rotary blade) attached?

I'm familiar with tractors to a point (mostly used for the front loader and mowing). Never have I owned one or shipped one. I have trailered cars tons of times and assume it's just as simple. I've looked through almost all those links before you sent them and here's my concerns they don't answer:

Where on the tractor do they attach the straps? Anchor points? Axle straps? They don't say and I don't want to mess up a $20g purchase on something minor.

Industrial equipment has tie down points. Clearly marked. AG equipment doesn't. It's a freedom, in a way. Exempt from OSHA and a lot of DOT. Find heavy steel and tie it down. Err on the side of caution. Check your stopping power ASAP. Getting it all moving and keeping it on the trailer is fine and well. Stopping it all is life and death. AG exemptions save money and place your life in your own hands.

My background.
Grew up on a farm and ranch operation. When I was in high school was the peak of Dad's operation. He ran just over 1000 acres during my teens and early 20's. We hauled cattle in 16' trailers crammed full of cows and calves. Live loads are no fun. Hay, cotton, grain. All pulled by 1/2 ton pickups. I drove oilfield moving drilling rigs in early 1980s. Chaining down odd loads was what I did. When I went to the power company, I hauled poles by the dozen to job sites.
Straps on equipment will last a couple of trips. Chains will outlive you. You get a tractor, you need a couple of good chains anyway. You'll use them dragging and pulling stuff around.

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

Industrial equipment has tie down points. Clearly marked. AG equipment doesn't. It's a freedom, in a way. Exempt from OSHA and a lot of DOT. Find heavy steel and tie it down. Err on the side of caution. Check your stopping power ASAP. Getting it all moving and keeping it on the trailer is fine and well. Stopping it all is life and death. AG exemptions save money and place your life in your own hands.

My background.
Grew up on a farm and ranch operation. When I was in high school was the peak of Dad's operation. He ran just over 1000 acres during my teens and early 20's. We hauled cattle in 16' trailers crammed full of cows and calves. Live loads are no fun. Hay, cotton, grain. All pulled by 1/2 ton pickups. I drove oilfield moving drilling rigs in early 1980s. Chaining down odd loads was what I did. When I went to the power company, I hauled poles by the dozen to job sites.
Straps on equipment will last a couple of trips. Chains will outlive you. You get a tractor, you need a couple of good chains anyway. You'll use them dragging and pulling stuff around.

Experience is why I'm here. I've got lots of experience with lots of different things and am a quick learner, but I also over analyze everything.

Needing chains for other things besides towing, very good point and one I didn't think of. I know I'll need the 4th pull stuff around and drag.

 

[96fordsix]

https://www.google.com/search?redir...browser-suggest&qsubts=1434496263707&devloc=0

Interesting thread. Now Vaquero has introduced an other way for one to lose the the day

 

[dobarker]

Just my .02,
I haul around a 300 hp deutz tractor with a rotary rock crusher attachment on a weekly basis. Yes, it's very DOT regulated. Being a business it is more so.

Tie down with 4 points of contact for the machine and 1 chain (2 points) for each attachment.
On the tractor, the draw bar below the pto output is the best tie down I've found. On the front if you've got a set of counter weights or a weight mounting point, they work well. I try to avoid chains around axles due to axles being sensitive to binding force. Once you get it on the trailer just look under the nose and tail and I bet you can find something to throw a chain through without ripping out sensors, just make sure when it bites, it bites around solid mass, not pistons, plastic, u-joints or any moving part.

As for tie down tools, mine takes 6-25' 1/2" chains and 6 ratcheting boomers.
yours may not take near as much but plan on minimum of 3- 25' 3/8" load bearing grade chains and I just prefer ratcheting boomers for safety. I've seen more than one busted face over binders (folding boomers).

On a side note though, have you given consideration to getting a smaller motor grader? A lot of the drainage work you described can be done well by one blade, a garden hose and something heavy to roll down your layers as you blade them up into a diversion or drainage out.

on a side, side, note: we own a bobcat 763 and I will vouch for how perfect they are in so many ways, for one, it just made a dangerous daylong job of moving a lathe into a long drive and 30 minutes of work, most of which we're tying everything down for the drive back.
Anyhow, while they're handy and compact, all that you see in a tractor sized equivalent is packed in 6 cubic ft. I absolutely hate working on ours when things go wrong. Got a busted hydraulic line? Plan on multiple shaved knuckles and yoga lessons to get it changed out of the abyss under the seat.

i know, a lot of rambling. Hopefully something in there helps. If I were closer I'd be more than happy to give you some pointers on dirt work.