HP required for offset flail mower, and radio install?

[stgarrity]

Looking to buy our first tractor and could use some advice...have been browsing here for a while and learned a lot, but slightly different questions than the last hundred threads I've read.

We live on 40 acres in the Sierra Nevada foothills in northern California, and run cattle, sheep & goats (for fun, both of us have full-time jobs). We've lived here ~6 years and done it all by hand and with a beat up old F150, a ride-on mower, spray trailer, etc but finally decided it was time to buy a tractor.

Key jobs are grading a long gravel driveway (grading scraper or box?), fencing (FEL + auger), lots of little excavation projects (french drains, trenching, etc - planning on a backhoe, also for fun), pallets (bee hives, etc), mowing the roadside and pond edges (thinking an offset flail mower here, as some of it has weirdly angled banks), and brushing (thinking about a wood chipper and eventually a grapple) … plus my kids are the age they just want to drive / ride around. I’m sure there’ll be some spraying and other various tasks that come up. (budget isn't infinite, but I am definitely optimizing for saving time and having fun over the capital costs)

We've narrowed in on an L series, and debating the L2502 vs something like the L3902 ... my gut is that the difference in price is probably worth the option value at the very least for more power on the PTO, but I was surprised that the sales guy was trying to talk me out of it. Any thoughts from the experienced folks here?

Specifically, I think my questions are
- how much HP do I need to run an offset flail reasonably well?
- anyone know of specific tradeoffs between the Titan, MechMaxx, and the Del Marino? (I've watched the videos on Youtube so looking more for direct experiences, horsepower specs ... people seem to run these at 25HP but is there an advantage bigger?)
- is DEF really that annoying if I go above 25HP?

Finally, a random unrelated question ... I'm planning on installing a radio / intercom system (Rugged Radios or equiv, weatherproof, usually built for Baja-style racing) so I can use the GMRS radio system we use (bad cell coverage) for both ground guides and talking to the house. Has anyone done this or seen this done, and have advice on install locations or wiring harnesses? The sales guy looked at me like I was crazy for wanting to do it without a cab.

Thank you!

(edited to say “not horsepower specs” instead of “or horsepower specs”)

 

[JimmyJazz]

Looking to buy our first tractor and could use some advice...have been browsing here for a while and learned a lot, but slightly different questions than the last hundred threads I've read.

We live on 40 acres in the Sierra Nevada foothills in northern California, and run cattle, sheep & goats (for fun, both of us have full-time jobs). We've lived here ~6 years and done it all by hand and with a beat up old F150, a ride-on mower, spray trailer, etc but finally decided it was time to buy a tractor.

Key jobs are grading a long gravel driveway (grading scraper or box?), fencing (FEL + auger), lots of little excavation projects (french drains, trenching, etc - planning on a backhoe, also for fun), pallets (bee hives, etc), mowing the roadside and pond edges (thinking an offset flail mower here, as some of it has weirdly angled banks), and brushing (thinking about a wood chipper and eventually a grapple) … plus my kids are the age they just want to drive / ride around. I’m sure there’ll be some spraying and other various tasks that come up. (budget isn't infinite, but I am definitely optimizing for saving time and having fun over the capital costs)

We've narrowed in on an L series, and debating the L2502 vs something like the L3902 ... my gut is that the difference in price is probably worth the option value at the very least for more power on the PTO, but I was surprised that the sales guy was trying to talk me out of it. Any thoughts from the experienced folks here?

Specifically, I think my questions are
- how much HP do I need to run an offset flail reasonably well?
- anyone know of specific tradeoffs between the Titan, MechMaxx, and the Del Marino? (I've watched the videos on Youtube so looking more for direct experiences, or horsepower specs ... people seem to run these at 25HP but is there an advantage bigger?)
- is DEF really that annoying if I go above 25HP?

Finally, a random unrelated question ... I'm planning on installing a radio / intercom system (Rugged Radios or equiv, weatherproof, usually built for Baja-style racing) so I can use the GMRS radio system we use (bad cell coverage) for both ground guides and talking to the house. Has anyone done this or seen this done, and have advice on install locations or wiring harnesses? The sales guy looked at me like I was crazy for wanting to do it without a cab.

Thank you!

Each mower manufacturer will supply the PTO horsepower range requirement for their respective units. Often there are light, medium, and heavy duty versions offered by the same manufacturer with different capabilities and requirements. Good luck.

 

[stgarrity]

Each mower manufacturer will supply the PTO horsepower range requirement for their respective units. Often there are light, medium, and heavy duty versions offered by the same manufacturer with different capabilities and requirements. Good luck.

Sorry, typo in my original post (now fixed). I’ve read all the specs, obviously. I’m wondering if anyone has experience at the bottom end of the range, and if it actually works well or not. In many places I have experience (not this), being at the absolutely bottom of a manufacturer’s range technically does work, but it doesn’t work very well. I’m curious if that is true here, or not.

 

[jyoutz]

I hate to sound like a broken record but for 40 acres with rolling hills I would be looking at a larger frame, heavier machine; something like a grand L or a MX. weight and stability are your friend. The large from wheels on the MX adds a considerable degree of stability and smooths out the small low spots on the land as you travel.

 

[mcmxi]

Sorry, typo in my original post (now fixed). I’ve read all the specs, obviously. I’m wondering if anyone has experience at the bottom end of the range, and if it actually works well or not. In many places I have experience (not this), being at the absolutely bottom of a manufacturer’s range technically does work, but it doesn’t work very well. I’m curious if that is true here, or not.

You won't get into DEF until you pass the 75hp mark or so, but you'll have DPF from 25hp up to 75hp.

I have a Del Morino Centurion Super 158 which has hydraulic offset and a rotating head and it's one tough flail given how compact it is. The ability to rotate the head makes servicing the hammers extremely easy, but also allows the flail to cut ditch banks and such, or even a hedge.

Titan is a Chinese brand and makes crappy flails and other implements. They copy better products but don't seem to know where to focus the quality and don't add strength where it's needed. I saw a Titan flail on this forum that had torn out one of the cylinder mounting points due to Titan ignorance and incompetence. I'm not saying that Del Morino is the best, but they're a lot better than Titan, and if like me you tend to buy once, and cry once, and keep the implement, then they're a solid choice.

I'm always in favor of more power since it buys you margin when you add weight and then cut or blow/push snow or whatever. I'm on a hilly 20 acres and the MX doesn't struggle anywhere despite wheel weights, liquid ballast, FEL and front/rear implements. HP buys you capability when cutting thick stuff or doing any number of tasks. Other than the cost and DPF (which isn't a big deal) I see nothing but an advantage investing in a more capable machine in the 40hp+ range.

 

[chim]

I hate to sound like a broken record but for 40 acres with rolling hills I would be looking at a larger frame, heavier machine; something like a grand L or a MX. weight and stability are your friend. The large from wheels on the MX adds a considerable degree of stability and smooths out the small low spots on the land as you travel.

Agree with the larger recommendation. I don't have much experience with hilly property, but can tell you that I wish I'd have gotten the L3900 when I bought my L3200 back in 2012. Seems like requirements keep growing but tractors don't. Of course then I may not have ended up with the L4240

 

[jyoutz]

Agree with the larger recommendation. I don't have much experience with hilly property, but can tell you that I wish I'd have gotten the L3900 when I bought my L3200 back in 2012. Seems like requirements keep growing but tractors don't. Of course then I may not have ended up with the L4240

I had a small light tractor for 22 years and any degree of slope or small depression was a butt pucker event even though the tires were filled and the wheels at maximum width. None of that anxiety with my MX on the same land.

 

[mcmxi]

I had a small light tractor for 22 years and any degree of slope or small depression was a butt pucker event even though the tires were filled and the wheels at maximum width. None of that anxiety with my MX on the same land.

The other benefit of a bigger tractor with bigger wheels and tires, longer wheel base and wider track width is that the ride is so much better i.e. more comfortable. The MX rides like a Cadillac compared to the BX25 I used to have, and the M takes the ride to another level.

I cut 20x to 30x more area with the bigger tractors now without a single issue related to comfort. The BX used to beat the crap out of me cutting a mere 2 acres or so. There's just no comparison in the power, the capabilities and the ride compared to the 25hp variants.