Flailing about tractors

[chrisDavis]

Hello all! I have been lurking for a few weeks and getting a great education from all of you! I recently purchased 45 acres in TN that I will move to next year. I want a tractor for mowing about 4 acres of flat, damp "pasture", logging, clearing woods, installing drainage tiles, maintaining a 1/2 mile gravel driveway and generally having fun! I have never owned a tractor. I am a city boy who is ready to retire in the beautiful, hikeable, though somewhat steep hills.

I am thinking B2620.
I am wondering if anyone can recommend a flail mower for it. Or is the B2620 too small for a flail?

Thank you for any advice and comment.

Chris

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I've found this company online Value Leader Impliments that makes a flail mower in a 33 inch wide size for $900 bucks. Some of the more robust name brand ones are not cheap by any means. They come with a 2 year warrenty and for another 50 bucks offer a full 4 year warrenty.

I'd love to have one myself its just not in the budget right now but I'd take a gamble on Value Leader and see how it goes.

http://www.value-leader.com/33-flail-mower-ef85/

 

[chrisDavis]

I've found this company online Value Leader Impliments that makes a flail mower in a 33 inch wide size for $900 bucks. Some of the more robust name brand ones are not cheap by any means. They come with a 2 year warrenty and for another 50 bucks offer a full 4 year warrenty.

I'd love to have one myself its just not in the budget right now but I'd take a gamble on Value Leader and see how it goes.

http://www.value-leader.com/33-flail-mower-ef85/

Thanks for the link!
Maybe you can set me straight on the HP figure associated with flails. The land pride website has an FM21 model with a 25-55HP gear box rating. Does this mean my PTO should have at least 25HP? Or the tractor? Or something else?

Chris

 

[gpreuss]

With 45 acres in hills I'd be more concerned about the tractor being too small for the farm. You will want to make it wider for stability. You will eventually want more "stuff". You will need more traction, sooner or later; the B series mostly has smaller tires. You will want a 5 or 6 foot mower, and a 6' blade.
I'd be more inclined to look at an L series. It will better pull a rear blade, pick up more with the FEL, handle a bigger mower, haul a bigger log, and be much less likely to get stuck in the wet field. Yet it is quite nimble.
With hills and damp grass, I'd go for Ag tires. I just had to change from R4s to R1s because of the poor traction.

 

[Dan_R_42]

With 45 acres in hills I'd be more concerned about the tractor being too small for the farm. I'd be more inclined to look at an L series.

With that much land, the long driveway and the hills, if it were me, I would most definitely be looking for an "L" too.

 

[chrisDavis]

With 45 acres in hills I'd be more concerned about the tractor being too small for the farm. You will want to make it wider for stability. You will eventually want more "stuff". You will need more traction, sooner or later; the B series mostly has smaller tires. You will want a 5 or 6 foot mower, and a 6' blade.
I'd be more inclined to look at an L series. It will better pull a rear blade, pick up more with the FEL, handle a bigger mower, haul a bigger log, and be much less likely to get stuck in the wet field. Yet it is quite nimble.
With hills and damp grass, I'd go for Ag tires. I just had to change from R4s to R1s because of the poor traction.

I will look at the L series and see where it fits budget wise for my hobby. Your stability comment, especially, piqued my concern. I do want something nimble and stable enough to clear out new roads for biking and hiking.

The 4 acres for mowing are all flat. But I assume the logging/road clearing activity is why you recommend the look at the L series?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[chrisDavis]

With that much land, the long driveway and the hills, if it were me, I would most definitely be looking for an "L" too.

Shall do. I am glad I asked. I had talked myself into buying a used 2013 B2620 with fel and bucket here in FL because the price looked good (17K).

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'll 3rd or 4th the L suggestion!

As far as implement HP rating go if it just pulled and not PTO driven it drawbar HP.
If it's PTO powered then its PTO HP.

 

[chrisDavis]

I'll 3rd or 4th the L suggestion!

As far as implement HP rating go if it just pulled and not PTO driven it drawbar HP.
If it's PTO powered then its PTO HP.

Got it thanks! And here I am at work reading all about tractors...

So is there a sweet spot L series tractor, value wise, that any of you can recommend? Or ones to avoid?

 

[The_Al]

Got it thanks! And here I am at work reading all about tractors...

So is there a sweet spot L series tractor, value wise, that any of you can recommend? Or ones to avoid?

I really like my Grand L (L3540), but all of the "L" series are good. The L3800 is a nice machine, she can do all that you are asking I would think

 

[Bluegill]

Got it thanks! And here I am at work reading all about tractors...

So is there a sweet spot L series tractor, value wise, that any of you can recommend? Or ones to avoid?

The L3800DT is a lot of tractor for the money. Simple, basic workhorse.

 

[MagKarl]

Got it thanks! And here I am at work reading all about tractors...

So is there a sweet spot L series tractor, value wise, that any of you can recommend? Or ones to avoid?

Value wise, the sweet spot is the used market. Somebody else is already taking the depreciation hit for you. You can get a bigger tractor, some handy implements, and a regular riding lawn mower for less $$$ than new.

 

[chrisDavis]

So is 3ph jerkiness stilll an issue? and how vauleable is hst vs dt?
this is more than i planned to spend, but do these package deals look reasonable?

http://www.steenent.com/Tractor-Package-Deals.php

 

[gpreuss]

So is 3ph jerkiness stilll an issue? and how vauleable is hst vs dt?
this is more than i planned to spend, but do these package deals look reasonable?

http://www.steenent.com/Tractor-Package-Deals.php

The jerkiness is still there. How much of an issue it is is really questionable. My L3200DT has it, and every once in a while I notice it, but never enough to make a big deal of it. Everything works; the 3PH goes up and down, and lifts its terrific lot. I cannot say it has been a problem.
Even without the trailers those appear to be pretty good deals. With 65 acres you will end up using the trailer a lot as an implement.
I have never felt I needed more horsepower than what my L3200 has. Maybe if you were pulling a plow through the ground or running a big bush hog you would want the L3800.
There is quite a controversy about the HST/DT transmissions, and about R4 or R1 tires.
I personally like the DT transmission (gears). You can use the saved $ to buy implements. There are a lot of folks here that really like the HST, for ease of use. You can find a jillion threads here about the transmissions.
R4s are not as apt to chew up your 4 acre lawn as the R1s, but R1s will give better traction. R1s give you adjustable width out to about 62", the R4s are fixed at about 60" ( the actual bar tread widths would about 61" and 57" respectively).

 

[skeets]

Dayum chris I wish I had seen that place before I bought mine

 

[lsmurphy]

What part of E TN? I'm here in Parrottsville.

 

[Bluegill]

So is 3ph jerkiness stilll an issue? and how vauleable is hst vs dt?
this is more than i planned to spend, but do these package deals look reasonable?

http://www.steenent.com/Tractor-Package-Deals.php

The jerky 3 pt hitch is such a minor issue, but gets blown out of proportion on the internet. Yes there were some bad ones, but not many. Mine is barely noticeable.

Those package prices are a little higher than here, but not bad. You'll want a mower & box blade. And the trailer is very handy.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The jerky 3 pt hitch is such a minor issue, but gets blown out of proportion on the internet. Yes there were some bad ones, but not many. Mine is barely noticeable.

Bluegill,
Curious, Is it just the L3800's that has "jerky" three point controls or did the L3750's have that "Issue" too?

My L3450 is smooth as silk up and down, weighted or empty.

 

[chrisDavis]

What part of E TN? I'm here in Parrottsville.

The thriving metropolis of Bulls Gap. We have a Taco Bell and everything!

 

[chrisDavis]

Dayum chris I wish I had seen that place before I bought mine

Problem is I don't have anywhere to keep it until I move next year