New property - SWPA

[rcsracing]

Hi folks, I shared a post a few months ago, but I didn't close on that home. Now, I'm closing on a different property here in SWPA.

5 acres. Former farmland, house built ~2 years ago. ~450ft sloped gravel driveway (which i think i will need to remove the stone and use more of a crusher run/2a setup). Mostly pasture mix grass, some kind of fencing around the property.

Main item - front towards the road is pretty sloped with a ditch at the bottom.

For the departing owners - they used once piece of equipment for grass - an MX5100 w/ a 72" brush hog (on turf tires). Snow was handled with a separate snow blower.

My rough plan -
Zero turn mower - most of the yard , mostly due to speed. 60"+ would be my plan. That nixes a MMM.

I'm sure I need a tractor for around the property, front blade for snow, helping to prepare for a garage build, etc. I dont' know about the brush hog for the rear.

My questions:
The hill stability scares me a bit. I can see overall weight, and width on the Kubota site. I can add spacers to most tractors. However, I can't mentally figure out Center of Gravity improvements/changes. I know tire/wheel choice can impact that. Any series better or worse for that? Somewhere between LX and MX?
Tires - I think turf tires are usually smaller diameter, but I'd probably go towards an R4/R14 with snow use. Am I on the right path there?

So....is an LX2610/3310 probably enough? That's the model I've researched the most and seemed to be a decent fit for hobby use / 5 acres / snow duty. My worry about overbuying is decreased stability. I know there is no right answer, but just trying to have a favorite (that may get swayed by availability).

Thanks!

-Rick

 

[JimmyJazz]

I think either of your choices will be enough. I have a B2601 and would recommend it for your circumstances. Less expensive and similar capabilities. Good luck.

 

[rcsracing]

I think either of your choices will be enough. I have a B2601 and would recommend it for your circumstances. Less expensive and similar capabilities. Good luck.

Thanks. If I did end up with a brush hog off of the back for the steeper parts, I think the mass of the LX would be more noticeable. Hopefully the same for plowing the driveway. Otherwise, I do think the B01 is appropriate.

 

[Henro]

Heck, it’s only five acres! AND my bx2200 has a 60 in mmm so not sure what nixed the idea of 60” mmm on just about any tractor.

For five acres (I’m in western PA too, Pittsburgh zip code) you don’t need a huge tractor. I get along quite well with a BX and a B on 8 acres.

Granted something larger than a B series could be nice sometimes…and sometimes not.

 

[Henro]

By the way, why the brush hog? Only plan on cutting once per season?

The four acres I bought next door were cut once a year by the neighbor before he died. Can’t remember if I used my 60” brush hog on it or not initially, but afterwards just cut it with the BX and it became a pseudo lawn. Of course I cut it more than once a year. Short weeds really do look like grass. LOL.

 

[Henro]

I should also mention that after tipping my B2910 on its side about ten years ago, I gained great respect for tractor instability.

My BX with four foam filled tires and the mmm on is unbelievably stable on cross slopes. My B with loaded tires still scares me on slight cross slopes. Up and down no issue.

Granted wheel spacers can help a lot. Wider the better.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

~450ft sloped gravel driveway (which i think i will need to remove the stone and use more of a crusher run/2a setup).

Leave the existing and add your crusher run on top. Might want some stone dust on the gravel first, to solidify the bed.

 

[rcsracing]

Main reason to nix MMM overall for most of the property - cost of my time. That's where the ZTM comes in. I don't know how long the main yard will take me, but I'm expecting a ZTM to save a ton of time compared to any tractor + MMM.

For the steep part, I don't think I can do it with a ZTM side to side, so I was thinking of the mower behind the tractor. I figured a brush hog was much cheaper than a finish mower.

For the tractor size - I was thinking B01 or above just based on the driveway work, regular maintenance of that, and clearing the 450' driveway (which is also all hill).

 

[woodman55]

A LX2610 cab tractor would be a great machine. That way you get heat and a/c. Front mounted snow blowers are great to, compared to rear mounted ones. Turf tires actually do quite well in snow, just like car snow tires that have lots of fine tread.

 

[rcsracing]

Good to know. What would be the turf tire downside? I’m not sure we get enough snow north of Pittsburgh for a front mount blower. I think the blade will work most of the time, except once every 4-5 years.

 

[woodman55]

Good to know. What would be the turf tire downside? I’m not sure we get enough snow north of Pittsburgh for a front mount blower. I think the blade will work most of the time, except once every 4-5 years.

MUD. Turfs don't do well in mud, they fill full. Dry conditions they do well, but not in mud. Lots of people seem to like the R14's.

 

[rcsracing]

Interesting. I would think snow would be a challenge as well. I’m leaning towards R14 but R4 would be fine as well.

 

[skeets]

OK I ll ask where in SWPA? some places are much more hilly than others,, and I cut with a BX 2360, and the 2601,, still waiting on the wheel spacers. So where ya at? If your in Green county thats hilly very little flats, Fayette county same same, dont forget this area is the beginning of the Laurel Highlands

 

[rcsracing]

OK I ll ask where in SWPA? some places are much more hilly than others,, and I cut with a BX 2360, and the 2601,, still waiting on the wheel spacers. So where ya at? If your in Green county thats hilly very little flats, Fayette county same same, dont forget this area is the beginning of the Laurel Highlands

I’ll be up just outside of Harmony. I should be on-site for an inspection next week, so I’ll try to get some grade measurements from my phone as well as general dimensions of the front slope.

 

[PaulL]

I think the difference in the cold is snow v's ice. Snow is probably fine with any tire, but with ice you want lots of area on the ice - turf good for that. If your hill on the driveway is steep you may find you can only plow downhill. Or get chains if you have traction problems - that's the real answer to snow. Then, as others have said, turfs are fine unless you have a lot of mud.

For most people who aren't using their tractor to make money, you just don't drive it when it's wet. Unless your like my parents, whose place is clay so it stays wet 6 months of the year.

Anything snow drifts you couldn't do with the blade you can probably do with the FEL, if it's only once in a while. Besides, global warming means there'll be no snow soon anyway (or so the interwebz tell me).

I'm not sure a brush hog is much cheaper than a finish mower - they're heavier duty. If a finish mower is what you really need, then buy one. Or look to a flail (which aren't cheap, but a good midpoint).

Would your zero turn do it up and down the hill, as opposed to side to side? Up and down is generally recommended if you can. On steep stuff some guys mow down only, go uphill on the driveway or whatever. As long as you have a runout at the bottom and not some sort of cliff, then it's pretty safe.

Beyond that, 5 acres is fine with a B, LX or an L. You could justify any of them, so then it comes down to how much you want to spend and what features you need. If you're not running a MMM then an L2501 is a great machine (no mid PTO). No cab option available, so would be cold doing snow work. For everything else you might do it's quite a bit more machine than a B or an LX, and not a lot more money. And then of course the new L3302 is better still - steering brakes on the left. The L2502 isn't released yet.

Last thought for the day. Consider buying the ZT first, then work out what you can and can't mow. Then buy the tractor accordingly.

Lots of people recommend filling tires. I'm a fan of buying the tractor first, trying it out to see how stable or otherwise it is, and only filling the tires if you need to. Once filled they're hard to drain, and that's weight you're always dragging over your lawn.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I’ll be up just outside of Harmony. I should be on-site for an inspection next week, so I’ll try to get some grade measurements from my phone as well as general dimensions of the front slope.

I grew up in that area and terrain is very variable - everything from dead flat to damn near vertical.

If you have never tried one you will be surprised by how well a GOOD zero turn handles steep slopes. I second the idea of starting there and adding the tractor after you get a handle on the mowing.

Standard L is a good fit for that much acreage and slopes.. I struggled with a small B for way too long.

Dan

 

[skeets]

I dont know a Harmony down this way, but there is a Harmony up by Zellie is that where you are going ?

 

[rcsracing]

I dont know a Harmony down this way, but there is a Harmony up by Zellie is that where you are going ?

Correct. In a national forum, I’m considering that SwPa

 

[skohler]

Sounds like you are on the right track. I'm in south central PA with a small farm, maybe similar in topography but not a flat area on our property. Zero turn makes mowing fun and easy, especially if you are actually mowing all 5 acres. I had trouble with mine mowing around ditches or on wet grass- it would get stuck quickly and tear stuff up. Amused the neighbors constantly. I bought some Carlisle bar tires and have not been stuck once, just a thought.

I bought a tractor that was one size bigger than I thought I needed, wish now I had gone bigger still. The more I use it, the more I want it to do- but I'm probably at my limit. These things get very tippy in an instant, especially with a FEL (which you want and will use constantly).

Good luck with the purchase, sounds like a neat place.

 

[rcsracing]

Sounds like you are on the right track. I'm in south central PA with a small farm, maybe similar in topography but not a flat area on our property. Zero turn makes mowing fun and easy, especially if you are actually mowing all 5 acres. I had trouble with mine mowing around ditches or on wet grass- it would get stuck quickly and tear stuff up. Amused the neighbors constantly. I bought some Carlisle bar tires and have not been stuck once, just a thought.

I bought a tractor that was one size bigger than I thought I needed, wish now I had gone bigger still. The more I use it, the more I want it to do- but I'm probably at my limit. These things get very tippy in an instant, especially with a FEL (which you want and will use constantly).

Good luck with the purchase, sounds like a neat place.

Thanks! What size did you choose, and what reasons make you wish you had a bigger one?

I'll remember the tire comment as an option. I wish there was more concrete info on Center of Gravity dimensions, because that would change my thinking a bit if I knew whether the B01-LX-L were more or less tippy than the others.