20 Acres Mostly pine. Need tractor

[ke5wwx]

Hello, I am new too this forum. Last year, I purchased my Grandparents property, consisting of 20 acres. 15 of the 20 is planted pine. I us a M8560 with loader at my job cleaning land etc. But have never personally owned a tractor.

I am so confused on my actual needs vs. wants. IE: Am I over killing thinking I need something like a L5060. OR Do I just need a Standard L series.

I plan to mow a few acres. Do a lot of cleanup with grapple. Cutting trees down. Moving limbs when they fall. Mow in between the rows of pine trees.

I will be doing more loader work then 3 point implements.

I am just soo worried about getting something too small. Since I work with a 8560 I am thinking about something that is around 50hp.

Just curious what some of you use with around 20 acres and do a lot of loader work. Maybe that is a vague question. Like I said, I am a newbie own here. Or does anyone have any suggestions.

Tyler

 

[Missouribound]

If you are going to "mow" a few acres, do you mean a lawn or just areas that aren't wooded? Are you wanting a finish cut or rough cut?
An L machine is a fine machine but not that maneuverable for lawn care. You will wind up trimming and mowing with a smaller machine before you bring it in. If the area is small and smooth like a lawn buy a mower for that area. Save the money for attachments you will want / need for the bigger jobs. Maybe a backhoe is something you want. Perhaps other 3 point implements to make handling your wooded area easier.

And as far as size.....nobody ever said "Gee...I wish I bought a smaller tractor".

 

[ke5wwx]

Rough cutting threw woods. Rough cut. I am going to be doing a lot of loader work with grapple. That is why I am thinking the Standard L, Other then the 4701 might be a bit too small due too there loader capacity.

 

[D2Cat]

If you're going to be working in 15 ac. of pine, you might want to be sure the tractor fits between the pine trees! That leave 5 acres. You need a 50 HP tractor....really?

 

[ke5wwx]

Yes it will.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

What are you picking up with the grapple? Logs, brush, rocks.... I would size the tractor to what you are using it for. If you google "log weight" you can can find a bunch of sites that will give you log weights based on species, diameter and length.

 

[afret]

I have almost 11 acres which were all heavily wooded with pine trees (lodgepole, Douglas fir, ponderosa, grand fir). I thinned out about 3 acres around the house.

I started with an L3901 but ended up getting a MX5800. I wanted HST and no cab and needed the PTO power to really run the wood chipper and a FEL that can pick up heavier things like some of the large rocks we have up here in North ID. The MX can fit pretty much go where the L3901 went in-between the trees. I think it's better to just get the biggest tractor that will fit the area you're working in and be done with it.

I don't think the L3901 could lift this half of a double stump that I dug up with my mini ex:

 

[Ridger]

I would suggest the MX5200.

 

[scdeerslayer]

If you don't want/need a cab or any of the "extras" the grand L series offers, and you want a 50 HP, I would also suggest an MX tractor.

 

[helomech]

My MX-5100 fits between the rows of my 64 acre pine plantation.

 

[workhorse]

Other than space between trees, you will never regret going to big!!

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