# Tractor recommendations?



## Forty Niner (Nov 15, 2022)

We bought a house that is on 7 very wooded acres.  The land was overgrown with yaupon understory and had many dead trees.
I employed a contractor to take out the dead trees and mulch the understory, so now the place looks better.   It will be up to me to keep it groomed, so I need something larger than a lawn tractor and smaller than my 50hp Kabota that I keep on a separate property.
I'll be fighting the yaupon in the spring as it pokes up from the mulch.  There are many trees to go around and between.
I am thinking that a 26-30hp hydrostatic drive 4x4 tractor with a hefty shredder will do the job.
I know there are many tractor owners and am looking for suggestions, including what attachments/ accessories to get with it.


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## Mill Lee farm (Nov 15, 2022)

I get along pretty well with my Korean Kioti compact tractor. (CK20HST) While I’d probably prefer a Kabota, the 50%-100% price premium had me happy with my choice. 
(Basically, a sub-compact Kabota was the same $$$ as my compact Kioti)

I run a 60” brushhog (rotary mower) ok but it’s at it’s limit power wise. Just go slower if its loading down. 
Sometimes I’d like more power but a bigger tractor wouldn’t be near as maneuverable in my mostly tight quarters 17 acres. I do feel a subcompact is too small though.

Although hydrostatic does de-rate your available horsepower, I would never get a tractor without it.  
So many different situations where shifting gears forward/reverse would just be so slow and annoying… not to mention working the clutch all the time. To each their own though. 

My Mennonite neighbors prefer the gear tractors. Their grandfathers used them and so do they! Ha!


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## Gaffer (Nov 15, 2022)

I have a Kubota B2620, 26 HP w/ 19HP PTO, 4X4, hydrostatic. I wouldn't recommend a smaller tractor. I love it and use it to maintain my 2.5 acres. My brush is nowhere near as dense as yours. I have several attachments, but you want a brush hog-type mower. I also recommend a landscape rake and maybe a box blade/ripper, but that will depend on your needs.


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## K30 (Nov 15, 2022)

I would not recommend a Mahindra in that size. The Kubotas and Deeres are both good if a little light (I'd run beet juice and wheel weights).


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## twraska (Nov 15, 2022)

I’ll second the Kubota or,,,, take a look at the Deere in the same hp range.


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## K30 (Nov 15, 2022)

Oh, do not under any condition buy a Frontier brush hog. Edit: they're velveeta grade. I have absolutely destroyed one behind a 4520 compact. It is nowhere near heavy enough to run around trees. I can't tell you how many times I've had to weld on, straighten, or sledehammer it back into shape.
You won't want a big enough one to buy a "real" one like an MX-6. If you found an MX-5 that wouldn't be a bad buy, but it'd be on the spendy side. I wouldn't be afraid of a used one of those.
The Kubota ones I don't mind, I'm pretty sure they're made by Land Pride here in KS. They're built a lot better than the rest of the homeowner grade ones. Still way lighter than an MX.


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## Al 1 (Nov 15, 2022)

Kubota 2920 here.   Very nice.   Al.


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## mmcmdl (Nov 15, 2022)

Had a 7610 and now have my 7510 Kubota . Use it every day for chores outside .


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## Reddinr (Nov 15, 2022)

Kubota 2410 here.  About 20 years old for a 10 Acre spread.  Has been bullet proof.   Worth it's weight in gold.  Also have a 48" land pride brush hog.  Very handy for the PNW berry bushes etc.

I've considered upsizing except that I can get into some tight spaces with this "little" tractor.  So, I've kept it.


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## Martin W (Nov 15, 2022)

I’m old school. On my farm I like the older IH 84 tractors. 184,384,484,584,684. Or the old White or Oliver, or Cockshutt 1350 with the Fiat diesel Parts are still available and they will outlast most new tractors IMHO.
Martin


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## Bone Head (Nov 16, 2022)

I'd steer clear of new Deeres.  They've got their "software" to a point where only they can unlock it for repairs, updates and the like and refuse to share info for owners to do their own repairs.  Which gets expensive.  They're expensive to begin with, and to tell me to spend that much and not allowed to do my own work?  No...
Older IH is preferable.  Aftermarket offers all sorts of parts.


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## Jubil (Nov 16, 2022)

I’ve been doing the same thing that you are planning for about 25 years. Yaupon and bamboo poles are a never ending battle here. Found a new “invasive” plant on the place last year, Chinese Parasol Tree. (But that’s a different subject)
I use a 1953 Ford Jubilee. A real workhorse. Of course it doesn’t have a loader, but that’s the only reason for me to want a newer tractor. Power steering would be really, really, really nice. And maybe some lower gear ratios for getting around the tight places better. Never used hydrostatic, so I can’t advise on that except a friend said it is better for loader work and not so good for mowing, plowing, etc.  


Chuck


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## rwdenney (Nov 16, 2022)

Forty Niner said:


> We bought a house that is on 7 very wooded acres.  The land was overgrown with yaupon understory and had many dead trees.
> I employed a contractor to take out the dead trees and mulch the understory, so now the place looks better.   It will be up to me to keep it groomed, so I need something larger than a lawn tractor and smaller than my 50hp Kabota that I keep on a separate property.
> I'll be fighting the yaupon in the spring as it pokes up from the mulch.  There are many trees to go around and between.
> I am thinking that a 26-30hp hydrostatic drive 4x4 tractor with a hefty shredder will do the job.
> I know there are many tractor owners and am looking for suggestions, including what attachments/ accessories to get with it.



Similar set of use cases here. 

I own a Kubota BX2660 sub-compact utility tractor. It’s maybe a dozen years old now, but the current model (BX2680?) hasn’t changed much. 

26 HP, selectable 4WD, front loader, finish mowing deck (60”), and three-point hitch. For the hitch, I have a landscape rake, a pine-straw rake, and a blade. The rear tires are filled with antifreeze for back weight, and I’ve never had a problem with that. But I won’t use the loader for moving a South Bend 14-1/2” lathe 

For trees, I use the front loader to pick up and stack or load log sections that are about 3’ in length and up to 24” in diameter. A pair of BXpanded pallet forks help with picking up brush piles, but won’t help with picking up a South Bend 14-1/2” lathe 









						Quick-On Pallet/Brush Forks
					





					www.bxpanded.com
				




I don’t have a chipper that’s big enough to do any good and getting one that was big enough would be seriously expensive. The usual “up to 4 inch” models I see are not useful for the pine trees and Russian Olive bushes I’m dealing with. Those require chippers usually mounted on highway-use trailers. Other suggestions upthread might be better. 

But I can push the piles I make to a burn pile, or to where I can pick it up with the front loader and put it on my trailer. The front loader is good for loading, but also from compressing down the loaded branches. 

Finally, I have a Ratchet Rake attachment for my front-loader bucket that really works for clearing brush up to an inch or so. 



			Ratchet Rake, LLC - All Terrain Rake, Snow Edge, Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New H
		


Rick “with about 3000 trees, 3 acres of mowing, and a long driveway to maintain” Denney


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## Gaffer (Nov 16, 2022)

rwdenney said:


> Similar set of use cases here.
> 
> I own a Kubota BX2660 sub-compact utility tractor. It’s maybe a dozen years old now, but the current model (BX2680?) hasn’t changed much.
> 
> ...


I haven't seen the ratchet rake before. Clever.


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## 7milesup (Nov 16, 2022)

I owned a BX2380 for about 4 years.  It was flawless and loved it.  Last winter I sold it and purchased a Kubota B2601.  For such a small step up in horsepower, it was a huge step up in tractor weight and lifting capacity of the loader.  I would recommend getting *BXpanded Piranha tooth bar* for your bucket.  They save your loader wear edge and they take out small trees like no tomorrow.  
I built a rather heavy-duty land plane for use on our driveway.  If you want pictures I can post them.  I also have a set of pallet forks because of the SSQA on my tractor, a 6ft homemade snow plow and a 4ft King Kutter brush hog.  I would highly recommend the SSQA.  
There are two things I don't like about my new Kubota  1.)  The rubber floor mat on the operator's station comes loose and bunches up.  I am definitely going to replace it with something else.  2.)  I do not like how they routed the loader control.  It is very easy for me to hit with my leg and end up with the loader in an odd position, especially when backing up.  
A lot of guys like the old-school tractors but not me.  I grew up on a large farm, and I have run everything from a John Deere B up to modern machines.  My little Kubota can run circles around an older tractor, especially one with only rear-wheel drive.  The 4WD is a game changer.


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## Toro5xi (Nov 16, 2022)

I’m partial to Kubota but probably because my father in law has John Deere.
If your gonna keep the big Kubota, I would also look at Ventrac.
Had a Ventrac when we lived in Ohio.  The attachments are very versatile.  I addition to the snow plow and front mower deck we also had the stump grinder.  Worked really well and the turning radius was very friendly.  If your dealing with hills it is a very stable platform.
I currently have a Kubota BX1880.  Great little tractor but huge overkill for my 1/2 acre lot.


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## FOMOGO (Nov 16, 2022)

Here's what real men use. It does appear to have power steering, and never worry about flats, or expensive tires again. Software upgrades are few and far between.  Mike


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## twraska (Nov 16, 2022)

Bone Head said:


> I'd steer clear of new Deeres.  They've got their "software" to a point where only they can unlock it for repairs, updates and the like and refuse to share info for owners to do their own repairs.  Which gets expensive.  They're expensive to begin with, and to tell me to spend that much and not allowed to do my own work?  No...
> Older IH is preferable.  Aftermarket offers all sorts of parts.


Pretty much all new tractors meeting tier 4b emissions will have locked electronics. A few have filed suit against Deere to make them post source codes so others can build diagnostics programs.


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## ArmyDoc (Nov 16, 2022)

I'm going to make a different recommendation.  For signficant brush and scrubby growth, as opposed to pasture managment, I would recommend a skid steer with a brush mower in front.  I have been down this road.  Driving a tractor over brush to get the brushmower to cut it down is asking for trouble.  The brush can rip out lines etc as you drive over it.  Hitting it with a hydraulic brushmower mounted upfront works much better.  Some tractors have the hydraulics to do this, but all skid steers or bobcat telehandlers do.


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## Forty Niner (Nov 16, 2022)

ArmyDoc said:


> I'm going to make a different recommendation.  For signficant brush and scrubby growth, as opposed to pasture managment, I would recommend a skid steer with a brush mower in front.  I have been down this road.  Driving a tractor over brush to get the brushmower to cut it down is asking for trouble.  The brush can rip out lines etc as you drive over it.  Hitting it with a hydraulic brushmower mounted upfront works much better.  Some tractors have the hydraulics to do this, but all skid steers or bobcat telehandlers do.


Thanks for mentioning the alternative.  My brush was cleared using skitd steers with tracks.  Their power and maneuverability are impressive for sure.  I have pondered the Bobcat with the brush mower on the front, and I'm sure I would like that.... But the cost of a Bobcat, with mower, and tracks.....  would be quite higher than any tractor mentioned.   We have a lot of sand and a regular skid steer without tracks would get stuck for sure.


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## ArmyDoc (Nov 16, 2022)

Forty Niner said:


> Thanks for mentioning the alternative.  My brush was cleared using skitd steers with tracks.  Their power and maneuverability are impressive for sure.  I have pondered the Bobcat with the brush mower on the front, and I'm sure I would like that.... But the cost of a Bobcat, with mower, and tracks.....  would be quite higher than any tractor mentioned.   We have a lot of sand and a regular skid steer without tracks would get stuck for sure.


I have a v519 telehandler.  Extremely capable machine, but larger than you need (I have almost 200 acres of forest)  I would look for a low hour v417, it would probably meet your needs quite nicely.  Wheeled vehicles, but with the telescoping front arm, I doubt you are ever going to get stuck.  There's a great thread on them here:  TracytorByNet Compact telehandler thread


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## Manual Mac (Nov 16, 2022)

This is Mister Orange, my B7500 HST, 21horse Kubota. I’ve had it 15 or so years, same tractor as mmcmdl has, but has round headlights.
The green alder log on my home-built forks is 8’ long & 18” diameter & she moves it around pretty easily, much more than that I think would put too much stress on the little guy.
This’ll give you some perspective on tractor size.
With bucket top slobber boards & forks you can pack or push a lotta brush.
I also have a 4’ box blade (a must have) & brush hog & roto tiller for it.
I also use it for fencing, etc, etc.
This size is perfect for me, and what I do, & has been the most trouble-free tool (knock wood) I’ve ever owned.
your needs might be different.
Cheers


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## mmcmdl (Nov 16, 2022)

The B7510 has moved so much wood and logs this past summer . Tows all the trailers , the log splitter , etc . Attachments are rake , grader box , post hole digger , undermount 60" deck and the stump grinder . My B7610 had Ag tires , the 7510 is a Turf Special and used daily with 410 hrs now after 10 years of service . Never any issues other than keeping the fluids clean .


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## 7milesup (Nov 16, 2022)

Manual Mac said:


> This is Mister Orange, my B7500 HST, 21horse Kubota. I’ve had it 15 or so years, same tractor as mmcmdl has, but has round headlights.
> The green alder log on my home-built forks is 8’ long & 18” diameter & she moves it around pretty easily, much more than that I think would put too much stress on the little guy.
> This’ll give you some perspective on tractor size.
> With bucket top slobber boards & forks you can pack or push a lotta brush.
> ...


That is funny you posted the picture of the log.  I just took one the other day too!

The other picture is of my brother's farm a few years ago.  They have since upsized a bit.


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## twraska (Nov 16, 2022)

ArmyDoc said:


> I'm going to make a different recommendation.  For signficant brush and scrubby growth, as opposed to pasture managment, I would recommend a skid steer with a brush mower in front.  I have been down this road.  Driving a tractor over brush to get the brushmower to cut it down is asking for trouble.  The brush can rip out lines etc as you drive over it.  Hitting it with a hydraulic brushmower mounted upfront works much better.  Some tractors have the hydraulics to do this, but all skid steers or bobcat telehandlers do.


Skidded with hydraulic mower is slow and inefficient compared to same hp tractor.


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## strantor (Nov 17, 2022)

Check out LS tractors, especially if you're looking at New Holland or IH. LS makes the tractors for both those brands (in the HP range being discussed). All 3 brands come off the same assembly line in Korea but the two "American" tractors get a different paint job and a weaker loader put on and sold at a higher price. 

My LS XR4140 (40HP) cost less than a 20-25HP Kubota when I bought it. It's a great machine, no issues. The construction of the loader in particular is better than any in its class. 

What's the catch? Well, for a lot (most?) folks, dealer service dependability is as important as the color. When you buy a Kubota from the Kubota dealership just down the road, you know you're getting an excellent machine from a dealer that will almost certainly still be there 20 years later and almost certainly still offer the same great level of service as all the other Kubota dealerships across the country. LS aren't quite there yet. They're sold at mom & pop dealers of hit-or-miss repute. They're often sold on the same lot as other tractors of other small/off-name brands and there may or may not be at least one tech in their shop certified to work on them. They could stop selling LS at any time, and what does that mean for service? If you explore the option, do your homework on the dealer.

I got a great machine at a great price and I'm not afraid to service it myself, so that aspect didn't haunt me much. I know I can get parts from the New Holland dealer if I tell them it's for a NH Boomer 40.


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## K30 (Nov 17, 2022)

strantor said:


> Check out LS tractors, especially if you're looking at New Holland or IH. LS makes the tractors for both those brands (in the HP range being discussed). All 3 brands come off the same assembly line in Korea but the two "American" tractors get a different paint job and a weaker loader put on and sold at a higher price.



May also apply to Branson and Bobcat ones. I think my deere 4XXX might be the only one thats not Korea built (maybe Kubota, they're building some equipment here in KS). It rolled off the line in Georgia. I've not really ever heard of many complaints about any of the Korean built mini-tractors. Mahindra has been another story


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## ArmyDoc (Nov 17, 2022)

twraska said:


> Skidded with hydraulic mower is slow and inefficient compared to same hp tractor.


Original poster said, "7 very wooded acres. The land was overgrown with yaupon understory and had many dead trees."  I do not think your statement is true in that setting.  In that setting, a hydraulic brushcutter on a skid or telehandler will clear brush and small trees that a tractor double the Hp will not clear using a pull behind brush mower.  (yes, you can back a pull behind brush cutter on a tractor up to cut that stuff, but then it will NOT be faster than a skid or telehandler driving forward) I agree, once land is cleared and you have pasture that you can safely drive a tractor over, that a tractor will be faster.  
I use a 70 hp Bobcat v519 telehandler,  pushing a 7ft brush-cutter up front.   I've taken down 4-5 inch sweet gum with it, and even larger pine with it without any problem.  I could not have cleared my land as efficiently with a tractor as I have with the telehandler. (yes, I've used both on the same parcel of land.)


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## Nutfarmer (Nov 17, 2022)

Stay away from any of the new tier 4 engines unless you buy an extended warranty. The electronics are not reliable and costly to repare. I know home owners love the smaller Kubota , but in a commercial farm mine doesn't hold up. It's too light for the horse power, the transmission over heats,the hyd.pump went out in under 2000 hours.  Kubota parts are costly.  John Deere or Cat parts are less costly.


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## twraska (Nov 17, 2022)

ArmyDoc said:


> Original poster said, "7 very wooded acres. The land was overgrown with yaupon understory and had many dead trees."  I do not think your statement is true in that setting.  In that setting, a hydraulic brushcutter on a skid or telehandler will clear brush and small trees that a tractor double the Hp will not clear using a pull behind brush mower.  (yes, you can back a pull behind brush cutter on a tractor up to cut that stuff, but then it will NOT be faster than a skid or telehandler driving forward) I agree, once land is cleared and you have pasture that you can safely drive a tractor over, that a tractor will be faster.
> I use a 70 hp Bobcat v519 telehandler,  pushing a 7ft brush-cutter up front.   I've taken down 4-5 inch sweet gum with it, and even larger pine with it without any problem.  I could not have cleared my land as efficiently with a tractor as I have with the telehandler. (yes, I've used both on the same parcel of land.)


The OP said he had a contractor come in and clean it up. He’s looking to maintain the place, only 7 acres and he had a bigger tractor at another location, just didn’t want to move it all the time.


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## strantor (Nov 17, 2022)

K30 said:


> May also apply to Branson and Bobcat ones. I think my deere 4XXX might be the only one thats not Korea built (maybe Kubota, they're building some equipment here in KS). It rolled off the line in Georgia. I've not really ever heard of many complaints about any of the Korean built mini-tractors. Mahindra has been another story


Yes, I was least impressed with Mahindra when I looked at them. They did not seem very solid. Made in India if I'm not mistaken.

I forgot about Branson. My neighbor has one and he seems to like it. My other neighbor has a Kioti that is over 20 years old and still works fine.

If you want [made in America] and at the same time [not intentionally designed to be unserviceable by the owner] then your options are all second hand on Craigslist.


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## rwdenney (Nov 17, 2022)

I’ve never had a problem getting Kubota parts, and I’ve had to buy few enough of them that the price wasn’t an issue. The US-made Yazoo-Kees commercial mower I maintained for my church was another matter, even after I figured out how Husqvarna changed the product codes when they acquired YK. Yeah, I know it’s  not a fair comparison, but the YK looked shop-built in comparison to the Kubota we bought to replace it, and not in a good way. 

Skid loaders tear up the surface they are working on. They are great for heavy stuff but they’ll rip grass right out of the ground. And they are too heavy for turf maintenance. 

If finish mowing is a use case, stick with a small tractor and get a belly deck at time of purchase. If finish mowing under trees is part of that, you’ll appreciate a smaller tractor with a fold-over ROPS, which all the newer Kubota subs have. I keep a smaller Kubota lawn tractor in service just because it’s easy to drive it under tree limbs. 

Rick “former forests are rough” Denney


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## K30 (Nov 17, 2022)

strantor said:


> Yes, I was least impressed with Mahindra when I looked at them. They did not seem very solid. Made in India if I'm not mistaken.


The bigger ones, 50ish+ hp seem to be ok, and are pretty stout, but the wee ones are gawdawful


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## strantor (Nov 17, 2022)

K30 said:


> The bigger ones, 50ish+ hp seem to be ok, and are pretty stout, but the wee ones are gawdawful


I wasn't looking for a specific HP, just a specific lifting capacity, as I intended to use mine >50% of the time as an off road forklift. I think on paper the Mahindra outperformed the LS I bought, but when I went and laid eyes on the Mahindra (don't remember the HP) the FEL bucket was made of stamped sheet metal. With that experience under my belt I quit looking at spec sheets and started driving around looking at *tractors*. Of what I looked at, nothing was beefier than the LS loader. They use 3/4" plate steel where others use thin wall tube and 1/4" plate (and JD strangely used cast iron). If FEL capacity is a parameter of interest, take these pictures along on your shopping excursions and compare to what you find out there:


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## Tight Square (Nov 17, 2022)

Forty Niner said:


> We bought a house that is on 7 very wooded acres.  The land was overgrown with yaupon understory and had many dead trees.
> I employed a contractor to take out the dead trees and mulch the understory, so now the place looks better.   It will be up to me to keep it groomed, so I need something larger than a lawn tractor and smaller than my 50hp Kabota that I keep on a separate property.
> I'll be fighting the yaupon in the spring as it pokes up from the mulch.  There are many trees to go around and between.
> I am thinking that a 26-30hp hydrostatic drive 4x4 tractor with a hefty shredder will do the job.
> I know there are many tractor owners and am looking for suggestions, including what attachments/ accessories to get with it.


It really depends what are you going to do. I use my Kubota MX5200 (50HP 4x4) with a backhoe attachment to go around my property. I can remove dead trees and their stumps. I have a wood chipper, a brush hog, and a mulcher And the tractor doesn’t even flinch.
You also have to consider your driveway, do you have room to push the snow? Do you have to blow it off? 
I frequently use it to lift material off my trailer or close to the lathe or mill. I want to install a crane in the shop but for now the tractor helps me with the heavy stuff
I set up my lathe with my MX5200, but I definitely could not move my mill. I had to request help from  neighbor with a 70HP tractor. 
No one but you can decide the budget and uses for the tractor.


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## Forty Niner (Dec 1, 2022)

mmcmdl said:


> Had a 7610 and now have my 7510 Kubota . Use it every day for chores outside .



In other threads you have mentioned that you fairly recently bought a stump grinder to use with your tractor.   How's that working out on a 25hp tractor?
I ask because the local Kubota salesman thinks the tractor I was contemplating (at 24.5 hp) would not be very good for a stump grinder attachment.
Thanks


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## mmcmdl (Dec 1, 2022)

Forty Niner said:


> In other threads you have mentioned that you fairly recently bought a stump grinder to use with your tractor. How's that working out on a 25hp tractor?
> I ask because the local Kubota salesman thinks the tractor I was contemplating (at 24.5 hp) would not be very good for a stump grinder attachment.
> Thanks


I use the grinder on a 21HP Kubota . No issues what so ever . It is a Woodland Mills out of Canada . I definately recommend this thing BTW owning one .









						WG24 Stump Grinder
					






					woodlandmills.com
				




Edit . The tractor I own is a B7510 which is bigger than a BX . You can get a BX with more HP but not sure how it would handle the grinder weight itself .


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## GT-6 Racer (Dec 1, 2022)

I can’t say enough about my 4WD JD 5205.  With a loader and hoe, it’s perfect for my 13 acre chunk of Ohio.  Mows, ditches, plows, lifts about 3600 lbs on the loader.  Way more stout than the neighbor’s similar hp Mahindra.  Yes JD is expensive, but…. As usual you get what you pay for.  I grew up with old iron, Case and IH.  The newer stuff is so much easier to manage.


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