[blsjds]

First off - I love this site and have spent a lot of time looking up information. It is more than my feeble brain can handle, and of course now I have questions, mostly about accessories for ground engaging activities (hopefully I said that correctly).

I am looking for a garden tractor (I think) that will be able to handle the following:

- Cut 3 acres of regular grass (mostly flat land, but there is a somewhat steep hill leading up to the road). Some parts of the lawn stay damp / a little mushy after a lot of rain. Not a lot of obstacles.
- Occasionally cut up to an additional 6 acres of field grass (some of which is in a very saturated area). Would I be better served with a brush hog type attachment or can the mower deck handle it?
- Pull some type of tiller attachment for a small food plot (1/4 acre), and a small motocross track.

Basically, the main use will be lawn cutting. But I want to be able to cut down the field a few times a year (with either the tractor itself or a brush hog) and pull a tiller for a food plot and motocross track. I do not need it for snow removal.

Would I be able to hook up those type of accessories to a garden tractor (like the JD X500 series) or am I looking at a SCUT?

Thanks in advance!
Dan

 

[CCMoe]

I would say you are looking at something larger than garden tractor.

Something with ground clearance, 4WD, 3PH, FEL.

I have a JD455 and I think you are above that with your conditions and area that you are trying to cover.

CCMoe

 

[blsjds]

Thanks CCMoe - I think you are right. 4WD will be necessary for the slop out back and the 3PH is probably needed to handle the brush hogging and tilling that I want to do.

And with the ground clearance when the deck is not attached, I could definitely use it in the wooded areas (that are also wet / muddy).

If that's the case, then I could probably get rid of my Honda Rubicon ATV and use some of that money to fund a SCUT.

How are the sub compacts for lawn cutting?

 

[Steve Urquell]

Moe, do you think a heavy SCUT or CUT will sink in his lawn? Lotta weight for damp lawn.

 

[CCMoe]

Moe, do you think a heavy SCUT or CUT will sink in his lawn? Lotta weight for damp lawn.

That's true but for what he wants to do I think it would be a long day trying to get through those six acres from time to time.

I was also reflecting on this past summer when I got to close to corn field I was mowing next to after a big rain. I was on my Ingersoll 4018, 48" deck, I got right side tires in the muck and got sucked in. The 4018 has the big tires on it but the mid mount deck had me stuck tight. I tried to use my truck to pull it out on the grass and about got it stuck also, 2WD Ford F150. I had to use a come-a-long hooked to a tree to pull it out. WE got seven inches of rain in a few days.

That being said, I think he would benefit from the brush hog raising up higher, ground clearance and 4WD. If he had to, he could unhook the brush hog and drive out.

I had a JD4440 with a disc in a wet spot on a field hillside that I didn't think I was going to get out years ago, mid '80's.

CCMoe

He'll just have some tall grass in spots or a Green, Yellow or Orange yard ornament!

 

[TUDOR]

Moe, do you think a heavy SCUT or CUT will sink in his lawn? Lotta weight for damp lawn.

Heavy GTs go around 900-1200 lb. SCUTs are only 200-500 lb more, and on the same size tires. CUTs are at least 300 lb heavier than SCUTs but have larger diameter tires. Mowers and other attachments add to those weights.

 

[Obscured_by_Clouds]

My LS MT125 is around 2,000 pounds with the FEL and MMM attached, less the 200+ load of blubber in the seat. The R4s are fairly wide tracking, but I still leave visible tracks in soft ground. Wet, muddy ground ..... I avoid.

 

[blsjds]

Moe, do you think a heavy SCUT or CUT will sink in his lawn? Lotta weight for damp lawn.

I think for most of the lawn, it would be fine a day or two after even a heavy rain. But there is a small section (roughly 50' x 25') that gets pretty soaked and would need to be avoided for a few days.

That's true but for what he wants to do I think it would be a long day trying to get through those six acres from time to time.

I was also reflecting on this past summer when I got to close to corn field I was mowing next to after a big rain. I was on my Ingersoll 4018, 48" deck, I got right side tires in the muck and got sucked in. The 4018 has the big tires on it but the mid mount deck had me stuck tight. I tried to use my truck to pull it out on the grass and about got it stuck also, 2WD Ford F150. I had to use a come-a-long hooked to a tree to pull it out. WE got seven inches of rain in a few days.

That being said, I think he would benefit from the brush hog raising up higher, ground clearance and 4WD. If he had to, he could unhook the brush hog and drive out.

I had a JD4440 with a disc in a wet spot on a field hillside that I didn't think I was going to get out years ago, mid '80's.

CCMoe

He'll just have some tall grass in spots or a Green, Yellow or Orange yard ornament!

Too funny! A very expensive ornament ha ha

For the brush hogging, would it be better to tow something behind the ATV (one of those self powered units)?

My LS MT125 is around 2,000 pounds with the FEL and MMM attached, less the 200+ load of blubber in the seat. The R4s are fairly wide tracking, but I still leave visible tracks in soft ground. Wet, muddy ground ..... I avoid.

Agreed - after a lot of rain (which we certainly got this year), parts of the field get really wet and muddy; I would avoid entirely if possible.

 

[RT3360]

First off - I love this site and have spent a lot of time looking up information. It is more than my feeble brain can handle, and of course now I have questions, mostly about accessories for ground engaging activities (hopefully I said that correctly).

I am looking for a garden tractor (I think) that will be able to handle the following:

- Cut 3 acres of regular grass (mostly flat land, but there is a somewhat steep hill leading up to the road). Some parts of the lawn stay damp / a little mushy after a lot of rain. Not a lot of obstacles.
- Occasionally cut up to an additional 6 acres of field grass (some of which is in a very saturated area). Would I be better served with a brush hog type attachment or can the mower deck handle it?
- Pull some type of tiller attachment for a small food plot (1/4 acre), and a small motocross track.

Basically, the main use will be lawn cutting. But I want to be able to cut down the field a few times a year (with either the tractor itself or a brush hog) and pull a tiller for a food plot and motocross track. I do not need it for snow removal.

Would I be able to hook up those type of accessories to a garden tractor (like the JD X500 series) or am I looking at a SCUT?

Thanks in advance!
Dan

There are a lot of things to consider, some obvious, some not. There are lots of threads on here to help you, but I'll list some.

1. Cut - evaluate the cut you get with each (scalping, evenness, discharge ease and distribution
2. Clearance Requirements - height (door openings, items overhead in storage, branch height) and width (storage door opening, gates to go through, distance between things in the yard)
3. How much time you have for each activity (smaller machines may be able to do the job in longer amounts of time than larger machines, other machines like a ZTR may get one task like mowing done faster)
4. Comfort (larger tires make for a smoother ride)
5. Wet areas (larger diameter and width tires will distribute the weight better allowing you to go through wet areas easier - look for #'s per sq in at the tires)
6. Power steering (decreases fatigue and sometimes makes the tractor more maneuverable)
7. Power attachment lift (decreases fatigue)
8. Weight (improves traction)
9. Slope angle (machines with a higher center of gravity CG will be less safe on steep slopes, remember to go up and down rather than across, weight makes a huge difference in stability)
10. Horsepower (higher HP makes the machine able to do more heavy weight tasks)
11. Expected length of life in your use (think of it as Return On Investment - some things won't last as long, but you may be able to buy two for the price of one or you will have to make a lot of repairs keeping it running)
12. How mechanical you are (Doing things yourself saves a lot of money)

My Husqvarna GTH27V52LS is not a Cadillac, but gives me one of the best cuts I've seen when it comes to mowing quality and does it fast. I use it to help a widow mow her 3 acre lawn. I can cut all of it in under 2 hours, while it took 6 using her 42" Yardman and it is a much smoother ride. It is not as heavy duty as an X5xx Deere, but was a lot less money. It needed repairs because of how the PO used/abused it. It has a fairly rugged 52" deck that seems to run at higher blade speed than many tractors giving great grass handling capability. However, the limited deck height lift doesn't allow for a high cut. I have used it to cut her 3 acre hay field with 10" high alfalfa grass mix 2-3 times each year after a local farmer takes the hay off. I have to go slower, since it is a field and not as smooth as the lawn.

My friend had an older GT type Cub Cadet that I helped with leaf duty a few Falls ago after shoulder replacement. The next Spring, he went out to mow and felt pain in his shoulder when he tried turning. He went out and looked at a Deere 1025R and a Kubota BX2380 (he thought the BX1880 might be too small). He decided on the Kubota and has been loving it every time he uses it. It, even though bigger, maneuvers better than the CC because of the power steering and is more rigid when connected to his Cyclone Rake Z10 lawn vac when full of damp oak leaves.

My son tried the BX2380 on his lawn and took down a couple of branches with the ROPS and it wouldn't fit under his kayaks on the front wall of his garage (only storage other than outside). He also didn't need the loader, but I think he would have if he had gotten it, to handle the wood used in his outdoor wood burner. Going up and down his steep slopes were no problem and safer than smaller tractors. Weight becomes your friend.

 

[blsjds]

Really good info and things to think about RT3360 - thank you!

 

[RT3360]

Really good info and things to think about RT3360 - thank you!

Glad to help. I'm sure I missed some really important things too, but it's at least a start for your thinking. I was really a novice when I bought my first tractor (Scotts) and it was all about the $$$ that I could afford, but growing up on the farm helped. Working through things over the years, as well as just getting older, has given me new perspectives/priorities. Having the opportunity to have and drive better machines has changed the way I see things now (mostly more expensive). :tango_face_smile:

Needs (both current and future) should drive your decisions. There are some great solutions out there, it's just about minimizing the expenses. Some things like ease of changing attachments will change how you use the machine and how often. I'm biased, but think Deere has thought that through the most, but then they have missed the mark on some operation issues.

Whatever you do, search the web and TEST DRIVE EVERYTHING YOU CAN!!!! I bought my Husqvarna from a dealer (farm implement), my X738 and my son's X730 off Craig's list. It's the only way to get a true feel. Using them at your place is MOST PREFERRED. If your reasonably handy, don't shy away from used. It will save you a lot of money. Drive new to see the latest features for understanding, but look at used with the features you want. It's not always about the warranty. Most GOOD tractors should last 20-30 years or more, but newer machines should have improvements, however, there can be tradeoffs the manufacturers make to keep cost down. Some can be costly down the road.

Bob

 

[blsjds]

Needs (both current and future) should drive your decisions. There are some great solutions out there, it's just about minimizing the expenses. Some things like ease of changing attachments will change how you use the machine and how often. I'm biased, but think Deere has thought that through the most, but then they have missed the mark on some operation issues.

Whatever you do, search the web and TEST DRIVE EVERYTHING YOU CAN!!!! I bought my Husqvarna from a dealer (farm implement), my X738 and my son's X730 off Craig's list. It's the only way to get a true feel. Using them at your place is MOST PREFERRED. If your reasonably handy, don't shy away from used. It will save you a lot of money. Drive new to see the latest features for understanding, but look at used with the features you want. It's not always about the warranty. Most GOOD tractors should last 20-30 years or more, but newer machines should have improvements, however, there can be tradeoffs the manufacturers make to keep cost down. Some can be costly down the road.

Bob

Really good advice - thanks again Bob! Especially the part about current AND future needs. Ideally, I only want to do this once

I consider myself mechanically inclined, so I'll keep an eye out for used stuff as well.

Tomorrow morning I am heading out to visit the JD, Kubota, Massey Ferguson, & Simplicity / Kioti dealers. I am fortunate that they are all within 45 minutes of my house.

Now I'll head over to the SCUT forum to bother them about how much rear PTO HP I'll need to run a tiller, brush hog, etc.

 

[RT3360]

Really good advice - thanks again Bob! Especially the part about current AND future needs. Ideally, I only want to do this once

I consider myself mechanically inclined, so I'll keep an eye out for used stuff as well.

Tomorrow morning I am heading out to visit the JD, Kubota, Massey Ferguson, & Simplicity / Kioti dealers. I am fortunate that they are all within 45 minutes of my house.

Now I'll head over to the SCUT forum to bother them about how much rear PTO HP I'll need to run a tiller, brush hog, etc.

I forgot to tell you about my friend using his BX2380 to finish mowing a part of a hay field. It was heavy growth hay that had been chopped with a brush hog before he went over it with his Kubota. It wasn’t cut close and there was heavy hay left behind by the chopper. The Kubota’s belly mower walked through it like it wasn’t even there.

I cut 10” hay/grass with my Husqvarna at 3.5” and only slowed down slightly.

So don’t jump to a conclusion that you will need a chopper for cleaning up the pasture. There are cases when you need them, but I haven’t heard you mention them yet and choppers take more horsepower to run than the belly mowers IMHO. Maybe try the belly mower and then decide.

 

[blsjds]

I forgot to tell you about my friend using his BX2380 to finish mowing a part of a hay field. It was heavy growth hay that had been chopped with a brush hog before he went over it with his Kubota. It wasn’t cut close and there was heavy hay left behind by the chopper. The Kubota’s belly mower walked through it like it wasn’t even there.

I cut 10” hay/grass with my Husqvarna at 3.5” and only slowed down slightly.

So don’t jump to a conclusion that you will need a chopper for cleaning up the pasture. There are cases when you need them, but I haven’t heard you mention them yet and choppers take more horsepower to run than the belly mowers IMHO. Maybe try the belly mower and then decide.

You might be right about that - there is nothing other than field grass out there. It would only really require a brush hog if it gets really high (and then I could borrow my buddy's brush hog ). I might be able to handle it once a month with just the mower attachment.

Thanks for mentioning that - I'm headed out now and that really helps!