1.33 acres, heavily wooded and overgrown... Need advice on a tractor purchase!

[michigander]

I have less land with B2601 I'm glad I have B for ground clearance and lift capacity.
I lifted hot tub off our deck last month motor was on far side.. it was a marginal lift.

This my 4th summer very happy with it. I dont need smaller and I don't need bigger,

 

[imnukensc]

A 2601 is overkill, IMO, and you for sure won't want a RFM with all those trees. Have the property cleared professionally or rent the equipment to do it, and then evaluate your tractor needs. I'd go with a BX, but not the 23s unless you plan on doing lots of BH work.

 

[Biker1mike]

The rear mount finishing mower will do a 1/3 acre in a heartbeat PROVIDED you do not have fencing, bird feeders, flowers or small trees. If you do have these things planned a small garden tractor may do a better job and cost is almost the same. You need some room to swing a rear mower around things.

Edit, I should have said this is in addition to the larger tractor.

 

[dirtydeed]

And sure, in the end, part of me just wants a tractor too

Absolutely nothing wrong with that statement right there! In fact, I'd encourage it.

All I meant was to say that renting a machine (like a mini-ex) for a week would get you vary far into your cleanup for very few dollars. Add a 20 yard dumpster to the effort to make it even easier. Then, enjoy tractorin' with whatever size machine you want.

I had a BX23 for many years. Did all kinds of work with it and made great money with it. It was little brute...

 

[OrangeKrush]

I've had the b7510 basically the new B series today for my 2 1/4 acres and although I wish I would have kept the 7510 ... there's nothing it did any better around my place than the BX.

If I were you I would go for the 2680 or 2380. Really the only convenience of 2680 over 2380 is the higher output of the rear PTO which doesn't sound like you really would have much use for. I think it was a $1000 upgrade and I had no idea it had no bearing on hydraulics or power other than the rear pto which I will probably never use around here. You could get the 2380 and another much needed Implement for that price difference and by not going for the 23s you could get a few nice implements in place of the BH, quite a few!

Don't forget the bigger the tractor the less you are going to be able to track through your yard when conditions are less than perfect.. meaning completely dry and hardened surface. That's why I now have a ZT and a tractor.

 

[GBJeffOH]

New member here!
My wife and I are under contract on a property in town, we settle next week!

The property was abandoned for 40 years and is in major need of attention. There is an old 1800s farmhouse that we will be renovating over the next year +, while the contractor is out there working on the structure, I'd like to put some time into reclaiming the lot.

There are a lot of old-growth trees on the property we'd like to preserve: pawpaw, black walnut, persimmon, trifoliate orange, poplar, boxwoods (40+ feet tall!), dogwoods, redbuds, cedar, and many more I have yet to identify. The ivy and vines are strangling the trees though, and there are a lot of small saplings that should be removed as well. I'd like to cut a few trails through the back of the lot too.

I've been looking at the B2601 with the front end loader, rear finish mower, and a rotary cutter. I'd also consider a 3rd function and grapple, a box blade, and a land rake (this is all getting expensive haha)...

Is this tractor overkill for only 1.33 acres?? I am approaching information overload on YouTube, Reddit, Forums, etc. So many people just reference acreage when suggesting tractor models, "B2601 for 5-10 acres, BX for under 3 acres, etc..." - I'm assuming this means overall for fields, pasture, etc. 1 acre of woods can be more work for a tractor than 5 acres of fields, I'd imagine?

I'm going to a dealership next week to see the BX and B side by side. That might help me make a decision, but I would like some opinions to further overload my brain before I go!

The primary uses for the tractor:
Finish mowing the lawn (less than 1/4 acre)
Removing cut trees
Removing brush
Cutting trails
Hauling and spreading gravel for driveway
Occasional snow removal (we get a decent snow fall once every 5 years)
Hauling and spreading mulch
Hualing and spreading compost
Maintaining a vegetable garden
And of course, NOT pulling my nephew around in a wagon

Let me know what you think.
B2601?
BX2680?

Something entirely different??

Also worth noting, I visiting a John Deere and New Holland dealership already. I haven't fully ruled them out yet, but I'm leaning more towards the orange tractor now... I like the size of the B2601, and the BX for the value. I guess the test drive and dealer experience next week will be the deciding factor!

The loader on a BX can pick 423 lbs. That is low and close.
I think you need bigger for the woods.

 

[Henro]

1) don't bother with any 'mower' to cut the '<1/4ac of lawn'. Any cheapy rider will do that chore.

This is what my son in law did, and I have never heard a regret...great advice.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

When I bought the BX23S ,FIRST thing sales guy said... 'options, do you want the MMM ?' Yeesh, at $2500 CDN I could buy a lifetime of ' beater riders' and STILL have $1000 or more in the bank. I bought the tractor to dig and move stuff, neither loader nor backhoe have ever been off in 800+hrs/ 4 yrs. Having a dedicated rider for grass cutting means BOTH tractor AND mower are available ( so someone else can cut grass, while I'm having fun....).
I also have a dedicated snowblowing rider, again CHEAP and NO PITA changing implements. None of us are getting younger, the older we get.
I've only been stuck once and that was in a real boggy mell of a hess area(my fault.cause it 'looked ok...'.), my tractor has a factory guard around the fan(think they all do now ??)
yes, B26.. could be better but depends on actual use. I've cleared out 2ac of motocross trails in heavy wooded lot and 'bigger' would not have been 'better'..had to go snail slow.

 

[Henro]

my tractor has a factory guard around the fan(think they all do now ??)

I know the BX23S factory guard is lacking as far as great protection for the fan goes. Offers nothing like what the aftermarket guard provides...better than nothing, but why take the chance? The aftermarket addition is not that expensive...

 

[PaulL]

I'd go with a B2601. It's only a little more money than a BX, and it's quite a bit more capable. As others have said, the ground clearance makes a big difference, and it has enough lift capacity to run a grapple.

I agree with others - most of the work you describe isn't tractor work. My thoughts on your implement list:

• On 1.33 acres, you don't need a rotary cutter. Rotary cutters are only for land that gets mowed infrequently. Each area you clear will become part of the land you mow regularly (weekly maybe, but certainly at least monthly). A MMM or RFM will work fine
• Depending on what sort of trees you have, you want to work out whether a MMM or an RFM is better. An RFM is good for pushing under low trees. A MMM is good for weaving amongst tall trees. Depends what sort of area you have. Your significant other is likely to be more comfortable mowing with a MMM, so if you're working all day a MMM may take one chore off your list. Of course, a cheap ride on also works....personally I like driving my tractor, I don't want to spend time on a cheap ride on
• You need a front end loader. You probably need forks. You may not need a grapple - they're excellent, but I live fine without one
• Consider a chipper, you're going to have a lot of waste, and depending on where you live burning may not be an option. Mulch from a chipper is really useful
• I personally think a land rake is overrated. I have one, I've used it once. There may be some talent issues with my use of it, but I find it hangs up on roots and stuff (no good around trees) and pulls up my turf if I use it on the lawn.
• You need ballast. People will tell you to fill the tires, which I don't personally agree with for my use. Sounds like your land is flat. I'd get a ballast box, they're cheap and I believe they're more effective than filled tires. They also give you somewhere to put your chainsaw.

I'd probably take a look at which of your tasks are one-time (at least for a specific area of land), and which are regular. Things that are one-time I'd avoid buying an implement for (so I wouldn't buy that rotary cutter). You'd get more use out of a good chainsaw and a Stihl combo-system with a brush cutter on it (plus a chainsaw on a stick, which is super useful). You can borrow or rent a rotary cutter if there's really a need for it on that first pass.

For clearing, my thoughts are: Don't hire it out. It's fun, and you learn a lot about your property. Just pick a quarter or an eighth acre each weekend, and do that slowly and carefully. Thin the trees, move the brush, chip everything (if you get a chipper), use the bucket to level the ground. Aim that each area you do is done once done right, and basically is now mowing territory ongoing.

Personally, I'd get a MMM and use it to mow between the trees too. The MMM on the B2601 is strong, it'll be happy doing a once a month mow between the trees on the bit of your property that isn't lawn. The size of sapling that can grow in a month won't bother it at all. But that relies on you levelling reasonably well when you clear, and cutting off stumps at ground level (at least, at a level the MMM will go over), and moving all rocks etc. Which is easy enough when you have a tractor and a good chainsaw.

If you haven't used a chainsaw much, the thing Dad advised me when I bought one was be super careful to never cut dirt. Cutting dirt is what means you have to sharpen it frequently (well, that and cutting stones, wire, nails etc - check where you're cutting). So cut off the stumps near ground level, but not actually at ground level else you'll be sharpening all the time. 2 minutes extra being careful cutting the stump is much more sensible than 15 minutes wandering back to the shed to sharpen the saw yet again. I do a lot with my MS180, which is a cheap chainsaw but remarkably capable. When Dad passed I inherited his MS291 I think - amazing what I can do with that.

 

[RalphVa]

New member here!
My wife and I are under contract on a property in town, we settle next week!

The property was abandoned for 40 years and is in major need of attention. There is an old 1800s farmhouse that we will be renovating over the next year +, while the contractor is out there working on the structure, I'd like to put some time into reclaiming the lot.

There are a lot of old-growth trees on the property we'd like to preserve: pawpaw, black walnut, persimmon, trifoliate orange, poplar, boxwoods (40+ feet tall!), dogwoods, redbuds, cedar, and many more I have yet to identify. The ivy and vines are strangling the trees though, and there are a lot of small saplings that should be removed as well. I'd like to cut a few trails through the back of the lot too.

I've been looking at the B2601 with the front end loader, rear finish mower, and a rotary cutter. I'd also consider a 3rd function and grapple, a box blade, and a land rake (this is all getting expensive haha)...

Is this tractor overkill for only 1.33 acres?? I am approaching information overload on YouTube, Reddit, Forums, etc. So many people just reference acreage when suggesting tractor models, "B2601 for 5-10 acres, BX for under 3 acres, etc..." - I'm assuming this means overall for fields, pasture, etc. 1 acre of woods can be more work for a tractor than 5 acres of fields, I'd imagine?

I'm going to a dealership next week to see the BX and B side by side. That might help me make a decision, but I would like some opinions to further overload my brain before I go!

The primary uses for the tractor:
Finish mowing the lawn (less than 1/4 acre)
Removing cut trees
Removing brush
Cutting trails
Hauling and spreading gravel for driveway
Occasional snow removal (we get a decent snow fall once every 5 years)
Hauling and spreading mulch
Hualing and spreading compost
Maintaining a vegetable garden
And of course, NOT pulling my nephew around in a wagon

Let me know what you think.
B2601?
BX2680?

Something entirely different??

Also worth noting, I visiting a John Deere and New Holland dealership already. I haven't fully ruled them out yet, but I'm leaning more towards the orange tractor now... I like the size of the B2601, and the BX for the value. I guess the test drive and dealer experience next week will be the deciding factor!

For your needs, an 18 hp BX would do. Don't pay attention to the acreage/hp/size folks. I started 4wd (2wd Gravely didn't cut it) 18.5 hp JD 4010. JD quit making that low hp, and I need clearance of the 2 series (like 4010). So, currently have a B2601 on our very hilly 8.5 acres.

Whereas, my neighbor has only about 5 acres and has a 52 hp JD. Runs around with it just clattering away at idle.

For your lawn mowing, just get a Ryobi 40v "cross cut" self propelled mower unless you want to really waste money to cut it to about a 20 minute job with a Ryobi 48 or 80v ZT. I use a Ryobi 48v ZT for our 1/2 acre of lawn.

 

[JimmyJazz]

Some consideration need be payed to the size of the operator. I bought my B2601 last year because at 6'2' and 205 pounds I felt cramped on a BX. The BX would have served the purpose(s) otherwise. If you are a average to smaller sized person get the BX. Good luck.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Good day. My main thought is just be clear on your goals. Do you have a job to do with a tractor, do want to have and maintain a tractor, do you want to ride/drive a tractor. All are ok, based on your goals it could be something different for each. You will find more uses for it than you can imagine. I think size wise it depends on your expectations and longer term plans. Another comparison viewpoint would be how much would it cost to pay someone to clean the woods up vs price to buy a tractor? And then does that gap in price / costs allow you to buy the appropriate mower once the clean up is completed? It’s really hard to say much more than that for your goals (not to mention it’s hard to visiualize the work without pictures). Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[useraccessdenied]

Some consideration need be payed to the size of the operator. I bought my B2601 last year because at 6'2' and 205 pounds I felt cramped on a BX. The BX would have served the purpose(s) otherwise. If you are a average to smaller sized person get the BX. Good luck.

I'm 6'2" and 215lbs, so the larger tractor is certainly attractive based on your feedback!

 

[useraccessdenied]

For your needs, an 18 hp BX would do. Don't pay attention to the acreage/hp/size folks. I started 4wd (2wd Gravely didn't cut it) 18.5 hp JD 4010. JD quit making that low hp, and I need clearance of the 2 series (like 4010). So, currently have a B2601 on our very hilly 8.5 acres.

Whereas, my neighbor has only about 5 acres and has a 52 hp JD. Runs around with it just clattering away at idle.

For your lawn mowing, just get a Ryobi 40v "cross cut" self propelled mower unless you want to really waste money to cut it to about a 20 minute job with a Ryobi 48 or 80v ZT. I use a Ryobi 48v ZT for our 1/2 acre of lawn.

I guess I should note I already own a Honda self propelled push mower (I believe it is a HRN216)
I'm taking that with me to the new property, so I can always use that to cut the grass and save a few thousand on the MMM or RFM. If in the future I find the push mower to be inconvenient as I reclaim the lawn, I could sell it and buy a mower implement.

 

[Matt Ellerbee]

I vote MX. No, not a typo.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

I’ve never met Mr. Matt, but he is wise beyond his years.

 

[minthral]

To be honest, 1.3 acres is rather small and not large enough to justify a tractor. Garden tractor plus hand held power tools is what I’d recommend plus hire others to do any heavy lifting. If you really want a tractor for entertainment value, no larger than BX, though John Deere 1025R is better in this size category though.

 

[Quick]

To be honest, 1.3 acres is rather small and not large enough to justify a tractor. Garden tractor plus hand held power tools is what I’d recommend plus hire others to do any heavy lifting. If you really want a tractor for entertainment value, no larger than BX, though John Deere 1025R is better in this size category though.

Dang... Rain on the man's parade, why don't ya! Lawn mower and a shovel? He wants a tractor and is looking for justification! Shame on you for discouraging him! (-;

Here ya go, OP: Pick you up one of these:

 

[PaulL]

To be honest, 1.3 acres is rather small and not large enough to justify a tractor.

Very much disagree. It's not a lot of land, but it depends what you're doing on it. If you're moving a lot of mulch, then a FEL is a must, unless you feel like using a shovel and wheelbarrow. If you have a lot of trees then you'll want a chipper - sure you could get a standalone chipper, but you still have to tow it around. Snow work is legitimately tractor work too, so is grading a driveway.

If you really want a tractor for entertainment value, no larger than BX, though John Deere 1025R is better in this size category though.

I disagree on both. Nothing wrong with the John Deere - it does some things better, some things I like less. But it's bigger. It's halfway to a B2601. In which case, why not go all the way and get a B2601. Which is better than a JD 1 series, and arguably better than a JD 2 series.