Let's help Bart out - read and weigh in...

[Mr. K]

Hello folks, just yesterday received this message in the mailbag from Bart who is in Tanzania Africa! A bit of a drive from here. He's in the process of considering a couple of Kubotas for use on his acreage. His email is below. Give it a bit of a read and if you want, weigh in with your thoughts.

Email
I am based in Tanzania - East Africa. I am in a process of getting two
used tractors from Japan, Kubota L1-275 4WD and Kubota L1-255 4WD.
Information from the selling company is that these tractors are 27HP and
25HP respectively, . I want to use these tractors to pull disc plough
and disc harrow. The selling company is selling together with rotary
tillers.

I have not yet dicided to buy because I do not know anything about these
small tractors. Tractors commonly found in Tanzania are 60-100HP. I will
be glad if you can assist me by giving answers to my questions below:
1) When did these tractors come into the market for the first time?
2) Is Kubota company still manufacturing these tractors?
3) In terms of parts, which other tractors are compatible with these
tractors?
4) Are these tractors real capable of performing the job I need to do?
5) On average, what size (acres) these tractors can cultivate in a day?
6) How continuous these tractors can safely be operated?
7) How durable are they?
I am a small farmer owing 500 acres oranges, I am looking at a cheap
equipment but reliable that have low operating cost, do you think to buy
these tractors is a right decision?
9) Few people I consulted informed me a tractor less than 50HP will not
be capable to pull a plough especially when working in slightly hilly
and heavy soils, is that true?

 

[Curbster]

I don't know anything at all about farms and tilling and such, but you would have to factor in how hard the ground was, and the grades of the slopes. Five hundred acres seems like a big area to me, as I live in an area where you rarely see more than ten or twenty acres of flat, farmable land. I do like the part about growing oranges however. Good Luck on his big adventure! Go Kubota if you can.

 

[Mr. K]

I agree with Vic on this one - I think you'll need a bit more "tractor" out of each. Your specs on those tractors are correct - 27 and 25hp respectively, but for the size of your operation and the soil conditions you describe, I think you cannot go wrong with more hp in this case. 500 acres is almost the size of a section.

That being said, if you are growing oranges, you might actually want smaller tractors to get around in the orchard. A big L or M series Kubota might be hard to navigate around in there (although Kubota does make a narrow M with tracks, it's a bit pricey, north of $60K if I remember correctly!!).

Edit: just re-read - you are using the equipment to pull discs - not just for running around with, you'll need more tractor for sure.