Tractors...hp or 4wd?

[Team Roper]

Take the majorities advise 4x4 and remember you can never have too much horsepower.

[bowhunterhelm]

4x4!!

["DOC"]

I've had a Lot of different tractors....
4 WD and Front end Loader are Mandatory regardless of horsepower.
Can't imagine working around the place without a FEL.

[splitfinger]

I had a John Deere 5053E (53 HP) 2 wheel drive with a front end loader and for 100 acres it wasn't big enough. I traded that one in on a 5065E 4 wheel drive about 4 years ago and it was the best thing I could have done. Buy the biggest 4 wheel drive with front end loader you can afford. You will not be disappointed.

Doug Key

[Old Goat1]

Agree with all the above. Most older tractors were longer coupled (axle to axle). No need for counter balance on the rear for a fel. To me they seemed to have more traction. Most newer tractors are way too compact and light. If you go new, look for a tractor that doesn't require rear weight to lift full capacity of the fel.

Agree on a FEL must have but I will go one step farther. Most older tractors had pined buckets. Changing from bucket to forks etc was a chore for me. I use forks 60% of the time. New FELs have a quick change attachment and are worth their weight in gold. No more trying to shove or lift a heavy bucket around to line up pins. Drive up and drop it. Drive up and lift to hookup. If you buy a older tractor with a FEL you could probably change it over to a quick attach fel.

[BrianL]

I would get that JD your buddy has. It will do everything you will need. Cab is nice till you start busting out glass and AC stops working. I just replaced the rear glass in my JD from a thrown rock from my lawnmower. Open station isn't bad, 80 HP is a great size, 4x4 is a big plus, and FEL is a must. GET IT!

FYI

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/000/1/0/107-john-deere-2940.html

[niceg3s]

Sorry forgot the HP/4x4 question. HP is determined by the kind of work you are doing. If you have a loader, get 4x4. See what kind of implents you are going to use: brush hog, disc, etc... What kind of weight are you going to lift with the loader? Hay bales, deer feeders? If buying used, go to tractor data.com it will give you the stats on the tractor. We have 5 Internationals that are all 2wd. 574, 574, 886, 886, 966.

[bboswell]

for more insight start a new thread asking how many people have been through multiple tractors due to up sizing or adding 4x4. There is a long list of those people here, I'm on my 4th...

30hp John Deer 2x4
35hp Kubota 4x4
50hp Kubota 4x4
75hp Kubota 4x4

All with FEL

[OPC Patrick]

front end loader = 4 wheel drive. And don't get a tractor without one... otherwise you're just buying a big riding mower.

I have a small JD... My parents have a big JD with a Cab and a mid size mahindra. My little tractor can do almost everything the bigger ones can... just slower. That said... mine wont load round bales on a trailer, but I can push them around.

[Bumpy]

My family has 3 John Deere tractors. Non have 4wd and have bailed over thousands of bales of hay a year. Then again our land is all flat and hay meadows.

[txwhitetail]

My family has 3 John Deere tractors. Non have 4wd and have bailed over thousands of bales of hay a year. Then again our land is all flat and hay meadows.

Yep I would say the majority recommending 4x4 are running undersize tractors for the work.

[Kenner97]

We have 200 acres and bought a 95 hp 4x4 Kubota with FEL to maintain it. i'm glad that we went that big as we were looking at smaller ones also. The FEL and 4x4 is a must in my opinion, from being able to push out small mesquites or leveling washouts.

We also plant around 10 acres of food plots, so being able to pull a 12+' disc and a 7 shank chisel comes in handy.
Yes you can get away with smaller but how much is your time worth?

[asttbe]

Yep I would say the majority recommending 4x4 are running undersize tractors for the work.

I'd say mine is a direct relation to terrain. Out of the 20 acres probably 3 are remotely level. That and I am using mine to push over a bunch of cedars. I need the 4X4 to get it done on my place. And the rain this year just compounds it all. My tractor is never out of 4WD

[Full Throttle]

Tractors...hp or 4wd?

Good info guys. I have about 1/2 mile of road to maintain, 7 to 8 acres of food plots going in and a couple of acres around the house to keep mowed. I've got some mesquites that need cleared as well.

Looks like I need to up my budget a little bit. That JD 2940 might just be the ticket. Guess I need to start researching implements next....

[Stan R]

for more insight start a new thread asking how many people have been through multiple tractors due to up sizing or adding 4x4. There is a long list of those people here, I'm on my 4th...

30hp John Deer 2x4
35hp Kubota 4x4
50hp Kubota 4x4
75hp Kubota 4x4

All with FEL

This

I've had 3 in

30 HP 4x4 with FEL Mahindra This one almost beat me to death...
50 HP 4x4 with FEL Kubota
75 Kubota with cab, AC, Stereo, 4x4, with FEL and it's paid for... So going to keep it.