Which is a better Tractor for the Job?? Please hel

Dug

Now let the games begin!!!

Happy hour is over, get off that barstool and go home to your wife. :>)

Allan

Dug

1. If you are in a hurry when you mow neither will do. Need a big rig to cover a lot of ground fast; like Jonboy said..... but you ain't goin to get there for $2500.

2. If you have lots of what I call bumps in your field where the mower would miss here and scalp there, you want a mower that is smaller so that it can follow the contours. Otherwise you will be replacing your PTO gears regularly; slip clutch or no slip clutch on the mower. Having had both, 3 pt is the style of choice for lots of reasons.

That could mean the 601 with a 5' rotary cutter...Good match and good utility tractor. Rear main seal leak is not that bad as long as it isn't so bad that it gets into your clutch.....and probably won't. Power steering is nice but unnecessary on that small a tractor especially with a 3 Pt mower (takes the load off the front axle somewhat) which I would recommend for that size.

3. If you think you will need the added advantage of moving things about; i.e. front end loader, and aren't in a hurry, the IH may be right, again depending on what minor work means. Thing about a loader, is that they are nice when you need one, if you need one; and are in your face otherwise. If you are talking about the 300 UTILITY, that's one thing; nice and handy. If you are talking about the 300 ROW CROP, that is a field tractor and not handy around the place like the 601 or 300U would be.

The 300U is around 42 HP as I recall and would run a 6' cutter nicely.

I have had large and small cutters and having digested myself of all but one, my mower of choice is a 35 hp massey (same basic setup as the 601) with a 5' mower. Time is not important as I'm retired, but that is an easy handling, easy to get around very nice rig. Otherwise I use my JD 9' swather.

Good luck

Mark

Yes Sir, a guy has to be careful in this respect. One man's 40 acres means a fairly good sized field.

Someone else in a different region might be mowing miles and miles of a 8 foot tree row.

Can't second guess, I'm a thinkin'

Allan

I kept getting bigger and as we are talking about the topography got in the way. I mow 40 acres in one lot now with this 5' rig and it doesn't take all that long and I get a good job. Plus I can mow the whole thing with 1 mower; along the fence, around the water tanks, thru the trees, over the terraces and all the bumps in the dirt. Can't really plow it smooth as next year it will be back lumpy and it is on the side of a hill and being leased, I don't want to spring for the terracing cost.

Thing I like about it (5' rig) is it's the cheapest rig so out of pocket is the least and repairs (aren't any currently) but when they happen will be the lowest dollar.

Best,

Mark

Boy, I'm havin' trouble gettin' my mind wrapped around knockin' down 40 acres with a bush hog too, especially if it is tall, heavy growth.

I'f a feller is gonna use a rotary mower, looks like one of these batwings and a bigger tractor would be a far better choice. (Picture courtesy of Sloroll in IA)

Dunno,

Allan

Hope I don't get in trouble for saying this, but I think that 40 acres is just about the dividing line between the little lawn mower tractors and a real field tractor.

Just my view and my 2¢

Allan

As for a Ford 61, I'll bet thats a typo and it's a 601, I don't believe there is such a thing as a Ford 61, unless the seller meant 1961 as in the year it was built.
Hope this helps!

We have a 6 ft bh on a 52 hp international and the worse stuff to try and bush hog is overgrown hay. The mower conditioner breezes through it though as it isn't trying to wrap it up.

Of course the mower condition doesn't like brush over about 1/2" where the bush hog eats up big stuff.