Need HD mower or tractor recommendation for 20ac

[Cujet]

Need HD mower or tractor that can double as a modest brush hog for TN acreage.

I have an older 18HP GT235 John Deere garden tractor which has been epic good. I use it to maintain my semi rural and rather rough FL acreage.

My new TN place is 20 acres and has abundant trails/roads and worthwhile areas between the maple trees that need to be kept clear. Plus about 4 acres of lawn. In the next few weeks I will fence in the lawn/house area to keep the puppy safe and have a nice yard. The property is relatively flat near the house, but rugged elsewhere. I want to keep it from being massively overgrown.

The GT235 is really too small for this. Do I want a rough n tough zero turn, or a better tractor? Maybe one of the 4wd JD versions? Thoughts and suggestions please! I'll get the pro's in to do the backhoe work. I'm not looking to do that with my equipment.

Elevation is about 2100 feet, and there are often clouds in the valley below.

 

[fantastic]

Any of the garden tractors that have locking diff or 4x4? 400, 500, 700 series... What's your budget?
Keep that 235 around though

 

[AZjeff]

Congrats on the new property!

(You're going to tire of mowing 4 acres.) I mowed 2 acres back in Pa when I was young.

 

[martinq]

ZT's are efficient at covering ground quickly if you get the right tool for the job. I've got two GT235 right now covering the grounds but only a few acres to cut.

If you're only concerned with cutting grass and the terrain isn't too challenging I would definitely take a ZT for a rent / demo, otherwise I'd definitely be interested in a 4wd x700 Deere.

... also, hot tip for whichever machine you end up with, look at getting a set of Carlisle (Carlstar) Versa Turf radial tires (tractor or ZT). I haven't tried them myself yet but from what I've researched it could be an excellent upgrade for the GT (ride quality, traction, etc).

 

[Whimsey]

It looks like you can get snow there. I doubt a snowblower will work on the rough terrain so most likely you'll need a snow plow attachment for the tractor.

 

[loneryder]

I have an older 18HP GT235 John Deere garden tractor which has been epic good. I use it to maintain my semi rural and rather rough FL acreage.

My new TN place is 20 acres and has abundant trails/roads and worthwhile areas between the maple trees that need to be kept clear. Plus about 4 acres of lawn. In the next few weeks I will fence in the lawn/house area to keep the puppy safe and have a nice yard. The property is relatively flat near the house, but rugged elsewhere. I want to keep it from being massively overgrown.

The GT235 is really too small for this. Do I want a rough n tough zero turn, or a better tractor? Maybe one of the 4wd JD versions? Thoughts and suggestions please! I'll get the pro's in to do the backhoe work. I'm not looking to do that with my equipment.

Elevation is about 2100 feet, and there are often clouds in the valley below.

A commercial Zturn will keep up with that rough stuff if you keep ahead of it. If you let it grow too long it won’t. Do to being away for a month at the beginning of growing season, I lost track of 1 field and it will have to be brush hogged. 61/62” mower would work well. 72 “ mowers are harder to maneuver around trees and beds.

 

[walterjay]

I have an X series JD tractor with 4WD. It is capable of doing light to moderate bush hogging. I considered a zero turn but when I operated one it made my arms and wrists hurt.

Be sure that you spend some time on a ZT to see how your body responds.

 

[oldcodger]

I would buy a professional grade zero turn. Not a JD Green.

 

[IndyIan]

You've got some slopes I assume? I do and I've never regretted getting a "big" compact utility tractor with Ag tires set out wide as the odd time you do find yourself pointed across the hill or going straight up something quite steep and glad the Ag tires bite in well! Now they have some decent R14 all-purpose tires with a bit of width for less ground compaction, but also some angled tread to work Ok in mud. I do regret not setting up our yard so I could mow it with a 7'+ wide finish mower for it, so I have a bit of an obstacle course to do with 46" riding mower.

I might reconsider what you would do for some landscaping with a small backhoe? Something like a Kubota B3200 with a belly mower and a backhoe is good swissarmy knife. I don't know how easily the mower comes off for getting into the really rough terrain, but I guess with the backhoe you can make smooth trails where you want them!
Keep your lawn tractor for the area right around the house and your fire pit, and then do everything else with something like this.





Or if you don't mind switching out the backhoe for a 3pt brush hog or flail mower, then go even bigger, although I would keep with a HST. You can get a up to 40-60hp 4000-4500lb bare tractor with a HST.
I guess it depends on your budget. Tractorbynet.com has got 1000's of pages on which tractor to get for what jobs/land/budget. I do know a bigger zero turn mower, doesn't do well in rough terrain, or mud!
Hiring a guy with a piece of equipment is probably closer to $2k per day, than $1k, and playing in the "sandbox" is fun with diesel and hydraulics, but if you want to minimize your time spent working on the land, then hiring is certainly better for that.

 

[Cujet]

I don't know my budget. I have no idea what I should spend.

 

[walterjay]

I suggest using your existing machine and then determine what your needs are and what you would like to do,

 

[repairman54]

Compact 4x4 tractor for the woods and your existing tractor for flat mowing. Tractor bucket will be very handy. I plow with a 42'' blade on my 14.5 lawn tractor, not great for anything more than a few inches of fluff, too light to push anything more even with chains.
I've borrowed my buddies 25ish hp Kubota to move some blow down and cut down trees, its sweet. Saving my rubles for one with a bucket and front snow blower.

 

[rstsco]

I had 26 acres out in the country and bought a JD4310 tractor with front-end loader, brush-hog, and box blade. Each were super easy to disconnect/connect. My place didn't have a need for a mower, but you just drive over it, make the connections, and go. Once you have a front-end loader like what @IndyIan showed on the Kubota, you'll be spoiled for life. For pristine lawns, you'd want turf tires.

 

[Cujet]

I suggest using your existing machine and then determine what your needs are and what you would like to do,

I’ll bring my GT235 garden tractor up here next trip. Mowing this with my commercial push mower has been a multi day frustration. The grass was 3 feet high. Even so, the little GT will be out of its league here without 4wd and/or the robust tires suggested above, and a more robust mower deck. The 42C mower deck has seen better days and has eroded through in many spots. I’ve welded 1/8” steel plates as repairs.

I wonder if I can get a 48” heavy duty steel mower deck for it. I don’t need or care about a perfect lawn. I want to keep it short and fenced in to keep ticks/bugs at a minimum for my pup

 

[IndyIan]

I don't know my budget. I have no idea what I should spend.

It's more what you want to do, and how long you want it to take. There is always a specific piece of equipment that does a job the fastest/easiest, but having too many toys gets expensive. Tractor can do many jobs with the loader, or a different implement on the 3 point hitch and a bit more time.

I’ll bring my GT235 garden tractor up here next trip. Mowing this with my commercial push mower has been a multi day frustration. The grass was 3 feet high. Even so, the little GT will be out of its league here without 4wd and a more robust mower deck

A rotary cutter or flail mower is good for stuff like that as they can hit some rocks or dirt without a problem. A finish mower isn't really made for rough use, but blades, belts, and deck spindles are pretty cheap, if you want to use a lawn tractor, but a bit of a pain to change sometimes. I guess the bigger/heavier ones can start bending up the deck and mounting system, if you catch it on a root/rock going fast.

 

[martinq]

I’ll bring my GT235 garden tractor up here next trip. Mowing this with my commercial push mower has been a multi day frustration. The grass was 3 feet high. Even so, the little GT will be out of its league here without 4wd and/or the robust tires suggested above, and a more robust mower deck. The 42C mower deck has seen better days and has eroded through in many spots. I’ve welded 1/8” steel plates as repairs.

I wonder if I can get a 48” heavy duty steel mower deck for it. I don’t need or care about a perfect lawn. I want to keep it short and fenced in to keep ticks/bugs at a minimum for my pup

Last I checked the 48" (and maybe 54") deck shells were still in stock from Deere. Price was almost 2x "regular" stock price due to dwindling inventory (my guess). There's a list of "compatible" mower decks than can be used on the GT from one of the tractor forums, I'll see if I can post it here.

Deere Mower Deck Interchange LX Through GX
https://www.mytractorforum.com/threads/deck-interchange-lx-through-gx.1147610/

Here's the list of different decks. I currently have two, tattered (one repaired) 48" decks, one original, one from an LX or GX tractor (not sure, came with GT).

"
38 Mulcher Compatible - mostly seen on LX100s.
42C Convertible - mostly seen on LX200s and GT225.
44P Piranha mulching / rear discharge. Could be seen on any of the above. Extra cost optional deck.
48 no suffix ?? Seen on early GT200 and 325>345.
48M Mulcher Compatible - mostly seen on LX100s, the earlier GT200 family and 325>345.
48C Convertible - mostly seen on LX200, the later GT200 and GX.
54M Mulcher Compatible - mostly seen on 325>345 and early GT200.
54C Convertible - Mostly seen on GT245, GX255, GX335, GX345.
"

 

[JTK]

Those JD GT235's were great machines. We had a JD 110 and GT262 in the family for many years for mowing and snowblowing. Excellent machines.

Have you considered a sub compact utility tractor? IMO, they don't make the best mowers in mid-mount mower configuration unless you have large wide open areas, but with rear PTO, you have many options, such as brush hogs, etc. Plus a front end loader offers endless uses. A JD 1023E would be sweet, or a Kubota equivalent. Many of the Korean imports can be had with a FEL, 4x4, diesel engine for around $14K. I've got a TYM T224 that has been great.

 

[ripcord]

How about a quad bike with a tow behind flail mowor? They make tow behind units with rotory blades as well but with belts and blades that can get beat up on stumps and rocks, the flail type seems a lot more fool proof to me.

 

[Hockeypuck]

you are going to want a tractor. You have not even begun to figure out your "needs". 20 acres is a lot to take care of and I am guessing a 30 to 35 hp tractor is about right. You will probably need a york rake to set up the driveway now and then. Brush hogs are easy to maintain. Leave the "lawn" for an everyday mower. Tractorbynet is a pretty good forum, at least back in the day.

Edit: only pay extra for JD if you have a good local dealer. Green paint is expensive.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I have an older 18HP GT235 John Deere garden tractor which has been epic good. I use it to maintain my semi rural and rather rough FL acreage.

My new TN place is 20 acres and has abundant trails/roads and worthwhile areas between the maple trees that need to be kept clear. Plus about 4 acres of lawn. In the next few weeks I will fence in the lawn/house area to keep the puppy safe and have a nice yard. The property is relatively flat near the house, but rugged elsewhere. I want to keep it from being massively overgrown.

The GT235 is really too small for this. Do I want a rough n tough zero turn, or a better tractor? Maybe one of the 4wd JD versions? Thoughts and suggestions please! I'll get the pro's in to do the backhoe work. I'm not looking to do that with my equipment.

Elevation is about 2100 feet, and there are often clouds in the valley below.

When my parents had acreage in WNC we used a Gravely. It had a bushhog attachment. They bought it used