I agree with looking into a compact or sub compact tractor with a loader. I’d prefer a 3 point rear mount mower, (no belly mower for trail maintenance/ dirt work and can also be used as rear weight for loader work), but it’ll add length for obstacles.
Need HD mower or tractor recommendation for 20ac
- Thread starter Cujet
- Start date
Those are handy little tractors, seems like a good price for the package, that is about what they go for in my area.
I agree for trail mowing with rear 3 point rough cut mowers (either rotary also called bush hogs) or flail mowers. The benefit of the flail mower is that it is shorter in length for the same cut width than the rotary cutters.
Added benefit with a flail mower is it throws the cut debris into the ground which is safer if you hit steel/wire/wood/other non vegetation. I currently have a 65 in wide flail mower for my Kioti CK27HST (28 engine HP) and it is about the same length from the 3 point as my 6 foot box blade.
dlundblad that is a great point about using rear 3 point equipment as a ballast when using the front end loader (FEL). Even on level ground I keep a rear implement on for ballast when using my FEL.
best regards
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Bit of trivia:
Bush Hog = brand name
Brush hog = generic
Bush Hog = brand name
Brush hog = generic
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
That JD 1025 looks pretty good and not a bad deal. That setup would easily be $10-12K new. Maybe more. The bucket looks a little banged up and may have a new cutting edge welded on it. I'd check it for fluid leaks and pin slop. Should be all good with that amount of hours.
Last edited:
Looks like a nice package.
(My mowing calculator computes with - 10 percent width overlap included
- 42 inch mow width and 4 MPH a 1.53 acres per hour cut rate. 2.6 hours per mow
-60 inch mow width and 4 MPH a 2.18 acres per hour cut rate 1.8 hours per mow (48 minutes savings per mow)
-72 inch mow width and 4 MPH a 2.62 acres per hour cut rate 1.5 hours per mow (66 minutes savings per mow))
My thoughts; but have to add I don't know how much non-mowing work you will end end up doing. My concern is that a sub-compact like the 1025R might be a little small for 20 acres. A 60 inch belly mower on a 1025 R will do fine on 4 acres of lawn. I have a 60 inch ZTR that I often think when mowing level or light rolling lawns/country lawns a 72 inch would be nice. Even with my ZTR I never get to mow at the higher speeds due to the lawns being too rough.
Two fears when getting equipment: buying too small or too large. Sadly I have erred both ways but over time have got better.
- Do you need or will you use a small backhoe? Backhoes are not cheap when buying new or used. I hire out (or rent that equipment) that work to those with better suited equipment (mini-excavators and larger depending on the size of the job).
- Will a 1025 be larger enough and have sufficient ground clearance (tractor axle) when mowing trails and Front end loader and box blade work in dirt. Many times the belly mower should be removed to avoid damage when using Front end loader and rear box blade work dur to the mower hitting dirt and stumps/brush.
-I would want to study the maintenance records against the maintenance check list including engine oil/HST oil and filters/front and rear axle drain and refills/Hydraulic oil and filter if separate. Most compact tractors call for a 50 hour initial filter and oil change for the HST drive and hydraulic systems. I suspect many only change oil. Was the tractor and loader/mower/backhoe greased often and correctly (not blowing seals out). Grease is messy and cheap, not greasing is expensive.
- John Deere makes some nice equipment but my experience in the sub-compact and compact tractor sizes they are on built on the lighter side and often use aluminum rear ends and gear housings. I prefer the cast iron axles, gear boxes, and rear ends. Light weight is good when mowing only but weight is good when using ground engaging equipment (box bladed/Front end loaders). I believe cast iron with tractors also gives a slight advantage if you push it too limits or overload.
- John Deere Green paint and Kubota Orange paint must be higher priced. joking of course but their prices seem to be at the high end. I have got close to buying both Deere and Kubota tractors over the last 30 plus years but alway brought home a different brand due to lower cost and more use of cast iron versus aluminum for axles/housings/gear boxes. I would not be afraid to look at Kioti, LS, TYM, Mahindra, and Yanmar. My current Kioti is iirc a 2010.
- at $19K you are getting close to some of the smaller compact tractor 4X4 with Front End Loaders from the higher volume best cost dealers. But then you would have to add rear 3 point attachments which can be done over time. First would likely be a rear flail mower that could be used on trail cutting, rough cutting fields, and even your 4 acre lawn. I tend to think you would be better suited with a slightly larger heaver tractor with more ground clearance. If you choose to go that direction I know the brands and dealers to look for best deals. I am willing to help in your search if you go that path.
(this is a nice Mowing Calculator using mow width and forward speed. The hard part is being realistic on the forward speed. I use a velocity app on my cell phone. The other factor is how much time do you spend maneuvering around obstacles, turning at ends, and do you always cut a full width - the calculator assumes a 10 percent overlap. landscapecalculator.com. )
Best regards
Cujet, that is such a breath of fresh air what you just said about needing or caring about a perfect yard. Too many older men, especially those in my neighborhood, spend unnecessary time 4-5 times a week killing themselves to cut and maintain a perfect yard. Cut it once a week and move on with life is what I say. One of my neighbors, who is 76, had the nerve to pretty much tell me I need to work myself to the bone the next 40 years. All he did was work his whole life, never spent time with family, retired a few years ago and cuts his grass 5 times a week. Thats not a life.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
What I meant to say above was a new one would be $10-12K more than what they were asking for that used 2018 model year. If you were to buy all those attachments new, along with the BH, that JD 1025 setup would have exceeded $30K easily. Backhoes are indeed an expensive add-on unless you find a package deal. I've seen deals on new Massey Ferguson, Kioti, TYM or LS sub compact package deals with the FEL and BH for around $20K, Add a mid mount mower, box blade, etc and that's thousands more.
The mowing calculator is awesome, thanks. I measured the size and it is 3.4 acres of lawn not including roads/paths or driveway sides. Some of it is flat wooded grass where I have to mow around trees. I did not include the roads down to the pond and 1000 foot driveway. But did include the road frontage. Which is 650 feet long and 30-40 feet deep. But a bit less than 4 acres total grass. Thank god. Maybe if I get nice equipment my wife will mow occasionally. The GT235 will do it. I have 2 acres in FL now. But I'm not at all sure it can go 4mph while mowing. I'll check that tonight. It seems more like 2-3mph is where that thing lives.
I don't know how old you are, but even at 36 I'm starting to value the comfort of a machine to do a job over doing the job quickly. My grandfather has 20 acres, he mows about 8 of it every two weeks. He is in his 80s and really can't do it anymore. He has a Scag 61" zero turn that can go pretty quick, but it definitely beats you up in the rough spots, to the point where my back is killing me after using it. This is even after I added a suspension seat on it for him. If I use my Kubota B2620 tractor or my John Deere 345 garden tractor, both with 54" decks, it will take longer but I won't need to sit on an ice pack afterward.
That's a huge factor for me. I'm 62, in good physical shape and reasonably strong about 190 pounds, but have horrible multiple autoimmune health issues that often leave me with no energy. The good news is that nothing hurts. I'm an ex athlete/bicycle racer and dirt bike guy. So getting beat up is no longer any fun!
I fell out of my moving truck a few weeks back when building and standing on the platform for my 7 month old Norwegian Elkhound puppy. I took one heck of a hit on the way down, bruises and missing skin everywhere. But nothing broke! So not fragile yet!
But you are 100% correct. What ever I purchase must be pleasant to use and not a massive time waster. I love my toys, but don't want to be married to them.
Yeah in that case I think a sub-compact tractor like a Kubota BX or Deere 1025R, or even something a size bigger like a Kubota B series (B2301/B2601 I think are the current models) would be best. They are comfortable to mow with and a swiss army knife as far as attachments go. I've owned my tractor since 2022, bought used, and I've used it for everything from mowing the lawn and clearing snow, to grading, putting in gardens and landscaping, tilling, brush hogging, and even just using the loader to lift things off the trailer that are heavy and carry them around the yard.
Also love the airplane picture, one of my uncles is a small aircraft flight instructor. Learning to fly is on my long list of expensive endeavors to complete.
Also love the airplane picture, one of my uncles is a small aircraft flight instructor. Learning to fly is on my long list of expensive endeavors to complete.
I really appreciate your point about comfort. I've long believed in equipment that is pleasant to use and effective. Today I'm working the issues on my JD GT235 garden tractor. That is an epic good little machine. Even has ball bearings on the hydrostatic fwd/back pedals. Just rebuilt them. I am truly tempted to get another JD, as this one is 25 years old, held up perfectly and is very well made.
Maybe something like this. Would prob like the little backhoe too.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1FBSvtCikp/
Those are very nice machines. I prefer John Deere and Kubota over the others mainly because they are easy to service and have good parts availability. My Deere 345 garden tractor is from 2000, and has over 1300 hours on the liquid cooled Kawasaki. It's such a tank compared to today's cheaper garden tractors, you feel the build quality when running it. The power steering is a nice addition on this model too which I never thought I needed until I had it. 
I still use it for mowing most of the time since the Kubota is usually set up for other things.
I still use it for mowing most of the time since the Kubota is usually set up for other things.Please clean and grease the driveline belt tensioner while you're in there. If memory serves, you need to access the pivot which is under the rear fender / cover and there's no grease fitting.
There's at least three grease fittings I'd like to add to the GT but probably more. Winter project.
Also remember that a new set of rear, radial, tires (I've already test-fitted 26" bias-ply turfs and they fit with enough clearance) and a 54" deck could really improve the GTs usefulness. Both I'm considering in the next year or two.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
You're right on JD putting effort into operator comfort and ergonomics. They've always been top of the game on that IMO. Kubota was generally pretty good about that as well. Some of the Simplicity GTs from back in the day were great too. Very comfortable to operate.
I don't think you're going to find a newer garden tractor that was built like a JD GT from the 1990s or earlier.
Diesel sub compacts in the 25hp and under range don't seem to have changed much in ~20yrs, but you have to figure component quality got worse.
Slick gave some very good advice above. One thing as a tractor owner who cuts fields on the side (small field mowing), I have to ask how sensitive you are to allergens? After cutting for a few years here in NH, I have become very allergic to pollen and urushiol containing plants. So much so, I had to decline repeat customers because of the poison ivy and poison oak issues on their property. I still do some cutting but it can be torture afterwards. I obviously get the rashes, but now its systemic, so its not just exposed areas. I also feel very sick for two or three days later.
My solution to this is to buy tractor with a cab. They have air filters and air conditioning and will pressurize the cabin to keep the dust and chaff out. It adds a significant expense, but can be VERY worth it.
My solution to this is to buy tractor with a cab. They have air filters and air conditioning and will pressurize the cabin to keep the dust and chaff out. It adds a significant expense, but can be VERY worth it.
The current equivalent to my 2000 345 is the X590, which lists for $10,400.The x500 series from Deere are the current equivalent to the old 2000s GT and GX series. New and very nice with some tasty treats available like:
- 4 wheel steering
- power (hydraulic) steering
- diff lock
- cup holder & glove box
I'm sure it is a dream to mow with though. A cab tractor is the ultimate "no expense spared" option.
