Been searching for a while for a tractor - had an L2800 which was great for a lot of the things I need a tractor for, but not for lawn mowing. Had a lawn mower for that, but now I have neither so looking for something in between. I've been over the B/BX dilemma, and think B is better for my needs, although I haven't ruled out a BX2200 or similar. Need 4WD, 20hp+, belly mower, and turn a 4' bush hog (50 total acres mostly hills and woods, 2 acres of lawn with hills). I want used, $7k or so tops.  Pickings in the region have been slim - CL, dealers, etc. Just not a lot out there. Anyway looking tomorrow at a low-hour (150 or so) B7500, geared (prefer HST but I'm ok with geared - my L2800 was geared), but it has R1 tires. My L2800 had R1s and was rough on the lawn, but was also a much heavier tractor and had a loader and loaded tires. This one does not have a loader. Anyway, is this tractor light enough that the R1s won't tear up my yard while mowing? I thought that I'd simply throw some new turf tires on it but in searching on the TBN site that doesn't seem to be as simple as that, or cheap.

Depends on whether you have a "lawn" or a "yard" as to mowing with R1s.  I'd think they will tear things up.  I mow with R4s on a B7800 and have to be careful in the turns if it is wet at all and I have a yard.  With 50 acres and a $7K budget I'd hold out for a REALLY old Ag tractor with a loader ($4K) and a used Zero Turn ($3K) for mowing your 2 acres.  I'm on 10 acres, mow 5 of that, and my B7800 is a bit too big for mowing in some places.  It's also a bit small for moving logs, firewood, etc at times.  I can't imagine having 50 acres and no loader.

Thanks.  Definitely a yard.  Zero-turn won't work on my hills - why I need 4wd.

I understand the advantages of an FEL - had one.  Right now just need mowing and bush-hogging.  Neighbor has a bigger tractor with FEL when I need it.  This tractor is probably temporary anyway, or if I like it I may add an FEL.

mowers mow and tractors do tractory things.

get a used mower (which are cheap, riding mower, whatever) and get a tractor to do tractor things.

a 5' bush hog will only do about 1 acre an hour bush hogging, a 4' is quite a bit less.   50 acres??????  take all damn week.

any zero turn is much more stable than any tractor (lower center of gravity) on a hill.

Stable from rollover but not from pointing nose down on a hill and not being able to steer back up hill.  I so much wanted to go the zero turn route but the more I read the more I saw my hills were impossible for a zero turn unless I wanted to make a down hill cut every time and go over to the edge of my property and come backup the driveway.   That'd double my mileage.

Not brush hogging 50 acres.  As mentioned its wooded hills.  Maybe 3-4 acres for occasional bush hog work.  You'll have to just trust me when I say that a zero turn will not work.  Neither will a riding mower.  Not new to this and know what I need.  My question is about lighter tractors, R1s and yard damage.

R1s will tear a yard up unless it's very dry.

Everything I was reading on the related fora both the tractor and the lawn guy forums were saying they were bad juju on steep slopes, worse with the lesser powered ones.   I have some approaching 1:1 slope.

As it is on the slopes I'm running the tractor in four wheel drive straight up and down.  No cross hatching fanciness for me.

What about landscaping the hilly areas, so they won't require mowing? Not sure of your layout, but it might be better than dealing with tough areas to mow.

Or, keep the immediate yard around the house mowed weekly/biweekly, and the rest keep it cut every month or two?

Just some alternative ideas.

Dang it,  maybe I should not take the innernet so cereally.  

Last year I had my mower deck (belly) for my B3200 on order and it took them weeks longer than they said to get it here.  I was patient for awhile then I started making those phone calls on the day their trucked deliveries arrive.  They got the message and offered me a loaner zero turn (out of their used equipment lineup).   I so wish I did take them up on it to try it.   I think it still took them about 10 days after that to get me my deck.  My lawn looked like a hay meadow needing a cutting.

My one side hill for a lot of it's run is slightly more gentle than 1:1 then it pitches down into a shale gravel area on the high side and a sumac surrounded pond/ditch on the other.  I had visions of submarining a borrowed piece of equipment.


I do enough turf damage with R4s,  no way I would do a lawn with R1's unless I didn't turn around on the lawn or if it wasn't right around the house and was more open space meadow and not lawn lawn.