Which Compact Utility Tractors Are Tough Enough for You?

posted on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 in United Ag & Turf News

A Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas Guide to Shopping John Deere Tractors Under 50 hp

Ready to wrangle your land? Whether you’ve got untamed territory as far as the eye can see or only a few acres waiting to be manicured, finding the right John Deere Compact Utility Tractor is job #1 in caring for your property.

Here are some tips for selecting the right tractor:

Take stock of your land

The two most important questions you should ask yourself are:

1. How much land are you caring for? 
2. What do you want to do with your tractor?

While basic, these questions will help you start the tractor shopping process correctly and ultimately help you find the right tractor and tractor attachments for your needs. With that in mind, there are two basic rules of thumb for chosing a compact tractor: 

1. The more land you have, typically the more horsepower you need.
2. The more tasks you do, typically the more attachments you’ll want.

So, think beyond the first job that comes to mind. (Hint: it might not just be mowing or hauling.) Consider all the other kinds of work you can check off your list with the right equipment. Before you visit the dealer, our experts recommend taking a stroll around your property to think about all the tasks you want to tackle with a John Deere tractor. Remember, your needs may change from season to season. Factor all these things into your decision since the right equipment can keep you working strong for a decade or longer.
 

Cut grass without cutting corners If the primary reason you’re looking for a John Deere tractor is to mow your lawn, you’re on the right track. With the right mowing deck and tires, you can save serious time cutting your grass with speed and precision. Start your search with our entry-level 1000 Series or 1 Family Sub-Compact Tractors and the AutoConnect™ mid-mower deck (or “belly mower”) that you can easily, just by driving over it, put on and take off. That’s just the tip of iceberg when it comes to saving time.

With up to 25 horsepower engines, these lighter 1 Family tractors have serious get-up-and-go. But, it’s more than just how fast you mow, it’s how well you mow fast. Our mower decks are formed by stamping a single piece of steel, so there are no seams to rust and no corners to stop grass from discharging smoothly.

If you’ve ever seen a freshly cut lawn with giant clumps of grass randomly strewn across it, that’s from a mower with a fabricated deck (which John Deere doesn’t make). In those other mowers, grass collects in the deck’s seams, blocking airflow through the mowing deck, making the tractor work harder, pulling down your horsepower. The tractor then hacks up a clump of grass like a cat with a hairball. Not pretty.

That’s why we can say John Deere mower decks don’t cut any corners—because they don’t have any!

So much more than a mower

While cutting grass might be the chore you do most often, there are so many ways to put a Compact Tractor to work for you and your land. In fact, our experts estimate that 99 percent of the tractors that drive out our doors include a front-end Loader because it’s such a versatile tool. While it’s great for loading heavy things like mulch, sand, soil or feed, the bottom of the bucket also doubles as a make-shift box blade for chores like smoothing roads and clearing stables.

Remember, mowing a yard is the easy part. Think about your other chores as well:

• Mulching a yard?
• Clearing overgrown debris?
• Digging and tilling a garden?
• Maintaining dirt roads or gravel driveways?
• Installing a fence?

Make sure you get enough machine for the jobs you need to do. Our experts recommend folks who live on 10-plus acres, or who do more than mow, look at our 3000 Series or 3 Family tractors, which get up to 45 horsepower.

John Deere’s 3 Family also have another nice feature for allergy sufferers, folks with bees on their land and anyone who’s worked a full day under the hot sun. The 3 Family, and specifically the 3039R, is when tractors with closed cabs are available. That means you can isolate yourself from the elements in a sealed, pressurized, climate-controlled environment and be comfortable no matter what you encounter.

To be continued…

If you're looking for what tractors are best for taking care of livestock and to see our experts’ recommendations for tractor size and attachments based on your land size, chore list and livestock needs, read part two of this post.

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2. friends in the field
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4. residential property tips
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