Anyone have knowledge on small tractor capabilities?

[jryoung]

The duck club I belong to bought a Kubota L2650 tractor (4wd ~25hp) and I'm wondering about the working power/capabilities of it specifically as it relates to discing. We've been paying for discing services in the past, but we are hoping to be able to keep up on maintenance ourselves after California Waterfowl completes a project on our property this spring with a NAWCA grant.

I'm sure there are hundreds of variables at play, but curious as to how wide of a disc we can hope to pull? Our intent will be to disc the tulies and spike thrush in the summer. My guess is likely only 6 ft or so....but that probably depends on how many rows of discs we have.

Anyway, if you have any perspective here I'd appreciate it so we can hone our focus.

 

[Addicting]

I run a JD 4044m and I don’t bother with a disc. A 6’ in soft soil is all that the 44hp can muster.

I much prefer to use an old Ferguson manual tiller. It’s basically a chisel plow. Then I go over everything with a 5’ rototiller. From there it’s broadcast seed and roll with a cultipacker.

Discing with these sub 50hp tractors leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[pabearhunter]

I have a 25 hp Kioti tractor I pull a 4 ft disc but could probably pull a 5 or 6 ft as long as you didn't go to deep. I pull a 4 ft brush hog and a 4 ft. rototiller. Like any other diesel they like there filters. Good luck.

 

[MITCHMO]

I have kubota B2601 and it pulls the 5’ disc just fine. Tiller is way better but I even added weight to my disc when ground is dry.

That’s also all the way down with full weight and the discs angled as aggressive as possible.

 

[MITCHMO]

I tried to find a picture but I don’t have much.

 

[seeth07]

Mitch hit it right on. 4 to 6 foot disc's just don't have the weight to really dig in and do a lot. The tractor will pull a 6 footer just fine but you won't get the results you want like if it was a 10 foot disc working. The tiller is a much better options and you can controll easily the depth you want. Like for my fields that are already nice and flat and were worked well from previous year, I only till down 3 to 4 inches and create just a nice powder for that top compared to what the disc does. Your seeds will take way better from dispersal in this powder as opposed to discing.

If money isn't an issue, skip all this and buy a drill. No tilling required and better seeding rate. I just have never been able to justify spending 5k on a drill myself

 

[MThuntr]

Brother-in-law had a similar setup until recently. 4' disc is about all his could do but he was in hard pan Texas soil. I'd caveat on a "it depends" but I think there's a 5hp per ft guideline I've read somewhere.

As mentioned, kind of depends on the results that you're looking for.

 

[jryoung]

The soil at our club is mucky clay, but in the central valley the summer heat is relentless and by August the top of the soil is reasonably frail....but I have no perspective of what it takes to knock down tulies.

Appreciate all of your help.

 

[buckbull]

my brother in law has those blue plastic 55 gallon drums attached to his disk that he can easily add or remove weight with water. 75hp tractor with 8 foot disk.

 

[buckbull]

back on the dairy farm we would sometimes use a cultivator to break up the ground instead of using the moldboard plow. We were able to pull that with a ford 8n. Then run over with a disk. only did that on smaller fields when the bigger tractors were already doing something else.

 

[LuketheDog]

The soil at our club is mucky clay, but in the central valley the summer heat is relentless and by August the top of the soil is reasonably frail....but I have no perspective of what it takes to knock down tulies.

Appreciate all of your help.

Could you just mow them? A brush hog might work if it's set high, a flail mower would be excellent but expensive. I have a 25hp and I don't think I'd try pulling a disc in our hard soil around here, I just don't think there's enough weight to really dig in except for maybe a month or so in the springtime when the winter moisture is still in the ground.

 

[jryoung]

Could you just mow them? A brush hog might work if it's set high, a flail mower would be excellent but expensive. I have a 25hp and I don't think I'd try pulling a disc in our hard soil around here, I just don't think there's enough weight to really dig in except for maybe a month or so in the springtime when the winter moisture is still in the ground.

Mowing works, but turning the soil is much more effective. We did some brush hog mowing this summer around our blinds and that growth is already getting close to 4 ft.

 

[Steiny77]

If ground has already been worked, that 25 hp machine will handle a 6' disc and do a decent job. If starting with sod, you'll need something to break it up first.
That machine will handle a 5' rotary tiller. I use a rotary tiller all the time and it powders the soil up nicely.

 

[F250]

Brush hog the vegetation, wait a couple weeks, then roto till it in. I have a 42 hp Massey and 7’ disc harrows. Really not all that effective compared to my 6’ tiller.

 

[MITCHMO]

If ground has already been worked, that 25 hp machine will handle a 6' disc and do a decent job. If starting with sod, you'll need something to break it up first.
That machine will handle a 5' rotary tiller. I use a rotary tiller all the time and it powders the soil up nicely.

100% right here. I ended up using my blade to scrape off and break up the sod . First disc on a field sucks. Takes a lot of passes.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

i have a nh tc 25///a 6 foot disc will work//i add cement weights to it so it will dig into the soil better//a tiller will also work if you have one.

 

[Elkoholic]

As many mentioned, if you have an option for a tiller that's the route I'd go. About 7yrs ago when I got my first tractor (39hp) I used a disc on hard Ohio clay ground with crap results, a buddy brought his tiller over for me to try. I've not even considered using that disc since, always use a tiller, powder results.

 

[Redmt]

If you're interested, I have a 3 point disc, 5' flail mower and a tiller 5' that are near new mechanical shape. I don't need them and would like to see them put to good use. $$ negotiable and trades considered.

 

[Hem]

Mechanical friend who is pretty savy told me once don't bother with anything less than 65hp....if $ isn't an issue.

 

[Redmt]

Mechanical friend who is pretty savy told me once don't bother with anything less than 65hp....if $ isn't an issue.

More HP equals more weight. Not always the right answer to what tractor to buy, especially with the little stuff.