Tractor question that's really about implements

[mr_flintstone]

My wife has me thinking about buying one of the new subcompact tractors from Rural King. 24 HP hydrostatic with 19 HP at the PTO.

My question is whether I can run some of my older hay implements with this tractor? I know the horsepower requirements for a Ford 501 3-point sickle mower and a NH 268 square baler are fairly low, but will that 19 horsepower be enough to run those two implements on level ground?

Right now I'm using my ford 601, and I plan to continue to do so, but I'd really like it that if I needed to, I could use that tractor in a pinch. What do you guys think?

 

[DRussell]

My wife has me thinking about buying one of the new subcompact tractors from Rural King. 24 HP hydrostatic with 19 HP at the PTO.

My question is whether I can run some of my older hay implements with this tractor? I know the horsepower requirements for a Ford 501 3-point sickle mower and a NH 268 square baler are fairly low, but will that 19 horsepower be enough to run those two implements on level ground?

Right now I'm using my ford 601, and I plan to continue to do so, but I'd really like it that if I needed to, I could use that tractor in a pinch. What do you guys think?

I think you'll have plenty of power for the sickle bar mower. Those don't take much horsepower.

For the baler, yes, you probably will have no issues running it in small windrows. With larger windrows you might have issues with surging where the plunger slows everything down enough that the governor kicks in on the tractor engine. I get that with my Case VAC and small ford baler with large windrows. Although, with hydrostatic drive you should be able to slow your groundspeed enough that it won't be a problem.

 

[DeltaRed]

If the tractor has the standard Category one three point,your implements will fit.The mower may not fit,because those are frequently tractor specific. I would advise against an off breed tractor. They are made by someone else,parts issues may be a problem down the road when Rural King terminates their contract with the tractors Mfger.Plus,who will service/repair it later?But they are cheap. That's why people buy them.But they have ZERO resale value.

 

[MJMJ]

RK tractors are made by Tym. Parts aren't a problem and I doubt they ever will be. But resale is certainly poor.
Personally, I wouldn't want to run a square baler with a tractor that small. The tail would be wagging the dog, so to speak.

 

[Mac AR]

You might be ok with the mower, if you can get all the mounting brackets to fit the lift arms. I wouldn't try the baler; as said above, the tail would be wagging the dog. It'd be just fine for rake duty, though. Personally, I'd rather spend less money on something like a 3000 or 4000 Ford and have a good-sized tractor with LPTO and live hydraulics without the hydrostat.

Mac

 

[Jim.ME]

My wife has me thinking about buying one of the new subcompact tractors from Rural King. 24 HP hydrostatic with 19 HP at the PTO.

My question is whether I can run some of my older hay implements with this tractor? I know the horsepower requirements for a Ford 501 3-point sickle mower and a NH 268 square baler are fairly low, but will that 19 horsepower be enough to run those two implements on level ground?

Right now I'm using my ford 601, and I plan to continue to do so, but I'd really like it that if I needed to, I could use that tractor in a pinch. What do you guys think?

Your ford is about 3291 lbs., if not ballasted any. NH268 baler is about 2474 lbs. Does the baler rock your Ford at times? The RK24 tractor is 1610 lbs., half the weight of your Ford. HP might work but I think the baler may give the RK tractor quite a threshing at times.

 

[mhb@ufe]

RK tractors are made by Tym. Parts aren't a problem and I doubt they ever will be. But resale is certainly poor.
Personally, I wouldn't want to run a square baler with a tractor that small. The tail would be wagging the dog, so to speak.

I agree with MJMJ, the 19 hp would run it but that tractor is way to light and the baler will push it around. It is also very unlikely the 501 mower will fit as the sub compacts have a limited 3 point hitch.

 

[Texasmark]

My wife has me thinking about buying one of the new subcompact tractors from Rural King. 24 HP hydrostatic with 19 HP at the PTO.

My question is whether I can run some of my older hay implements with this tractor? I know the horsepower requirements for a Ford 501 3-point sickle mower and a NH 268 square baler are fairly low, but will that 19 horsepower be enough to run those two implements on level ground?

Right now I'm using my ford 601, and I plan to continue to do so, but I'd really like it that if I needed to, I could use that tractor in a pinch. What do you guys think?

Weight may be an issue. I have a 25 hp and I use heavier full sized tractors even though they are close in HP rating. I bought the 25 basically for another set of hands and its been a gem for that function. The FEL gets the biggest workout and likes to have some weight on the 3 PT. Had a gear drive 25 and traded it in on a hydro......right decision. No comparison.

 

[Texasmark]

My wife has me thinking about buying one of the new subcompact tractors from Rural King. 24 HP hydrostatic with 19 HP at the PTO.

My question is whether I can run some of my older hay implements with this tractor? I know the horsepower requirements for a Ford 501 3-point sickle mower and a NH 268 square baler are fairly low, but will that 19 horsepower be enough to run those two implements on level ground?

Right now I'm using my ford 601, and I plan to continue to do so, but I'd really like it that if I needed to, I could use that tractor in a pinch. What do you guys think?

Weight may be an issue. I have a 25 hp and I use heavier full sized tractors even though they are close in HP rating. I bought the 25 basically for another set of hands and its been a gem for that function. The FEL gets the biggest workout and likes to have some weight on the 3 PT. Had a gear drive 25 and traded it in on a hydro......right decision. No comparison.

Your ford is about 3291 lbs., if not ballasted any. NH268 baler is about 2474 lbs. Does the baler rock your Ford at times? The RK24 tractor is 1610 lbs., half the weight of your Ford. HP might work but I think the baler may give the RK tractor quite a threshing at times.

Agree. Every time the piston smashes another load of crop into the forming bale, the tractor will jerk.

 

[rrlund]

I sure hate to hear about people being seriously hurt or killed by using the wrong tool for the job.

 

[Jim.ME]

My wife has me thinking about buying one of the new subcompact tractors from Rural King. 24 HP hydrostatic with 19 HP at the PTO.

My question is whether I can run some of my older hay implements with this tractor? I know the horsepower requirements for a Ford 501 3-point sickle mower and a NH 268 square baler are fairly low, but will that 19 horsepower be enough to run those two implements on level ground?

Right now I'm using my ford 601, and I plan to continue to do so, but I'd really like it that if I needed to, I could use that tractor in a pinch. What do you guys think?

You might need a different sickle bar mower as Mark mentioned.

Maybe you need an appropriately sized mini-round baler with the new tractor.

IBex TX31 round baler

 

[Brendon-KS]

I have a sub-compact tractor (Massey GC2300) as well as numerous tractors progressively larger so I'm pretty familiar with what this class of tractor can and cannot do. Looking at the specs of the RK24 it slightly larger and heavier than the GC2300 but not by very much so the performance and capabilities of the two would be similar. Think of a sub-compact as a very large and heavy duty garden tractor. With a compact, low chassis, small tires, and low weight they excel at mowing, garden work, and light duty loader work. But, the same physical attributes make them unsuitable for handling large, heavy implements, even if they have the PTO power to theoretically do so. For example, the sickle mower you're talking about requires very little power to operate but it does require a tractor chassis capable of handling a severe side load on the hitch. Personally I'ld never consider putting a sickle mower like that on my GC2300 because the mower would tell the tractor where to go. Don't even think about trying to run a conventional baler on this class of tractor.

Also note that while a sub-compact tractor has a Cat 1 hitch these tractors (at least all I've seen in this class) have a Cat 1 Limited hitch. All the dimensions are the same as a normal hitch but the height above the ground. Also, the drawbar and PTO height above the ground will be lower than what the ASABE standards specify. So, not all implements will go directly from a regular Cat 1 tractor to a sub-compact. I don't know for certain that the RK24 would be this way but I would suspect that it is. Just something to be aware of.

 

[caterpillar guy]

For what the toy tractor will cost you could buy a couple of those old fords and have more tractor with change left over to fix what is needed.

 

[mr_flintstone]

Thanks all for the replies. The main reason I was looking at these tractors is that I can get the tractor with loader bucket and backhoe for about $20,000 otd, and because I'm not exactly in what you'd call a tractor rich environment. The nearest Non-RuralKing dealer is about 2 1/2 hours away, and doesn't exactly carry a large inventory. At least I could get service on a new RK tractor without having to travel a couple hundred miles.

I never even thought about the weight issue or the different size lift arms, so I started looking at options.

I wonder if the RK 25 might be a better option. Same HP, but it is a little larger frame tractor, and the tractor with loader bucket and tire fluid will put the tractor right at 3,000 lbs for about $2,000 more. I watched a video where a guy added a couple of the Ford lift arms from Rural King onto a small JD tractor to run a 501 sickle bar mower. They run $49 each, and might allow use of the sickle mower on the RK tractors.

In any case, I'll probably get some kind of compact tractor just for the bucket and backhoe, and the RK 25 is pushing my financial limits. I'd like a bigger tractor but I just can't afford one right now, and it'll only be a bonus if I can make the sickle mower or baler work. I only bale about 5 acres for a couple of horses, so I just can't see investing in both a new tractor and baler when the old Workmaster does such a fine job with the equipment I've got.

 

[Texasmark]

I was at a farm store recently and they had 2 sitting on the lot. I never saw one, was curious, and checked them out. Was duly impressed with what I saw and felt just sitting on one and observing. Had all the whistles and bells. Both were 25 hp so they had clean engines. Were pricy. Only question is will 25 hp be enough to work for you considering the weight which is part of what you need.

 

[M. Doud]

Thanks all for the replies. The main reason I was looking at these tractors is that I can get the tractor with loader bucket and backhoe for about $20,000 otd, and because I'm not exactly in what you'd call a tractor rich environment. The nearest Non-RuralKing dealer is about 2 1/2 hours away, and doesn't exactly carry a large inventory. At least I could get service on a new RK tractor without having to travel a couple hundred miles.

I never even thought about the weight issue or the different size lift arms, so I started looking at options.

I wonder if the RK 25 might be a better option. Same HP, but it is a little larger frame tractor, and the tractor with loader bucket and tire fluid will put the tractor right at 3,000 lbs for about $2,000 more. I watched a video where a guy added a couple of the Ford lift arms from Rural King onto a small JD tractor to run a 501 sickle bar mower. They run $49 each, and might allow use of the sickle mower on the RK tractors.

In any case, I'll probably get some kind of compact tractor just for the bucket and backhoe, and the RK 25 is pushing my financial limits. I'd like a bigger tractor but I just can't afford one right now, and it'll only be a bonus if I can make the sickle mower or baler work. I only bale about 5 acres for a couple of horses, so I just can't see investing in both a new tractor and baler when the old Workmaster does such a fine job with the equipment I've got.

I don't think you'll be happy running that kind of equipment with a tractor like that; Yeah, on paper it looks like the same hp, but take a look at a older tractors engine physical size and then look at the size of that new tractors engine; There's a huge difference in reciprocating mass and rpm's it makes that horsepower at. I think it would be fine for mowing and using a loader, but I think real farm work with balers, plows, and such is going to be beyond it. Best case is you;ll constantly be plugging the baler. I am positive that one of those tractors would struggle pulling a small 2 bottom plow but a older tractor (2 wheel drive) wouldn't.

In regards to the backhoe I have a b2620 Kubota that I bought that came with a backhoe, its nice for jobs that I would have used a shovel on, and it will do bigger jobs, but it won't do them very quick and I am constantly moving the tractor because the reach is just so short.

I personally wouldn't want to try to use a modern tractor this size for any real farming, I'd much rather use my old farmall super c that was my dads. For field work its far superior to the kubota.