That 425 sounds real nice. I think the best approach is to start checking out what dealers close to you have in the back row. be it a tractor complete or even extra decks. Get their opinions. Look on the Craigslist/ EBAY , estate sales etc. The older 400 series were built like tanks, but lots of them had no mulching. Service decks are available new- but pricey once you add it to a machine you just had to buy too. Maybe a Toro XI with a 52" recycler.

The MRSP is high, 3399.00, I am not sure I would have paid that for a first year, new model, but being I got for about 1/3 of that price, I'm very happy. PCW ============= You got a freak deal that nobody else will ever come within a hundred miles of. w3nzl But back in the real world now, that thing is priced right about where a JD 304 AWS is, an in that case I have NO doubt which way I'd go, how about U ??? --------------------- It wsn't jd for me - It was a CC GT2554 for 3500 dollars. Lots more bang for my buck. I am willing to bet that now that all the grass is at the same level of height and getting use to the ZTR, I will be able to mow my entire 1/1/2 acers in 50 mins. Posted by pwelty ================== How long had it been taking you to mow it?

OK JD, let the games begin. LOL First off, let's keep something in mind. This thread is about giving the OP advice as to which SIZE of tractor might best suit his needs. Any advice given, was done so based on whatever he disclosed. And the words he used were "with a 'real' tractor, like a small Kubota, Kioti, Farmall Cub, etc.?". So, he defined what "a real tractor" meant to him and I took him into an even larger series. So...... please read messages carefully before you attempt to chastise me by saying that I am giving out bad info. If someone has five acres or more that they intend to "develop" (check the OP's own words), then having a tractor with a FEL is very handy, as we both know. Running a tractor with a FEL requires more skills than running a tractor without one. Buying a tractor with a two pedal hydro means that the operator doesn't have to think about whether s/he is in the correct gear or range. The trannys in "real tractors" have no syncromesh. If you have a hydro, there is no clutch to wear out or abuse nor will you grind any gears and possibly chip or break a tooth off of one. You mentioned a shuttle shift and I agree that they are great. I have run 580 Case's, JD's and JCB's with them but all of these are TLB's that are well over sixty hp and far larger than the OP needs. Anyone who has a reasonable amount of experience with hydrostatic drive knows about the instant torque multiplying feature that is attained just by lessening the pressure on the forward pedal or levers. No need to stop, put the shuttle in neutral, shift gears and then proceed in a lower gear to dive into the pile. I suggest that you stop by a New Holland dealer and try a TC45DA with a loader out. With a push of a button, that machine will shift from low range while entering and leaving the pile to high so that you can scoot to where you want to drop the material that's in the bucket. In my mind, it doesn't get any simpler or easier to use for the novice or the pro operator. I operated one of those Boomers and was totally impressed. And if 4 wheel drive isn't needed for loader work, then why is it that Cat, Case, JCB, Deere etc all offer that feature and enjoy massive sales. I am not even going to go into the logic behind having 4 wheel drive on a loader because it's a no-brainer. Especially when using a loader in muddy or slippery conditions, which happens all too often. The Ford 4000 is a good tractor but it weighs a 1000 pounds more than the Boomer, was never offered in 4 WD and was made between 1965 and 1975. On top of that, all you get out of the pump is 5.4 gpm. Any 4000 that is out there is likely to have well over 3000 hours on it after a minimum of thirty-two years. So, why would I advise someone to buy tractor technology that old and with that much wear and tear on it? Your comment about bucking the loader is bad information. Manufacturers install cylinders on loaders that are appropriate for the strength of the loader arms. If anything, they err on the side of safety because they don't need the warranty issues. As for the "arse flipping up", you just provided the very reason for 4WD. The second you push the loader bucket deep into the pile and try to lift the load, the front axle becomes the pivot point, thus unloading weight off of the rear tires. When that happens, the rear tires lose traction and spin. Having 4WD provides the needed tractive power to exit the pile. Having a cab with fully operable windows, allows you to work in cold weather with heat on and it keeps the snow and wind from making your life miserable. In warm weather, the cab keeps the sun off of your body but allows the air to flow right on through. Having AC means you can choose to turn it on or off, as need be. Sure, it takes a few hp to run the compressor but having it can mean the difference between doing that chore during the day or waiting until the crack of dawn the next day. If that task happens to be bush hogging ten acres of tall grass, then give me the cab and AC because if the bush hog is sized properly for the tractor, there is still plenty of ponies left to run the AC on a TC45. If you read the OP's latest comment, he was pleased to learn just how new a tractor he could buy and how much tractor he could buy for the ten grand plus budget he gave. So..... this isn't about which tractor pleases me or you. He has his property and perceived needs and you have yours. When it's all said and done, the final choice rests with him after reading and considering all the advice in this thread. Thanks for posting.

Equipment using rigid gear drives 'may' use shear pins to protect the transmission or engine from shock traveling back when 'something' happens that immobilizes the gear train, however briefly. Years ago, all outboard engines used shear pins to protect the powerhead if the prop hit a submerged obstacle. Brush hogs use a flail blade to protect the gearbox of the mower. Belt driven equipment has a built in 'give', or resiliency that might keep damage to a minimum. I suspect it was the forward speed of the mower that caused the damage to the spindle. The blade also probably flexed and bent as it contacted and rose over the 'tree trunk cut close to ground level', which tried to twist the spindle horizontally. Did you ease over it with caution or just cutting at normal speed? I've done that many times (thankfully no broken mandrels or spindles, though). At the lake we have lots of cypress and are forever nicking the tops of knees trying to 'rise up above the rest' when forgetting they're there. Lots of spindles and mandrels on today's tractors are made of aluminum, which doesn't give us a lot of leeway. Wanna buy a stump grinder? 8^) Which reminds me. I've often thought about putting a gator blade upside down on an old push mower to dress down areas like that. They are twice as thick as a normal blade and maybe sharpen up the 'fingers' normally on top. Whatcha think deerslayer? Anybody else?