Size Guide
What Size Tractor Do I Need?
Sized by the jobs and implements you plan to run. Each list below shows which of the tractors on this site fit the implements for that job, by the makers’ published numbers.
Often on a few acres or less
Lawn, garden and a gravel drive
Needs: a rotary tiller about 4 ft wide; a box blade about 4 ft wide; a landscape rake about 4 ft wide. 28 of 38 tractors on this site fit all of them by the published numbers. The smallest by PTO horsepower is the John Deere 1023E (16 PTO hp).
Requirements: Rotary Tillers · Box Blades · Landscape Rakes
Often on 5 to 20 acres
Pasture mowing and fence work
Needs: a rotary cutter about 5 ft wide; a post hole digger; a box blade about 5 ft wide. 33 of 38 tractors on this site fit all of them by the published numbers. The smallest by PTO horsepower is the John Deere 1023E (16 PTO hp).
Requirements: Rotary Cutters · Post Hole Diggers · Box Blades
Loader work
Clearing brush and moving logs
Needs: a rotary cutter about 5 ft wide; a grapple about 4 ft wide; a pallet fork. 17 of 38 tractors on this site fit all of them by the published numbers. The smallest by PTO horsepower is the John Deere 1023E (16 PTO hp).
Requirements: Rotary Cutters · Grapples · Pallet Forks
Often 20 acres and up
Larger pasture and roads
Needs: a rotary cutter about 6 ft wide; a rear blade about 6 ft wide; a box blade about 6 ft wide. 17 of 38 tractors on this site fit all of them by the published numbers. The smallest by PTO horsepower is the John Deere 1023E (16 PTO hp).
Requirements: Rotary Cutters · Rear Blades · Box Blades
Cutting and raking your own hay
Small-scale hay
Needs: a disc and drum mower about 4 ft wide; a hay rake. 25 of 38 tractors on this site fit all of them by the published numbers. The smallest by PTO horsepower is the John Deere 2025R (17.2 PTO hp).
Requirements: Disc and Drum Mowers · Hay Rakes
By class
Sub-Compact vs Compact vs Utility Tractors
Ranges across the tractors on this site, from the makers’ specs. Class is as each maker describes the model.
| Class | Tractors here | PTO hp | Lift at 24 in | Loader lift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-compact | Tractors here14 | PTO hp13.7–19.3 | Lift at 24 in680–1,229.7 lb | Loader lift739–1,380 lb |
| Compact | Tractors here21 | PTO hp18.8–44.6 | Lift at 24 in1,356–3,177 lb | Loader lift948–2,761 lb |
| Utility | Tractors here3 | PTO hp31–57 | Lift at 24 in2,310–3,527 lb | Loader lift2,275–3,225 lb |
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Questions
Tractor Size Questions
Is a sub-compact tractor big enough for a rotary cutter?
Some are. Kubota BX1880: 0 of 14 cutters fit; Kubota BX2380: 6 of 14 cutters fit; Kubota BX23S: 0 of 14 cutters fit; John Deere 1023E: 9 of 14 cutters fit; John Deere 1025R: 9 of 14 cutters fit; John Deere 2025R: 9 of 14 cutters fit; Kioti CS2520: 6 of 14 cutters fit; Mahindra 1126 HST: 7 of 14 cutters fit; Massey Ferguson 1M.25: 6 of 14 cutters fit; New Holland Workmaster 25S: 6 of 14 cutters fit; LS MT125: 6 of 14 cutters fit; LS MT225S: 6 of 14 cutters fit; Yanmar SA425: 9 of 14 cutters fit; TYM T25: 6 of 14 cutters fit.
What size tractor do I need for a 6 ft rotary cutter?
On this site, Kubota LX3520, Kubota L3902, Kubota L4802, Kubota MX5400, John Deere 1023E, John Deere 1025R, John Deere 2025R, John Deere 3033R, John Deere 3038E, John Deere 5075E, Kioti CK3520, Kioti DK4520, Kioti NX4510, Mahindra 1126 HST, Mahindra 2126 HST, Mahindra 1640 HST, Mahindra 4540 4WD, Massey Ferguson 2M.60, New Holland Workmaster 40, Yanmar SA425, Yanmar YT235, TYM T474 fit at least one 6 ft (72 in) cutter by the published numbers.
How do I know if an implement fits my tractor?
Compare three published numbers: the implement maker's horsepower range against your tractor's horsepower, the implement's hitch category against yours, and the implement's weight against your 3-point lift 24 in behind the lift points. The match tool does this for every implement on this site.
Header photo: John Deere 5075E by Steffen Mokosch, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.