[ddinham]

The real decision is whether you want the hydro tranny as that is not available on the 5 series. Myself, I would not be without the hydro tranny. For loader work, it is the only way to go. The second thing is pricing. There is a reason the 5065E is priced lower. The "E" series are "economy" tractors and are not available on the 4 series. For a real comparison, you should compare with a 5M or 5R series tractor. Generally, the E series are produced in India whereas the 4 series are built in Augusta GA. For myself, I would not consider an E series tractor. You did not specify whether you were considering a cab model. Once you have a cab model, you will never be without one again. You can mow all day and still be clean. Don't think about the things you can get by without. Instead, think long term about what you will wish you had, but did not get. As we get older, those "comfort" items become more important.

5 series tractors usually come with R1 ag tires, whereas the 4 series usually come with R4 tires, which are a good compromise, but can be had with R1 ag tires. The R1 tires have the advantage when working in loose soil such as plowing, etc, but otherwise can be a disadvantage. They can really tear up a yard. Since I mow my yard with my 110 inch finish mower, R1 tires would not work for me. I also plow with a 2 bottom plow, but need 4WD for that because of the R4 tires lack of traction. I am looking to upgrade to a 3 bottom plow. Either tire would work fine when using my 10ft Rhino brush hog.

The 4R tractors have a lot more bells and whistles than the 5E tractors. For example, eThrottle, LoadMatch, and MotionMatch. I never turn off eThrottle. It allows me to not need to use the hand throttle unless I need to set a minimum engine RPM. I had occasion to use LoadMatch recently and really like it. I leave it turned on now also.

In short, the only real advantage I can see is the 5065E offers a little more loader lifting capacity, but I already have enough capacity that it is necessary to have rear ballast. But that lack of hydro tranny is a real killer for me.

Dave

 

[ddinham]

I suggest you view some of these videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=john+deere+4066r+baling+hay First one up is a 4066R running a square baler. Others are mowing hay and many others that show what todays compact tractors can do. In my much younger days I spent a lot of time putting up hay, amongst other duties. None of the tractors we had could compare to a 4066R of today. We plowed, baled hay, mowed hay, raked hay. We did it all with tractors with less than half the HP of a 4066R and on much more acreage than you are considering. I would have loved to had a 4066R back then. Nobody had any tractors with that much HP. I used to plow all day with an 1937 Allis Chalmers WC with 20 some HP pulling a 2 bottom pull-type plow. Now, I have a 2 bottom plow for my 4066R, but after trying it out last month at a plow day, I am looking for a 3 bottom plow. I mow my yard with a 110 inch finish mower. I run a 10ft Rhino 3pt brush hog. Back then, we could only run a 5 or 6ft brush hog. I could farm today with my 4066R and be much easier to do than it was back then. The only thing I would change is the tires to R1 ag, but the R4 tires are a good compromise. I would not want to mow my yard with R1 ag tires.

There are pros and cons both between the 4 series and 5 series, but to me it boils down to hydro on the 4 series or higher lift capacity on the 5 series. Remember you are not comparing apples to apples when you compare a 4M/4R to a 5E as the E is an economy tractor. Either will do the jobs you have in mind. If you have never done loader work with a hydro tractor, you won't miss it. But once you have done loader work with a hydro, you won't be without it. I take care of about the same acreage and have not yet found anything I could not do with my 4066R. Do not underestimate what you can do with one of today's compact tractors. That word "compact" is really misleading. If the 4 series had a cat2 3pt hitch instead of cat1, it would be considered as a utility tractor the same as the 5 series, rather than compact tractor and no one would argue about whether it could do the job. A number of years back, I had a 54HP diesel utility tractor with cat2 3pt hitch. My 4066R will do much more than it would. A 6ft brush hog would work it pretty good.

Dave