[stroked383z]

Recently I bought some mini round bale hay equipment. Mini Round Baler, 51C Drum Mower, and Rake/Tedder combo equipment. I up until last week had a 2020 2025r with loader, backhoe, 60” MMM to use it all with. I did 2” spacers and it was actually noticeably more stable and fit with the MMM. I sold that tractor because with the hills (sideways/up and down hills) I think I was at max or close to it as far as the machine capabilities were if I tried to make any speed at all with the mower. The pto was super hot to touch and the raider/lower lever actually had a rubber bushing fall off which made me have to take it in for a fix.

Now I’m looking at a 3046/4044/4052/4066r with a cab, loader, backhoe. My problem is with the 51c drum mower the max width of the tractor can be is 6ft/72”.

I’ve read on here that the 4066r is 72” with R4 tires. Is that tractor more stable than my 2025r with the 2” spacers? I can’t add spacers to a 4 series and keep using the 51c mower. It may not work at all anyways lol. I called the dealer and they said it may be too close to the rear tire at 72” is why. I’d love to try it on the tractor but with dealer stock can’t find one to try it on.

2nd question is with the 3046r. How wide is it and how stable is it in stock form with R4s vs the 2025r with the 2” spacers. I can add spacers to that one and stay under the 72” max. As with the 2025r the 3046r isn’t “supposed” to run spacers lol. So there’s that problem with warranty. I did it on the 2025 in hopes never needed to warranty anything. But the new tractor is considerably more expensive so not sure I wanna do that. 4 series has iron rearend vs aluminum as well.

I just bought the equipment and don’t want to sell any of it. It works great for our 20 acres. Just pros/cons of 3046 or 4r series

 

[cc1999]

Well the 3 series is known for being tippy without spacers.
The only one of that 2,3,4 series that is relatively stable without spacers is the 4 series.

You can make a 3 series stable by using spacers, then they get to be about as wide as the 4 series without spacers.

I would argue the 2 series with spacers is more stable then a 3 series without them.
The 4 series is just more capable in every way.

The larger tires of the 4 series handles any sort of terrain challenges better then the smaller tires of the 3 or the 2 series.

Now let it know, Deere for some reason does not like the use of spacer on a 3R even though many of us have them anyway. IMO a 3R is just not a safe machine without spacer. I have had 3" spacers on 3 different cab 3Rs. Night and day improvement in stability and ride quality.

For PTO work I do prefer a Turbo.
So I would say
3046R with 2-3" wheel spacers.
Or
4052,4066R without them would be my pics for what your describing.

4044R does not have a turbo.

 

[bcarp]

My 3046R with R4s and no spacers is 60” wide. I know tire brands have changed a little over time, so there may be some variance on current models. I have the Galaxy brand R4s on 20" wheels.

 

[kevinl]

I had a cab 3033r, very tippy feeling. I now have a cab 4066r and never feel in danger. Much more capable tractor all
Around.


John Deere 4066R

 

[JD4052M]

The 3R's are pretty tippy without spacers, especially when doing loader work.

I've been in some sketchy situations with our 4052M and it still feels pretty stable. I know that when the rear wheels on the 4 series are dished out, it is exactly 72 inches wide. I would think it would be a little narrower with the wheels dished in, but I'm not sure. Also if you go with the 4R, I'd go with a 52 or 66. I have heard that the 44 is low on power sometimes. The 52 has plenty of power to work on hills and such.

 

[stroked383z]

I had a cab 3033r, very tippy feeling. I now have a cab 4066r and never feel in danger. Much more capable tractor all
Around.


John Deere 4066R

Spacers?

 

[puckett_jw]

Personally, I did not like the way that my 4066R felt without spacers. I have the 5.5 ones, so I am now 82" (I started at 71" wide) with my R4's, which I know is too wide for your mower, but I just did not like the way it felt without them even with the tires loaded. I have since added 2 wheel weights per side too & I trust it way more. It just feels more solid & connected to the ground--Maybe just in my head? From a look's perspective, I feel that it looks a little off, but it is growing on me. I was torn between the 5.5 form JD & getting aftermarket 3's.

 

[Krackle_959]

If you are looking at the 4 series, I would skip the 4044 and go to either the 4052 or 4066. I chose the 4052R for logging, bush hogging fields, stone wall building, and trail maintenance on our 153 acre hilly property in Maine. We have been lugging stumps off with it to clear a newly cut field. Its a very stable machine, but my tires are loaded, and also have the 5.5" spacers. It makes the width closer to 7' wide with the R4 tires. It hasn't run out of power yet for my tasks, but if you were doing a ton of pto work it might be worth it to go to the 4066 model.

Also having a 2025R to compare it to is night and day difference. the 2025R is a around the yard machine, and the 4052R is the small farm tractor.

 

[kevinl]

Spacers?

No spacers, Nokian snow tires, tall and narrow like R1s


John Deere 4066R

 

[tawhite78]

Recently I bought some mini round bale hay equipment. Mini Round Baler, 51C Drum Mower, and Rake/Tedder combo equipment. I up until last week had a 2020 2025r with loader, backhoe, 60” MMM to use it all with. I did 2” spacers and it was actually noticeably more stable and fit with the MMM. I sold that tractor because with the hills (sideways/up and down hills) I think I was at max or close to it as far as the machine capabilities were if I tried to make any speed at all with the mower. The pto was super hot to touch and the raider/lower lever actually had a rubber bushing fall off which made me have to take it in for a fix.

Now I’m looking at a 3046/4044/4052/4066r with a cab, loader, backhoe. My problem is with the 51c drum mower the max width of the tractor can be is 6ft/72”.

I’ve read on here that the 4066r is 72” with R4 tires. Is that tractor more stable than my 2025r with the 2” spacers? I can’t add spacers to a 4 series and keep using the 51c mower. It may not work at all anyways lol. I called the dealer and they said it may be too close to the rear tire at 72” is why. I’d love to try it on the tractor but with dealer stock can’t find one to try it on.

2nd question is with the 3046r. How wide is it and how stable is it in stock form with R4s vs the 2025r with the 2” spacers. I can add spacers to that one and stay under the 72” max. As with the 2025r the 3046r isn’t “supposed” to run spacers lol. So there’s that problem with warranty. I did it on the 2025 in hopes never needed to warranty anything. But the new tractor is considerably more expensive so not sure I wanna do that. 4 series has iron rearend vs aluminum as well.

I just bought the equipment and don’t want to sell any of it. It works great for our 20 acres. Just pros/cons of 3046 or 4r series

I just recently upgraded to the 3046R and very happy with it. You get the largest 3 series available and performs great.

 

[stroked383z]

I just recently upgraded to the 3046R and very happy with it. You get the largest 3 series available and performs great.

Spacers? Really want something stable on hills with backhoe attached or using to mow/rake/bale hay on sideways hills

 

[mo1]

Recently I bought some mini round bale hay equipment. Mini Round Baler, 51C Drum Mower, and Rake/Tedder combo equipment. I up until last week had a 2020 2025r with loader, backhoe, 60” MMM to use it all with. I did 2” spacers and it was actually noticeably more stable and fit with the MMM. I sold that tractor because with the hills (sideways/up and down hills) I think I was at max or close to it as far as the machine capabilities were if I tried to make any speed at all with the mower. The pto was super hot to touch and the raider/lower lever actually had a rubber bushing fall off which made me have to take it in for a fix.

Now I’m looking at a 3046/4044/4052/4066r with a cab, loader, backhoe. My problem is with the 51c drum mower the max width of the tractor can be is 6ft/72”.

It appears this is the Galfre G130, sold as the Ibex TS51C drum mower from Tractor Tools Direct?

I looked at the manual that was on the Tractor Tools Direct website (which was simply Galfre's English-language manual) and there is no specific mention of the tractor needing to be less than a certain width in the manual. They do mention the tractor needs to be properly ballasted (and give a formula for determining this) and it must run on a 540 RPM PTO, but otherwise only mentioned that "all Galfre mowers can be attached to any kind of tractor with universal three point linkage."

I wonder if the website's recommendation for a maximum tractor width is probably so that you could use the entire width of the mower without driving over uncut material, as in the inside edge of the mower is outside of the outer edge of the right ear tire. If this is the case and you have a wider tractor, just drive with the outer edge of your rear tire right at the edge of the uncut area and this is simply your "overlap."

 

[stroked383z]

It appears this is the Galfre G130, sold as the Ibex TS51C drum mower from Tractor Tools Direct?

I looked at the manual that was on the Tractor Tools Direct website (which was simply Galfre's English-language manual) and there is no specific mention of the tractor needing to be less than a certain width in the manual. They do mention the tractor needs to be properly ballasted (and give a formula for determining this) and it must run on a 540 RPM PTO, but otherwise only mentioned that "all Galfre mowers can be attached to any kind of tractor with universal three point linkage."

I wonder if the website's recommendation for a maximum tractor width is probably so that you could use the entire width of the mower without driving over uncut material, as in the inside edge of the mower is outside of the outer edge of the right ear tire. If this is the case and you have a wider tractor, just drive with the outer edge of your rear tire right at the edge of the uncut area and this is simply your "overlap."

yes that’s the correct mower. I called TractorToolsDirect yesterday to verify what it says online as the max width for tractor. They said it may get to close to the rear tire for the mower itself. I wish I had a 4066 to try it out on lol. I’ll tell my dealer I need to try it first before buying.

 

[CharleyFarmall]

Having owned 2,3,4, and 5 series machines if you can afford it I would recommend the 4052M with R1's. The industrial tires are just not really good farm/ small acreage tires. My R3's on the 2 series were also excellent

 

[stroked383z]

Having owned 2,3,4, and 5 series machines if you can afford it I would recommend the 4052M with R1's. The industrial tires are just not really good farm/ small acreage tires. My R3's on the 2 series were also excellent

The 4052M isn’t that less expensive than 4052/4066R?

What is difference in 4052M vs 4052R? Cabs different?

 

[cc1999]

I am pretty sure there is not a 4M cab tractor offered.

If using the Deere website build and price tools, I believe you have to select the cab option on the 4R otherwise they would both be showing prices for open stations.

As far as open station 4R vs 4M, there is a few features that are different, mostly in the operator station.
I would say the R is probably worth it though.
Generally there are some nice features on the R that are not on the M open stations that are worth those few extra bucks.

 

[JD4052M]

Main differences between 4M and 4R…….
Assuming both machines are hydrostat

Things the 4R has that the 4M does not

Cab option
Hitch assist
Suspension seat
Tilt steering
Loadmatch, speedmatch, motionmatch, ethrottle, and cruise control (but cruise is optional on 4m)
Quick attach loader with platform mounted joystick (4m has bolt on loader with loader mounted joystick)

IMO the 4R is worth the extra money

 

[Sinktip]

I had the same decision to make recently and after lots of research, much of it right here, chose to go with the R model. If I had wanted (ok wanted but not needed) a cab, the decision would have been made for me. It wasn't but the other perks made the cost difference stomachable.

 

[stroked383z]

If the 4052/4066r is too wide by measuring tape I may have to go with 3046r with spacers. Or maybe I can get a 4052/66r here to actually mount the mower to and see exactly why it’s too wide

I’d imagine 3” spacers on each side of a 3046 even with cab and backhoe would be decent stable?

 

[mo1]

Main differences between 4M and 4R…….
Assuming both machines are hydrostat

Things the 4R has that the 4M does not

Cab option
Hitch assist
Suspension seat
Tilt steering
Loadmatch, speedmatch, motionmatch, ethrottle, and cruise control (but cruise is optional on 4m)
Quick attach loader with platform mounted joystick (4m has bolt on loader with loader mounted joystick)

IMO the 4R is worth the extra money

It is actually possible to get a regular 4M with the tractor-mounted joystick and the quick-detach 440R loader, I believe someone here even did just that.