A little insight before i buy.. Please

[nonvolatile]

I've decided to buy a M5040HDC, but before i do i need some advice or maybe reassurace from some of you more experienced folks. Our land is terraced and has to be mowed/bush-hogged down the length of the terrace. I've been using a little 20hp (no cab) MF for the last 10yrs, but when i was a teenager my grandfather had a big Deutz, I didnt feel safe using it, i always felt like it would tip over, so the question is, Will i feel that way in the 5040 cab? How much of an sideways tilt is too much? Thanks in advance for any input!!!

 

[teg]

You need to see if the dealer will let you test drive it on your property. Some dealers will do that... Or see if the dealer will let you trade it for another tractor... if it doesn't work out.

Around my place, there's a guy that does haying on steep side slopes... I don't even want to walk on them... been meaning to take some photos of it but photos don't always show how really steep things are.

 

[MarkV]

Welcome to the forum! There are a couple of things that you can do to minimize any top heavy feelings. Have the dealer set the rear wheel spacing as wide as possible. Add liquid ballast to the rear tires. Makes a giant difference in stability.

MarkV

 

[TripleR]

I don't know anything about the M5040HDC, but from just looking at the website, it looks like it is a fairly low COG design with good tread width and should be stable.

I do my mowing with a cabbed Case CX80 and a 10 foot Woods 121 3-point hitch or Woods 1260 pull behind. I have weighted tires and it is a tall, but stable tractor and I don't think I will ever feel "comfortable" mowing my levies and hills sideways. Being up high just magnifies the feeling. We have a low profile MF 375 that feels much better, but it doesn't have a cab, so I prefer the Case.

Probably the only way to overcome the "feeling" is through use and in the end it may keep you from pushing your equipment beyond its capabilities. My father in law wasn't afraid of working on slopes and wound up rolling his mowers over several times. He usually managed to jump free, but one time was pinned under one for several hours.

 

[bp fick]

My father in law wasn't afraid of working on slopes and wound up rolling his mowers over several times. He usually managed to jump free, but one time was pinned under one for several hours.

Ooooh! That's gonna leave a mark.

 

[jda1961]

when i bought my kioti dk55 i was use to a ford 3600, and i could go out on some very steep hillsides with no problem, but on the kioti it felt funny doing that because it is taller or rather the operator station is higher, but after a few weeks that went away, it will handle hillsides just as well if not better tham the ford. it just takes some time to get to know your tractor, make sure you load the the tires and put ag tires on it fo the best traction.

 

[jda1961]

You need to see if the dealer will let you test drive it on your property. Some dealers will do that... Or see if the dealer will let you trade it for another tractor... if it doesn't work out.

Around my place, there's a guy that does haying on steep side slopes... I don't even want to walk on them... been meaning to take some photos of it but photos don't always show how really steep things are.

my nabor mows a very steep hill side too. he use to mow it with an old 200 farmall tricycle then went to an old 250 mf and a brushhog, its scarey to watch, i'm in west virginia and don't have a problem with mowing on hills but some places are better off letting them grow up.

 

[Ken45101]

Having the dealer set the rear wheels to maximum width and loading them with calcium or rimguard will help a lot. That said, there is always the unknown. You don't know when the low wheel might hit a low spot just as the high wheel hits a bump I've spent many hours mowing up and down our hills, backing down (got a stiff neck from that).

Last year I bought a M9540. It came with slightly smaller tires than standard, which makes it sit an inch lower. I had it set up for maximum rear width and loaded with Rimguard. It looks and feels so much more stable than my M5040, which has the wheels wide but not maximum. I've been able to cut most of the the hillsides across rather than up and down, a vast improvement.

I watch the state highway crews mow some hillsides that scare me. I don't know if I'm overconservative, or they have more stable equipment (they also have workman's comp, LOL.)

Ken

 

[daveinnh]

Two factors you can discuss with your dealer.

1. Smaller tire size - need to match the f/r ratio though.

2. Set rear wheels out wide.

Our Kubota L4310 also has rear tires loaded with Rimguard for ballast. But it still feels light using full loader scoops w/o something on the 3pth.

BTW, I use a 5' rotary mower but have seen results from a flail mower and it's much cleaner.

I'd like to see photos of your rig when you do purchase (may upgrade myself).