Ballast Filling Tractor Tires

[rox]

I love this Community!!! Everyone here knows so much and I know nothing at all about equipment, so I am so excited to join. My husband and I are new farmers, really new, like a couple months new. Neither one of us has a farming background. We purchasd an olive farm in Provence France and it has steep, really steep hills. It is really hilly here, tomorrow when it is light I will take some pictures. It is steep hills with stone terraces, and the olive trees are on the terraces. My husband says it is terrifying to drive the tractor up and down all the hills but one hill in particualr is really bad. The previous farm worker fliped the tractor 3 times in 7 years. I read in this forum about filling tires for "front end loaders?" would that work for a tractor to? Would that help my husband stay on the ground?

 

[JASTN70D]

Welcome.! And congratulations that is some retirement spot. Yes by all means fill the tires and do anything else to make it as safe as possible to work on those hills. I am sure you will get and can find much advise on the subject. Good luck in your new endeavorer it sure sounds fun.! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[rox]

Jastin,
Thanks for your reply /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I was worried no one would post an answer and you were kind enough to do that. Here is another phot showing a different section with even more of the hills showing.

 

[Henro]

When I first reat your post I thought you might have the ideal use for a walk behind 2-wheel tractor...

Make sure the tractor your husband (and you?) use has roll over protection and a seat belt. Nothing would be worse than an early end to one's retirement!

Anything you can do to lower the tractor's center of gravity will help add stability on hills. Filling tires with something does this.

Up and down is much safer than sideways.

Slow is better than fast on any slope.

I thought the Italians grew the olives and the French grew the wine grapes... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Are you close to the border by chance? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[mwood]

Your land looks beautiful! I hope I'm that lucky and in 40 years when I retire, I hope to live somewhere that nice!

Also, though I have little knowledge or experience compared to others here, let me first welcome you! (I've never actually welcomed someone here, so this is a first to me too!)

All of the farmers in my area fill their tires. While this does not necessarly keep you safe on unsafe slopes, it's at least a start. The farmers here claim that the filled tires do better in the mud and keep the center of gravity (COG) very low. You can also fill the front tires or add weights. This will improve forward-rear stability of the tractor while going up adn down the hills. But I was warned by my farmer neighbors that it is important to remember that weight + gravity = momentum. If it's muddy and you start to slide, the added weight will not necessarly help you stop. Now I know there are a ton of physics problems to do here, and while I do know comptuers, I don't claim to know physics. So I'll leave that to the experts.

But all this said (and I know I've probably said way too much but i'm tired and I tend to ramble when i'm tired....) I would go ahead and fill the tires. Also, if you can give some ideas of how steep these slopes are and pictures of the actual lane you will be driving down, I'm sure someone here can tell you the safest way to traverse it. (There is a good thread that I can't find right now about how to measure slopes with a carpenter's level and a ruler)

Anyway, to summarize: Fill the tires, Welcome to TBN and enjoy the beautiful property!!!!!

 

[rox]

Henro,
The tractor has a bar on top, but you can have it up or down. You know, I think he has not been putting it up lately now that I think about it /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I don't think the tractor has a seat belt. Really the tractor is to big for a lot of our work. We re thinking of getting some kind of UTV. Looking at the Kabuta (spelling) RV model, I think that is what it is. We need something smaller. Actually he just wants to get a rototiller. We have 12 acres. A lot of it is no problem but a good portion is terraced. Our big probem is spraying. In order to spray he has to get the trator up the hills to power the sprayer. Then he stops at the end of the terraces and walks with the hose and sprays. We have 1,500 olive trees and are close to Marseilles, between Spain and Italy. I am busy pulling weeds by hand and pruing the suckers that grow on the bottom of the trees. I haven't had the courage to even get on the tractor yet. I'll probably hold out for something smaller than a tractor.

 

[mwood]

From what you describe, a utility ATV like the Kubota is the best bet. You can get 12V sprayers for them that run off the battery already on the vehicle. I'm sure if more power is needed, that could be handled as well too!

Good luck and BE SAFE. Oh ya. If there is no seat belt, make sure you husband leaves the ROPS (Roll Over Protection System) folded so he has an easier way to jump free. They only work with a seatbelt!

 

[rox]

THANK YOU for that advice! No seat belt then don't use the top bar. Many thanks...

 

[mwood]

Rox:
I guess I felt guilty not posting a reply to this thread regarding the ROPS idea. Since your tractor has the roll bar, it may be safer to add a seat belt. I think you can get them at any auto parts store and find a good place to secure it. That way, if the tractor were to flip, your husband would be dangling from the seat belt while the roll bar keeps him from getting crushed. While jumping out of the way may be best if he has no ROPS, I think that since they are there, it would be safest to just add the seat belt.

There. I don't feel I've mislead anyone now. I'll be able to sleep!!! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I know nothing at all about equipment )</font>

And I know nothing at all about growing olives (sure know how and like to eat'em, though, and the only cooking oil we use is olive oil). Glad to have you join the forum. That's a pretty place, but as you already know, great care is necessary on hills to avoid a tragic accident with that tractor. I'd really add a seat belt myself, if it doesn't have one, and have that roll bar UP.

Good luck with the new farm.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Hi and welcome Rox. yes, do fill the tires and yes, do add a seatbelt and use the rollover protection in its UP position. The rule is, no ROPS, no seat belt, ROPS, use seatbelt. For the reasons already mentioned. Jumping off a tractor with a roll bar on it at all could lead to serious injury or death, as the bar may be the culprit in keeping one from clearing out of the way. With the ROPS up, and a seatbelt on, there is a much better chance of avoiding injury. As already stated as well, it's better to go up and down hills, backing up to keep the front on the ground, and driving down forward, to keep the front on the ground! Check around with your neighbors to see how they are handling their hills, and maybe you'll get some ideas of what works best for them.
I wish you and your husband many happy years there and good health. John

 

[rcmike]

My only question is what do you do when you get up the hill? Looks like there is barely room to turn around up there withoug getting sideways on the slope and turning over.

 

[bczoom]

rox,

Very nice place!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Read through both your threads and looked at the pictures.
It seems time is of the essence but is getting a dozer in to cut trails to traverse the hills (to each terrace) an option? Long-term solution?

I have a very large hill also. There was no way my tractor (JD 770 4wd) nor my Kubota RTV (UTV) nor any of my ATV’s could make it up without me cutting trails to traverse the hill.

Depending on the weight of your sprayer, I don't know if the RTV could get up if your tractor can't. I’ve hauled a lot coming down the hill with the RTV but never up. If you were considering a RTV, I’d see if you could have a demo done on your hill before purchasing.

What kind/size tractor do you have? Is the sprayer mounted on the tractor (if so, where?) or does it tow behind?

Attached is a picture of the bottom of my hill. If you look closely, you can see the trail zigzag (back behind the dozer). The hill goes back about 1050’ but elevates about 300’.

 

[Varmintmist]

You can check by looking that the rear tires are turned out as far as they can go. Some you can only reverse the wheel and the convex side of the wheel is inside. Others, like most AG Deeres there is are extra bolt holes on the rim to set the rim out even farther on the wheel. If the tractor is 2wd and a wide front end, a lot of them will telescope, so that you can make your front wider also. That would give you a wider footpprint and really help stability. Loading the tires is a must. 4wd would help with weight AND traction. The only problem with 4wd on hills is you can get into situations where the tractor will roll faster. A 2wd front is more likely to slide downhill before rolling. Not saying you cant roll a 2wd tractor, just that on crossing a slope, the front is more likely to move down hill.

An ATV would do the job, you would haul less, and be able to do less, but it could work.

Those hills are pretty far from flat, but they dont look like anything worse than hills in West Virgina and people have been crawling around those for years with different machines.

Wheel link http://www.retiredtractors.com/Q/wheelhubs.html

 

[Degree]

Hey. Welcome!

I love France so much and hopefully ill get to visit one of these days!

I have to ask, what is the main purpose of your tractor?(to collect olives? as a sprayer?). A tractor in this case might not be the right tool for the job. Its hard to reccomend anything because the machinery here and in france are alot different and i dont know what your uses for them are, reply back soon!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Welcome and what a beautiful farm!

1) A rollover bar is asbsolutely worthless without a good seatbelt.
2)Yes, load tires at least half full or up to the top of the rim.
3)Backing up the hill would be safer with a 3pt rear mounted sprayer.
4)Post more pictures!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif