Guess I will keep my 1430

[farm23]

We are in the mountains where level ground is a premium and we grow certified organic produce. I was thinking a tractor with rear PTO would be helpful so a dealer brought what he said was a good tractor for the mountains. He was working one of the fields and the tractor turned over. Fortunately no one was hurt. Guess I will continue to drive back wards.

 

[cqaigy2]

Whoa! That demo didn't turn out so well. Glad nobody was hurt.

You didn't happen to get any pictures did you?

 

[MossRoad]

YIKES!

 

[farm23]

No camera with me and I had to use my 1430 to pull demo tractor upright. I have used the 1430 in this area many times and did not think the slope was that bad so I guess I am not very good at judging what is a safe angle for conventional tractors.

 

[woodlandfarms]

So what was the response of the Dealer? Did he comment on the PT as well? He may have hit a pot hole or something like that. Or never set the tractor up for hillside (loaded tires, blah blah blah).

There are some good tractors out there that handle slopes better. I think the MF Boomer is one. But I still would never trade in my PT.

I am going to work this winter on a rear 3PT connector. I guess at one point one was made for the PT but no more. Maybe I will call Terry and pick his brain.

 

[J_J]

Keep in mind that the wheel motor shafts can only handle so much weight.

 

[ponytug]

I'm glad nobody was hurt.

We're in a similar situation, and it is 100% the reason we bought a PT- safe operation on slopes.

Thanks for sharing the story.

All the best,

Peter

 

[DT86]

Oh come on and tell us what tractor he rolled!! Was it a brand new one? How much damage?

Seriously though, I'm glad nobody was hurt.

 

[3238dpw]

I know there is not a rear PTO but you can use a three point hitch on a Ventrac. How would that work for you? What are you trying to do?

 

[farm23]

I would use a regular tractor for plowing, disking, laying black plastic and other ground engaging work. The tractor that rolled only had sheet metal damage [fenders]. The tractor had loaded tires and the dealer was impressed with the 1430 but not so much when I told him PT did not go thru dealers.

 

[Raw Dodge]

If you need a pto, the Ventrac is out, the 3 point hitch isn't very strong by tractor standards, and its lift capacity is only a fraction of what a similar hp cat 1 tractor would be.. It sounds like you are trying to operate heavy equipment on slopes that are too steep or uneven.One last thing the Ventrac will climb excellent and hold hills great, but they have very little ground clearance, and get hung up very easily. We have a slightly rutted path in the woods and the Ventrac can't go up it, but a golf cart can.... Keep that in mind if rocks protrude or you have undulating terrain.

 

[SpringHollow]

One nice thing about the PT is that it has a flat bottom and articulates. That helps make up for the low clearance.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah. I am pretty impressed with the ability of our PT425 to get over stuff in our woods even with turf tires. I only got hung up one time in 11 years when I crossed over a large log and there was no earth on the other side. I was stuck with the turfs slowly debarking the far side of the slick dead log when trying to reverse out. I think had I had lug tires, I would have gotten back off of that log. Chainsaw made for quick escape. Now that I am using the PT for firewood logging and mowing, I would like to have bigger wheel motors for more torque and less top speed. Heck, I think I would like two PTs! One for high speed and one for mountain goating. :laughing:

 

[ponytug]

Plowing on a hillside is challenging. Would rototilling work for you? The PT tiller works great for me, but I don't have a commercial garden.

In this area, lots of farmers have old Cat D1s or D2s that they use for slope plowing. The Cats are really fuel efficient and very simple machines. (I love it that some of the old D1s have a little gas engine, that you pull start, that starts the diesel. No battery needed. Great for sitting on the edge of a field for the rest of the summer and all winter.

The tough part around here is getting someone to sell it.

All the best,

Peter

 

[farm23]

ponytug I do use the rototiller but would like to have the option to plow new areas and to use a other PTO implements but for now I will continue to use the 1430. It does a good job and I would not actually let it go.

 

[ponytug]

Dear Farm23,

Could you use a ripper first to break up the soil and then rototill?

I remember once seeing a powered implement that had a subsoil drawbar, with a rototiller above it to break up the fractured soil. It was supposed to use a small fraction of the horsepower that moldboard plowing requires. No idea what it is called, but it is common in Europe for smaller holdings.

All the best,

Peter

ponytug I do use the rototiller but would like to have the option to plow new areas and to use a other PTO implements but for now I will continue to use the 1430. It does a good job and I would not actually let it go.

 

[Rara Avis]

We are in the mountains where level ground is a premium and we grow certified organic produce. I was thinking a tractor with rear PTO would be helpful so a dealer brought what he said was a good tractor for the mountains. He was working one of the fields and the tractor turned over. Fortunately no one was hurt. Guess I will continue to drive back wards.

Have you seen a John Deere 20A? I don't know if JD still has the relationship with Goldini, but these units will handle hills...
At 32 in. wide, the 20A Tractor is designed specifically to operate in rows as narrow as 4 ft., performing a variety of tasks including cart transport, sprayers, mowing and ground preparation. Equal-sized wheels, a 39-inch wheelbase and a low center of gravity maximize the tractorr stability.

If you need more horsepower check the F-Series Tractors(Goldinis manufactured for JD)
At home under almond trees, in pear orchards or vineyards, the F-Series Orchard and Vineyard Tractors deliver 76- to 96-engine hp, 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel braking, and open-station or low-profile cab options. With a lift capacity of more than 5,000 lbs., the F-Series can handle heavy rear implements like loaded gondolas and full sprayers, even on steep terrain. Designed and built from the ground up as an orchard and vineyard tractor, the F-Series is made to meet your specialty crop needs.

 

[cqaigy2]

Have you seen a John Deere 20A? I don't know if JD still has the relationship with Goldini, but these units will handle hills...
At 32 in. wide, the 20A Tractor is designed specifically to operate in rows as narrow as 4 ft., performing a variety of tasks including cart transport, sprayers, mowing and ground preparation. Equal-sized wheels, a 39-inch wheelbase and a low center of gravity maximize the tractorr stability.

If you need more horsepower check the F-Series Tractors(Goldinis manufactured for JD)
At home under almond trees, in pear orchards or vineyards, the F-Series Orchard and Vineyard Tractors deliver 76- to 96-engine hp, 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel braking, and open-station or low-profile cab options. With a lift capacity of more than 5,000 lbs., the F-Series can handle heavy rear implements like loaded gondolas and full sprayers, even on steep terrain. Designed and built from the ground up as an orchard and vineyard tractor, the F-Series is made to meet your specialty crop needs.

Sounds like a serious tractor!
As a youngster, I remember driving ford tractors in orchards around Wenatchee area, plenty of hills. You got real quick at dropping loads down to the ground to keep the tractor upright.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Looks like an antonio. Where would you get one in the US I wonder? I looked very hard at an Antonio as we have a "dealer" about 200 miles away, but the price was so high it made no sense.

 

[Rara Avis]

Looks like an antonio. Where would you get one in the US I wonder? I looked very hard at an Antonio as we have a "dealer" about 200 miles away, but the price was so high it made no sense.

These are Goldinis that were manufactured for John Deere...so JD would be your support location