Horsepower vs Weight

[maximus188]

I'm looking at getting a new tractor sometime this year. The primary jobs will be skidding logs and loader work. How much does HP matter vs how much the weight of the tractor matter? One I've looked at is the MF 4700 series. The 70 hp and 100 hp are the same tractor except for tuning on the engine. Would the extra HP make that much of a difference for this kind of work? I know HP is important with PTO work. It seems to me that a lighter tractor will run out of traction before it does HP. I just don't want to run out of HP before traction.

 

[sea2summit]

For the work you describe, you are correct. Weight will be much more important than HP. When it comes down to it weight is a measure of how much work a tractor can do, HP is how fast it can do it.

 

[oldnslo]

Rough rule of thumb for putting power to the ground is 100 - 130 lbs per HP so for 70 HP tractor 7,000 lbs minimum based on the 100 lbs per pony.

 

[maximus188]

Rough rule of thumb for putting power to the ground is 100 - 130 lbs per HP so for 70 HP tractor 7,000 lbs minimum based on the 100 lbs per pony.

I'd love to have a Kubota but I'd have to add weight everywhere I could put it to get that. The heavier M4 071 is about 6k while the MF 4707 is 8644. I'd love to have a power shift transmission but Kubota is still light and John Deere and MF are out of my price range on that.

 

[sea2summit]

I'd love to have a Kubota but I'd have to add weight everywhere I could put it to get that. The heavier M4 071 is about 6k while the MF 4707 is 8644. I'd love to have a power shift transmission but Kubota is still light and John Deere and MF are out of my price range on that.

If you fill the rear tires on the M4 I’m sure you’d be pushing 7.5. Fill the fronts for another 3-400. Wheel weights etc.

 

[Torvy]

I'd love to have a Kubota but I'd have to add weight everywhere I could put it to get that. The heavier M4 071 is about 6k while the MF 4707 is 8644. I'd love to have a power shift transmission but Kubota is still light and John Deere and MF are out of my price range on that.

I'd get the MF before the Kubota all day long and twice on Sundays. Especially with a bigger machine like that.

 

[newbury]

With tractors it usually easier to add weight to an existing tractor than it is to add horsepower or increase the size.

 

[arkydog]

my neighbors parents and him were loggers in these ozark hills for the 60-70 years. all they ever used and biggest tractor they had was a John deer 70 hp 2 wheel drive and they made a good living I've heard and seen.

 

[5030]

I skidded a ton of trees with my first 2wd Farmall A wide front. It's all in how you chain them up really.