Steep property--need advice.

[CTyler]

The L3130 may be bigger than you want but I mow an 16 deg slope on a regular basis. The top of my drive has a 20-21 degree slope(not percent) that has to get mowed occasionaly. The tiltmeter bounces past 25 deg. Plenty of pucker factor but its stable and I go slow. I have R4's at the widest setting.

You need a vehicle, tractor or otherwise, that is safe on your slopes and that you feel comfortable with.

As far as HST vs gear, the HST is simpler to operate. Does simpler mean safer? I'll leave that to the individual to decide. Personaly I think the answer comes down to productivity in a particular application. IMO, your dictates the HST.

 

[CTyler]

LOL....you got that in quick.

I would not want to run over a 12" rock on a 20 deg slope either.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">I can get any one of the tires at least 12" up before it hits the axle stop.
</font>

CTyler,

I got curious after reading your words...because I did not have an idea of what my B2910 might be able to do.

So while down at the shed, I used the loader to lift the front until the left wheel just touched the ground, and I could just spin it. This put the front axle at the stop, and the right wheel up as high as it would go. Similar to climbing over something.

Surprisingly, even though the high tire looked like it was up in the air quite a bit, a 2x4 on edge just slid under it with about a half inch to spare. So add that half inch to 3.5 inches, and that gives me about 4" of climb on one side before the other front wheel comes off the ground! I was quite surprised it was so little... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

If you get a chance, why don't you try the same test with your 3010? Seeing what I found with my B2910, I can't help but think you may be surprised like I was.

It sure looked like it was more than 4" but when measured it wasn't. I did not take into account possible tire deflection, which might add a little to the equation.

I am still quite surprised about what I found... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="red">
I am still quite surprised about what I found... </font> /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif


Henro, my rear end has puckered so many times with a conventional machine that I'm surprised my seat doesn't look like a thong. But your little surprise does not surprise me at all. And that is why I favor tractors designed for slopes when working on slopes! I guess I just got tired of having to reach around to pick my seat out from between my cheeks.

 

[Henro]

Bob,

One thing that I know is that if one is on a slope where the high-side front wheel raises off the ground, that does not necessarily mean that the tractor is in danger of tipping over.

I only know this because it happend to me...with a tree there if needed to hold the tractor up.

It is weird to see the high side front wheel off the ground due to the way the ground is shaped in a compound curve...

Perhaps you remember a photo I posted in the past. Had there been more angle available in my front axle before the stop ended the tilt of the axle the wheel would have stayed on the ground...

Not sure what the message is here.

Attached is a photo. Felt worse than it ended up being...

Without having any experience tipping tractors over, I think I get shaky well before I need to...probably a good thing...

 

[CTyler]

I've had the tractor tip the rear up and had the bucket hit with it up about 12-16" or so. Thinking about it.....that doesn't mean I have that much axle travel.

OK...I jacked up the front axle on one side and ran out of jack with the tire almost 8"off the ground. I think I hit the stop at the same time the jack topped out. My guess is with tire deflection it would be close to if not 10". I run the tires a bit soft.

 

[ctadds]

I talked to a guy this weekend who told me he always keeps his FEL on, a couple of inches from the ground, on the premise that if he hits a soft spot with one of his front wheels, the bucket will hit the ground and prevent him from tipping. In theory, this makes sense--How about in practice?? Also, what are the trade offs in safety??

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Henro . . . I remember that post and the project for your sewer line. Correct me here, but you were going really really slow when that happened. I think the problem with working on slopes is the unexpected jolt one might encounter that creates a situation where momentum carries the mass of the tractor downhill.

We can't lose sight of the original post, a JD790 on a small 2 acre steeply wooded property. There will be limited room to maneuver between trees, there will be limited room to begin with given property size. So picking and choosing paths to travel may be dicated more by limitations in space than by prudence.


ctadds . . . I see no reason why leaving the bucket low won't help, in theory it should. But again back to the original poster's situation, if applied to driving up and down with the bucket low, then how much work is really getting done? Again, he may not tip the tractor, but he is essentially just tip toeing with the tractor without getting much work done.



Now I will admit the limits of my little Ventrac, but again I purchased it specifically for mowing. The other Ventrac models, the Steiners, and to some degree the PT units, are going to actually be USEABLE on the slopes to a far greater extent. I've use the little front bucket on my Ventrac to haul concrete landscape stones to build retaining walls in places where I cannot even drive a CUT. I used it to move dirt from the the dirt pile and sacks of mulch too. The point is that I can actually work on slopes with the tractor. Being able to work on a slope is far different than being able to climb a slope. Being able to work on a slope with a high level of safety is a lot different that driving slightly off the vertical line with my butt puckered so tight that I collapse the metal frame of the seat between my cheeks. I think that is the difference between a slope capable tractor and a traditional CUT on a slope.

 

[Green4Me]

fer what yer haulin in that little bucket, i generally drag out my wheel barrow. really works well on the bad slopes. course i keep the wheels loaded and the proper ballast on the high side. ya know what i mean?

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I talked to a guy this weekend who told me he always keeps his FEL on, a couple of inches from the ground, on the premise that if he hits a soft spot with one of his front wheels, the bucket will hit the ground and prevent him from tipping. In theory, this makes sense--How about in practice?? Also, what are the trade offs in safety?? )</font>

Keeping the bucket low is a good idea however at a couple inches up it will be bouncing off the ground a lot. Most of the time the bucket is up a foot or so. Now if I'm heading down a bank and turning I'll drop it down lower. Thats where it can can get tippy with a full bucket. 99% of the time its not a problem.

The few tipping troubles have been OE and in those instances the bucket hit the ground or got dropped. These were caused by backing over a pile of dirt with a full bucket that some dummy just left with the box blade.

 

[Moon]

ctads,
I'll add another perspective. I have very similar terrain to what you described ...but I have a bit more. 50 acres, With 1100 ft of river frontage. I was going in circles trying to figure out what to buy and trying to digest all the info here on TBN. I was afraid nothing could handle the land I was trying to manage.
One of the best pieces of advice I got here was to sit in as many seats as you can. Try em all out. You'll zero in on what is best for you. Once you've narrowed it down have the dealer demo it at your site.
If it's just mowing you want, Bob is steering your the right direction. Nothing can mow like the articulated tractors on a hill. But, to maneuver or manage a trail from the house to the river a 4wd tractor would also work.
I'm one of the few on here who tried out Power Trac but did not buy one. Great unit. Well built and all. But it has limitations to. The FEL (Front End loader) on the PT is smaller and does not lift high enough for my pickup truck, and the loader does not have arms like a conventional tractor loader to reach out and over something for dumping.
Also, if you wanted to use it for box blading, you'd have to go backwards to do it. It excels in mowing and ease of hooking up or switching implements.
I wanted the extra Loader reach and to go frontwards when box blading. I decided on a Kubota L3010. I tried it on hills at the dealers, he guaranteed it would be fine on my slopes, and it was. I've found the extra weight to be an advantage for the chores I do ...to state it properly is guess it is balanced very well so that the weight is an advantage on my slopes. Like CTyler mine has R4's and HST. I also recommend HST, I've done gears for years but prefer HST on my tractor.
Tractors have been around for years and handling these type of slopes. You have to be careful and plan your route. Don't let all the well intentioned info overwhelm you. Try em out one at a time and you'll find the right tractor for you.

Good Luck,
Moon of Ohio

 

[mars1952]

Craig, I would not buy either of those tractors without testing them on YOUR property. (Actually I would not buy either of those tractors for any steeply sloped propery, and I would not buy either one for a 2 acre property, but those are just my opinions) Second, I would not buy any tractor that did not have an HST transmission for working on steep slopes. Third, I would suggest you take a very serious look at 3 brands of tractors that are unconventional but far better suited for slopes.

Steiner Tractors

Ventrac Tractors

Versatile Tractors,Compact Tractors,Trailer Packages,Landscaping,Utility Vehicle Rentals,Mowers-Power Trac

All 3 brands are better suited to slope work. I have a Ventrac that I can take onto slopes that scare the heck out of me when I try to climb them with my New Holland or Kubota. In fact the Ventrac will mow in a "figure 8" pattern on slopes that will simply tip over a garden tractor and roll it down the hills. My only regret was not knowing about those brands 12 years ago when I bought my property.

Hi Bob: I field tested a Ventrac on my steep pasture and it was great until I almost stalled it then it took off down the hill backwards. There are no brakes on the Ventrac! If you lost hydraulic pressure there is nothing to stop you and you can't steer the thing! In my case I managed to get the tractor started again before I ran into the farm house but it was close.
Marshall

 

[woodlandfarms]

After a year of reading this site, I finally pulled the trigger on a Powertrac 1850 for my 40 acres of slopes. If this tractor had not come along (used because 20K was my budget) I would have purchased a TYM 330 and had Dualies put on it. It had a liberal warranty program and the price was right.

This all said, if you can, go rent a tractor for the weekend. That little exposure that you get will tell you SOOO much. Ask if they will set the tractor up wide, and if they have one with loaded tires.

The Powertracs are the best of the slope oriented tractors (other than Carraro's) in my opinion. I only base that on the fact they do a lot of regular tractoring. Problem with Powertrac is three major issues. They are sold and serviced only at the plant, They are unreliable in the beginning, and they do not hold resale that well at this point. My rebutal to all of this is that they are super simple to work on. They are designed with owner repair in mind. Most parts are over the counter and most issues are related to hoses. Second part is that once you work out the bugs of your particular machine they seem to last a long, long time with little care.. And because of this website, I think they are starting to build their reputation as a useful and reliable machine. I know that the used ones that have come on the market have been snatched up immediately and at better prices than I would have thought...

But, if you don't like turning a wrench, and there is no local skid steer or hydraulic mechanic, don't go down this road.

Carl

 

[Tractor Rep]

51% slope, tried, and tested, 4 years of warranty (parts, labor, transportation).
A variety of sizes and features. One of the safest machines you will ever lay your eyes on.




http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/paulawood/Carrarotrip20020056.jpg


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/paulawood/MyPictures0042.jpg


I am the NW Regional Rep. Can help schedule a demo, introduce you to the Carraro Dealer in your neighborhood and provide info if you need.

 

[sandman2234]

My Steiner 525 has a parking brake (but inoperable at this time). It is a disc brake setup on the rear axle and should be able to stop the mower on a reasonable slope. In Florida you don't need much to keep things from rolling downhill, since there aren't many hills. The Steiner used by one of the grocery chains to mow their overpass grass handles it like a dream. I talked to the guy who does it and he never has a problem with it.
David from jax
I thought the Ventrac and Steiners were close copies of each other, but might be wrong, since I have never seen a Ventrac up close.