Which Small Tractor For My Ravines

RickeyL · May 19, 2003

Can't decide what to get for all the projects. My first thought for my purposes is a Kubota 7500. Seems like it is the best size I feel comfortable with and the easiet to get around tight places and then a Power Track PT-425 but reading everything here, get more confused every day. I have 7 acres, about 5 with large and small ravines with a creek at the bottom of the biggest one. I want a smaller tractor to manuever around through the trees and make trails down through the ravines.... do some terrace work, build a dam for a pond and lots of landscaping. My one acre home site is cleared and planted with grass that my sears 20hp 46" handles quite well.

I like the other Orange Kiota (914 I think) but not sure if I would like the manual transmission. Haven't ever driven a manual one before. Sounds like Hydro is the only way to go with loader work. The other sub compacts in the Kiota and Kubota line are nice but the loaders are very limited and would like a bit more size but not a lot more tractor size.

Anyone have any thoughts about what these tractors will do with the terrain. any suggestions will be appreciated. Maybe a bobcat would be the way to go but like the idea of having a tractor around with box blade, backhoe, rake, brushhog and more to do different things with. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Wonderful site... have spent countless hours here the past few months.... thanks everyone
Rick

bmac · May 19, 2003

I think most folks would want to know the steepness of the slopes and the depths of the ravines you plan to terrace before offering advice. I'm visualizing a rollover here. But don't listen to me. I've only had my tractor for 1 week. Rest assured, you will get good feedback here.

Anonymous Poster · May 19, 2003

Check out a Magnatrac compact dozer. My Neighbor has one and is always doing things I would never try on a tractor. It is a small dozer and wait for it… IT IS USA MADE! You just need a bit more USA MONEY to buy it. They do have some small models but in dozers bigger is always better except for 1-acre lots. I personally am thinking about one but the wife says she wants a car with a cat on the hood not under it. So I will just have to watch my neighbor do 2 mph moving dirt around till then. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Magnatrac Compact Dozers

chrisjbell · May 19, 2003

Anyone have any thoughts about what these tractors will do with the terrain. 

I run a B7300 (pretty close to the B7500 - bit smaller) on pretty steep hills - about 6 or 7 usable acres (out of 10). It does pretty well - I can do 30 degree plus slopes going straight up and down. With the backhoe on it gets less stable, though. I've heard that the BX22 series is even better with the hills. I don't know about the Kioti. Get a tiltmeter - you'll learn what you can handle then can use the meter as a "reality check".

 Maybe a bobcat would be the way to go but like the idea of having a tractor around with box blade, backhoe, rake, brushhog and more to do different things with. 

Those are better digging machines, and you can still put attachments on 'em. But you're looking at quite a bit more $$$. I'm not so sure they'd be a lot more stable on hills, either (could be wrong, tho).

The suggestion to get a tracked vehicle might be worth looking in to. They're far more stable on hills than wheeled vehicles. But you can still flip 'em - seen it done and it ain't pretty /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif.

RickeyL · May 19, 2003

I Have One Large Ravine maybe 30 to 40 feet deep or deeper and another that goes into that one that isn't as deep but steeper. To get to the bottom, I already have some walk paths that are switchbacked and will probably follow them very slowly and cauciously. Will have to experiment but thought maybe backing up and using a backhoe attatchment would give me the most versatility to get them going. I figure if I can dig out the side of the hill on the switchbacks and get the dirt to go over the sides, then I will have some stabile soil and won't have to worry about the tractor sinking into fresh unpacked soil. The wife thinks I'm crazy but she can't wait for a road to the bottom either. She is anxious for the pond.

The other thing is that one of the ravine near the home site will have to be cut away so there will be a view of the pond at the bottom. Will have to cut back maybe 40 feet or more and gradually slope or terrace to the bottom. This dirt will be hauled to a nearby ravine that needs filled. Lots of dirt hauling for the summer. Just not sure what to use now and keep around for everything else.

chrisjbell · May 19, 2003

I already have some walk paths that are switchbacked and will probably follow them very slowly and cauciously. Will have to experiment but thought maybe backing up and using a backhoe attatchment would give me the most versatility to get them going. I figure if I can dig out the side of the hill on the switchbacks and get the dirt to go over the sides, then I will have some stabile soil and won't have to worry about the tractor sinking into fresh unpacked soil. The wife thinks I'm crazy but she can't wait for a road to the bottom either. She is anxious for the pond. 

I put in switchbacked trails on my place - I rented a 'dozer. I'll do the same when I put my pond in. There are definately some things that you want a bulldozer for, but I think in most cases the need for the 'dozer is more a short term, one time thing. Long term, once you got the stuff roughed in, I'd suggest that a tractor would be more useful for the average small landowner.

Anonymous Poster · May 19, 2003

I wonder if a tractor is the best bet in your case. At least for the short term a dozer sounds like a better bet. A cut is going to take too much time and it sounds like you have too much slope to run a tractor on safely.
Have you looked for small dozers? A buddy of mine has an old Deere. Its' small, and wouldn't be so costly. They can be found now and then for not a whole lot of$$$. You could sell it when you're done. And they run forever.
Next choice would be to get a contractor in (at least for the real exciting (pucker factor) work. Its cheaper than your life. I'd be weighing the issues carefully before taking a chance of losing a machine down that kind of slope.
After the big stuff is done, a cut will probably work out fine.
Good luck and keep us posted.
DaveL

GaryG · May 19, 2003

I agree with the dozer group. If you have a definite plan in mind, get someone with a big enough dozer to get the job done in a short time. Then use your tractor for the odd jobs that will crop up faster than you can do them. A BX22TLB can be used to haul fill dirt and fertilizer and the backhoe for trenches and tree planting. The only limits are your own imagination. The heavy duty dirt moving on steep hills is best left to big equipment with skilled operators.

grandad · May 19, 2003

My vote also goes for hiring a pro with a dozer to make the primary cut down into your ravine. The side of a 40 foot ravine is no place to be learning how to operate either a rented dozer or a new tractor. One 'oops' and both you and the equipment are headed where you don't want to go.

Once that main path has been cut, you can work on it from there yourself.

frank_f15 · May 19, 2003

Rick: welcome to the forum! then re-read GARY G AND GRANDAD"S posts again! learning how to operate a tractor or dozer on steep hilly terain is not the way to go.HIRE IT OUT and then get a tractor that will serve you 90% of the time. of course this is just my opinion. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif