Buying Advice Tractor For Hilly Terrain with Video of Terrain

[samryoung]

I posted once before about whether I should purchase a tractor or a compact track loader for my hilly property. I'm looking at the Mahindra 3616 or the Mahindra 4030. i own 200 acres on a hillside. The soil is mostly clay.

Can these tractors handle this type of terrain without the danger of flipping over?

Here is a video of the property:
http://www.mazeltovproductions.com/myproperty.wmv

I'm driving a Toyota Sequoia 4x4 in the video.

 

[deezler]

Hmm, video could be decieving, but it doesn't look too bad after the first couple turns. If you load the rear tires and keep your loader bucket nice and low, I wouldn't be all that worried about flipping a tractor on any of those hills.

Just... you know... don't drive sideways on them.

What are your goals with the tractor on the property?

 

[DKCDKC]

Here in the mountains of Virginia we've got lots of steep, unforgiving. Yet I've run tractors of various makes over them most of my life. Even old tipping tricycle tractors do fine with careful driving. You simply learn where the center of gravity is for your tractor and make sure it is always well within your lowest wheel. Obviously FELs loaded change the center of gravity, so you always over compensate. I have never rolled a tractor, big or compact. And, on newer units with ROPS, I use seat belts.

You choice of tractor probably depends more on what you intend to do with it than on your hills. Even crawling tractors can roll over if handled carelessly.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Exactly what is you goal with this property? Just because a tractor can go up and down a slope does not mean it can do what you want on that slope.

Carl

 

[samryoung]

I want to maintain the current roads, cut new roads, clear brush and build a motocross track.

I've always used a Bobcat track loader in the past that I have rented. The cost of rental is too high so I want to purchase a tractor.

A tractor seems like it will give me more options and will be more comfortable to use. It will also be cheaper to maintain.

I'm deciding between a 4wd Mahindra 3616 or a 4035. The 4035 seems better because it is wider and weighs more. I just need to come up with the funds.

 

[Hollow]

Did you look at a 4530? The way the rear wheels are made you can make them a lot wider if needed.

 

[samryoung]

The 4530 doesn't come with HST. Do you have any other recommendations? I can get a Mahindra 4035 HST for $23,000 with the loader. I like Mahindra because of the price and 5 year power train warranty.

I'm open to other suggestions. What I would love to get is a New Holland TK100 but I can't find one and the price is too high.

 

[flusher]

I want to maintain the current roads, cut new roads, clear brush and build a motocross track.

I've always used a Bobcat track loader in the past that I have rented. The cost of rental is too high so I want to purchase a tractor.

A tractor seems like it will give me more options and will be more comfortable to use. It will also be cheaper to maintain.

I'm deciding between a 4wd Mahindra 3616 or a 4035. The 4035 seems better because it is wider and weighs more. I just need to come up with the funds.

Maintaining roads: tractors are useful for this; lotsa TBNers do this.
Cutting new roads: not with a tractor--use real construction equipment
Build a motocross track--use real construction equipment and your tractor to maintain the track.

The FEL on a tractor is there for scooping, not for digging.

The video shows some pretty rugged terrain with large ruts along the road that could be rollover hazards for a normally rigged tractor, i.e. one that's not set up for low center of gravity (wide wheel track, wide rear wheels on small diameter rims (16" diameter instead of the normal 28" dia rims you see on most large tractors used for field work).

Get the 4035 and have your Mahindra dealer set it up for use on hills. My dealer, Dave's Tractor in Red Bluff CA, does this for his customers who use Mahindra tractors for orchard work and need tractors that squat low. Give Dave a call--he'll help you out for sure.

Good luck.

 

[Hollow]

What I would love to get is a New Holland TK100 but I can't find one and the price is too high.

Yeah me to! Especially if they would offer one with rubber tracks!!! Which I've never understood, they could sell so many more of them if people could cross paved surfaces without leaving cleat marks.

 

[TripleR]

Flusher makes some good points. We have done all of that with a tractor, but won't be doing it again.

You have some pretty steep hills, but doable with a tractor as others have mentioned, just be very careful. We work in the hills also and while I have never turned one over, my pucker indicator has red lined a few times.

I know nothing about Mahindra or NH, so I can't give any advice on models.

Good luck.:thumbsup: