Wow! So much to learn.

[emcvay]

Nice looking land! With those slopes, think wide & low .... wide & low.
Weight alone isn't the answer - you'll be wanting a low CG to stay on all 4 wheels.
Try to get a machine with tires set wide and get as much weight as you can down low.
Spend some extra time searching and reading threads on ballast and the consequences of not ballasting properly.
For stability, I think you may want loaded R4s.
You'll be trading some traction for stability, but you can get a lot of that traction back with tire chains.
Definitely don't plan on using this machine to cut the lawn.

Thanks for the reply -- can you give me an example of 'wide and low' vs. what I've been looking at?

I think the NH1520 is lower then the Mahindra's but the Mahindra's are heavier.

I plan to use R4's (I think with my terrain they would be best) and filling them. I believe with the loader I may need weight on the rear too??

[emcvay]

Yes. I think you could get away with that size tractor, but to do what you plan in limited time not living on the land and such a slope, at least I would want something larger with a wider wheel base and I would still plan on getting spacers or flipping the wheels. You'll get a lot more stability in the 4035 vs 3616.

A salesman mentioned pushing the wheels out wider on an old Massey when I first started this quest and when I asked the John deere dealer he said spacers were possible but flipping the wheels wasn't....

Looked at the bigger rigs a bit more but price concerns me. Also finding used harder to find then I expected but I'll keep looking.

Thanks

[Martian]

A salesman mentioned pushing the wheels out wider on an old Massey when I first started this quest and when I asked the John deere dealer he said spacers were possible but flipping the wheels wasn't....

Looked at the bigger rigs a bit more but price concerns me. Also finding used harder to find then I expected but I'll keep looking.

Thanks

Check out this thread: (You may consider doing something like this if your handy enough)
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/c...r-tractor.html

I bought my 110TLB used in February. I'd been looking for months, nothing was popping up locally, so I bought it and had it shipped in from Montana 1800 miles away. The deals are out there, just not right next to you all the time. Keep looking and take your time and fight exactly what you want. I could have settled, but I got exactly what I wanted and happy I took the time and found it.

[emcvay]

Check out this thread: (You may consider doing something like this if your handy enough)
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/c...r-tractor.html

I bought my 110TLB used in February. I'd been looking for months, nothing was popping up locally, so I bought it and had it shipped in from Montana 1800 miles away. The deals are out there, just not right next to you all the time. Keep looking and take your time and fight exactly what you want. I could have settled, but I got exactly what I wanted and happy I took the time and found it.

Oh to have the time!

My problem is I'm VERY limited on time The tractor is needed to give me a chance to get more done in less time since I have only two weekends a month to get things done at the property and that includes getting the orchard done and finishing the cabin etc.

So I'll have to buy what I can right off and go with it....

[emcvay]

One thought I had was about mowing my hill side. I'm ASSUMING (what else can I do?) that it's like, in a way I suppose, driving my jeep or an ATV up and down the hill rather then across the grade (where roll over can happen)?

So does it make much difference going UP or DOWN the grade in the type of tractor?

In my case I can drive up to the pasture and turn around since it's flat (run a race oval to mow) and again can turn around on the road or flatter areas at the bottom of the hill.

Of course, I presume that there is a certain grade you don't want to go up but I've taken my jeep up the steepest section of the hill I'd care to attempt and doubt I'd go UP in a tractor on that grade anyway -- whereas going down sounds safer since I could lower the bucket to prevent tipping over......right?

[k0ua]

One thought I had was about mowing my hill side. I'm ASSUMING (what else can I do?) that it's like, in a way I suppose, driving my jeep or an ATV up and down the hill rather then across the grade (where roll over can happen)?

So does it make much difference going UP or DOWN the grade in the type of tractor?

In my case I can drive up to the pasture and turn around since it's flat (run a race oval to mow) and again can turn around on the road or flatter areas at the bottom of the hill.

Of course, I presume that there is a certain grade you don't want to go up but I've taken my jeep up the steepest section of the hill I'd care to attempt and doubt I'd go UP in a tractor on that grade anyway -- whereas going down sounds safer since I could lower the bucket to prevent tipping over......right?

You need to keep the bucket low, but what ever you do, don't snag the bucket especially on a corner as it can start a slide where the rear end wants to come around and you wind up side-hill and then an overturn. Some say it is safer to back down a hill. but there is a difference of opinion on this. I have done both, and lived to tell about it. But be careful on hills. ALWAYS stay in 4WD so the contact patch of the front tires will assist in keeping your from sliding down the hill from engine compression braking or if you apply the brakes. The front wheels don't have any brakes on them themselves (in CUT sized tractors) but are mechanically hooked to the rear differential which has brakes on each axle. If the grass is wet, or really muddy, best to just stay off of the hills. Mow when dry. Enough of scaring you, I don't know how steep your hills are, and maybe to someone more experienced with a tractor they might think "no big deal".. Or they might think "no freaking way!" Just be careful, and maybe try some of the less scary slopes first.. Good Luck

James K0UA

[emcvay]

You need to keep the bucket low, but what ever you do, don't snag the bucket especially on a corner as it can start a slide where the rear end wants to come around and you wind up side-hill and then an overturn. Some say it is safer to back down a hill. but there is a difference of opinion on this. I have done both, and lived to tell about it. But be careful on hills. ALWAYS stay in 4WD so the contact patch of the front tires will assist in keeping your from sliding down the hill from engine compression braking or if you apply the brakes. The front wheels don't have any brakes on them themselves (in CUT sized tractors) but are mechanically hooked to the rear differential which has brakes on each axle. If the grass is wet, or really muddy, best to just stay off of the hills. Mow when dry. Enough of scaring you, I don't know how steep your hills are, and maybe to someone more experienced with a tractor they might think "no big deal".. Or they might think "no freaking way!" Just be careful, and maybe try some of the less scary slopes first.. Good Luck

James K0UA

That should give you an idea of the slopes I'm going to be mowing.

After another chat with the Mahindra dealer it's going to come down to cost vs. need I think. At nearly $4000 more for a 4530 or 4035 the 3616 is looking like the tractor I'm more likely to choose if I go with Mahindra and 35hp (actually it's 36hp).

Might be nice to have a bigger tractor but that $4000 could go a long way to buy implements etc and it sounds like the 3616 will handle the job fine.

As for the hill, I'll have to play that by ear and only tackle it once I have more experience. I also have a driveway to get the snow off of (and ice)....yes chains will be required in the winter -- no way around that....let me find a pic of that drive to see what you think

[emcvay]

Here's a shot of the driveway/easement road -- it's the steepest and worst section of road I have. I hope to be able to clean it up each year and keep the snow and ice off of it as much as possible in the winter.


There's another shot of the driveway.


Last one -- notice the ICE -- it can get 6+ inches deep on this road. Mostly from the snow melt both on the drive itself but also the trees.

Treacherous in the winter but with 4wd, limited slip and 4 chains on my jeep it's no biggie

[emcvay]

Just in case you all thought my 20 acres was just a big side hill

There's quite a bit like this also.

Now looking at all these pictures makes me want to get BACK! Sheesh...come on FRIDAY!

[k0ua]

That should give you an idea of the slopes I'm going to be mowing.

After another chat with the Mahindra dealer it's going to come down to cost vs. need I think. At nearly $4000 more for a 4530 or 4035 the 3616 is looking like the tractor I'm more likely to choose if I go with Mahindra and 35hp (actually it's 36hp).

Might be nice to have a bigger tractor but that $4000 could go a long way to buy implements etc and it sounds like the 3616 will handle the job fine.

As for the hill, I'll have to play that by ear and only tackle it once I have more experience. I also have a driveway to get the snow off of (and ice)....yes chains will be required in the winter -- no way around that....let me find a pic of that drive to see what you think

Well from what I can see here, this don't look too bad.. its doable.