New JD 3520 : she's a beauty !

[soulasphil]

Nuru, I'd be interested in your opinion of your tires.
I had a Massey 35 before the JD 3520. It had fat low pressure Ag tires that gave it traction and made it comfortable. I nevertheless got stuck a number of times on my property or couldn't do the job I had in mind because the wheels were spinning. I didn't want less traction, so I chose R1 tires on the JD. But they are narrow and hard, rip the grass and are very uncomfortable. What are yours like?

[turbo36]

Originally Posted by soulasphil

I really love the machine so far and am having a grand time driving it. My only concern is about stability. She'very narrow (about a foot less than the Massey) and I feel uncomfortable on slopes. Perhaps it's only me !

Did you look to see if your wheels are in the widest setting? Some people have added wheel spacers to improve the stability.

I think France is such a lovely country, my wife and I want to visit some day and see where the wine in our cellar was produced, what region are you located in?

[soulasphil]

Thank you for the kind words. I'm right at the tip of Brittany jutting out into the Atlantic ocean. On maps it's called Finistère (the end of the land) but Bretons proudly call it Pen ar bed (the head of the world). No wine around here, only cider.
No the wheels are not at the widest setting and the tractor could be made wider without spacers as the dealer has already pointed out. But that would mean switching from 5 foot implements to 6 foot implements to cover the tracks (the same I had for my former Massey 35).
So after all I think I will stay as I am. Besides I'm getting used to the machine and the greater angles do not seem really to impair stability.

[turbo36]

Originally Posted by soulasphil

Thank you for the kind words. I'm right at the tip of Brittany jutting out into the Atlantic ocean. On maps it's called Finist鑽e (the end of the land) but Bretons proudly call it Pen ar bed (the head of the world). No wine around here, only cider.
No the wheels are not at the widest setting and the tractor could be made wider without spacers as the dealer has already pointed out. But that would mean switching from 5 foot implements to 6 foot implements to cover the tracks (the same I had for my former Massey 35).
So after all I think I will stay as I am. Besides I'm getting used to the machine and the greater angles do not seem really to impair stability.

I looked on the web for some info on your region , what a beautiful area and what history! Now our desire to visit is even higher.
I am an avid bicyclist and follow the Tour each year, someday I hope to ride the great climbs of France such as Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux before I get too old.

[soulasphil]

I'm glad you wish to come to Europe. The first thing that struck me in the States was how much room there was and how vast the country and landscapes were. So here you'll probably find everything is so small. I don't share your enthusiasm for the bicycle, had to use it a lot in the fifties as there was nothing else and am now too old. Here is what it looks like around here with the old granite churches, prehistoric standing stones, furious or gentle ocean and many apples to make cider!

[johndeere4300]

Very nice pictures!!!

Thanks for sharing!

[soulasphil]

Quote : Today the weather was better and I started trimming a 200 metre laurel hedge I hadn't cut for two years. The job started with carrying the trimmer from the barn to the convenient branch to hang it from while I installed it on the 3 point hitch. I then cut one side in two passes, everything going fine. Then I tried to cut the top of the hedge and found out the branches had grown too thick for the cutter bar. I will have to cut it once more by hand.

A couple of weeks later the project is completed. Itmeant first cutting or sawing off a lot of branches over 2 metres long and several centimetres in diameter.

[soulasphil]

Then carrying huge volumes of branches to a safe burning place and keeping a fire going for several days

[soulasphil]

When all the cutting was finished and both sides of the hedge cleaned, it became possible to trim the hedge with the hydraulic cutter bar I hope to use regularly in the future.

[soulasphil]

As it is getting rather cold in the evening now, today I drove to the copse of trees where I get my firewood. There was a beautiful chestnut tree with twin trunks that had suddenly died for no reason that I can understand. Last winter's storms had brought it down and it was high time I did something about it. So I cut it up, pulled out the stump, and brought the logs home. And this evening there's a nice fire in the fireplace.