jcmseven
Veteran Member
Fellow Posters,
We all at times like to talk about the the feats our beloved machines can perform, but something occurred yesterday that really impressed me about the capabilities of my new 3720. About five months ago, an investor logged out an area across from my home with a bulldozer/skidder and a small crew to build a driveway for potentially a new homesite. One problem, the "driveway" is so steep, only the bulldozer could navigate it. (It is well over 30% and rutted dirt). After the site was done, I attempted to climb up this grade on my then 4310 and see how far it went. I made it about 100' in four wheel drive before grinding to a halt. I did not attempt it further. This week, a load of gravel appeared at the base and yesterday a dump truck and old Massey Ferguson with a rear blade were hovered at the base of the "drive". I was smoothing my gravel drive across the road with my new 3720 and BB combo and stopped to ask about the project. Turned out the the dump truck could not go but about fifty feet up the drive to dump the extra gravel. The Massey, with two wheel drive, could not negotiate the dirt climb at all, even with its 5' rear box blade in the up position. Recalling the difficulty I had climbing the grade before I mentioned I would be willing to try to climb the slick hill and see if I could help. I put the tractor in four wheel drive, and in A range (no loadmatch) and off I went. The 3720 climbed the hill without a struggle, all the way to the top. I then went back down and bucketed about forty buckets of gravel up and down the grade, many of them in "b" range!! I then smoothed and leveled with the box blade (including pulling it uphill which the tractor would do). The tractor had little trouble doing this. The crew watching was impressed and one even said he was going to look at one "just like mine" for himself!! Turns out they were concerned they would have to re-call the track loader crew, so money and time were saved for them, and I had a great time!!! This does not mean of course that the drive will ever be useable by cars, though. Even after I was done, the dump truck still could not climb the grade, but I was very impressed by this machine's ability in such a situation. As I suspected, it does offer some benefits over my previous 4310. Just wanted to share.
John M
We all at times like to talk about the the feats our beloved machines can perform, but something occurred yesterday that really impressed me about the capabilities of my new 3720. About five months ago, an investor logged out an area across from my home with a bulldozer/skidder and a small crew to build a driveway for potentially a new homesite. One problem, the "driveway" is so steep, only the bulldozer could navigate it. (It is well over 30% and rutted dirt). After the site was done, I attempted to climb up this grade on my then 4310 and see how far it went. I made it about 100' in four wheel drive before grinding to a halt. I did not attempt it further. This week, a load of gravel appeared at the base and yesterday a dump truck and old Massey Ferguson with a rear blade were hovered at the base of the "drive". I was smoothing my gravel drive across the road with my new 3720 and BB combo and stopped to ask about the project. Turned out the the dump truck could not go but about fifty feet up the drive to dump the extra gravel. The Massey, with two wheel drive, could not negotiate the dirt climb at all, even with its 5' rear box blade in the up position. Recalling the difficulty I had climbing the grade before I mentioned I would be willing to try to climb the slick hill and see if I could help. I put the tractor in four wheel drive, and in A range (no loadmatch) and off I went. The 3720 climbed the hill without a struggle, all the way to the top. I then went back down and bucketed about forty buckets of gravel up and down the grade, many of them in "b" range!! I then smoothed and leveled with the box blade (including pulling it uphill which the tractor would do). The tractor had little trouble doing this. The crew watching was impressed and one even said he was going to look at one "just like mine" for himself!! Turns out they were concerned they would have to re-call the track loader crew, so money and time were saved for them, and I had a great time!!! This does not mean of course that the drive will ever be useable by cars, though. Even after I was done, the dump truck still could not climb the grade, but I was very impressed by this machine's ability in such a situation. As I suspected, it does offer some benefits over my previous 4310. Just wanted to share.
John M