Dirt Moving do I nven need a tractor?

[newbury]

Get a tractor with a backhoe then drive with the stabilzers down.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Here are some things I wouldn't do. I wouldn't buy a subcompact tractor that was only four feet wide in the rear tread and has one position rims, and I wouldn't leave the tires unfilled cause it might mark up the lawn. and I wouldn't put a loader on it and start digging with out a proper (as recommended by it's manual) ballast on the back and or in the tires, Then I wouldn't start useing it on my steepest ground trying to carry loads in the bucket held highr then the front axle while traveling crosswise of the slope looking for chuck holes to drop the low side front tire into. All while having the ROPs folded down and not wearing my seat belt.
I would buy a tractor with a wide rear stance and four wheel drive and have the tires loaded, keep the ROPS up, wear my seat belt on anything other then leval ground and get used to it doing all kinds of work on my levelest land and leave the steep and challanging stuff for next year.

 

[TripleR]

Lots of good and varied advice none of which I can disagree with as like in so many things, there is more than one way to, well you know the rest. There are more makes and models of tractor from CUT to Utility to Ag than you can imagine that will work; some better or worse than others.

Based on your description of the slope, I agree with others that about any tractor should handle that and many of us operate on much, much steeper slopes. I even regularly violate the advice not to mow across slopes as there is no other way to do it; given a choice up and down it is, but it is common practice in the hill farms where I live as working up and down exacerbates erosion and you would be surprised how steep some people plant crops on. I don't recommend it, just acknowledge it.

"If" you need to terrace anything, hire someone to do it as you don't have the knowledge or skill, yet. It is much best to start out with simple tasks and take the time to learn. I have been operating tractors a long time and am not ashamed to admit there are things I can't or won't do and pay to have it doe or turn the tractor over to one of my sons.

I am also a proponent of buying something designed for your ongoing tasks and not just some initial work. We rent back hoes, excavators, tracked skid loaders so we don't have to store them or spend the $$$$ to buy an occasional use machine.

Since you are new to tractors, you might want to go rent one for a weekend to get an idea of the capabilities of a particular size/type of machine to use as a baseline for comparison.

Don't hesitate to talk to your neighbors to see what they use, you might be surprised at how helpful they might be.

Tractors are often much more stable than they "feel". I doubt that I will ever be "comfortable" operating on much of a slope even on those I have done hundreds of times, but you will learn with time what your tractor will do, just don't rush it. Most of us really can't tell when we are on the razor's edge though there can be tell tale signs by watching your uphill tires etc., I have kept a tractor on its wheels by quickly steering and accelerating downhill, but I sure don't recommend it and I was lucky. There are some good old threads on operating on slopes that will help you and you can find them with the search function. NEBRASKASPARKS started a couple of good ones, well worth the time to read.

I think it has already been mentioned, but if it scares you or you are in doubt, don't do it.

Keep reading, there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here and I have learned a lot from them.

 

[stefanie]

Yep. See Gradient, Slope, Grade, Pitch, Rise Over Run Ratio Calculator for a calculator that shows the angles. Entering a 100' rise and a 830' run gives ~12% grade or about a 7 degree slope. Most tractors should be able to handle that

Aaron Z

Great Page Thank you for the input.

 

[stefanie]

Since you are new to tractors, you might want to go rent one for a weekend to get an idea of the capabilities of a particular size/type of machine to use as a baseline for comparison.

.

Duh! Now why didn't I think of that? I like the idea of a test drive. I mean I do it before I buy a car. This is such a great site and my thanks to all of you.

 

[TripleR]

Just a few old posts:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/safety/183762-how-kill-yourself-without-knowing.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/safety/186232-whos-better-estimating-slope-angles.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/safety/183743-rollover-protection.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/safety/242289-safe-mowing-slopes.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/222339-need-advice-mowing-slope.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/199464-slopes-tractor-tilt.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/104751-maximum-hillside-mowing.html

 

[Gary Fowler]

My mistake. I was trying to figure out if I need a full size tractor or will one of the little "bobcat" type things be better suited to the job. Is a smaller lower to the ground more stable? I have seen them doing road work so I assume it will have the power.
As for the shovel, I just celebrated the 56th anniversary of my 9th birthday. I refuse to grow any older than 9! So forget the shovel thing for bigger jobs.

+If all you want to do is move dirt, then a skidster (Bobcat) is the way to go but it is designed to do just that and other chores while possible are not as easy as a tractor. It doesn't have a 3 PH to use conventional attachments but they do make skidsteer attachments for just about all the things a normal tractor uses, they are just 4 times the price and rarely can you find good used farm type equipment for a skidsteer.
I would hire a dozer to make your terraces and then buy a tractor suited for your other chores. I like my Kubota B26 TLB and use the backhoe all the time for planting trees, digging up exposed rocks, burying dead animals and hauling dirt.

 

[Don87]

Duh! Now why didn't I think of that? I like the idea of a test drive. I mean I do it before I buy a car. This is such a great site and my thanks to all of you.

Please post pics of your property if you can. Especially pics of your 'billy goat' hill because I think that is the part you want to terrace. That's the part I was recommending the dozer for.

 

[MasseyWV]

Please post pics of your property if you can. Especially pics of your 'billy goat' hill because I think that is the part you want to terrace. That's the part I was recommending the dozer for.

I agree. Posting pictures of the area would help considerably.

 

[k0ua]

Here in Branson, Mo. we have 2 kinds of ground.. UP and Down. I operate every day on steeper ground. But you need to be vigilant all the time. When I came here originally, I sold my nice New Holland TC33DA because I thought I just would not be able to operate it here. I was used to operating tractors on more or less flat land. Then I missed having a tractor so badly I risked buying a B7500 Kubota.. There was a bit of a learning curve but I learned how to keep the shiny side up. I learned some things here like getting fluid in the rear tires of my next tractor a Kubota L3400hst and building some rear ballast.. I am on my 3rd tractor here now, the Kioti you see in my avatar. You can operate a tractor on steep terrain, you just have to be vigilant and think you actions through.

James K0UA