a few more tractor questions

[rory_h]

This site has been invaluable in getting the knowledge i need to buy the right tractor. Right now i'm leaning toward a CUT or SCUT with a MMM and turf tires and hydo-shift.. A couple of more questions i have.
!. Do i need 4wd? Seems it could be handy when using the FEL, or when its a little soggy. My land is rolling, not flat.
2. With the turf tires, can you get up on the yard with all the buried sprinkler lines,septic tanks etc? Maybe i need to budget a small garden tractor for that.
3. Do i need to load the tires? will the dealer do that?
4. Are these tractors too small to tackle a job like building a 3/4 acre pond? probably have to hire that done, if it is.

thanks again for all the great input.

rory

 

[RonR]

Welcome to the site. If you've been reading here long, you will already know that opinions are like (well, you get the idea), everyone has one.

My $.02:

1. If you are doing dirt engaging work, 4WD gives you more help on traction. You can overcome no 4WD by increasing HP of what you buy. 4WD is good!

2. I don't have a sprinkler, but if you just drove over one, I don't think it would break, no matter what the tire. If you are turning and hook one, yep, it's gonna break. I don't think driving over sewer lines or tanks is an issue with a CUT.

3. Loaded tires are good for ground engaging, or FEL work. Not so good for mowing. It can be done later if needed. It does add weight low, and CUTs are VERY easy to tip over. You can get one wheel off the ground just by hooking your FEL on something off center.

4. Yes, a CUT is way too small to dig a pond any bigger than for goldfish, unless it is sandy ground and you have a lifetime to dig it. Right tool for the right job. Hire a dozer man or rent a dozer and hire someone who knows how to build a pond. Then you can sit on your CUT and enjoy a cold drink while mowing the dam.

Above all, have fun.
ron

 

[rockyridgefarm]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( !. Do i need 4wd? Seems it could be handy when using the FEL, or when its a little soggy. My land is rolling, not flat. )</font>
Yes. The smaller you go the more you need it. Figure that it gives you about 40% more power to the ground. You end up working the engine less. It helps resale. And, CUTs hold their value, you won't be sorry.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 2. With the turf tires, can you get up on the yard with all the buried sprinkler lines,septic tanks etc? Maybe i need to budget a small garden tractor for that. )</font>
Getting a light tractor like helps here, but that can be a detriment elsewhere. If i doubt, have a small mower for over those lines.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 3. Do i need to load the tires? will the dealer do that? )</font>
You can have the dealer do it, but it isn't that hard and a lot cheaper if you do it yourself. You might want to try it without the tires loaded to see how the weight is.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 4. Are these tractors too small to tackle a job like building a 3/4 acre pond? probably have to hire that done, if it is. )</font>
You eat an elephant one bite at a time. CUTs aren't efficient at digging ponds - but it has been done! You may well be advised to hire it out and watch an excavator do in 3 hours what it would take weeks for you to do in a CUT.

 

[Soundguy]

Do get 4wd.. 4wd and a loader go together.

as for tires.. and burried lines? I drive a 72 hp, and a 90hp tractor over my pasture.. with a 2500# 10' mower attached. i have some irigation lines that are 6-8-12 inches deep depending on where you are... I've never had a broke water line..

A 3/4 ac pond is huge.. and loader's aren't great digging machines. A rear scoop or a backhoe would get you there.. but you might be on SS ( if you aren't already )... Better to hire a backhoe and operator for a day or two....


Soundguy

 

[kossetx]

The only thing I'm qualified to answer is the pond. It would take forever to do with a cut what a decent size dozer will do in 2 days. I recently had a D6 with a 12' dirt blade move 1500 yards of dirt in 16 hours. My bucket holds .5 yard HEAPED which means it would have been a minimum of 3000 loads. I don't know what that is in hours, but it would be a lot.

 

[daTeacha]

Depending on your soil type and how deep ypu plan to make that pond, you might want to consider a guy with a track hoe, too. If the area is wet you definitely want something with tracks and not tires running around in there. Check with your local SCS office and they may be able to find a way for some agency to help pay for it in the name of wetlands conservation or spring development or something along those lines. Then you can spend more on the tractor! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[AndyMA]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

A 3/4 ac pond is huge.. and loader's aren't great digging machines. A rear scoop or a backhoe would get you there.. but you might be on SS ( if you aren't already )... Better to hire a backhoe and operator for a day or two....


Soundguy )</font>

I agree with Soundguy. 3/4 acre is a huge pond. I'm in the process of digging a .6 acre pond with a 44,000 lb excavator with 27 foot reach. Even with that machine it is non trivial. A typical correctly engineered 3/4 acre pond would need to be 15 to 20 feet deep in the center to not overgrow and sustain fish. Any less deep and it will silt in.

I've attempted to dig a small portion of the pond with my 75hp TN75 with 11 foot backhoe. There aren't enough days in my life.

Andy

 

[AndyMA]

And by the way, I wouldn't buy a tractor that wasn't 4WD unless all I wanted to do was pull a wagon or do some other easy pulling job on solid ground. I can't tell you the number of times each day that I need to flip my machines into 4WD just to keep going pretty much regardless of what I am doing.

Andy

 

[Mavrik02]

I live in a very hilly area, do a lot of FEL work and work in the woods a lot (where the hills and soft soil make a nice combination). I use my 4WD constantly...in fact I use my differential lock nearly every time I do a project in the yard. Your situation may be different but my 4WD is a must have.

Regarding filling the tires...my Kioti CK30 is a heavy CUT so with a rear blade (or other small attachment) on the back I don't need the extra weight for FEL work. It might help with keeping the center of gravity low (for the hills) but I haven't done it yet because my ground is soft and the tractor already weights quite a bit.

In my area there is a local tire company that does tractor work including tire filling.

Regarding the other topics you already have some great advice.

Mav