How Steep?

[mcnitt]

How steep is too steep for a small tractor to climb?

I will soon replace my MF 1220 20 h.p. tractor with something bigger. Some of my property is uphill, maybe 30 degrees, for a couple hundred yards. The 20 h.p. is underpowered and can't always get up the hill.

I drove a 35 h.p. Kubota with a backhoe on it recently, and it didn't seem to have a problem getting up the hill. I need a tractor with a loader and maybe a scraper.

Any ideas?

 

[JerryG]

In the right gear, you shouldn't be having a problem going up a hill. Has it always been that way? What transmission do you have?

 

[mcnitt]

It's an HST - which I presume is not working right. 'Dealer couldn't fix it, and I don't think it's worth fixing at this point. It sounds like you are saying that if everything was working right, the tractor should have been able to make it up the hill.

Now I'm wondering how big a tractor I need to get up the will to do some work, and I am assuming 35 h.p. should do it...?

 

[AllWaysBreakinSomething]

Going up hill doing what? Pulling what? 35Hp is a good midpoint. Also decide how fast you want to go uphill. Almost all tractors will climb a hill even with a load unless there is a weight issue of what your pulling.

Also don't choose a narrow wheel base tractor. Makes a big difference on hills.

My MF1020 isn't too fun on any hills.

 

[IslandTractor]

Some of my property is uphill, maybe 30 degrees, for a couple hundred yards.

That is pretty steep and potentially dangerous to climb especially with a back heavy TLB. Make sure you have a good amount of weight in the FEL low to the ground. 30 degrees is bulldozer territory or PowerTrac in my book. You definitely don't want to turn sideways on that slope.

 

[JerryG]

I use a brush hog on 30* slopes all the time with my 40 hp tractor and did the same thing with a 33 hp tractor. It was no problem what so ever. What are you wanting to do on the slope?

 

[mcnitt]

I don't need to do any heavy work, but I would like to be able to use the FEL to help carry rounds of fallen trees and to do general maintenance. I would only be going up and down the hill, not accross it. There are a couple of flat place to turn around. I might want to pull a chipper or other light duty equipment.

Thanks for your ideas.

 

[IslandTractor]

I use a brush hog on 30* slopes all the time with my 40 hp tractor and did the same thing with a 33 hp tractor. It was no problem what so ever. What are you wanting to do on the slope?

Do you have any photos of that slope? Seems to me that 30 degrees is REALLY steep.

 

[JerryG]

Do you have any photos of that slope? Seems to me that 30 degrees is REALLY steep.

I don't know if I still have any. I did and lost everything when the hard drive died. If I can't find any, I will take a some in a few days. The bad part about mowing where I do isn't how steep it is but the way I have to turn around at the top. I only have about 8-10' to turn and go back down.

 

[IslandTractor]

I only have about 8-10' to turn and go back down.

You are a brave man. If I had to do that I'd need to bring a change of undershorts for each time I turned around.