Ideas for improving L3800 for hillside vineyard work?

[kallnojoy]

20 percent is steep. Go slow bro. Go slow. A pull behind spray can go sideways fast and then so will you

I hear you and agree. I have no plans to go cowboy and risk a rollover. I want a very wide margin of safety.

 

[lreops]

I would think that if you built a Ballast Box, like the one pictured, it would solve your lowering the CG. I built one similar for my L235. Formed out the box, used 9½ 80 lb bags of concrete for an estimated weight of 900 lbs. Just raise it a few inches and nothing is going to, of course, within reason, lay it over. Also, will help with the stress on the front axle, especially with a FEL.

The resolution might not be to good as I had to enlarge.


Ron

 

[RickB]

I would think that if you built a Ballast Box, like the one pictured, it would solve your lowering the CG. I built one similar for my L235. Formed out the box, used 9½ 80 lb bags of concrete for an estimated weight of 900 lbs. Just raise it a few inches and nothing is going to, of course, within reason, lay it over. Also, will help with the stress on the front axle, especially with a FEL.

The resolution might not be to good as I had to enlarge.
View attachment 287832

Ron

Renders the tractor completely useless for attaching to a drawn or mounted sprayer.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

First thought on this is your making this too complicated. Plant the rows up and down the hill instead of across the slope. Even if the rows don't line up for the ideal sun exposure you will still have plenty of sunlight for ripening and drying.

Second thought, if you do decide to plant across the slope widen the rows to suit your tractor. It will be a lot easier to plant your rows wider and plant the vines a little closer then to fight with your tractor trying to make it more stable while staying narrow.

Third thought, avoid the 3pt mounted sprayer. Yes, they are great for small vineyards but they add a lot of weight behind you and on steep slopes can be a huge hazzard as it will be very easy for the front tires to come off the ground with the fluid sloshing around in the tank with a small, light tractor. A trailed sprayer is a little more of a hassle for turning but it gives you more capacity and is easier on the tractor.

How many acres are you looking at planting? What variety? Row spacing? It may make sense to look for a true vineyard tractor. Something designed narrow and low to the ground. I just saw two Kubota M8200 Narrows on craigslist. Both had FWA and a front 3pt system. The cab model was under $17k and the open station was under $11k. Hour wise wasn't terrible but for someone with a small vineyard a dedicated tractor to leave hooked to the sprayer would be handy and FWA would be very helpful dealing with the slope. The front lift would allow you to hook a weight box on there to keep.

If your stuck on making your tractor work then going with the smaller tires would help as would adding liquid and steel weights to the tractor tires, front end and if needed even under the tractor (a heavy belly plate basically). As long as you can keep your tractor within your required width then go for it.

 

[lreops]

Renders the tractor completely useless for attaching to a drawn or mounted sprayer.

Are these towed implements or need the 3pt? If, by chance, they are towed, the hook up or hitch could be on the back side, attached to the draw bar that is connected to the 3pt when formed. Just throwing some ideas around.

Ron

 

[Sammy3700]

Thanks for the picture Rick. Those rears look tuff.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Are these towed implements or need the 3pt? If, by chance, they are towed, the hook up or hitch could be on the back side, attached to the draw bar that is connected to the 3pt when formed. Just throwing some ideas around.

Ron

I wouldn't want to move the hitch point back on towed implements when working on steep hills, especially a sprayer as the liquid can really push a light tractor around when it gets sloshing in the tank.

 

[Bluegill2]

Set rear tires out all the way and load them.

Add rear wheel weights,

Add 1000lb+/- ballast to 3pth.

Add suitcase weights to front.

Or buy a wider, lower, heavier tractor.

 

[kallnojoy]

I would think that if you built a Ballast Box, like the one pictured, it would solve your lowering the CG. I built one similar for my L235. Formed out the box, used 9½ 80 lb bags of concrete for an estimated weight of 900 lbs. Just raise it a few inches and nothing is going to, of course, within reason, lay it over. Also, will help with the stress on the front axle, especially with a FEL.

The resolution might not be to good as I had to enlarge.
View attachment 287832

Ron

That would be the ticket except for the types of attachments I'll be using.

 

[kallnojoy]

First thought on this is your making this too complicated. Plant the rows up and down the hill instead of across the slope. Even if the rows don't line up for the ideal sun exposure you will still have plenty of sunlight for ripening and drying.

Second thought, if you do decide to plant across the slope widen the rows to suit your tractor. It will be a lot easier to plant your rows wider and plant the vines a little closer then to fight with your tractor trying to make it more stable while staying narrow.

Third thought, avoid the 3pt mounted sprayer. Yes, they are great for small vineyards but they add a lot of weight behind you and on steep slopes can be a huge hazzard as it will be very easy for the front tires to come off the ground with the fluid sloshing around in the tank with a small, light tractor. A trailed sprayer is a little more of a hassle for turning but it gives you more capacity and is easier on the tractor.

How many acres are you looking at planting? What variety? Row spacing? It may make sense to look for a true vineyard tractor. Something designed narrow and low to the ground. I just saw two Kubota M8200 Narrows on craigslist. Both had FWA and a front 3pt system. The cab model was under $17k and the open station was under $11k. Hour wise wasn't terrible but for someone with a small vineyard a dedicated tractor to leave hooked to the sprayer would be handy and FWA would be very helpful dealing with the slope. The front lift would allow you to hook a weight box on there to keep.

If your stuck on making your tractor work then going with the smaller tires would help as would adding liquid and steel weights to the tractor tires, front end and if needed even under the tractor (a heavy belly plate basically). As long as you can keep your tractor within your required width then go for it.

I admittedly have a penchant for making things too complicated!

To your points - running the rows up/down vs sidehill was considered but isn't very practical given the lay of the land - it would exponentially increase the # of rows which would drive up not just initial trellis costs but all of the ongoing labor. ex: 300' rows vs 90' rows. Other considerations exist of course like sun exposure, erosion, etc. That said, I may end up doing one or two blocks up/down if I'm not comfortable with the safety margin.

Your second point (row width) is where I am now, planning. Ideally I would like to go 8', as it is optimal for most varieties considered for our site, but may end up at 10' given the slope and probable tractor width.

As for the type of sprayer - will likely end up with a towed airblast or similar, but can't rule out a 3pt for smaller jobs or during startup.

We're looking at 8-10 acres max ultimately and will likely only do 1-2 next year initially to start. So I do have the time to 'leverage into' a more appropriate model once we ramp up scale.

The belly plate is a great idea... not just the added weight but if I do lower it, the extra protection would be welcomed.

Thanks again all for the suggestions.