Selecting a tractor for wet soil

[Farmwithjunk]

3RRL, you won't get any "flack" from me. After owning several bigger tractors, I'd take big and heavy over light and little any day when working in a harsh environment like mud.

One thing that's getting completely overlooked here is operator experience. Seen it too many times. Someone who's not spent a lot of time working in mud is far more likely to get one stuck. Not that it can't or won't happen to the old seasoned vet, it's just another case of seat time paying off.

There is no place on earth muddier, slicker, and nastier than a cattle feed lot in the late winter/early spring. I can't count the times I've slogged through that mess with a 8500lb, 2 WD, old farm tractor, dragging a manure spreader. Horsepower, weight, and momentum is where it's at.

 

[ronjhall]

As other stated. Maybe that light with big tires will not work if you are trying to pull a load. I guess I was thinking damage to the wet area.
Here is a great post about get stuck in a wet hole. Screw the Backhoe for the Oozama Ditch! Or, ..

 

[OKnewguy]

As an old jeeper, this subject has always been debated in the jeep and 4x4 truck crowd. It used to seem that lite with big wide tires was the way to go on a small rig and tall tractor tires were the way to go on a large rig (for mud bog only, not street legal). But sometimes I have seen smaller rigs with skinny big tires work also. I guess if there is any chance of getting to firmer stuff underneath that might be the setup. It also seems that with the trucks momentum and crazy bigblock power plants works well. I know it is not exactly like tractors, but I would guess that there will never be one sure fire way to do this in a tractor just like with 4x4 vehicles. There is lots of variables, how much clay, moiture contant of the mud (is it pure slop, or goo), etc. Good luck, Dave

 

[3RRL]

Hi rlee6.
Thanks for clarifying your conditions a little better.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am in Florida where soil is mostly sandy. During the rainy season, ground becomes water saturated in low lying areas. I am not talking about foot-sinking muck, or below water level. I am not talking about official wetland, or river basin. Standing and walking is no problem.)</font>
In that case, my opinion is still the heavier tractor will get better traction. Of course I'm assuming that's what you're after?

If you're looking to lessen marring or damaging the surface such as grass is your main concern, then you'd want as light a vehicle as possible. But as far as traction goes, my opinion stands. I'd take the heavier tractor wet or dry, for that matter....

 

[hudr]

I'd have to agree w/ the heavy tractor crowd. I have been through lots of slop w/ 100+ HP tractors. Seems the heavier they are, the better they sink down to the firm stuff. And remember, a light tractor might pull itself across a mudhole, but if you are pulling anything else (and rarely are you just out driving around on a tractor) I feel the heavy tractor will sink down and get some bite. Of course all this depends on soil type, moisture content, moon phase and whether or not it is foggy on a Tuesday /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[HGM]

I used to live in South Florida and spent allot of time hunting and wheeling in the Glades and Avon Park/Three Lakes(central Fl.) area. In the Glades we had both light buggies with airplane tires and others with 5' tractor tires(tall narrow skinnies). The airplane tires worked great in the suggar sand of your area but we needed the traction of the tractor tires in the mud. All it takes is spinning the tire one revoloution in the soft sand to sink, it happens really quick the tractor tires didnt work for us. Of course, this was for utility and play, not tractoring. But, the suggar sand is so soft there, I would be leary of the heavy tractor with narrow tires being tipsy and sinking too easy.

To be honest, SkyPup would be a good one to ask since he lives there too. Experience will play a big part in it too, so be careful.

 

[40Kchicks]

My Kubota M9000 has the neat feature of being able to lock the front and rear differentials. When you need to lock up the front and rear you’re probably going some place you shouldn't be. It has come in handy a few times living in very wet and muddy western Oregon.

Eric

 

[zjohnson]

There is no place on earth muddier, slicker, and nastier than a cattle feed lot in the late winter/early spring. I can't count the times I've slogged through that mess with a 8500lb, 2 WD, old farm tractor, dragging a manure spreader. Horsepower, weight, and momentum is where it's at.

Amen! Done it with a 6x6 bale front and back on a 18k lb MF 1130 and with a 4wd 10k lb 491. Both work well - one just turns a bit better /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif.

 

[rlee6]

Do you think the winter cattle farm scenario will apply in Florida? Could it be, as someone said, because of the firm ground under the slippery surface? But in soggy sandy Florida soil, there may not be a firm underlayer? I am a newbie weekend farmer (for the first time in my life), and don't know much about soil.

 

[rambler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Do you think the winter cattle farm scenario will apply in Florida? Could it be, as someone said, because of the firm ground under the slippery surface? But in soggy sandy Florida soil, there may not be a firm underlayer? I am a newbie weekend farmer (for the first time in my life), and don't know much about soil. )</font>

Your questions have 2 answers.

1. To drive the tractor through a wet spot all by itself, a light, high clearance, big tired, 4wd, differential locked tractor will do the best.

2. If you are pulling something, trying to work the soil like a harrow or field cultivator or etc, then you will need to hit firm ground. The above rig will just ball up & smear in wet ground, it has no traction to pull anything. You would need the same tractor, more weight on it, more clearence, skinier tires, with very, very deep ribs on them. With a real tractor pulling a properly sized implement, the front wheel drive becomes less important actually in these conditions. The diff lock is vital, as is the clearance. If there is no harder dirt to hit, then you need to wait until it dries.

So, what is your goal here? Why are you driving the tractor on the wet ground? More info.

--->Paul