Steep property--need advice.

[Moon]

ctads,
I'll add another perspective. I have very similar terrain to what you described ...but I have a bit more. 50 acres, With 1100 ft of river frontage. I was going in circles trying to figure out what to buy and trying to digest all the info here on TBN. I was afraid nothing could handle the land I was trying to manage.
One of the best pieces of advice I got here was to sit in as many seats as you can. Try em all out. You'll zero in on what is best for you. Once you've narrowed it down have the dealer demo it at your site.
If it's just mowing you want, Bob is steering your the right direction. Nothing can mow like the articulated tractors on a hill. But, to maneuver or manage a trail from the house to the river a 4wd tractor would also work.
I'm one of the few on here who tried out Power Trac but did not buy one. Great unit. Well built and all. But it has limitations to. The FEL (Front End loader) on the PT is smaller and does not lift high enough for my pickup truck, and the loader does not have arms like a conventional tractor loader to reach out and over something for dumping.
Also, if you wanted to use it for box blading, you'd have to go backwards to do it. It excels in mowing and ease of hooking up or switching implements.
I wanted the extra Loader reach and to go frontwards when box blading. I decided on a Kubota L3010. I tried it on hills at the dealers, he guaranteed it would be fine on my slopes, and it was. I've found the extra weight to be an advantage for the chores I do ...to state it properly is guess it is balanced very well so that the weight is an advantage on my slopes. Like CTyler mine has R4's and HST. I also recommend HST, I've done gears for years but prefer HST on my tractor.
Tractors have been around for years and handling these type of slopes. You have to be careful and plan your route. Don't let all the well intentioned info overwhelm you. Try em out one at a time and you'll find the right tractor for you.

Good Luck,
Moon of Ohio

 

[mars1952]

Craig, I would not buy either of those tractors without testing them on YOUR property. (Actually I would not buy either of those tractors for any steeply sloped propery, and I would not buy either one for a 2 acre property, but those are just my opinions) Second, I would not buy any tractor that did not have an HST transmission for working on steep slopes. Third, I would suggest you take a very serious look at 3 brands of tractors that are unconventional but far better suited for slopes.

Steiner Tractors

Ventrac Tractors

Versatile Tractors,Compact Tractors,Trailer Packages,Landscaping,Utility Vehicle Rentals,Mowers-Power Trac

All 3 brands are better suited to slope work. I have a Ventrac that I can take onto slopes that scare the heck out of me when I try to climb them with my New Holland or Kubota. In fact the Ventrac will mow in a "figure 8" pattern on slopes that will simply tip over a garden tractor and roll it down the hills. My only regret was not knowing about those brands 12 years ago when I bought my property.

Hi Bob: I field tested a Ventrac on my steep pasture and it was great until I almost stalled it then it took off down the hill backwards. There are no brakes on the Ventrac! If you lost hydraulic pressure there is nothing to stop you and you can't steer the thing! In my case I managed to get the tractor started again before I ran into the farm house but it was close.
Marshall

 

[woodlandfarms]

After a year of reading this site, I finally pulled the trigger on a Powertrac 1850 for my 40 acres of slopes. If this tractor had not come along (used because 20K was my budget) I would have purchased a TYM 330 and had Dualies put on it. It had a liberal warranty program and the price was right.

This all said, if you can, go rent a tractor for the weekend. That little exposure that you get will tell you SOOO much. Ask if they will set the tractor up wide, and if they have one with loaded tires.

The Powertracs are the best of the slope oriented tractors (other than Carraro's) in my opinion. I only base that on the fact they do a lot of regular tractoring. Problem with Powertrac is three major issues. They are sold and serviced only at the plant, They are unreliable in the beginning, and they do not hold resale that well at this point. My rebutal to all of this is that they are super simple to work on. They are designed with owner repair in mind. Most parts are over the counter and most issues are related to hoses. Second part is that once you work out the bugs of your particular machine they seem to last a long, long time with little care.. And because of this website, I think they are starting to build their reputation as a useful and reliable machine. I know that the used ones that have come on the market have been snatched up immediately and at better prices than I would have thought...

But, if you don't like turning a wrench, and there is no local skid steer or hydraulic mechanic, don't go down this road.

Carl

 

[Tractor Rep]

51% slope, tried, and tested, 4 years of warranty (parts, labor, transportation).
A variety of sizes and features. One of the safest machines you will ever lay your eyes on.




http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/paulawood/Carrarotrip20020056.jpg


http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/paulawood/MyPictures0042.jpg


I am the NW Regional Rep. Can help schedule a demo, introduce you to the Carraro Dealer in your neighborhood and provide info if you need.

 

[sandman2234]

My Steiner 525 has a parking brake (but inoperable at this time). It is a disc brake setup on the rear axle and should be able to stop the mower on a reasonable slope. In Florida you don't need much to keep things from rolling downhill, since there aren't many hills. The Steiner used by one of the grocery chains to mow their overpass grass handles it like a dream. I talked to the guy who does it and he never has a problem with it.
David from jax
I thought the Ventrac and Steiners were close copies of each other, but might be wrong, since I have never seen a Ventrac up close.