Buying Advice Tractor Recommendations for slopes

[flamom]

Looking for tractor recommendations in sunny & sandy Central Florida!

I posted this on the Welcome Forum mistakenly so am re-posting here. Thank you again Ed of All Trades, Newbury and Larro Darro for your recommendations! I will research your recommendations and greatly appreciate your counsel.

We found our dream property that's about 10 acres with a house, now to make it "home"...

I'd like to stick around $5k cash for tractor, I need to mow around pond with steep incline about every other-third week. So, I realize, it will probably be used. I'd like something fairly easy to work on, I'd like to do the easier repairs myself. I prefer that my husband not have to work on it as this is my dream not his and he prefers to spend his time on other things.

One concern that I have is the tractor overturning. We just lost a dear friend to that type of accident.

 

[OldMcDonald]

When you say "steep incline" my immediate thought is - do not mow it with a tractor. Any slope should always be driven up or down if at all possible, and not across the slope. I take it you are relatively new to tractors and I would take the advice of a sensible experienced person as to whether or not it is safe to drive any tractor on the "steep incline".

Depending on the area involved (and I have seen this used on a few hundred square yards) a powered hand mower, sorry do not know the brands in the US, that floats slightly above the ground and used from the top of the slope with a rope is a good safe way. Or, geese will graze it if that fits into your schemes.

 

[creekbend]

If your budget allows, get 4WD and add ballast to the rear tires. Best wishes.

 

[Don87]

Can you post pictures of the slopes? It would be a big help to us.

 

[whistlepig]

I owned a 1964 MF135 diesel that was very good at mowing slopes. It was 2wd, the tires were filled, and I never got it stuck. From time to time I had to use the differential lock. Other than changing fluids and filters I put 2,800 trouble free hours on this tractor before I sold it. It had 4,000 hours on it when I sold it and still ran as good as the day that I bought it. It's in your price range.

 

[flamom]

Thanks for your replies Old Mc Donald, CreekBend, Don 87, WhistlePig! I've moved my question over to Tractor Recommendations. The slope is about 25'.

WhistlePig-I will look into MF. I've heard/read good things about Kubouta also.

 

[Don87]

Maybe I didn't phrase the question correctly.

On this graph, which most resembles your slopes?

 

[flamom]

Don87,

Walking up from the pond up 100'. there is a 20' difference in elevation. Is that slope of 20%?

 

[murphy1244]

I use a Ventrac, it will walk up and down those hills easily.

 

[bcp]

Don87,

Walking up from the pond up 100'. there is a 20' difference in elevation. Is that slope of 20%?

Yes, a 20 foot rise in 100 feet is a 20% grade.

Bruce