Prospective purchase for the mountains.

[putt_putt_green]

As far as a mower goes, I got rid of my zero turn and got a stand on mower. Night and day difference on the 15% slopes in my yard. Being able to counterbalance with my body makes a huge difference. And if I get in trouble, I just hop off.

The creation and maintenance phases used different machines in my situation. I used an older Case backhoe for creation, and my CUT for maintenance. The backhoe I sold when done with the creation phase. The hoe part of the backhoe makes for a great counterbalance if you keep it pointing uphill all the time; but can just as easily cause tipover if you have the hoe pointing downhill.

 

[icnu]

Hey all,

Last year, we purchased 105 acres in the mountains of Western North Carolina that are mostly wooded with about 6 acres of meadows in hollows and plenty of overgrown old logging roads that we'd like to reclaim. The prior owners quit maintaining everything a few years ago except for the lawn around the house and the driveway.

The main driveway is about a 3/4 mile and is useable for now. The other trails and meadows are overgrown and need a lot of work to get back to usable condition. In addition to cleanup, there seems to always be something on the property that needs done (trees, brush, etc).

Our original intent was to hire out local professionals to support the maintenance, but it is clearly cost prohibitive considering the ongoing work required. I'm capable of learning, but an I am admitted "city slicker" with no experience with tractors.

I'm looking for advice!

I tried local dealers with experience in the area, however nothing is in stock. I've found a 2038r in North Florida for what I consider an acceptable deal in these current times. However, the advice from dealer seems limited to their experience in tropical temps and flat ground use. For example: I was told that extra ballast isn't required except for filling up the tires with water (only water). Wheel spacers are not beneficial. I'm not knocking them, because they know their stuff.. just not familiar with the terrain of another area.

So I'm seeking out some advice and support from the forums. My first and major concern is safety with regards to tipping/rolling the tractor in the mountains.

1. My inclinometer has 13 degrees vertical as the max of our main roads on the property and that's just the driveways. I'm very concerned about tipping the tractor and wanting to configure it in the safest way for the mountains.

2. I was going to start with box blade, forks and bush-hog, (and ballast) and wait until determining if I need other equipment. Looking for input on if the standard frontier implements BB2060, RC2060 is adequate.

3. What comparative models would you recommend from Kubota, Massey etc..

4. What advice would you give to someone who is using their equipment higher in the mountains? I would probably use a Zero turn for the lawn grass. Tractor is truly for utility.



Thanks everyone!

I own 200 ac in piedmont of GA-i too had min to no experience with tractors. I watched a few YouTube videos of tractor rollovers on slopes(and many also of people using them correctly, daily, on slopes) and realized I was too ignorant at the time to purchase one(went thru exhaustive research to find a “mountain” vehicle, and like another poster commented, they were all European, or out of my price range. I also looked at track steers, but was worried about tracks popping off on a hill back in the woods, on a Sun right before i was to leave for long trip home
Certainly, I could have spent the time thats needed to learn, but i dont have that kind of margin in my life right now.
so i bought a telehandler.
Mower, tooth bucket, stump bucket and grapple followed. For me, it was, and has proven to be, the most user-friendly for someone of my limited knowledge (though I did manage to get an unstuckable machine stuck, if that tells you anything). It’s been a lot of fun learning about it, doing some minor maintenance on it, and thinking about what job/implement I need to do/buy next. I also agree, a backhoe would be really cool to have for jobs that probably take me a lot longer with my telehandler. You can get an idea of the slopes i keep cleared…

 

[Robo 52]

Boozle you have a situation very similar to mine - 138 acres in northern PA with some VERY steep hills, meadow, cultivated fields and wooded trails. I'm sure you have gotten a lot of great advice from the guys on here - I don't want to repeat too much, but my two cents worth;
-BE CAREFUL with a zero-turn on hilly lawn - the least bit damp or 'greasey' and they loose all traction and control unless you have ag tires with somewhat aggressive tread, and then it's still dicey. Yes zero-turns are fast and maneuverable, but for a very uneven lawn you may want a lawn tractor mower.
- don't skimp on a primary tractor. It's your life and health in your hands. You need HORSEPOWER, 4WD, ample ground clearance (i.e. not something with a belly mower) and versatility to do what you need to do. Don't go any smaller than 35-40HP with 4WD (tho' much larger tractors can get to be a problem when clearing trails in the woods).
- front ballast, filled tires (or an FEL - but they are VERY out of place in the woods) are absolutely necessary when climbing hills, especially if you're brushhogging or dragging a tree.
- watch your 'track' or wheel-spread - anything around 5' or less can be very dangerous on hills, or ANYWHERE with a raised FEL. All good tractors have adjustable track. A wider stance is better, if it'll fit in your barn.
- NEVER drag anything really heavy from a 3-point hitch, or from ANY point above the back axle. Use the 'draw-bar' under the back axle to drag heavy trees, etc. You don't want to ever flip over backwards.
- without an FEL you may find a 'boom pole' ($189.99 - Tractor Supply) is useful on your 3-pt., but WATCH YOUR WEIGHT LIMITS. A heavier one sells for about $350. With an FEL, clamp-on forks can be handy.
- I doubt you'll find ANY tractor that does it all well. You may find a good 40HP 4WD mid-size for the woods, treework and fields (something the size of my 34HP Ford model 1920); and a 30-40HP FEL/backhoe tractor (something like my Kubota L2850) for the 'flats and farmyard' the right combo, as I have. Learn your tractor's strengths and limitations.
- ROPS can be a real deficit in the woods - pulling down branches, knocking over 'deadmen', whipping saplings into your face. You may want to consider one that folds down, but on hills - do you really want to do that?
- at one time all I had was my father-in-law's '44 9N to do anything, and what I could do was limited. But it went EVERYWHERE on that place (trail clearing, mowing the 'top forty' up a 300' hill, pulling downed trees out of the ravine), and is still running with a 12V upgrade and is doing the light brushhogging. But I was much younger and carefree then - anything's possible, but extreme care is advised. If not overtaxed it will keep working forever, but with it's torque it will climb a tree if you're not careful (and has). A tractor is not a car - or even a truck. Be very careful with ANY tractor's power - learn to respect it, and use it carefully and thoughtfully and it will give you many, many years of hard work.

Enjoy. Go slow. Ask questions, take every answer with a 'grain of salt', and learn what works best in YOUR situation by carefully moving forward. Get help when appropriate - you can't do everything. I'm sure you bought your place to enjoy for years to come, not to die on (at least not anytime soon). Good luck.

 

[Xfaxman]

Just to clarify icnu's post it is a compact telehandler, as in small:

But it does big jobs:

 

[M59]

Hey all,

Last year, we purchased 105 acres in the mountains of Western North Carolina that are mostly wooded with about 6 acres of meadows in hollows and plenty of overgrown old logging roads that we'd like to reclaim. The prior owners quit maintaining everything a few years ago except for the lawn around the house and the driveway.

The main driveway is about a 3/4 mile and is useable for now. The other trails and meadows are overgrown and need a lot of work to get back to usable condition. In addition to cleanup, there seems to always be something on the property that needs done (trees, brush, etc).

Our original intent was to hire out local professionals to support the maintenance, but it is clearly cost prohibitive considering the ongoing work required. I'm capable of learning, but an I am admitted "city slicker" with no experience with tractors.

I'm looking for advice!

I tried local dealers with experience in the area, however nothing is in stock. I've found a 2038r in North Florida for what I consider an acceptable deal in these current times. However, the advice from dealer seems limited to their experience in tropical temps and flat ground use. For example: I was told that extra ballast isn't required except for filling up the tires with water (only water). Wheel spacers are not beneficial. I'm not knocking them, because they know their stuff.. just not familiar with the terrain of another area.

So I'm seeking out some advice and support from the forums. My first and major concern is safety with regards to tipping/rolling the tractor in the mountains.

1. My inclinometer has 13 degrees vertical as the max of our main roads on the property and that's just the driveways. I'm very concerned about tipping the tractor and wanting to configure it in the safest way for the mountains.

2. I was going to start with box blade, forks and bush-hog, (and ballast) and wait until determining if I need other equipment. Looking for input on if the standard frontier implements BB2060, RC2060 is adequate.

3. What comparative models would you recommend from Kubota, Massey etc..

4. What advice would you give to someone who is using their equipment higher in the mountains? I would probably use a Zero turn for the lawn grass. Tractor is truly for utility.



Thanks everyone!

Welcome to Western NC and its rocky soil.

I have a 100+ acres in Buncombe county that start at 1900 feet, rise to 3200 feet, and driveway 3/8 of mile long.

The two most important questions you have to answer is: How much time are you willing to devote to maintaining the property and what is your time worth?

Many responders have mentioned important points which I will try to draw together.
Time on machine is critical. Don't expect to be really productive or understand it capabilities until you reach 400 hours on machine.
Machine weight is critical. The heavier the machine the more stable and productive it is.
Weight allows you to put down more pressure when using backhoe or the loader and it gives you more traction on grades.
A tractor is only as capable or useful as the implements it can run.
Expect to spend almost as much on implements as on a good low hour used tractor.
Most tractors, unless they are geared, are basically a large hydraulic pump. The more horsepower the greater the pump flow and pressure and the more work the tractor can do.
Diesel only machine for power ( the ability to do drive the hydraulic pump ).

My M59 scales at 11,200 Lbs with Bradco grapple, filled tires, and backhoe.
Western NC has gets lots of rain and water running down hill carries lots of sediment and quickly erodes driveways.

I use a Kubota M59 with following to maintain and improve my property:
Backhoe with 12 foot dig depth
Kubota hydraulic thumb on 24" wide backhoe bucket
Skidsteer/Quick attach 84" wide loader bucket with 1 yard capacity when heaped
Bradco root rack grapple ( approx 1500 lbs )
Everything Attachments 9 foot box blade with rippers
Cat 2 3 point hitch and drawbar
"Top n Tilt" for 3 pt hitch so I can tilt the box blade to cut ditch or pitch driveway to run into ditch.
Skidsteer/Quick attach McMillen auger ( post hole digger) run off loader 3rd set of valves on joy stick
Skidsteer/Quick attach trailer moving ball hitch implement from CL Fab.
Power rake ( Harley rake ) for 3 point hitch.
Tires filled with beet juice for weight. Beet juice freezes way below any cold temp in NC and is non toxic.
Work light mounted front and back on ROPS. Can't tell you how many times an important project ran long and sun went down.


Bottom line. The more machine you buy the first time the more productive you will be and the less frustrated BUT ONLY if you are willing to spend the time on the machine. You can almost never have too much horsepower until you get near 80-100 hp and then you are into a very different category of light heavy equipment.

Hope this helps.

 

[deezler]

^ Awesome setup, M59, but you're over double his $30k budget, man.

Boozle, my only advice here beyond the good tips you have gotten, is to visit some dealerships and sit on tractors. Some tractors a huge beasts. If you can't fathom how they would fit down your trails, between trees, or navigate around buildings, etc, then step down one machine class size and try again. Get the largest and heaviest machine you can afford.

 

[boozle]

Thanks! So as update, I found a well used Ventrac with Tough Cut with a few attachments that will be a starting point for the basic property mowing/maintenance. After that, I'm going to take my time to find the right deal on a more general purpose machine for some of the other projects that involve loader and heavy duty implements. This way I'll feel safe and can begin work on the most urgent projects of maintenance while learning more about what my actual needs are in the forest.

Every bullet point here has been engrained from this post has stuck with me (Widest stance, Weights, Filled tires with Beet juice, no turning up hill, slow everything, up and down inclines, CoG low, loader low, higher HP, etc).

I never expected a 9 page thread on my questions, but it is a statement to how great this forum is. Thank you all sincerely for taking the time to help. It's a great community.


B

 

[Goose1776]

I'd never heard of PowerTrac, but your note made me look, as I mow (etc.) on what I consider pretty steep ground with my Kubota BX subcompact, and the potential for rolling is always on my mind to some degree.

Which type/model did you get, and how is it working for you so far?

I bought a pt1430.
It is set to be delivered next week, but after playing with it during the demo, I’m sure I’ll be more than pleased at what I can do with it, in areas my tractor could never access.

 

[rScotty]

Thanks! So as update, I found a well used Ventrac with Tough Cut with a few attachments that will be a starting point for the basic property mowing/maintenance. After that, I'm going to take my time to find the right deal on a more general purpose machine for some of the other projects that involve loader and heavy duty implements. This way I'll feel safe and can begin work on the most urgent projects of maintenance while learning more about what my actual needs are in the forest.

Every bullet point here has been engrained from this post has stuck with me (Widest stance, Weights, Filled tires with Beet juice, no turning up hill, slow everything, up and down inclines, CoG low, loader low, higher HP, etc).

I never expected a 9 page thread on my questions, but it is a statement to how great this forum is. Thank you all sincerely for taking the time to help. It's a great community.


B

Congratulations!
Buy something used, then use it and learn. I think that's a great way to go.
Can't wait to see photos, and hear about your Ventrac experience.
BTW, I did see that Ventrac is selling toy models of one of their machines....the 4000 I think.
rScotty

 

[VaughnB]

I am a "city slicker" with no experience with tractors.

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor weight is more important identifying compact tractor capability than tractor horsepower.

The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to first identify potential tractor applications, then, through consulataton, establish bare tractor weight necessary to safely accomplish your applications. Tractor dealers, experienced tractor owners and TractorByNet.com are sources for weight recommendations.

Bare tractor weight is a fundamental tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used. Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices. Collect a dealer brochure for each tractor model in your weight range.

I spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise which cuts through specification clutter. I have a column for cost per pound.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a new, heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is worse than depreciation on a tractor.

A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Most new tractors are delivered with a glitch or two requiring correction. My kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment after eight years. Dealer proximity is less important for those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR.​

I've found a 2038r in North Florida for what I consider an acceptable deal in these current times.

The Deere 2038r is in the lighter tranche of compact tractors at 2,500 pounds bare tractor weight. Compact tractors under 3,000 pounds bare weight operate in landscape, kitchen/commercial garden or hobby farm applications on one to ten flat acres. I would consider the forward PTO of the Deere 2038r or any other light tractor a damage prone hindrance on slopes or in woods.

For 105 acres, reclamation and maintenance I recommend a wider, heavier tractor weighing 3,500 to 4,500 pounds bare tractor weight.These are the mid-weights in the compact tractor category and sell in high unit volumes. Every tractor brand has at least an economy and deluxe compact tractor model in this weight.

Tractors are inherently unstable operating on sloped ground. Tractor rear wheel/tire spread, sometimes adjustable, is a critical factor increasing compact tractor stability working sloped or uneven ground. A 6" to 10" wider rear axle substantially decreases tractor rollover potential.

As part of property maintenance of 100 acres of forest you will need to pick up tree trunk sections weighing 1,000 to 2,000 pounds on a regular basis.

T-B-N ARCHIVE:
TRACTOR FOR STEEP HILLS SLOPES MOUNTAINS site:tractorbynet.com


When considering a tractor purchase, bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.


RELEVENT THREADS FROM THE T-B-N ARCHIVE:

tractor for sloped hilly steep ground site: tractorbynet.com

This

Aebi - Model TT211 - Slope Tractors​

tractor is used in Switzerland on mountain sides low center of gravity and 4 wheel drive
They have have dealers through out the US
Don’t think of loading tires with water only they will freeze up in the winter