Best Mountain Tractor?

Egon · Apr 10, 2002

Wasabi:

They can be used to pen in some types of animals. The height and suitability would depend on the animal, its size and jumping or burrowing capability and gender depending on the rutting season.
I don't have any pictures.

Egon

Egon · Apr 10, 2002

Split rail fence:

Picture attached:

Egon

wasabi · Apr 10, 2002

Nice. Looks like it might work for cattle, but not horses.

Moon · Apr 10, 2002

Sounds good wasabi! I'm making the trip to trazewell real soon. I talked to Chris. Like many have said; they offer to put you up in a local motel if you want it. Chris estimated my drive time at 4 hrs 20 mins, so I'm planning a one day trip rather than overnight it. I need that buget strecher too. I'd love to have a dually 1845, but I'm seriously looking at the 425 for now. Then I'll shop around and drive the 2410 / 2910 Kubota, and equivalent NH and JD offerings to compare. decisions decisions .....

wasabi · Apr 10, 2002

Grey,

Sounds like we are traveling parallel paths.

I try to follow the old adage of measuring twice before cutting. I've been looking for a bit over a year and am still researching, but these guys have me all amped up and darn near convinced (from the armchair) about the PT. As mentioned before, they sure are good at spending my money....they have already almost effortlessly doubled my budget. An amazing feat, considering my supposed superior financial prowess!!

Moon · Apr 10, 2002

Boy you hit the nail on the head with that one. I thought 10 grand would get me plenty of tractor. Like you i've been looking for awhile now. I made do with a little ole mitsubushi for the last 2 years waiting until i was ready to take the big plunge. Now I'm there, I've sold the mitsu and my tractor budget has gone thru the roof. Whatever we end up with, we're sure alot wiser than we would have been because of all the great input here on TBN. Good luck in your hunt for the right tractor.
Moon

GlueGuy · Apr 11, 2002

Al,

You're getting your trigonometry names mixed up. If you operate with a circle with a circle, then you can think of the different parts this way:

Radius of the circle is the hypotinuse
Distance horizontal is the cosine
Distance vertical is the sin
Percent grade is the sin/cosine (AKA tangent)

So at 45 degrees (and assuming the radius is 1),
the cosine (horizontal) is .707
the sin (vertical) is .707
Percent grade is 1 (x 100) or .707/.707 or 100%

Maybe a picture?

TWINKLE_TOES · Apr 12, 2002

Glue Guy,
Read it again. I think your confused. When the fellow followed the road i.e. the grade line, he followed the hypotenuse.
The sine is the rise divided by the hypotenuse. The cosine is the run divided by the hypotenuse and the tangent is the rise divided by the run.

Radius of the circle is the hypotinuse Radius = Rise x Sin or Radius = run x cosine
 Distance horizontal is the cosine distance horizontal = cosine x hypotenuse
 Distance vertical is the sin distance vertical =sin x hypotenuse

If I am confused at least I can spell it./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Al

Egon · Apr 12, 2002

Fellows:

Road grades and railway grades are all based on horizontal distance. Check the profiles of highway/railway lines and this becomes very evident. Plotted quite a few in my younger day. Surveyed a few of them too. Distances are all measured horizontal for this type application.

The easiest way to figure it is the vertical rise in 100 horizontal ft. It gives you % grade. Please remember that % grade is used in a much different context than Degrees of slope.

A railway grade of 2% is considered steep. It will require more locomotives. I'm not sure what the % grade is on the Interlaken railway in Switzerland but they must use cog wheels on some parts. It's kinda neat when you can feel them kick in. On major highways handling large loaded trucks 8% is either lower gears or lots of cubic inches.

Now if you are in the backcountry on skis when the slope starts to approach 30 degrees you get real concerned about avalanches and take appropriate measures.

On a bicycle your legs will really explain what a 8% grade is but its a real good excuse for consuming a hydrating liquid. [ Spelled Beer ]

Egon

wasabi · Apr 12, 2002

Man, you guys are hurting my head...I vote we rank the grades in ranges...perhaps along the lines of the fabled "ten stages of drunkenness".

1) At what degree grade does it become "eyebrow raising steep" for you guys?

2) When does it jump to "pucker-squared steep"?

3) What are the phases in between?

4) How do conditions effect your rankings?

5) What are your best tricks, caveats and recommends?

Thx, Sabi