Best Mountain Tractor?

wasabi · Mar 26, 2002

Being a first time tractor buyer I'm taking my time to assess the options, but don't yet have a clear picture about the stability factor. Our property goes from 3800 ft elev to 3200 ft and nary an acre is even close to "flat". I know I should look for a tractor with a low center of gravity, but what about weight and wheel base...I'm also inclined toward 4X drive...any other considerations?

Charlie_Iliff · Mar 26, 2002

Re: Best Mountain Tractor

Doug:
I assume the property you're referring to isn't at Hilton Head. I don't remember seeing many large hills there.
I recently bought a Power Trac 1845. I first heard of it about three years ago when I was searching for slope mowers on the net. I had finally gotten old enough to quit scaring hell out of myself on conventional tractors mowing fairly steep slopes.
Power Trac is decidedly unconventional. Take a look at their website. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.power-trac.com/>Power Trac</A>
There has been a lot of discussion of Power Tracs by a few of us recently on the Board, and some good natured banter, as well. It is probably worth your while, and even entertaining to search on Power Trac and read some of the posts.
I mowed some of my hills over the weekend, towing an 8' wide chain harrow. I was more comfortable than I've ever been on any of our other tractors.
Enjoy your research. It's almost as much fun as running the machines, and generally more comfortable.

wasabi · Mar 26, 2002

Re: Best Mountain Tractor

Thanks Charlie...I'll look at em. Nope, there's definately no elevation here...prop is in those lovely mountains in N Carolina.

Charlie_Iliff · Mar 26, 2002

Re: Best Mountain Tractor

Power Trac is in Tazewell, VA, southwest corner. It's worth a visit. They'll let you play with the machines. They have some pretty impressive videos that they used to send, mowing hills that would be hard to stand on. You might want to ask them to send you copies for the 400 series and 1800 series. They're much better at responding to phone calls than e-mails.

DocHeb · Mar 26, 2002

Re: Best Mountain Tractor

What type of work do you need done? Any budget? Working a lot of acres may require a lot of tractor.

wasabi · Mar 26, 2002

Re: Best Mountain Tractor

With most of our acreage in mountainous second growth, clearing tops our priority list, but from a practical standpoint we'll likely sub that part out. We then need to prepare land for pastures, orchard, gardens and vinyards. Building site digging and prep is next. Oh, not to be forgotten is the nearly ten miles of old logging roads to be improved / maintained. Did I mention the plan to build two trout ponds and farm wasabi? Also, since our existing buildings are (quite) modest, and we'll need fencing, a good auger will be a must. Anyone know of a good PTO run sawmill? I think you get the idea...We're weekend warriors with lots of ideas and enthusiasm, but limited experience. Trust me, tho, that won't stop us. Budget?....I would like to stay under 15K including FEL and multple implements and better than 30 HPO 4X drive. Used is fine, but I don't want to tackle a rebuild.

pennwalk · Mar 26, 2002

If in doubt go for the 4WD. See if you can spread the wheels on the used compacts you look at. Also I might look into smaller wider tires. If you were to change tires on a 4WD you have to keep the same front to back rolling circumferance ratio. The Tire dealer should know about that. I might think about filling the tires with liquid. Maybe front weights too. I personally like the control you get with hydrostatic transmissions in tricky situations even though I have power shift on my tractor. I would want to have a ROPS if you are running on sloping ground.

Chris

wasabi · Mar 26, 2002

I've heard about filling the tires which makes sense to add weight, but had no clue about the relative wheel size...I guess it would also make sense because of the four wheel drive issue. Thanks for the insights, Chris!

MossRoad · Mar 26, 2002

Take Charlie's advice and check out the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.power-trac.com>Power Trac website by clicking here</A>. The slope mowers are very impressive and they offer a very wide range of implements. All of the units are hydrostatic drive and full time 4 wheel drive. Being a Power Trac owner, I am a little biased, of course /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. I test drove several different makes and models and, to me, the Power Trac felt more comfortable on a slope than anything else that I hav ever driven. Good luck in your search and keep us posted in your decision making process.

wasabi · Mar 26, 2002

Thanks Moss man. I just glimpsed at the trac site briefly, but will investigate further. You guys are the best. I've learned more here in the past couple of hours than months of surfing the net sites.

ByuBill · Mar 27, 2002

wasabi
I have been reading these post and had to /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif. I'm not so sure that these guys know about the landscape around Cashiers. They are talking about mowing hills like there isn't anything to it. They would be surprised at just the driveways that are over 25% grade around here./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Mine is between 30 & 35%. I'm not too far from your place. Close to Cherokee. While surfing, I found just what you need. Check it out at, <A target="_blank" HREF=http://mutualdevelopment.tripod.com/>http://mutualdevelopment.tripod.com/</A> . or check out Blueridge Equipment in Franklin, NC hwy 64 for that Kioti. Todd will treat you right.
Bill

MossRoad · Mar 27, 2002

The Power Trac 1845 is rated to 45 degree slope. If I'm not mistaken that's for every foot forward one foot up. That's steep.

wasabi · Mar 27, 2002

Moss man, I checked out the trac last evening...very impressive, but to go for the one that can handle decent weight in the FEL, I'd have to belly up to the bar for nearly 30K....twice what I am willing to go, but you've got me drooling over that fine machine. Maybe the wife will pay half.

The unit you sent me a link for IS a manly beast...also worth considering...I'm surprised you don't add it to your fleet. How 'bout you buy that, I'll give you 10,001 for the Kioti you just bought and we can occasionally trade off when needed.

Charlie_Iliff · Mar 27, 2002

ByuBill
For my Power Trac 1845, with dual tires, 25% to 35% mowing, side hill cutting even, is a piece of cake. It will handle to 40 degrees (Is that really the 83% my calculator says it is?)
That being said with great confidence, of course, there is no way I would be on that kind of a hill with my 1845 or any other machine. Just for general info, I'd like to hear from some of the crawler guys. I've never seen a crawler go over, but I've been told that they are a lot more prone to rollover than they look. I do know of one death near my place, where a crawler went over doing a roadside slope.
For mowing slopes, Power Trac, DewEze and Kutquik actually market the capability. Aebi and some other European orchard tractors do, as well. I may be wrong, but I think the Power Trac 1850 advertizes the steepest slope capability.

RoyJackson · Mar 27, 2002

Is that really the 83% my calculator says it is?)

40° is a 44% grade (i.e. 40° / 90° =.44444 or rounded to 44%)

ByuBill · Mar 27, 2002

<font color=blue>MossRoad,</font color=blue>
No offence intended there. I agree that the Power Trac is a great little machine. From reading your post, I can tell that you really love yours/w3tcompact/icons/love.gif. However, until I see one running up one of these 1000ft 45% angle hills with rocks, limbs, and groundhog holes in its path I'll not believe it. Maybe on a golf course and a small hill. Again, sorry if I offended you.
Bill

Charlie_Iliff · Mar 27, 2002

Roy:
Yours is the first time I've seen the percent grade done by a comparison of the number of degrees to 90. May be correct, but I think more commonly it is calculated as the rise divided by the run (tangent) expressed in percent.
A quick search got me one link <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.howstuffworks.com/question380.htm>Percent Grade</A>
Do you know any other references?

MossRoad · Mar 27, 2002

No offense taken at all. I enjoy these conversations.

One thing to note:

Isn't the % grade = rise/distance X 100

So a 100% grade = 1 foot up for every 1 foot forward

So a 100% grade = a 45 degree hill

So a 45% grade = a 22.5 degree hill.

Therefore I think Charlie is correct when he says 83% grade on a 40 degree slope.

Is this correct?

wasabi · Mar 27, 2002

Thought I would weigh in on the equation since I technically started this hilly talk....If you take the angle of dangle times the pucker factor, divided by the rush of adrenaline, do you still come up with 83%?

ByuBill · Mar 27, 2002

<font color=blue>Wasabi,
Thanks for the offer but I think that I will pass. The only place that I have to play on a tractor here is on the driveway. Even a that crawler wouldn't do any good. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. Besides, I have way too many toys already. That's is exactly what they are, toys. I guess that we are a little closer than thought. I am about halfway between Dilsboro and Cherokee, just off hwy 74.
Bill