Buying Advice Best small tractor or garden tractor for slopes

[Xfaxman]

Wow! Guess it's a good thing it's there.

I was thinking baling the forages instead of mowing depending on what's growing.

Mostly grass growing there now, but it is too small of an area to bale.

 

[MossRoad]

That slope looks about what I'm going go mow.

Pictures of slopes are very deceiving. They are almost always steeper than the picture implies.

You should really go out and measure the slopes yourself and not guess.

You should also try and find out what the maximum slope rating is for a machine before purchase. For example, my little PowerTrac PT425 can physically handle much steeper slopes than 25 degrees. However, the oiling system in the engine is only rated for 25 degrees. I'll starve it of oil before sliding down the hill.

You'll read some comments about slope and grade. Don't get the two confused. Slope is the actual angle of the hill. That's the number you need to pay attention to. Grade would be more relevant for towing trailers up and down roads.

The picture of slope and angle is very helpful.

 

[MossRoad]

See that 100% grade = 45 degree angle mark on that picture?

A human can't hardly walk up a 45 degree angle hill. PowerTrac makes a machine that can drive up, down and across that angle! But it's EXPENSIVE.

 

[Egon]

Slope. =. Degrees

Grade. =. % Vertical rise over one hundred horizontal feet.

Or something like that!:drink:

 

[woodlandfarms]

See that 100% grade = 45 degree angle mark on that picture?

A human can't hardly walk up a 45 degree angle hill. PowerTrac makes a machine that can drive up, down and across that angle! But it's EXPENSIVE.

I did a 45 degree slope once with my machine. Got out of cab to take a picture and was stunned at how steep it was... taking a tumble would have sucked and just getting back in the cab was an experience. Funny, was not as scared of the slope in the tractor (the seat auto levels) but was scared when I got back in.

 

[MossRoad]

I did a 45 degree slope once with my machine. Got out of cab to take a picture and was stunned at how steep it was... taking a tumble would have sucked and just getting back in the cab was an experience. Funny, was not as scared of the slope in the tractor (the seat auto levels) but was scared when I got back in.

That is just crazy stuff....

How many of us would drive a tractor up, down and across a 12 12 pitch roof? YIKES! :confused2:

 

[Pleease]

Because I've never driven a 322T I looked up the product. Here is the link

Husqvarna Riders R 322T AWD

In looking at the information, I am confused why this would be a good unit in orchards for the following reasons:

1. The unit certainly is unique - but a bit misleading. It says its all wheel drive - but only 4 of the 6 wheels are powered from what I can see while the front wheels are fixed caster wheels . In addition - only 4 of the 6 wheels have tread or some surface that can provide traction. It would seem a problem on sidehills which every orchard I've ever walked or been in, has.

2. Its maximum cutting height is 3 inches and its minimum cutting height is 1 inch. These are golf course and "park" type machines. On hills, cutting grass takes torque because the engine is both cutting grass and simultaneously clawing its way upward against gravity; but if you are trying to cut normal growth grasses which easily are going to be much taller than 3 inches - you will have considerably greater drag on the engine if the grass is 5 or 6 inches tall and cutting it down to 3 inches or lower.

3. This unit claims it works well in wet or on slopes. Yet the front of the unit appears to be designed for smooth ground - again like golf courses or parks would offer.

4. "All Wheel drive" = 4 wheel drive in this unit. However the 4 wheels are very close together being all positioned in the back of the unit. I can imagine on a flat terrain that the 4 wheels driving in a straight line would have very good traction. However in non-level terrain with wheels so close together - needed turning activities under those conditions could have some unique handling issues because all the traction (tires and wheels) and drive efforts and steering efforts are located in a relatively small wheelbase area.

This unit might be just dandy - but I see no grab handles, no rops, and no sense of sidehill handling or being able to "pull straight" - only "push straight". Like I say, it would be a neat unit to test drive on my flat lawn areas or even hesitatingly test going straight up and down one of my hills. But personally, I'd not feel confident on 1/3rd to 1/2 of my normal cutting areas.

just my humble opinion

I know I知 replying to an old post, but wouldn稚 it be better to at least see a mower before making a lot of conclusions? For example, it has 4 wheels, not 6, lol. The two in front of the deck are just rollers that help to control the deck height and 蜷親el the ground enabling it to follow its contour.

I just got one.....incredibly nimble and confidence inspiring on hills