Clearing steep, wooded hillsides, PT 1850 or what?

[Henro]

OK,

First, a 45 degree slope is pretty steep. No, it is REALLY steep. Are you sure of the angle?

Second, you need something that can do useful work at that angle. Not just operate on it. THere is a difference.

Do you want to work the machine in the up/down direction, or cross wise to the slope as well?

Personally, if I were working on a 45 degpree plus slope, I would want to be hanging from a winch cable attacted to something that would not move above me.

Unimogs may be rated for 42 degrees, but that is probably tested on a static tilt table...all bets are off when the vehicle is in motion and an unexpected dip on the low side or bump on the high side encounters a front or rear tire.

So what equipment can handle 45+ degree rugged slopes and do useful work?

I don't know the answer myself. But it seems to me that this is the real quesiton.

In my mind there is a HUGE difference between finish mowing a 45 degree slope and working on one that my have hidden surprises waiting.

Seems the goal is to find something that will dig, drag and do other useful things on a very steep slope. AND not impact the soil too much.

Wonder if such an animal exists at a reasonable price?

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Mike, just a little bit of a follow up. My Ventrac, which is mechanically similar to a small Power Trac unit, is the smallest model they make. So again, the scale is nothing like what you would be using. But for illustration purposes, after dinner I took a tape measure and measured from the ground up to the bottom of the central pivot point. A MERE 3.75 INCHES. The only time I ever scraped the bottom was when I was climbing a concrete curb straight on. When I climbed the same curb at a slight angle, the tractor went right up. The way these things work is that any one wheel can lift up about 15 degrees and the other 3 wheels stay firmly planted on the ground because of the oscillation of the frame. The articulation works side to side, like a waddle, and when combined with the wheel lifting abilities provided by the oscillation, the things feel like they are glued to the ground. We have a couple steep spots and I don't even like to climb them with a regular CUT. I used to mow with a Cub Cadet that had wheel weights & chains and that was pretty marginal. The Ventrac will do 'figure 8s' on those slopes at near full speed. I can't speak to the PT1850, but I can tell you that the capabilities of these tractors is so radically different from a regular tractor that had I known about PT equipment several years ago it is likely that both the Kubota & the NH tractors would owned by someone else and there would be a PT in the garage along side the Ventrac.

 

[AndyMA]

If I had to tackle this project I would show up with a medium to large size dozer and a decent size excavator. In my opinion most of the machines being talked about aboce are way too small for this size project. My 44,000 lb long carriage excavator with 29' reach could clear off those hills fairly easily. I bought it for only $20,000.

Andy

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Andy, I think the reason the PT1850 is being considered is because it is soft on the ground, where a dozer and/or excavator would tear up the soil and cause more invasive plants to move in, create a greater chance for erosion, and generally slow down the native regrowth that is trying to be re-established. This is a project that obviously will take YEARS to complete.

 

[Egon]

If it needs a soft touch on the ground there are rubber tracked machines available. Street pads would also work. Then what about the type of machine used to maintain ski slopes.

Egon

 

[JerryG]

Mike,
I may be missing something here, but Mother Nature has a real knack of reclaiming land. If it is left alone for a few years it will take care of it's self.

 

[riptides]

I think his point is returning to native species. As it looked before "invaders" took over.

The land use to maintain itself, before we all started messing with it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif You know, farming and cuting grass. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MicroPilot]

I would think it could, but not sure. Can a native prairie support grazing animals (horses, cows)? I would think it could as the Buffaloes used to eat this stuff. I guess my real question is can ranching and restoration work together?

 

[kensfarm]

You'd probably need a permit to clear off that much land.. w/ the steep slopes.. the county probably wouldn't allow it.

 

[MicroPilot]

HUH???