Goodbye 3030 HSTC, Hello 3430 HSTC

[IslandTractor]

Think of tying a rope to a pole, and then walking clockwise around the pole - your right shoulder will always be facing the pole, and will eventually touch it.

Hmmm, maybe a rope and a pole would be good roll over protection!

I guess I can visualize that if you assume you start at the top or bottom of a hill and mow in a spiral like an apple peeler, going around and around the hill. However, that would be a pretty unique mowing situation. If you consider the more typical situation, needing to mow in a sloped section of pasture/field, it is hard to imagine how the "May pole" technique could be used as you'd need to change direction to go back and forth and when you did the ballast would be on the wrong side.

 

[mark2610d]

I was also torn on which one to buy 3030hstc or 3430hstc.

The biggest thing I think that may be overlooked in this discussion is the tire size and how that directly effects stability. The small tire size on the 3030 can make you very unstable if a tire goes off in a hole while on a slope. I had a 30hp yanmar before the 3430hstc I bought and it had about the same size tires on it as the 3030 has. I can tell you that from my experience the tire size and wider wheelbase make the 3430 much more stable that the old 30hp yanmar. Saying all this I'm sure the 3030 is much more stable than the yanmar was but not as stable as the bigger 3430hstc.

Mark

 

[Charlesaf3]

So I have the 3030 now, and I think I regret not getting the 3430 for the hills. Don't get me wrong, the 3030 is a great tractor, and I'm really impressed with what it can do. But I spend a lot of time puckered. It may also be that my pucker meter is miscalibrated... I do have a lot of weight down low, with foamed tires, and a backhoe subframe. I think the issue is the wheelbase and tire width, as mark mentioned. I put tires in ruts the bigger tires would have floated over. Also, the B3030 is incredibly maneuverable, which is great in general, but tough on hills.

I'm going to keep pondering it, and using the machine. I may sell it in the spring and change it for the 3430, or maybe I'll just get the 3430 as well. Though 2 tractors strikes me as ridiculous...

 

[wushaw]

I'm going to keep pondering it, and using the machine. I may sell it in the spring and change it for the 3430, or maybe I'll just get the 3430 as well. Though 2 tractors strikes me as ridiculous...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with owning two tractors, most everybody that has two or more will tell you this