Buying Advice I am looking for the "most" stable CUT for my hillside avocado orchard

[Avocado]

I have a 25AC Avocado orchard on a steep hillside. I currently have two tractors, a Deere 1050 with front weights (no FEL), and Kubota B9200HST with a FEL. I am looking for a (used) 40hp+/- CUT to maintain my steep roads, move 1000lb bins of avocados and transport and run my 1300lb pto chipper. My Kubota can not lift a full bin of fruit or the chipper and barely has the power drive up my roads unloaded. The 1050 has the power but seems too big, and is tall and feels tippy. The front wheels of the 1050 come off the ground when going up the hills with the chipper or a full box of fruit on the back, this limits me to backing up the long steep roads. The primary requirement for the CUT is to be stable (low CG) yet small, strong and maneuverable. Other requirements are HST, (gears and hills don't mix), and the ability to move 1000lb boxes of fruit with both front and rear forks. Limited slip front diff would also be nice. Many of the small CUTs seem to meet most of my requirements: L3400, L3800, L3901, Deere 3520, 3720, 3039R, 3046R, MF1739 etc.. Am I looking at the right tractors? Which ones are the most stable, have the lowest CG or can all be made stable with wheel weights, smaller tires, wider wheel spacing etc? Are any available with limited slip front diff?

Jeff.

 

[Diggin It]

Budget?

There are machines made for orchards, but they can get pricey.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Tracked skid loader High flow with PTO adapter.

Never mind, gears and hills don't mix. Tractors and Hills don't mix! Even if I didn't upset the machine, operating iin such conditions is just to nerve racking for me to even think about it.

 

[MossRoad]

I'd 2nd the "What's your budget?" question.

 

[oosik]

Cheaper, quick solution. Get a set of 4, R-4 tires all around for the 1050. Have all four filled with Rim Guard. Get an FEL mounted on the 1050 or front suitcase weights. Whole lot less expensive than a new tractor. The next step towards stability & traction - - a tracked vehicle.

 

[Avocado]

Budget: "For As little as possible" is my motto. I was aiming for less then 20k but am flexible.

I am not sure what an "orchard machine" is but if my tractor ever leaves the graded road both the tractor and I will be gone.

 

[Avocado]

Tracked skid loader High flow with PTO adapter.

Never mind, gears and hills don't mix. Tractors and Hills don't mix! Even if I didn't upset the machine, operating iin such conditions is just to nerve racking for me to even think about it.

The 1050 was purchased by the previous owner of the orchard in 1985 to replace a 1939(?) CAT RD4 with pony start. A tracked loader may do it, but I have another property 3 miles away and currently drive the tractors on county roads between property's. Is this practical with a tracked loader?

 

[Avocado]

Cheaper, quick solution. Get a set of 4, R-4 tires all around for the 1050. Have all four filled with Rim Guard. Get an FEL mounted on the 1050 or front suitcase weights. Whole lot less expensive than a new tractor. The next step towards stability & traction - - a tracked vehicle.

R-4s would be a good addition for stability. I would love a loader on the 1050, I have looked for one with the mounting hardware but have not yet found one, I do have a full set of weights on the front but I need about 400lbs more. The 1050 also scares me whenever I disengage the clutch on a hill, and smothers me with acrid black smoke when using the chipper.

 

[ptsg]

I guess you guys don't get these of there, but something along these lines would be my choice:



Also available with loader:



You mentioned you have to road the tractor between properties. That could easily be fixed with a low bed trailer that would hook to one of your wheeled tractors. I used to do that when I had a crawler tractor.



Anyway, since this is probably not viable, try and take a look at Antonio Carraro tractors. I know they are available there and they are made for hills. Low profile and stable.

 

[nybirdman]

I would think loaded "Turf" tires would help on any tractor on slopes.Lower profile(lower Center of gravity).
Tracked machine are expensive to repair when needed,are slow and not real road worthy.