New tractor advice sought

[ericm979]

Hi, I have been reading for a while but first post.

We have 20 acres in the California coastal mountains. The land's pretty hilly. Half was cleared a long time ago, the other half is second growth doug fir with some redwoods and (mostly dead) tan oaks. The "cleared" part is brush except for the parts I cleared to meadow. The brush is mostly coyote brush. Soil is sandy with a lot of organic matter in the forested part.

I've been using a B7100HST for 15 years. I run a Merry Mac 4.5" chipper/shredder, 42" rotary mower, use the loader to pull up larger brush, and use the loader to move dirt for the garden and piled leaves on the paved road. Box blade to smooth out places I cleared.

With the land being hilly there's a lot of places too steep to get a tractor in. There's a couple flat acres around the house, a few roads (and more that I need to clear) and about half of the brushy area isn't too steep to operate the B7100 on, especially if I avoid sidehilling.

I'd really like a larger chipper as the current one's just not that effective. I'm thinking a Woodmax 8H or similar. I'll need a bigger tractor to run it. I'd also like to do a lot more clearing of brush and some trees, and the B7100 just can't do that much.

I'm looking at a new Kubota, either a large B or small L. The Woodmax 8H's minimum 19hp would technically be satisfied by a B2650 or L2501 but it seems that more HP would make it more useful. The Ls have a slightly larger turning radius than the Bs. The Ls are heavier which would be good for loader work and stability hauling a 990 lb chipper.

Questions:
-is a B3350 more stable on slopes than an L3301?
-is the lighter weight of a B beneficial on sloped soft soil so it doesn't sink in and tip?
-can the wheels be moved out on B50s or small Ls?
-the R1s on the B7100 have worn, probably due to work on pavement. R4s would handle that much better. Do they also make the track wider than R1s? How about floatation on soft soil?
-how well does the Woodmax 8h handle brush and small stuff?

 

[dickfoster]

Hi, I have been reading for a while but first post.

We have 20 acres in the California coastal mountains. The land's pretty hilly. Half was cleared a long time ago, the other half is second growth doug fir with some redwoods and (mostly dead) tan oaks. The "cleared" part is brush except for the parts I cleared to meadow. The brush is mostly coyote brush. Soil is sandy with a lot of organic matter in the forested part.

I've been using a B7100HST for 15 years. I run a Merry Mac 4.5" chipper/shredder, 42" rotary mower, use the loader to pull up larger brush, and use the loader to move dirt for the garden and piled leaves on the paved road. Box blade to smooth out places I cleared.

With the land being hilly there's a lot of places too steep to get a tractor in. There's a couple flat acres around the house, a few roads (and more that I need to clear) and about half of the brushy area isn't too steep to operate the B7100 on, especially if I avoid sidehilling.

I'd really like a larger chipper as the current one's just not that effective. I'm thinking a Woodmax 8H or similar. I'll need a bigger tractor to run it. I'd also like to do a lot more clearing of brush and some trees, and the B7100 just can't do that much.

I'm looking at a new Kubota, either a large B or small L. The Woodmax 8H's minimum 19hp would technically be satisfied by a B2650 or L2501 but it seems that more HP would make it more useful. The Ls have a slightly larger turning radius than the Bs. The Ls are heavier which would be good for loader work and stability hauling a 990 lb chipper.

Questions:
-is a B3350 more stable on slopes than an L3301?
-is the lighter weight of a B beneficial on sloped soft soil so it doesn't sink in and tip?
-can the wheels be moved out on B50s or small Ls?
-the R1s on the B7100 have worn, probably due to work on pavement. R4s would handle that much better. Do they also make the track wider than R1s? How about floatation on soft soil?
-how well does the Woodmax 8h handle brush and small stuff?

Maybe you should be looking at a track steer for your very hilly and sloping terrain. Or maybe hire someone to get that dead stuff dealt with due to the fire hazard. You must have had some pucker factor working this past summer.

When I moved in up here it was very much overgrown with underbrush. I had a local outfit come in with a couple of masticators (forest mowers) on track steers. Much of my property has steep slopes too but the track steers managed it easily. When they left the fire hazard was much reduced and it looked like a park. All of the overgrowth was ground into the ground as mulch so that helps with runoff while it also benefits the trees left standing. It wasn't cheap but it didn't cost nearly as much as a tractor.

Also be sure to check and make sure that there aren't some government programs that will help you defray the costs to reduce fire danger on your property. I found out after the fact that the forest service would have paid me quite a bit to do what I had done but not after it's too late of course.

BTW I move up here from LG about 3 years ago but visit friends and my financial adviser there once in awhile. The traffic is just plain nuts there now. I'm very glad I moved away from the madness.

 

[art]

The wheel spacers on the rear could be a major asset to the hill work!

 

[flusher]

For hills and slopes there's no substitute for wide wheel track and low center of gravity.
My 1964 MF135 diesel tractor was modified to work in orchards where lower is better.



The rear tires are 18.4 inches wide for high flotation to keep from rutting the orchard.
These tires fit 16 inch diameter rims. They are used primarily for large farm equipment like combines, corn harvesters and grain trucks that work in the fields and need the high flotation.
The front axle spindles were shortened to keep that 135 level.
What's nice about that MF135 is that it's a straddle-type tractor (your legs straddle the sides of transmission) that helps keep the center of gravity low. Unfortunately, most new modern tractors are the other type that has the higher seat and a floorboard so the CG is higher.

Some mods like these are relatively easy to make on any tractor and might work for you and improve performance and safety for work on your hilly property.

Good luck

 

[jeff9366]

Are the rear tires on the B7100 filled with liquid?

In the fifteen years you have owned your Kubota, how many engine hours have you put on the hour meter?

I advise moving up to a heavy chassis Kubota 'Grand L' 3560. The rear wheels are adjustable for width in four increments. The heavy chassis makes the tractor more stable on slopes. ((You want the rear tires filled on any tractor which will be operated on slopes. Filling the rear tires lowers the center-of-gravity.)) The extra 1/2 gear on each of the three ranges on Grand L HST+ transmission will be very useful on slopes.

You will not notice much incremental performance increase between your B7100 and any Kubota B or the L2501. Power steering, however, will be NICE.

T-B-N ARCHIVE: Google

Questions:
-is a B3350 more stable on slopes than an L3301?
-is the lighter weight of a B beneficial on sloped soft soil so it doesn't sink in and tip?
-can the wheels be moved out on B50s or small Ls?
-the R1s on the B7100 have worn, probably due to work on pavement. R4s would handle that much better. Do they also make the track wider than R1s? How about floatation on soft soil?

Generally speaking, heavier tractors have wider tracks, so heavier tractors are more stable. Also, larger tires are less prone to be swallowed in holes and ruts.

You have to spend for a Grand L to have adjustable tire widths.

R4/industrial tires wear much better on asphalt and concrete than R1/ag tires. R4s vibrate much less than R1s on concrete.

R4/industrial tires generally increase track width 4" to 6" over R1/ag tires, depending on the size of tractor.

Most of the major tractor brands produce low, wide VINEYARD & ORCHARD tractors which are produced from scratch for these applications, not modified 'regular' tractors. Prices are somewhat elevated in low volume VINEYARD & ORCHARD category.

 

[gladehound]

The track steer suggestion is a very good one. If dead set on a tractor for steeper areas, I'd forget the Kubota B series. I'm not sure how easy an L is to make low and wide so no comment there. However, if I wanted a low wide modern tractor, I'd probably start with a MF2605 and leave it as is with the wheels spaced on the widest setting or use it as a starting point for modification to make it lower / wider. I realize this is a much heavier tractor than you were looking at, but being heavier, with heavier axles, it will handle wide tires and axle spacers better than a small tractor.

Kubota might make something similar if you like that brand better.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Lots of ways to go, from hiring it out to buying some nice gear. I have slopes, I went with a Power-Trac. Heck of a machine, a bit of a swiss army knife. Has its pro's and cons like any machine you are looking at in a slopey situation...

Versatile Tractors,Compact Tractors,Trailer Packages,Landscaping,Utility Vehicle Rentals,Mowers-Power Trac

 

[dickfoster]

This is what he needs for where he lives.

I think his primary concern at this point is probably fire hazard reduction. Since it's a one time affair he could just hire it done, save a lot money and get better, more complete results. They took two days to do my property. How long would it take him to do it on his own with a tractor and how many acres could access with a tractor no matter how he fiddles with it.

 

[ericm979]

We've hired out and cleared ourselves to make a good clearing around the house. The local fire safe council has a free chipping program but the piles have to be next to roads big enough to get a tree service truck up them. I have no problem hiring out stuff that's difficult or dangerous or simply more efficient but I like to do the easier stuff and regular maintenance myself.

The power track looks interesting but expensive. Will it run a chipper? I'm not looking to drive up all the slopes- there's places I can't ride an off road motorcycle on. Being as stable as the B7100 would be enough; more stable would be better. Is there really no difference between the B7100's 13 pto hp and the pto hp from a B2650 or B3350? The numbers sure look better on the large Bs. Power steering sure would be nice.

Another question- is a 4 in 1 bucket useful for pulling up brush? Is a grapple better? Or is a pirannah type tooth bar on a regular bucket sufficient? Some of the coyote brush is old and well rooted and with the 7100 it's a lot of time and work to get it out. Brush I pull up will go in the chipper; we can't burn here. That's the reason chipping is important to me.

We were concerned about the Loma Prieta fire but it was a few ridges away and going the other way.

Traffic in the valley does suck but there's lots of work there. Summer beach traffic through Los Gatos has gotten terrible in the last couple years.

 

[jeff9366]

In the fifteen years you have owned your kubota, how many engine hours have you put on the hour meter?

A Ratchet Rake bucket attachment is the best tool for pulling up brush. TSC sells the Ratchet Rake but not all lengths are consistently in stock.
You can order a Ratchet Rake from the Tractor By Net store, button at top of this page. Delivery by UPS.

A Ratchet Rake piles brush superbly. It is also fine for minor grading. You can use a Ratchet Rake to prepare a small garden.

To pick up brush, you need a grapple, pallet forks, debris forks, or a bale spear, all front mount.

There are chippers and there are chipper/shredders. It seems like you need a chipper/shredder.

VIDEO: ratchet rake brush clearing - YouTube


T-B-N Archive/Ratchet Rake: Google