GeneV
Elite Member
Yup, busted hst fans are the bane of these tractors, gotta protect those. I made my own skid plate.
Subcompact for hilly 3-acre
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Bullwinkle123
Platinum Member
A few notes that I'm not sure were mentioned, for consideration:
- If you're going to try stumps, then the BH is probably what you want, or ... not. If you are only going to pull stumps once a BH is an expensive and sub-par way to do it compared to renting something bigger.
- Clearance: if you have a bunch of stumps sticking out, you'll need clearance to drive over them. That's pretty much the only time I've worried about clearance, but I have something like 15 inches of clearance.
- "Hilly" means different things to different people. If you have any real grades there, consider it very carefully, measure the incline. Hills were one of the main considerations for me. My field definitely has a significant pucker factor if you want to try certain hills with a tractor. I plan my traversal of it when brush hogging (or other field traversals) pretty carefully, and I bought a much wider tractor for stability.
- What you describe, grading, carrying dirt or rocks or whatever for retaining walls, suggest you'll want a robust loader, not a BH, except for perhaps doing big soil removals where the BH would be better.
- In general, without a BH, don't expect to dig much with a FEL. Though I do use a bucket spade to plant trees, and it's nice enough and effective enough, and beats digging 2-3 foot deep holes by hand in soil that permits it. (I use mine on pallet forks, it doesn't fit my bucket, and the forks let you go deeper, awkwardly).
- Going to fill your loader bucket? Then consdider filling your tires for ballast. so you don't lose traction and generally keep those rear wheels planted on the ground.
- If you're going to be routinely driving across your lawn, don't get R1 tires. My R4's are hard on the grass if it's damp/squishy, and in general I try to minimize trips across the grass. The R4's are workable, but still probably require some consideration. Don't turn R4's on grass with 4WD active, you'll tear turf out for sure.
Def decided to go with a BH at this point. If they can help me get stumps out that is a bonus. Will probably be going with 2 or 3" spacers. Will add cast weights if I think I need them later.
Here s a question, is there a single implement that would be useful in preparing ground like this for lawn?
Here s a question, is there a single implement that would be useful in preparing ground like this for lawn?
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The BH will be useful. Up to about 18” stumps you can generally do within a reasonable amount of time. Bigger can be done, but takes longer.
Fill your rear tires, simple, best ballast there is.
If I wanted to plant that, depending on depth of top soil, I would just cite aerate it and overseed.
GeneV
Elite Member
Sure is, ratchet rake, it's a tooth bar that straps on your loader. It's like $300 I think I paid for mine. You're gonna want a ratchet rake for what you're going to be doing out there, I think. Google it, you'll see what I mean. And I got vids on youtube of me using it, clearing out brush, leveling and preparing for seed...but something is wrong with youtube right now, I can't load any pages of it.
Yeh get the hoe on that scut, you're gonna regret later if you don't. You'll hear a lot here "Man, I should have gotten the backhoe model!" What you not gonna hear a whole lot, though: "I shoulda gotten the loader only".
Thought about filled tires but concerned about their weight if I need to take them off for whatever reason. Is this a valid concern?
I have looked at the ratchet rake and love the idea that is all I need! Do you know if it can be attached with a piranha bar or similar installed or does that have to be removed to use the rake?
Def getting the BH. Its only 4k extra on the GCs. No brainer. Plus itll be extra ballast.
I have looked at the ratchet rake and love the idea that is all I need! Do you know if it can be attached with a piranha bar or similar installed or does that have to be removed to use the rake?
Def getting the BH. Its only 4k extra on the GCs. No brainer. Plus itll be extra ballast.
Bullwinkle123
Platinum Member
If you're always using the BH for ballast, then you probably don't need your tires filled. But assuming it isn't usually attached for non-BH work, ballast is really important for traction and also generally keeping the rear tires on the ground when you're doing heavy loader work. Rear tires planted firmly on the ground also means less stress on the front tire assembly.
As for taking tires off, personally I would never attempt it. If there's any reason my tires need to come off it's going to be done by the dealer, and it's going to be expensive. You may have a far better skill and tool set for that sort of work. I don't know what my tires weigh, the fill alone is about 500 lbs each.
hube2
Veteran Member
I had to take my filled tires off to put on the spacers. I fretted about this also, but it was not an issue. You jack it up until the weight is off just enough to slide the wheel out. When you put them back on you lean the wheel in so that one of the lugs is through the wheel (the spacers have lugs and nuts, the original bolts are used to hold the spacer on) and then you jack it up and the wheel falls right into place on the other lugs.
BH will almost always be on unless I need the 3PH which as of now I have no plans for. Is it diminishing returns to get the tires filled in that case?
I can totally see myself taking the tires off. I will likely do all the maintenance. I've maintained hydraulic systems and fabricated race cars so I dont think the maintenance is beyond my skill level.
I can totally see myself taking the tires off. I will likely do all the maintenance. I've maintained hydraulic systems and fabricated race cars so I dont think the maintenance is beyond my skill level.
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Bullwinkle123
Platinum Member
Re: dimishing returns, sounds like it.
Re: skills, you got 'em, I definitely do not. Any mental picture of doing things to my tires (other than tightening the nuts) all involve me getting squished.
