Buying Advice Tractor Recommendations for slopes

[flamom]

Looking for tractor recommendations in sunny & sandy Central Florida!

I posted this on the Welcome Forum mistakenly so am re-posting here. Thank you again Ed of All Trades, Newbury and Larro Darro for your recommendations! I will research your recommendations and greatly appreciate your counsel.

We found our dream property that's about 10 acres with a house, now to make it "home"...

I'd like to stick around $5k cash for tractor, I need to mow around pond with steep incline about every other-third week. So, I realize, it will probably be used. I'd like something fairly easy to work on, I'd like to do the easier repairs myself. I prefer that my husband not have to work on it as this is my dream not his and he prefers to spend his time on other things.

One concern that I have is the tractor overturning. We just lost a dear friend to that type of accident.

 

[OldMcDonald]

When you say "steep incline" my immediate thought is - do not mow it with a tractor. Any slope should always be driven up or down if at all possible, and not across the slope. I take it you are relatively new to tractors and I would take the advice of a sensible experienced person as to whether or not it is safe to drive any tractor on the "steep incline".

Depending on the area involved (and I have seen this used on a few hundred square yards) a powered hand mower, sorry do not know the brands in the US, that floats slightly above the ground and used from the top of the slope with a rope is a good safe way. Or, geese will graze it if that fits into your schemes.

 

[creekbend]

If your budget allows, get 4WD and add ballast to the rear tires. Best wishes.

 

[Don87]

Can you post pictures of the slopes? It would be a big help to us.

 

[whistlepig]

I owned a 1964 MF135 diesel that was very good at mowing slopes. It was 2wd, the tires were filled, and I never got it stuck. From time to time I had to use the differential lock. Other than changing fluids and filters I put 2,800 trouble free hours on this tractor before I sold it. It had 4,000 hours on it when I sold it and still ran as good as the day that I bought it. It's in your price range.

 

[flamom]

Thanks for your replies Old Mc Donald, CreekBend, Don 87, WhistlePig! I've moved my question over to Tractor Recommendations. The slope is about 25'.

WhistlePig-I will look into MF. I've heard/read good things about Kubouta also.

 

[Don87]

Maybe I didn't phrase the question correctly.

On this graph, which most resembles your slopes?

 

[flamom]

Don87,

Walking up from the pond up 100'. there is a 20' difference in elevation. Is that slope of 20%?

 

[murphy1244]

I use a Ventrac, it will walk up and down those hills easily.

 

[bcp]

Don87,

Walking up from the pond up 100'. there is a 20' difference in elevation. Is that slope of 20%?

Yes, a 20 foot rise in 100 feet is a 20% grade.

Bruce

 

[burnieman]

Any tractor with 4wd will be able to handle what you are asking. Spend a little more money and buy something decent. 5k is gonna buy you someone else's trouble.

 

[DT86]

20% is not steep.

 

[Don87]

20% is not steep.

Right, 20% is not steep at all, So now she can be at ease looking for a tractor to ride on, instead of walking behind. And she can mow sideways on that mild of a slope.

I always like to get a good perspective on the ground layout before suggesting equipment.

I delivered some stuff on a flatbed trailer to a place in Indiana once, he said "I need you on the hill". I said "what hill"? he pointed to a spot about a hundred yards away that was 2ft higher than our location. To people in my area, a 'hill' could be a place where you wouldn't want to take a tractor at all

 

[OldMcDonald]

I concur that 20% is safe. The expression "steep incline" as used by the OP had me worried about her safety.

 

[Don87]

I concur that 20% is safe. The expression "steep incline" as used by the OP had me worried about her safety.

Me too. But now we know with that type of slope, she can use any type of riding mower for it. It doesn't have to be 4wd. Although 4wd would help greatly if the grass is damp and slippery.

 

[chim]

When I mowed for my Mom-in-law there was a hill that I really shouldn't have mowed across. As long as the grass was dry it was possible in 4WD. I usually used the old Ford on the hill because I could keep one cheek on the uphill fender and the other on the seat. The RFM doesn't allow any twisting between it and the tractor, so it was pretty stable so far as rollover from the slope itself. Even in good conditions the tractor tended to "crab" along the hill. My one fear was that I'd slide sideways. There was a concrete retaining wall atthe base of the hill that was flush with the ground I was mowing. The ground on the lower side of the wall was about 18" lower and the rusty pipe fence at the bottom would have served no purpose other than to be something to hurt on the way through it. A few times when the grass was damp it did start to slide. I steered sharply uphill and floored it and the tractor got itself pointed uphill.

Here's a pic and it doesn't look as bad as it really felt. That may be partly due to the utility pole behind me being out of plumb.

 

[CobyRupert]

So what is the max angle, specifically, what is the tipping point of an average tractor with say loaded R1 tires?

 

[Don87]

So what is the max angle, specifically, what is the tipping point of an average tractor with say loaded R1 tires?

That is going to depend on the tractor itself.

If you look at the typical SUBCUT lineup, the typical Kubota has a width of 44 inches, my Massey is listed as 47 inches, and the Mahindra, is 50 inches. Then you have to look at how high that weight is above the ground(center of gravity). All tractors differ, there really isn't a 'set rule'.

 

[Don87]

When I mowed for my Mom-in-law there was a hill that I really shouldn't have mowed across. As long as the grass was dry it was possible in 4WD. I usually used the old Ford on the hill because I could keep one cheek on the uphill fender and the other on the seat. The RFM doesn't allow any twisting between it and the tractor, so it was pretty stable so far as rollover from the slope itself. Even in good conditions the tractor tended to "crab" along the hill. My one fear was that I'd slide sideways. There was a concrete retaining wall atthe base of the hill that was flush with the ground I was mowing. The ground on the lower side of the wall was about 18" lower and the rusty pipe fence at the bottom would have served no purpose other than to be something to hurt on the way through it. A few times when the grass was damp it did start to slide. I steered sharply uphill and floored it and the tractor got itself pointed uphill.

Here's a pic and it doesn't look as bad as it really felt. That may be partly due to the utility pole behind me being out of plumb.

View attachment 329565

Judging by the tractor itself(if the camera is level) it appears to be approaching 40% slope on yours.

But judging by the roofline of the house, the camera isn't level. So maybe 35% slope?

 

[bcp]

I have a program called Screen Protractor.

Barn:


Tractor: