Tractor width

[jeff9366]

Most people new to tractors probably find them tippy. You sit HIGH in a tractor so you can see what your implements are doing and where your FEL is leading you....for all around visibility. I found my Kubota tippy at first too. However, with use and familiarity tractors cease feeling tippy and begin to feel pretty stable, until you quit paying attention and drive into a ditch or bog.

Think about when you learned to ride a two-wheel bicycle, how "tippy" the bike seemed.....

 

[Mark Page]

Have you considered wheel spacers from the manufacturer?

 

[bjr]

I agree with the others. For dedicated FEL work get a used construction machine. A farming AG tractor just won't hold up. Some people have experienced catastrophic breakage, transmission housings flywheel housings, stripped out front drive trains. I've had to rent the proper machine for the task at hand and saved my ag tractor for it's intended purpose, mostly pulling 3 pt implements. bjr

 

[Raspy]

I agree with the others. For dedicated FEL work get a used construction machine. A farming AG tractor just won't hold up. Some people have experienced catastrophic breakage, transmission housings flywheel housings, stripped out front drive trains. I've had to rent the proper machine for the task at hand and saved my ag tractor for it's intended purpose, mostly pulling 3 pt implements. bjr

Really?

Mine is an Ag tractor and has never done any farming. But has worked very hard on my construction site and others. Backhoe, box scraper, auger, boom, FEL, bucket forks, towing. No problems yet.

The problem with renting is the hassle and expense of it, the planning ahead and minimizing the time you have it. The result is it's not available for spur of the moment projects or occasional work on a long term project, or just to blade some snow or scrape the road. I'll jump on mine and unload building materials or move landscaping boulders or clear downed trees.

It's the handiest thing I've ever had.

 

[sdkubota]

I widdened my rear axle by changing the rims around and added nearly 8" to the overall width...huge difference!

 

[mikehaugen]

remember though that if you space out the rear tires drastically, you are putting a lot more stress on the rear axle shafts/ hubs/ bearing. Not that it shouldn't handle it but it is always good to be aware of if you are doing a lot of heavy lifting with the 3 point hitch, especially if you are going wider than what the manufacture designed for.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I cant believe the uses I get from my TLB (tractor-loader-backhoe. It is a smallest of the Kubota TLB's ( B26) but I use it all the time. I just finished removing a very large weedy shrub from a flower bed area that had a root system about 18" in diameter. I would have been worn out with a shovel but with the backhoe, just one scoop and by using the hydraulic thumb with the bucket, I was able to pull up all the root spurs and relevel the hole in 5 minutes or less including the time to go get the tractor from the shed.
It lifts an incredible amount for such a small tractor. I use the backhoe with the hydraulic thumb to lift and place rocks precisely where I want them. With a skidsteer, you would just lift and dump and let them roll as they wanted to unless you had the backhoe attachment on but then if you wanted to move dirt , you would have to remove the backhoe, put on the bucket. I wouldnt trade it for 2 Bobcat skidsters. With the TLB you have the backhoe and the front end loader on at the same time so no hooking / unhooking. Sure the skidsteer will move a bigger load but they are expensive and you do have to pay lots more for all those attachments. If you are in the business of moving dirt all day long and need to do it fast and not worry about tearing up the surroundings, then a skidster is OK, but for around the house or farm, a TLB cant be beat.

 

[sdkubota]

remember though that if you space out the rear tires drastically, you are putting a lot more stress on the rear axle shafts/ hubs/ bearing. Not that it shouldn't handle it but it is always good to be aware of if you are doing a lot of heavy lifting with the 3 point hitch, especially if you are going wider than what the manufacture designed for.

The rims were OEM and the operators manual says to do it so I am not worried. You bring an excellent point though that everything you do has unintended consequences.

 

[Raspy]

I widdened my rear axle by changing the rims around and added nearly 8" to the overall width...huge difference!

Wanderer is talking about a NH TC33. The wheels are already offset to the outside. Reversing them would not work.

 

[Wanderer]

The problem with renting is the hassle and expense of it, the planning ahead and minimizing the time you have it. The result is it's not available for spur of the moment projects or occasional work on a long term project, or just to blade some snow or scrape the road. I'll jump on mine and unload building materials or move landscaping boulders or clear downed trees.
It's the handiest thing I've ever had.

This is a huge problem I have. A friend owns the TC33DA and borrowing becomes the same as renting as one cannot simply get the task accomplished.

I am leaning in the direction of the 33DA for the all-purpose tractor. I may just need to take it slower when accomplishing tasks.