If you were to go down a fairly steep hill, you know head first, in 4-wheel drive ...could you back up the same steep hill in 4-wheel drive? I guess I am asking if it works both ways straight up and straight down? I am considering getting a 30-35 hp 4-wheel drive tractor w/front end loader, this coming spring to do more of a cleanup than my poor old 8N can handle. It does 70% of what I need it to do just fine. Doesn't have a front end loader and around here I have never been able to find one for it. An F4 tornado hit my house and 71 acres 2 years ago and didn't leave much. The house is fixed but the land is still a big mess. I have cleared off some trails but just can't physically do what I use to do. Had to get a disc removed from my back and a titanium plate in my neck (swmbo had a broken leg from me landing on her) so Tornadoes are not fun at all. I really need to upgrade to a modern tractor but will keep the '52 8N for mowing etc. it does great for that. I appreciate ya'lls opinions/expertise on this. Don't forget the question I asked in the beginning as I do have some steeper hills on the back side of the property. I know to go straight up/down for safety, also have a heavy 6' box blade for the rear to keep the tail end down on said hills...lol
- Thread starter gwstang
- Start date
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
If its that steep then just plane stay away from them...just that simple.
Determined
Well-known Member
Too many variables to do any more than guess.
How steep?
What load?
Trail surface?
Wet or dry?
Grass, dirt, rock, sand.....
Tread on tires?
Sense and skill of nut behind the wheel?
How steep?
What load?
Trail surface?
Wet or dry?
Grass, dirt, rock, sand.....
Tread on tires?
Sense and skill of nut behind the wheel?
Ken Macfarlane
Well-known Member
Often you can but its hard on a front axle. Its about the best way to
break something.
break something.
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
Probably not. Back in the day when I was in better shape I went down many a hill on a motorcycle that there was no way you could go back up the same way you went down same holds true with any thing your driving there is a point where you can go down but due to traction not be able to drive up the same hill
Might just get a bulldozer guy for that part. Still have the other 65 acres or so to do myself. It's a fairly steep creek bottom, so it goes down at a steep angle for around 50-70 yards or so on both sides for a good long way...maybe the whole width of the back side or property.
Wheat Farmer
Well-known Member
Kubota is a 50hp and was right at its limit. The cub cadet has been on slopes of +15%. Start out easy.
Determined
Well-known Member
If it is steep enough sometimes all of it. Don't go there.
I have some hills in one of the pastures that I can not drive a 4x4 truck up without spinning out, but I can back the truck up them just fine.
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
One hill I still remember going down on a motorcycle if you so much as tried to go back up it would have spit you out since it bowed in at one point so if you where not going fast enough go down you would fall out of the hill but if going fat enough the bow in caught you as you came back out. Still remember the guy who tried to go back up and he and the bike ended up out if the air 10 or so feet away from the hill he got lucky and did not get hurt
That part, for the most part, is very steep just walking down and getting back up is close to climbing to get out. The last time those hill were traversed was when I had the pines for pulpwood cut (15 or so years ago) and they used one of those large skidders (with the monster balloon tires) that grab and cut then go with it. I still need the tractor for the rest. Any particular models that are the most features for the money in that range? I've looked at the different makes on their websites. I'm more curious about real world data and what doesn't break down under normal-heavy type usage. On a side note those you know whats left one of those large tires down in there. I guess they changed one and then rolled that off into a rough area that I don't usually go into. I was deer hunting one year (several years after they did that) and had shot a 6 point and he slipped into that area and died. When I tracked him the 100 yard to that, there he was and there that giant tire was also. I'm like how the he** did that get there and then realized how. I guess I need to climb/crawl back into there and see if the tornado took the tire with it...lol
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
Ya and just think we are still alive to tell others about how we did crazy things back then that could have gotten us killed. Like the kid jumping his bicycle over a narrow creek just to have the front wheel fall off as he was in the air. Took 3 of us to pull the forks out of the ground and he was not one of the 3 that did that. He sort of had to catch his breath after that one plus he talked funny for a few minutes LOL
My goodness, these hills are a lot longer and steeper than that. Guess I had a bad plan after all. I know the limits of the 8N because I've had it a long time. If I had a 4 wheel drive I would get into trouble without some guidance. I bet your butt left a pinch spot on that there seat...lol I am sure now that I would have to get a dealer or expert to look the place over, when I'm more serious about which one to get, so I would not leave swmbo without my manly self..haha. Of course like most people I am worth a whole bunch more dead than alive. I did just get the place paid off and that was a big relief in life. Long time goal and lots of sweat equity. Thanks guys and I have a lot more now to look for the right machine to do the job correctly. I'll forget about the hilly part and look for the right machine to do the rest.
pete black
Well-known Member
on my kubota 4 wheel drive with loader, going down
a hill is dangerous unless you are in 4 wheel
drive. the loader's weight is enough to reduce
weight on the rear wheels even with a box blade,
mower or other attachment. in 2 wheel drive this
causes the tractor to slide with it eventually
becoming sideways with a potential roll over. i
believe john t described this last year if memory
serves me right. mine is equipped with non-loaded
r4 tires.
a hill is dangerous unless you are in 4 wheel
drive. the loader's weight is enough to reduce
weight on the rear wheels even with a box blade,
mower or other attachment. in 2 wheel drive this
causes the tractor to slide with it eventually
becoming sideways with a potential roll over. i
believe john t described this last year if memory
serves me right. mine is equipped with non-loaded
r4 tires.
Paul in MN
Well-known Member
Have you considered getting a Farmi brand logging winch? I have seen them, but have not had the chance to use one. They are quite impressive and will work with the smaller tractors like the 8N. Relatives in Sweden use similar winches. The Farmi is made in Finland and has a dealer in up State NY and also in Canada. I have occasionally seen one on CL here in Minnesota.
Paul in MN
Paul in MN
showcrop
Well-known Member
Two years ago I pulled over to watch two young fellows on Kubotas that were mowing the road slope between two ledge outcropings. I could see that they were on a slope at right around 45 degrees and that it would be too steep for them. As I watched they came down. They slid a pretty good way but stayed straight and upright. I bet they never tried that again. Hey young fella Old, about fifty years ago when I was young and riding a dirt bike we could go up steeper hills than we could come down. Our arms and legs weren't long enough to enable our butts to get behind the rear wheel, LOL. There was one place in the sand quarry where we used to ride, where we went up over a band of clay. The sand would fall out from under the clay band so it was a little bit over backwards, and you had to have your tire spinning when you hit the ground again on the clay band. You had to hit it hard so that your front would collapse some to enable you to keep going up. Guys that didn't hit it hard enough had a pretty good drop. That was a big sand quarry, they hauled out by train in order to expand Logan Airport in Boston in the fifties
Load the rear tires. Scariest ride ever, after driving tractors
many decades, was getting a compact loader tractor of 30hp
and pulling a wagon down my wet hill. Wagon was empty. It
wanted to jack knife and slide all over, had to ride it out to the
bottom.
Parked that tractor until the coop came and filled the rear tires
with fluid. Now it is a good tractor.
Tractor tires are designed to give traction one way. I would
back down a hill with a loader, and drive back up it. That will
give the most traction.
The 4wd will do more for you, but it also allows you to get in
more trouble faster. Be careful.
Weight on the rear, fill tires, low 3pt weight.
Paul
many decades, was getting a compact loader tractor of 30hp
and pulling a wagon down my wet hill. Wagon was empty. It
wanted to jack knife and slide all over, had to ride it out to the
bottom.
Parked that tractor until the coop came and filled the rear tires
with fluid. Now it is a good tractor.
Tractor tires are designed to give traction one way. I would
back down a hill with a loader, and drive back up it. That will
give the most traction.
The 4wd will do more for you, but it also allows you to get in
more trouble faster. Be careful.
Weight on the rear, fill tires, low 3pt weight.
Paul
Wheat I have been selling KUBOTA,s for 28+ years and your picture looks a little strange. Tis part of the country we pretty much figure that tractor will go up a 1 to 1 slope without any problems. Don,t say I want to turn around sideways but just up and down can go right smart steeper than what you are showing easy and safe. We never sell loader tractors without filling the rear tires and normally add rear wheel weight also
Your ground sounds pretty steep to be using any tractor in that ravine.
4x4 will really help backing up with a load and reversing the front tires helps even more.But there are limits to everything.
If you have to drag stuff up out of a ravine maybe get a long section of cable get someone younger to go down and hook it up and the pull it up out. An old army truck with a winch might be a good idea.
4x4 will really help backing up with a load and reversing the front tires helps even more.But there are limits to everything.
If you have to drag stuff up out of a ravine maybe get a long section of cable get someone younger to go down and hook it up and the pull it up out. An old army truck with a winch might be a good idea.
NoNewParts
Member
I hunt in a steep area and the locals drive their tractors
straight down the hills, then drive quite a distance along the bottom to get back up gradually, then loop around and drive down again.
forward or back, 2 or 4 wheel, you can't go straight back up there.
even hunting the area with a 4-wheeler ATV, it's tough.
worst thing with hills, even if your machine is capable of it, the slightest thing that puts you out of shape and changes your straight line up/down, spinning, a root, rock etc........and you are going over
straight down the hills, then drive quite a distance along the bottom to get back up gradually, then loop around and drive down again.
forward or back, 2 or 4 wheel, you can't go straight back up there.
even hunting the area with a 4-wheeler ATV, it's tough.
worst thing with hills, even if your machine is capable of it, the slightest thing that puts you out of shape and changes your straight line up/down, spinning, a root, rock etc........and you are going over
Ken Macfarlane
Well-known Member
Limit of what? Our Kubota is bigger but that wouldn't be 1/2 way to its limit with loaded tires. It works on side slopes getting very close to 35-40 deg if going very very very slow. It will work up and down 45 deg short slopes without trouble but will lose hydraulic oil pickup in the transmission which is not good for anything.
4 wheel drive works in either direction--but i have found that with my 4wd tractor or bulldozers they will better climbing in a forward direction. some of my steep slopes i can't back up them with the dozers but can do it going forward
I think it has to do with the weight of the bucket or blade helping keep the high end down and better traction
I think it has to do with the weight of the bucket or blade helping keep the high end down and better traction
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