Tractor Choice for Slopes

The older type Renault were beasts as well apparently, some deathly slopes worked with them . Same and lambo as well that’s what the contractors doing the worst slopes used in the 90s
 

Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
Other than the fact that they both have integral front brakes, so stop very well on steep slopes...additionally the Landini's have a bull gear system in the rear final drive, so DO have a lower centre of gravity
Front brakes are available on many brands and unless they have abs are of little if any significance compared to braking through the drivetrain. I have both and use both on the slopes, many of which would spell disaster if the brakes were used at all.
Not sure how bull gears lower the centre of gravity. You’ll have to explain that one because usually the diff and axles, even the gearbox are mounted higher when bull gears are employed on tractors and Landini seem to have a similar design to David Brown in that regard. I’m fairly sure nobody ever claimed that DB had a low centre of gravity relatively speaking.

What the duck said at the top but be very aware that any ballast added to the front for stability with a heavy load attached to the rear should be removed when not required. Too much weight on the front on steep slopes can completely unbalance the tractor. The same also applies to a front end loader on steep ground

Yes, it is the balance that is important and varies with conditions, load and orientation. Especially with an emptying spreader etc.
 
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Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
Thinking back didn't the Same have a 4wd propshaft through the sump to keep the centre of gravity down on the hills.
So do many others have either an offset sump or one that has a hump in the middle for the shaft and a drain plug both sides, such as four cylinder MF 5400 and 6400 series tractors.
The convention today, with some exceptions like the JD frame tractors, is to have the PTO drive running in line with the crank, above the gearbox. This keeps the engine reasonably high with gearbox low, allowing the front drive shaft to be straight and the front axle pinion to enter the axle through the centre of the axle’s pivot point. No UJ’s necessary in the drive to the axle. This efficient design was pioneered in the 1970’s if not sooner by Italian tractor manufacturers Same and Fiat. It is a design so good that most other brands have copied it over the years and even today it remains the dominant design on four cylinder and smaller tractors and where axles are not suspended.
 
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puppet

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
sw scotland
If you are used to flat fields then the centre of gravity or make of tractor will make little difference. You will lose your nerve or poop your pants long before it tips over.
36% is quite a slope to go across. 4wd, good brakes and tyres are the most important. Generally you are in control going uphill with good tyres but a loader makes the tractor quite different as does a roller especially pointing downhill when it may push you sideways.
Can you not just mow, roll the eash bits and grazd the steepest? You can do fencing on foot if needed and just carry stuff.
 
Hi All,

If this question has already been answered then apologies for the post but I couldn't find an easy way to search previous threads and would appreciate some advice on tractor selection, please.

We've moved from the flat land of Oxfordshire to the slopes of Somerset with 36% gradients in places across 30 acres. Not being an experienced driver on sloping land I'd be interested in what tractors you'd go for with a £25K +VAT budget. We're breeding horses, I know madness (she got me drunk one night) so harrowing, rolling, mowing, spraying and taking away muck to a neighbour, as well as hedgerow management and doing our own fencing.

I'm debating between a JD6320 (8.5K hours), McCormick T100 Max (2K hours) or possibly an Alpine for extra safety (no experience with them), all with a fitted loader. Assume the JD and McCormick will need wheel weights.... any other advice, thoughts or views gratefully received.

Many thanks...
Are you talking 36% or degrees? I cut bracken on 36 degree slopes and I wouldn't want anyone trying it without a lot of experience. 36% is a flat field here
 

David1968

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
SW Scotland
Not sure how bull gears lower the centre of gravity. You’ll have to explain that one because usually the diff and axles, even the gearbox are mounted higher when bull gears are employed on tractors and Landini seem to have a similar design to David Brown in that regard. I’m fairly sure nobody ever claimed that DB had a low centre of gravity relatively speaking.
It's not the height. It's that you have a significant weight located out in the back corners of the tractor.
 

Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
It's not the height. It's that you have a significant weight located out in the back corners of the tractor.
You only have one gear and housing each side as opposed to whole axle right at the back at the wheel centre, most of which is well forward of the wheel centre line with bull gear reductions, and higher up.
I really do not believe it to be significant either way but if anything, detrimental due to the transmission being mounted higher and the axle higher and forward of the wheel centres.
 
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ZigBee

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
If you are used to flat fields then the centre of gravity or make of tractor will make little difference. You will lose your nerve or poop your pants long before it tips over.
36% is quite a slope to go across. 4wd, good brakes and tyres are the most important. Generally you are in control going uphill with good tyres but a loader makes the tractor quite different as does a roller especially pointing downhill when it may push you sideways.
Can you not just mow, roll the eash bits and grazd the steepest? You can do fencing on foot if needed and just carry stuff.
I grew up on the North Downs in Kent driving an old Fergie so have had some pant pooping experiences :) It was a long time ago so I'm out of date with current thoughts on machinery and to be honest out of practice driving them. Yes we've got Sheep for the bits beyond the inaccessible parts. Thank you for your advice (y)
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
why not just get dual wheels for use on the slopes, and maybe for fertliser spreading, think about using a towed taskers type spreader, so you don't have a heavy weight banging from side to side as you turn. I worked on a farm in Australia, and he had dual wheels on his loader tractor (as the loader bucket had hungry boards for loading super), I remember talking to my neighbours brother too and he said he was making all his gates 14' as his ground had a lot of slopes and he always used dual wheels too. May struggle to find a good taskers fertispread now as they are very old by the way.
 

David1968

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
SW Scotland
why not just get dual wheels for use on the slopes, and maybe for fertliser spreading, think about using a towed taskers type spreader, so you don't have a heavy weight banging from side to side as you turn.
If it's steep enough to need dual wheels, you don't want a trailed spreader. Make sure the stabilisers are tight and it won't bang about.
 

Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
why not just get dual wheels for use on the slopes, and maybe for fertliser spreading, think about using a towed taskers type spreader, so you don't have a heavy weight banging from side to side as you turn. I worked on a farm in Australia, and he had dual wheels on his loader tractor (as the loader bucket had hungry boards for loading super), I remember talking to my neighbours brother too and he said he was making all his gates 14' as his ground had a lot of slopes and he always used dual wheels too. May struggle to find a good taskers fertispread now as they are very old by the way.
Taskers are relatively unstable things running on what is effectively a tripod. No thanks! Not on proper slopes.
 

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