Steep Plowing/Mowing

[Jim in Western MI]

I'm looking at some property on a ridge bordering the Va/W. Va line (near Bland, Va) for a retirement home. It is very steep to this "flat-lander" from eastern NC. My 8N has never seen anything like this, and it doesn't appear very safe to think about using it for much up there. Locals report using skidsteers for their work..., I'm familiar with Bobcats, and I guess there are multiple brands. Can any of you advise on using 8N's on steep land and/or experiences with skidsteers?

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 12:01:54 03/03/11) I'm looking at some property on a ridge bordering the Va/W. Va line (near Bland, Va) for a retirement home. It is very steep to this "flat-lander" from eastern NC. My 8N has never seen anything like this, and it doesn't appear very safe to think about using it for much up there. Locals report using skidsteers for their work..., I'm familiar with Bobcats, and I guess there are multiple brands. Can any of you advise on using 8N's on steep land and/or experiences with skidsteers?

I grew up in WV and my grandfather and his brothers farmed some pretty steep land with an 8N and NAA. Two of them died in the process. When I bought my current hillside place I used my 9N for a few years before I decided it simply wasn't suited to hill living and bought a 4wd Kubota compact. Works better and safer. The gearing and brakes and lack of live hydraulics on an N just aren't what you need when your land is sideways. Not to mention the plus of having 4WD with differential lock.... If you need a tractor and not a skidsteer I'd suggest you look around for a nice used 30HP+ diesel with 4WD and a loader. More versatile and a lot less expensive than a good skidsteer.

TOH

 

[Ed S.]

I have no practical experience, but my brother-in-law, who runs a Christian camp in Nebo, WV, said they have a guy who cuts and bales hay off their land (using a tractor, not a SSL) - one of the hills he pointed out to me is steep enough it's hard to walk up... I'd love to seem them bale that!

Common sense would say to spread your wheel track out as far as it will go and plow/cut across the hill. But then, common sense might also say "Stay away!"

:lol:

es

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 13:25:34 03/03/11) one of the hills he pointed out to me is steep enough it's hard to walk up... I'd love to seem them bale that!

Common sense would say to spread your wheel track out as far as it will go and plow/cut across the hill. But then, common sense might also say "Stay away!"

:lol:

es

That sort of hill and an NAA with New Holland square baler is how one of my great-uncles died...

TOH

 

[Welding man]

Jim I live approx 40 miles from Bland on the WV side. Grew up on 90 acre hillside farm. The only tractor we had for a few years was an 8N. We mowed,raked and baled with a NH super 66 PTO bailer. Fed with it in the winter and plowed snow on two miles of road to get in and out of the hollow where we lived.Was it safe? NO, but that is all we had and all we could afford at the time. Nobody got hurt or killed,but we knew what we had and what we were dealing with and worked accordingly. As for a skid steer I wouldn't have one. Had one friend killed on one and another one butchered up for life. Four wheel drive tractors will turn over as easy as a two wheel drive. You just have to use a lot of common sense.Steep land is a way of life for us, that's all we know.
We have people in our area that mows pasture on a 4 to 1 slope.

 

[Sawatch 8N]

Great reply....

 

[NOXJohn]

Look for some other land. What is difficult now will only get harder as you get older. If you lived in hill country all your life that would be different. Slopes are no place to be on a tractor or any other piece of equipment if you don't know what you are doing. At 63 all I want is flat land. Hopefully I can play on that for 10+ more years before even that gets to difficult.

 

[jackinok]

not familiar with your area at all,but ive seen MANY skidsteers laid over on level ground.never saw a 8n rolled that was on level ground and used right.I dont see where a skid steer would be any advantage myself.

 

[WV8N]

I live just a ways from Bland Co on the WV side ( near Princeton) I have about 40 hilly acres and have used a 8N for years along with a 2000 series. I have had many close calls over the years... I would not recomend it to anyone if all at avoidable..

Me I look forward to moving to NC someday..after retirement

 

[Jim in Western MI]

All the replies and diverse opinions are certainly appreciated..., thanks for your collective time. Seems like two prospective neighbors, too! I'm interested in the 4:1 slope comments if that is 4 vertical feet for 1 horizontal; we have hills here that are one vertical for 4 horizontal, and I can handle them fine, but this land is a lot of 1:1 and that gets the danger will robinson alarm in my head going off! Sorry to hear of our forum's family members suffering on tractors and SSL's, and shows how any machinery can cause injury and death. Thanks again for comments, even if no consensus. Jim

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 17:59:42 03/03/11) All the replies and diverse opinions are certainly appreciated..., thanks for your collective time. Seems like two prospective neighbors, too! I'm interested in the 4:1 slope comments if that is 4 vertical feet for 1 horizontal; we have hills here that are one vertical for 4 horizontal, and I can handle them fine, but this land is a lot of 1:1 and that gets the danger will robinson alarm in my head going off! Sorry to hear of our forum's family members suffering on tractors and SSL's, and shows how any machinery can cause injury and death. Thanks again for comments, even if no consensus. Jim

I passed overe the 4:1 comment because it's silly - that's a 4'3" long board leaning against a wall with the bottom 1 foot out from the wall. Unless your tractor is equipped with rappelling gear I don't think you are going to go down that and remain upright let alone drive up it or across it. If it's the other way around I'd call it flat ground.

TOH

PS> I just came in from hauling a bucket load of firewood down off the hill behind my house with the Kubby. No chance in He!! the 8N would have gotten anywhere close to the downed oak that donated it.

 

[Dr. Bert]

Jim: Widen the front axle and set the rear wheels out and this will give you a broader base. Will reduce the chance of a rollover somewhat. Can't comment on the Bobcat--no experience.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I'm surprised no one mentioned adding ballast. Put your tires out and add some weight to your wheels or tires - fluid, cast iron, etc.
Makes for a far more stable platform.
Also, did you know that Ford built an LCG tractor (low center of gravity)? Model was a 2110.
They used short wide rear tires and little short front spindles. Those babies widened out, with a little ballast would hug a side hill like a spider on the wall.

 

[Welding man]

Hokie anytime you would like to make the trip down to southern WV I will be more than glad to take you to three different farms that this is being done on and be sure and bring your transit.I did not say it was being done with a an 8N . How about a 4WD New Holland TN70.

 

[Nate8N]

You're right ballast is a great thing for the hills, I have my back tires filled and it helps with the hills around here.

But keep one thing in mind, you have to stop all that weight.

If you don't have really good brakes, like most N's, and you start down a hill things can get out of hand quick.

I went down one of our hills last year and my 8N popped out of gear.

That was a wild ride!

It was all I could do to keep it from running headlong into a tree with the front end bouncing up and down several feet while going what must have been over 30 mph.

Luckly I was able to coax it into a valley and partway up another hillside to slow it down.

After I calmed down with a short finger of bourbon I calmly put her back in the barn for the day.

I figured I had tempted Murphys Law enough for one day.

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 21:08:35 03/03/11) Hokie anytime you would like to make the trip down to southern WV I will be more than glad to take you to three different farms that this is being done on and be sure and bring your transit.I did not say it was being done with a an 8N . How about a 4WD New Holland TN70.

Sir I grew up a scant 100 miles from you and I have spent plenty of time in your part of southern WV. I know the sort of terrain you have and it is rough and steep in areas - same as our family farm in the northern panhandle. I have seen specially built low CG 4WD buggys with full roll cages and high flotation tires mowing unbelievably steep gas line right of way. Doesn't change my opinion - I would wager you can't crawl down a 4:1 slope on your belly without falling to the bottom. In fact I'll make it easy for you - post a picture of a TN70 with a mower in tow descending a 4:1 slope with nothing more than brakes to control it and I'll send you a Hamilton. And not just a little berm or bank - an extended 4:1 slope.

TOH

 

[Den N Ms]

I have a good friend that bought a Deweze slope mower last year and I was quite impressed by it.It uses a hydraulic gyro system to keep it upright on a hillside. cool machine.
Deweze
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[Dell (WA)]

Jim........dunno WHY you think you gotta MOW yer property. Iff'n it is THAT STEEP, hire some GOATS. Simple, eh?

BTW, ya ever see them highway signs warning TRUCKERS "steep grade 8%" and they have an uphill GRAVEL pit to steer into iff'n their brakes FADE??? Well guess what? 8% is 8'-to-100'. Didja know 100'-to-100' is 100% grade??? (also known as 45-deg) .......the level Dell

 

[Jim in Western MI]

Thanks for the video; never would have imagined such a thing, but it's the right equipment unless I went to goats!

 

[Jim in Western MI]

Thanks, Dell. Much of this is 1:1 or 100' in 100', that being 45 degrees is about right. That deweze thing is impressive, probably with an impressive price, too. I told the current owner's agent when I saw it the first time that I would need a mountain goat transfusion at least once a week.

 

[MikeMI]

(quoted from post at 18:08:35 03/03/11) Hokie anytime you would like to make the trip down to southern WV I will be more than glad to take you to three different farms that this is being done on and be sure and bring your transit.I did not say it was being done with a an 8N . How about a 4WD New Holland TN70.

As TOH pointed out, still downright ridiculous. A 4:1 slope means 4 ft up and 1 foot over, which is 76 degrees UP. , which is steeper than the slope formed by the letter V.