Tractor swap question for those who know sizes, thanks

I want to ask opinions here. My ground is rolling hills and my John Deere 3020 LP sits way tall (I already have a row crop Ford 960 remember). I need to get out of the pasture and down into the wooded hillsides now. I was thinking of trading my 3020 LP (wide front) for a Ford 4000, 5000 or ?? what other tractors sit low, diesel, about the same size as those Fords? Maybe an earlier Ford 800 diesel or Massey Ferguson? I never see an Oliver here and very few AC tractors. Thanks for all the replies, Paul in north Mississippi.

Your 3020 will be ok if you really widen it out -at least 8.5 feet. I farm some very steep ground with an International 574 & a Case-IH 585.

It seems that many people are fearing a side roll. The rollover to fear is the back rollover. The 3020 has enough length and front weight to be pretty stable. I would prefer the JD for stability and ability to get me out of dangerous situations.Also outside of the bulky looking LP tank the 3020 is an ideal tractor. I am not really a JD man. I have always had red.

A lot of the Ford industrials sit low and are diesels. Some of the numbers that come to mind are 231, 545. 231 same as a 2600. 545 is available in 4wd and if i recall correctly is around 70hp.

There are more industrials, my mind is just drawing a blank right now.

Rick

Put fluid in all 4 tires. Or cast weight if you can find that.

Run the axles out wide.

I round bale my road ditches with a Ford 7700 - tall heavy tractor similar to your JD. Very stable with the fluid.

My Ford 960 has an aftermarket wide front, and again fluid in the rear tires. I use it to mow and rake those same ditches. Very stable tractor.

You need to weight them down right, makes a world of difference. Think you got good machines already, just need to weight them down.

Use the real salt solution or good cast iron, the CC stuff is a very heavy salt solution over 11 lbs per gallon and actually adds weight. I'm not a fan of using light-weight antifreeze or wiper fluid that can be under 7 lbs per gallon - it's not nearly as heavy per volume. Doing it right makes a world of difference.

I have a Ford 5200 which is a similar tractor to the 7700 I have, no fluid in the tires and it is worlds apart, I can feel the difference, I understand your concerns.

I think weight on what you have, done right, will be better than buying a different tractor. You got 2 good machines there. I am on hilly ground, do hay on road ditches and water ditch, I do understand leaning a tractor.

Good liuck whatever direction you go.

--->Paul

Paul, I would NOT Trade for the Ford under any circumstances.
#1 as another has said the 3020 is a quite stable platform By length and width!
**What you failed to tell us is HOW Your Tractor is set up what width are the tire setting ie... 40in row width, 36in. what??? (center of PTO to center of tire tread)
** how much ballast are you caring, None-cast wheel only, 1 or 2 or more cast wts, Liquid in tire only, or liquid + cast wt.
IMO....Set your wheels out wider than 40 in row width add either cast or fluid to the tire for wt and you can achieve the desired result with very little cost. If you set the cast wheels out to the outer most edge of the axle that alone will give you a very wide and stable tractor to work your hillside with and be of little cost to you at a time when trading tractors may not be a great idea. Widen out the rears and front end together... and that will lower your tractors center of gravity. Hope this helps.
Later,
John A.
PS,
My cousin has a 4230 open station with a loader it has No Fluid, but 330lbs (3piece aftermarket wts) of cast on the inside and 450lbs (3 factory JD wts) of cast outside on each rear cast wheel. IMO for good loader work it needs 4 more wts, 2 on each rear corner, Wt will help stabilize your tractor coupled up with widen out the wheels
Again hope this helps!
John A.

We run 2 180 Massey diesels and really enjoy them, they have a low center of gravity for step hillsides and plenty of power for a machine that size, one has independent pto and one has live....of course I perfer the live but they both see equal use. A 175 I think has a lower center of gravity and is about the same hp.

My 3020 is set up on 38" rows with JD center weights, no water in the tires, I was sure hoping to avoid that mess, always remember having to fool with ballast water back on the farm growing up. I have plenty of JD wheel & front weights with side brackets, etc. so I can add some iron plus a lot of Ford/NH weights too. I sure don't want to inherit another tractor's set of problems, I just about have all the kinks out of these. The 3020 has good brakes & Hyd power. Another thing that got me thinking was some low hanging limbs that try to wipe me off the platform. THanks to all, Paul

Sounds like a 3020 utility would fit the bill!

One point that is more or less a given, is we know these are 35, 40, maybe even 50 year old tractors (or older). Also, opinions on what makes the best _____ (fill in blank) can often be based on new or near new condition OR nastagia. In that case, actual present day condition means at least as much as reputation of the model in general. Keep an open mind, and you'll be amazed at what might show up for sale.

Look around the tractor market and see what's making itself available.

I tend to favor Massey Fergusons, so I'd suggest looking at 165's, 255's, 265's, ect, Imho, avoid multipower. Not opposed to 3-cyl Ford 4000 series, at least until New Holland started appearing on the decal.

the Ford's and Massey's have a lower profile overall...makes it alot easier shredding under trees or even just driving under them...JD makes some shorter tractors but i dont know models.
i still use the '62 Ford 2000 for 90% of the shredding work around the place.

Paul, After seeing the pic of your 3020 LP, slide out the tires to the outside of those axles, the part that sticks out past the hubs now isn't there for an ornament! Go the your local tractor wrecking yard and get at least 6 more wts,3 sets, so you will have a total of 4 on each rear corner. The biggest cost will be the JD wt bolts you will need to get from Deere. My local tractor wrecking yard sells JD wts like your the last time we go a set was about $45/set of 2. If my memory serves me right the cost of all the wt bolts will be about like buying a set of 2 wts all by them self.
I have a Hat Rule here at the House if I walk a round a tree and a limb touches my Hat,,, off it goes. Out in the pasture or fields and a limb touches my Hat while I am on a tractor Off it goes or the tree get pushed out. Just be judicious in your limb trimming or tree pushing!LOL
As far as low hanging limbs carry a chainsaw or Polesaw and start cutting all limbs that even get close to touching your hat while you are sittin an your tractor, also............
Take Off Your Muffler run it without or some sort of short stack while you are up close and personal with the limbs. I know for I have ruined and half soled a couple of mufflers over the last 20 yrs or so
Hope this helps.
Later,
John A.