[AT] wide vs narrow fronts

[jtchall at nc.rr.com]

We've ran both types of tractors in grain crops, row crops, and baling hay. 
For running over rough land I'll take a wide front any day. Our land is red 
clay and when it is plowed, chiseled, harrowed, it can sometimes be a very 
rough ride. We started off with an F-20, then went to 2 M's all with narrow 
fronts. As we approached the muscle tractor era beginning in the 60's we 
acquired a tricycle front 4020 (still have it).  A year later we acquired a 
wide front 4020, and a few years after that a 4430 Deere (by this time NFE 
may have been out of production). With 3 large tractors on the farm, they 
each began a specific role. The tricycle 4020 was relieved of plowing once 
the 4430 arrived, the other 4020 always got plow duty, we always ran 2 
tractors doing this. Bedding land (with a 4 row bedder) was done only by the 
tricycle. Baling hay was done primarily by the tricycle. We have a custom 
built 3pt boom to fit CAT 2 lift tractors, ordinarily we used it only on the 
tricycle because it was such an easy tractor to navigate. Same reasoning 
applied to the bushog, and the rear-mounted bale forks. Occasionally  a 
tractor may have to switch roles due to a breakdown or us being very busy.
The wide fronts were normally for plowing, harrowing, chisel-plowing and 
subsoiling.

As far as stability, I prefer a utility style tractor. That’s partly due to 
the wide front but primarily due to the low center of gravity. In my 
thinking, if its tall enough to plow corn, you ought not be on a hillside 
with it.

I think it was Gil that said it best, most rollovers happen due to a 
malfunction in the operators seat.

John Hall