This was what I was thinking of for a design when I go to build my homemade tractor (that thread is located somewhere on this forum). I was thinking more of an Alstor 8X8 design, only because of traction. I already have the trailer portion, and figured out how I would articulate and yet pivot the center, and would just need to build the front tractor part. I am just finishing up on my feller-buncher now, but as good as that could be, being mounted on a log trailer means moving forward and back all the time is going to be an issue. Making the trailer self-propelled will take care of that, as well as give me a second tractor for the farm. Because of the latter, I would have to be able to tow 3 point hitch implements, power a PTO, and also have a blade to remove snow and scrape my barn out. But I agree with you 100%, bigger is not really better; being maneuverable with lots of traction is.
Over on TractorByNet on the Two Wheel Tractor Sub-Forum, someone asked. "What is something 2 wheel tractors cannot do", and the general consensus was just about everything except lift because they do not have a front end loader. I put some thought into this, and then got to thinking that a great workaround would be, to pull a small log trailer like mine (and what is initially posted on here for a tractor). 2 wheel tractors can have steel tracks fitted for $1250, on an already $4500 2 wheel tractor, and while expensive at $12,000 for a atv sized log trailer; a firewood hoarder with only a few acres would actually be well ahead of the game money wise over buying a tractor. They would be at around $18,000 which is about the same as a farm tractor, but they would have a log loader. That would mean they had a log grapple, backhoe, dump box, post hole driller (all included in the base price of the log trailer) which are all expensive and separate attachments for a tractor. And forestry wise, it would be incredibly low-impact. Oh my gosh, a person would have nothing but walking paths through the forest when they were done, and that included some seriously wet ground or steep terrain. I am not saying that it would be the same or better as a farm tractor; up to a certain acreage a farm tractor has merits that swing the vote, but a 2 wheel tractor fitted with tracks and a small log trailer would be a formidable weapon in regards to firewood hoarding and general homesteadness.
