4X4 downhill traction issue

[JimL1]

Hydrostatic transmissions, especially in the smaller lawn mowers, offer poor engine braking. I bought a JD D170 which lasted 5 minutes as it ran away downhill and jumped/rolled into a 4 foot deep ditch. It would not pull an empty JD trailer up a moderate slope at all. This is such a common problem that a guy sells transmission upgrades.

I had installed larger tires with more aggressive tread which the dealer argued lowered ground pressure and (despite them providing & installing the tires) told me after they were installed that they voided my warranty.

My Kubota BX26 runs fine on a very steep hill, but ONLY in 4WD. Never go on a hill when grass is wet/damp. It is impossible to go sideways on a steep grade of course. Stay in low and go slow.

So, bigger tires with aggressive tread may not work (which seems counter-intuitive) due to decreasing the ground pressure.

 

[Tool Maker]

Four weeks ago, I was going down my driveway from my sons house to my house. I have a little hydro drive tractor. I was pulling a trailer with a roll of wire in it. I usually never use the brakes, just the hydro. All of a sudden it jumped ahead and started gaining speed. It had jumped out of low range. I first tried to pull it down with the hydro, no luck then I hit the brake and my left rear tire started rolling on the rocks of the driveway. Then it started turning around to the left and started to tip up on it side. Egades I let up on the brake and it straightened up. By this time I was traveling way to fast. Maybe 15 miles an hour. I started looking for something to hit but all the trees were big solid Douglas firs. by this time I could see where the road went right and left and the big bank that dropped of into the trees below. That was it, I hit the brakes and as it turned to the left I dove off into the barrow ditch. I'm still hurting pretty bad and the tractor is destroyed and the Cat scans and exrays cost a fortune. So today I am putting double disk brakes on my other hydro tractor. I could be dead. Mac

 

[JWR]

My engine braking (with the Kubota BX2200 hydrostatic) is quite good so long as it stays in gear in low range. The brakes however are worthless. Worse yet, the brake pedal is about 3" above the "accelerate forward pedal" which is wonderful for creating disasters. I have started over a steep river bank, jammed on the brakes, caught the "forward pedal" with my heel and lurched forward. What saved me and the tractor was the front end loader jammed into brush and debris which was strong enough to hold the machine from going over the hill. Good brakes are worth a lot on any tractor and these small ones generally have very poor brakes.

 

[JimL1]

My experience is brakes on grass don't do anything but make the slide worse..... you basically have tires acting as skis.

 

[JimL1]

Agree the Kubota pedal is way too high and potentially a risk. I'm looking at the B29 which has far better controls.

 

[Don87]

Agree the Kubota pedal is way too high and potentially a risk. I'm looking at the B29 which has far better controls.

The new BX series has the brake pedal moved to the left side.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Mac I wish you well.

 

[Tool Maker]

Thank you. I am doing remarkable Mac

 

[stevem5215]

Mac, we need some pictures of the carnage.

This might be a good post to put into the safety forum too. Just to let others know how it can happen.

Steve

 

[Tool Maker]

The carnage to me is just about all healed up. The wreaked tractor is totally dismantled and on its way to be a small fork lift. How ever I will document the fork lift build. If it is a simple matter to put the pictures on here I will do that to. Mac