Difficult Dangerous Brush Hog mowing job to do for pay.

[CrowsNest]

Guys,

I have been asked to mow off several hillsides using an existing John Deere 955, 4 wheel drive, equipped with a 72" cut John Deere brush Hog. This is fifteen year old equipment.

The topography is 40 plus degree slopes having sink holes and many large trees. The only method of doing this I can see is to back down the slope, 200 yards, then crawl back up. It has semi-Ag tires in that they are not the normal sharp V design but much more aggressive than a turf tire. The estate manager told me the tractor has been rolled more than once. It will be scary, but I have done worse. They have someone mow this off twice a year.

Any thoughts any of you may have will be appreciated. I brush hog mostly flat properties, but never anything like this. Pay is about 3 K.

Best regards,
The Old Guy

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I will back up a hill but never back down. Never used a 4WD tractor so not sure how that changes things.

How long will this take you? At this point I would not risk my life for $3K but have done it for much less in the past.

 

[raheimdal]

Sounds a bit dangerous, but if you're going to tackle it I'd drive down the hill going forwards, and then back up to the top. The torque of the rear wheels wants to lift the front end off the ground when moving forward. If you do this with weight on the back, and the nose heading up the hill, you're in trouble.

Make sure you check the tractor over well before starting the job. I'd hate to rely on bad bakes, a bad clutch, or even worn steering components on flat ground let alone a hill.

 

[brin]

Leave it alone :2cents:

 

[CrowsNest]

Guys and Gals,
Thanks, on driving down, the traction of the tire will disappear completely, I would end up in the trees looking down a drop off into a creek a good twenty feet below. I am sure it will want to go over but has weights on the front for counter balance. Again it was done last year by backing down, mowing in both directions. It is going to be close to panic on the first decent. After a few passes I am sure some confidence will begin to appear. The unit does have a roll bar and seat belt. The manager told no one uses the belt as if it goes over, they generally bail out. God! Are they crazy!

CrowsNest

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Personally, I would feel alot more comfortable starting at the bottom, its much easier to quit climbing than it is to stop a slide. I personally got a little life lesson this winter with just that particular circumstance. Had an implement push me on a frozen hill and the tractor took off. I learned my lesson pretty well over that!

 

[raheimdal]

Just curious, how do you feel that you won't have traction driving down hill? I understand that as you pivot the tractor around the center of gravity you will have less weight on the rear axle and more on the front. With the cutter on the rear you'd have to be going down a much stealer hill than 40% to lose enough traction to make it safer to drive up going forward.

 

[creekbend]

Guys and Gals,
Thanks, on driving down, the traction of the tire will disappear completely, I would end up in the trees looking down a drop off into a creek a good twenty feet below. I am sure it will want to go over but has weights on the front for counter balance. Again it was done last year by backing down, mowing in both directions. It is going to be close to panic on the first decent. After a few passes I am sure some confidence will begin to appear. The unit does have a roll bar and seat belt. The manager told no one uses the belt as if it goes over, they generally bail out. God! Are they crazy!

CrowsNest

It seems that YOU just answered your own question. BTW, do you have pictures?

 

[TripleR]

Leave it alone :2cents:

:thumbsup:

 

[bcp]

They should fence it and hire some goats twice a year.

http://www.noble.org/ag/livestock/goatvegetation/

Bruce