Almost rolled the BX over today....

[Shmudda]

I'm new to the compact tractor scene and have about 15 hours on my BX24. Spent the last (2) weekends digging out some Tree of Heaven stumps and moving some dirt around with the FEL.

Today I was moving some dirt away from the side of a stump excavation and somehow got sideways on a small hillside grade (25-30%) with a completely full bucket of dirt. At one point I actually felt the machine go up on two wheels and I quickly dropped the bucket to the ground (it was only up about a foot anyways) and it stabilized the tractor and brought it back onto all four tires. Needless to say I was a little surprised at how unstable the machine was on that slight grade. I have been around various equipment and machines all my life, from ATV's, small lawn tractors, track excavators, track hoes, but never a small compact tractor such as this.

I know one thing, I will never get sideways on a grade like that again with this tractor! Good lesson learned I can tell you that!

Anyone else ever experience this with a machine of this size before??? Regardless of size are all tractors this unstable???

Craig

[megaboz]

A 25 degree grade sideways is pretty steep with a bucket. You're pretty lucky.

I cut sideways on some pretty steep grades, but never with the attchments. Even with FEL low you still have a higher center of gravity. Just look at where the pivot point is. Also, if you haven't already done it, I would have the back tired filled. This will help some. And in really bad places if you have your BH on, I've reached it out as a counter balance. Probably not the smartest thing to do, but when you find yourself somewhere where you shouldn't be, all the leverage comes in handy. Usually I leave the BH of when I am in those places, it is safer due to the COG.

I've almost rolled mine trying to pick up a load that would break free (wet clay). It about took me over a couple of times. The last time I think I was just on the front left tire. I didn't wait around to look!

I've done a few wheelies with mine cutting some of the hills, that isn't much fun either.

I still use my four wheeler to cut some parts of my property because of the sever angle, and because I can get it done quicker with it in those kinds of places. I also have a hill steep enough that I slide to the bottom of it with the four-wheeler, so I've decided that the tractor need not be there either.

[rpoage]

It can happen, I had a major pucker moment last year with two wheels off the ground and rear of tractor sliding around down hill. This was on soft and reasonably flat ground. Culprit was several things, very full bucket of heavy moist top soil and FEL raised up to redistribute the load, soft soil under tractor and 18 lbs in front tires. All mistakes I doubt I will make again but if I read that someone else rolled one over on flat ground I'm not going to be real supprised. Add 10% grade and I suspect I would have be calling the neighbors for a roll over tow.

[dangerdoc]

Originally Posted by Shmudda

I'm new to the compact tractor scene and have about 15 hours on my BX24. Spent the last (2) weekends digging out some Tree of Heaven stumps and moving some dirt around with the FEL.

Today I was moving some dirt away from the side of a stump excavation and somehow got sideways on a small hillside grade (25-30%) with a completely full bucket of dirt. At one point I actually felt the machine go up on two wheels and I quickly dropped the bucket to the ground (it was only up about a foot anyways) and it stabilized the tractor and brought it back onto all four tires. Needless to say I was a little surprised at how unstable the machine was on that slight grade. I have been around various equipment and machines all my life, from ATV's, small lawn tractors, track excavators, track hoes, but never a small compact tractor such as this.

I know one thing, I will never get sideways on a grade like that again with this tractor! Good lesson learned I can tell you that!

Anyone else ever experience this with a machine of this size before??? Regardless of size are all tractors this unstable???

Craig

Be careful, even if you have years of experience, you can get into trouble. My neighbor died about three years ago mowing with a small tractor. His wife told me he had mown that spot for 50 years without a problem.

If you have roll over protection, make sure to always use the seat belt.

Yes, all tractors can become unstable on uneven ground, expecially with a loader. Your operators manual will have good safety recommendations.

[sodbuster3]

If it really was 25 degrees or more, then that is actually a very substantial and dangerous slope to be going sideways on especially with serious load. Well, at least you were lucky and now wiser!

[RichT]

To answer your question...yes, ANY tractor is potentially unstable given the "right" conditions. My neighbor is a commercial JD 310E backhoe operator. A couple years ago he was working behind his property, on a 20-30deg slope. The tractor apparently started to slide down the slope and he bailed. It didn't roll, but it took a large crane to recover the 8 ton JD. Quite a spectacle.