Up to wich angle can I go with a CK20

[DViau]

Hi everryone,

I'm brand new here and have a new KIOTI CK20HST with a rear mower. I have a ditch with an angle of about 30 to 40 degree. Is it risky to go there with the tractor? Should I keep or remove my front loader or it doesn't matter?

Any tip will be appreciate.

Thanks

Denis

 

[Egon]

Straight up or straight down should be okay as long as you have a flat spot at the top and bottom to recover on. Going straight down if things get slippery you can drop the bucket and pick up a load of dirt to stop.

That said if you are a new operator best stay away till you have some familiarity with the equipment.

 

[RoyJackson]

I'm going with Egon on this with one caveat: It'll depend on how deep the ditch is and what's at the bottom. If the slope transitions directly to another slope upwards, you may not be able to drive down. If the transition is acute, your tractor may not be able to drive down and up the other side. You'd have to reverse back up. This could be aggravated by the length of the tractor/mower combination.
If this is the case, I suggest you leave the loader on, put it in 4WD and back down the side of the ditch in a low range. Go up slope in low too. If you have a gear tranny, use 1st or 2nd low for up slope.
As Egon wrote...if things get slippery...this is NOT a job to do when the grass is wet, so walk it a bit first.

 

[jbrumberg]

DViau:

Welcome to TBN ! Please follow the suggestions of the previous posts! I would be especially concerned about the length of your tractor-mower setup as you transition between the slopes- you could get "hung up" . If you could post a picture it would help with recommendations/suggestions. Traction might be a major concern as well. What kind of tires do you have and are they weighted?. This is not a job when the grass is wet. Jay

 

[jinman]

If you are talking about driving the tractor along the ditch at a 30-40 degree slope, don't do it. You'll hit small bump and end up on your side. I also seriously doubt you can climb a 30 degree slope, but you sure can go down one...very fast. A 30 degree slope is a 66% grade. That's a serious slope.

If by chance you've estimated the angle of this ditch and it is less, you might be okay, but I have to take you at your word in your post. I would not try a 30-40 degree slope.

 

[jbrumberg]

My "pucker meter" starts acting up when I start to exceed 10 degrees traveling across slopes; I start to worry about my boxers when I exceed 15 degrees . Jay

 

[john_bud]

If you do this, fill the loader bucket first. Going up the slope nose first could lead to the tractor popping a wheelie and powering over. This can happen FAST on that type of slope, especially if the mower rear wheel falls into a hole or hits a stump.

jb

 

[RoyJackson]

If you are talking about driving the tractor along the ditch at a 30-40 degree slope, don't do it. You'll hit small bump and end up on your side. I also seriously doubt you can climb a 30 degree slope, but you sure can go down one...very fast. A 30 degree slope is a 66% grade. That's a serious slope.

If by chance you've estimated the angle of this ditch and it is less, you might be okay, but I have to take you at your word in your post. I would not try a 30-40 degree slope.

I think that would depend upon the length of the slope. If this is just a "ditch", I'd guess DViau wouldn't have to back his entire unit down a slope.

There's one area of my property that has a significant slope. There is a tree line at the bottom, so no possibility of driving down. This slope well exceeds 25½° (highest I could measure) and is (at worst) 2½-3 times the length of the tractor/mower. It's steep enough where a walk behind mower will starve for fuel if I mow across the slope...tough to walk across it too.
I have to back down...mighty slowly. And, I use 4WD and 2nd Low to go back up it. I've done this area with and without the loader installed and do need to be careful when driving back up (front end wants to come up when engaging the clutch).
I haven't gotten stuck to the point I couldn't get out (YET!). This area is never mowed when the grass is the least bit damp.

 

[Egon]

Pictures:

 

[RoyJackson]

Pictures:

That's pretty comparable to what I have to do...