Newbie with question about stability.

   / Newbie with question about stability. #1  

Anonymous Poster

New member
Joined
Sep 27, 2005
Messages
0
Got a BX22 a few weeks back, primarily to use for mowing the lawn with the 60" MMM but also to encourage my 15 yr old son with his ambition to become a landscaper. He does alot of yard work in the neighborhood. Anyway, the ground around here is rather hilly and I am constantly concerned about him rolling it on a slope. I've read about folks reversing the wheels on tractors but on the BX22 it doesn't look like this is possible. Just wondering if there's anything available to widen the wheelbase and make tractors more stabil. I was thinking about getting a tiltmeter but concerned about it giving him a false sense of security if he ever hit a hole/rock. Any other suggestions? Why do they make tractors so narrow anyway?
And thanks to everyone on the forum, I've learned alot just reading in the past few weeks!
 
   / Newbie with question about stability. #2  
One thing to keep in mind, at least in my opinion, is tractors aren't really as "tippy" as they feel when your first get on them.

Don't get me wrong, you can roll them if you are not careful, but I bet you will find that those little bumps and dips that you are hitting now that give you that instantaneous panic feeling will gradually get less and less worrisome as you become more familiar with your terrain and what the tractor is capable of.

I remember getting on mine the first time and driving it around and feeling absolutely paniced every time the least unlevel ground was crossed and I felt a rollover was immeninet. Several years later no rollovers and I now go over those same hills.bumps and dips without even a second thought.

Be careful and have patience and you will be more comfortable with every hour in the seat.
 
   / Newbie with question about stability. #3  
Here's one idea: Get the tires filled. This will lower the center of gravity and add stability without widening the wheel base.

Also, if you have a front end loader (FEL), NEVER drive the tractor with the FEL lifted above the level of the hood.
 
   / Newbie with question about stability. #4  
Just read an article in the local paper about a 51 year old teacher would bought a 1953 john deere a week ago. Guy grew up on a farm and liked old tractors. Took it out, rolled it and the tractor rolled over and killed him. Apparently as it started to roll he went out first and the tractor just rolled over him. No seatbelts on the older ones and no roll bars.
 
   / Newbie with question about stability. #5  
John,
First they're made so narrow to be a "compact" or in your case BX22 "sub-compact". No sense in a small unit with a 6 ft track(might as well have a BIG tractor). As far as rolling over I have the same concerns as you, being that I am a new owner of a BX2200. I purchased & installed a tiltmeter only to find out that I am crossing a hill with a 23 degree slope (at the steepest point) the meter mfg. says be very cautious at 15 and don't exceed 20 degrees. Well I can tell you this, with the tires loaded for extra weight with low center of gravity and ONLY the 60" mid mount mower (NO OTHER ATTACHMENTS ON) at the steepest point of the slope the tires are trying to slip down the hill but the tractor does not feel like it's going to upset. Of course I'm in 4WD and the fronts are helping to "pull". This is my limited experience on slopes and I would never try that limit if grass is at all wet. My last unit was a Cub 782D (2WD) and I COULD NOT go acrossed the slope mentioned above. Go SLOW and steady and always be thinking of the next step if things become unstable.

Hope this helps,
Tazbota
 
   / Newbie with question about stability. #6  
PaJohn,

I think ejb has the right idea. Earlier this year when I purchased my tractor I was driving around the property and I swear I thought it was going to tip over. The "pucker factor" was definitely happening and these weren't even steep hills. 100 hours later I can safely say I 'm not having this problem anymore as I'm more aware of what the tractor can do - but I still am very careful and do wear my seatbelt.
 
   / Newbie with question about stability. #7  
This is a tough subject and I don't quibble with what has been said BUT, you can never be too careful (and especially for your son's benefit of seeing dad). That hill you have been on many times changes as the tractor attitude changes, as the temperature changes, as the driver's position changes and so forth. The laws of physics apply and are unrelenting.

There are some good rules to follow: Never drive across a hill (but all do) and when you do make certain your path is straight and your load is low; if at all possible go up and down hills; no ROPS-no seat belt; with ROPS-always seat belt.

There are good web sites on tractor safety for you and your son to read. Just do a serach on tractor safety.
 
   / Newbie with question about stability. #8  
yes the correct answer would be run up and down if you aren`t sure...ok going with the discussion in this thread..if the unfortanate feels like it is going to happen...would you cut up hill or down hill to counter act the roll over?I know with a dozer if it feels unstable we would cut down hill to regain stability.........Sid
 
   / Newbie with question about stability. #9  
tiltbed, i think if you are about to turn over, turning downhill is probably your only option. having said that, generally speaking you are usually better off turning uphill. It is much harder and sometimes impossible to stop if you are going downhill especially if you have a load behind. it is easy to stop if you see trouble and are going uphill.
 
   / Newbie with question about stability. #10  
TB, at 23 degrees it just goes to show how the small tractors can be. I posted on another thread with some picturers added and my L2650 would not back a up a 23 slope without spinning the tires in 2WD. 4WD was not a problem but with 2WD, it shows a good limit to follow. I would not even think of working across such a slope without widening the tires out to the max. There two other good threads about this that I know of, run a search and check them out.
 
 
Top