Mowing Mowing Roadside Ditch?

[MMagis]

The more familiar you get with the tractor, the more you’ll be able to do. In the end, that hill won’t be any problem and you’ll have it cut clear to the fence.

 

[TripleR]

Congratulations, slopes are really hard to judge from a picture and always feel a lot steeper while you are actually on the tractor or at least it does to me.

 

[foreman Etexas]

Well, I succeeded in mowing up a little bit higher on the ditch. The county has not cut in a while, and the tall grass was blocking my view whenever turning out of the driveway so I went ahead and cut what I could. As described in my original post, it was still a bit spooky mowing on the incline.

I wasn't able to cut the entire length of the fence line, but at least I can see now when pulling out of the driveway. I still need to try to get a bit closer to the actual fence, but that will be a challenge for another day.

The first picture is from back in May when I was originally asking about mowing the ditch, the second picture is from when I cut the ditch this weekend (you can see the cut is a little closer to the fence), and the third picture is of the ol' girl who is doing the work!

It may not be the prettiest tractor, but it still works mighty fine!

Yeah,u can go way wider on the tires!!!Why do they not mow to the fence-line?

 

[teg]

Looks like the worst part is behind you... and the part by the fence is (a little more) level.

 

[ovrszd]

As said before pictures don't do slopes justice. Here's some shots of my old Kubota B2910 on a slope that I mow regularly. I took these shots in response to those who had told me you can't run on 15 degree slopes.

 

[TripleR]

As said before pictures don't do slopes justice. Here's some shots of my old Kubota B2910 on a slope that I mow regularly. I took these shots in response to those who had told me you can't run on 15 degree slopes.

Great pictures.:thumbsup:

 

[ametcalf]

I recently relocated out in the country to a 10 acre piece of property. About 7 acres is flat pasture/fields and the other 3 acres is woods. I'm a new tractor owner (I'm new, not the tractor!), and I mow the pastures using a Ford 8n with a 5' bush-hog. Since everything I mow is flat, I haven't had any instances where I felt real nervous or anything.

However, last week I made a partial pass to cut along the ditch at the road (between my fence-line & where the county mows the roadside) and I did not like the feeling of it at all. The ditch is relatively smooth and is not super steep or anything, but the sensation of mowing "unlevel" kinda spooked me, so I elected to not mow the rest of the ditch.

I'm wondering if I was just being too cautious (i.e. scared), or is the "unlevel" sensation normal and is just something that people get used to the more they use a tractor?

I think we are all assuming that you have an override clutch on the pto between the tractor and the bush hog. It keeps the momentum of the spinning bush hog blades from pushing the tractor when you depress the clutch. I found that without an override clutch an 8n is hard to mow with even on level ground. A friend of mine got pushed through a fence and almost over a river cliff before he got his stopped.

 

[ovrszd]

Great pictures.:thumbsup:

Thanks TripleR, living up to our motto, "Show Me State", pictures are a necessity!!! :laughing:

 

[hill]

Blount2000,

You might like to look into obtaining a sickle mower of this type: Ford 501 Mowing Machine/Sickle/Brush/Disc Mower | eBay

I'm not sure that any are made anymore (probably got deemed "unsafe" by Nannygovma) but there are many available in most any condition. The Ford versions are parts available items meaning that old ones can be kept cutting for years.

The implement seems perfect for your situation since they are hinged to be able to adjust to several angles of slope and would allow for cutting that bank while keeping the tractor on more level stable ground. They were used for Hay mostly in their day and by their nature would not make good brush and vine cutters. For your grassy slope it's what I'd be looking to buy, even though most seem like weird "Rube Goldberg contraptions".

I don't think you're wrong to play it safe on slopes as they can be all kinds of tricky. I've got areas I won't try to cut except by backing my cutter up and down in dozens (hundreds?) of tedious fuel burning movements rather than risk watching my high side front wheel rise slowly a foot off ground if the low side encounters even a slight dip. It's scary as all get out and no slope is worth having the tractor roll downhill with me in a back wrenching upside down ride, strapped poorly into the seat.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Remember to lookout for dips or holes on the low side. They can make things exciting quick. This can lead to trouble if you are close to the safe limit already.