"Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill

   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill #1  

SCRich

Silver Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2007
Messages
154
Location
South Carolina
Tractor
Kubota L3400 HST
OK new tractor, only 3 hours on it a L3400. I got a somewhat steep hill where a logging tractor put in a "errosion burm" which is more like a mountain, about 4ft tall and 6ft wide. I want to clear it out somewhat so I can use that trail towards my staging area.

The tires are loaded and I have a box blade. What do you suggest, I think the best is going downill, and cutting away at the dirt a bit at a time, I would need to backup with the loaded bucket to get the dirt away. OR should I do it the opposite way by going uphill (not too far uphill) and back down. This is a HST Tranny.

Rich
 
   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill #2  
If there's room below it, I'd cut the top off, a little at a time, working downhill and just letting the loose dirt go on down below it. Then when you have a path cut through it wide enough to get the tractor through to haul it, go scoop up the loose dirt and haul it uphill, driving forward. I wouldn't try backing uphill with a load in the bucket...

I don't EVER like to have a load in the bucket pointed downhill, if I can avoid it, regardless of whether I'm travelling forward or back. Needless to say, always keep the bucket low with a load in it, regardless of which way you're pointed.
 
   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Yes there is room..I just thought a load in the bucket was a bad thing going uphill backwards. I can get to the site from either the top or bottom, the burm is right in the middle. It was just made by a dozer pushing up some dirt, I think they thought they were doing me some good but since it has not rained and the mound they created was about 100% larger than a proper errosion bar it was not.

I can come from below take a small scoop and back up to level ground if that is a safe way. I could also probably just scrape off the dirt little by little but I would probably end up with too little to fill back up the gouge created by the dozer. Scraping it back up and filling back up would be difficult since I have a lot of stumps to contend with.
 
   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill #4  
You want to keep the "heavy side" of your tractor on the uphill side. If you have plenty of rear weight then backing up the hill with a full FEL is OK, but a box blade isn't all that heavy so if that is all you have on the back a full FEL on the downhill side is a bad idea.

Would it be possible to knock the berm down from the top by shoving the dirt down with the FEL and then use your box to drag it? If you can "hook" a box full of dirt going downhill that will stabilize you.

Do keep your FEL low, and *whatever* you do make sure you don't try to go sideways (or turn) on the hill with a full FEL. I have never come closer to tipping my tractor than I have carrying dirt sideways on a hill. I was on the way over but had the presence of mind to drop the bucket.
 
   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I have read enough on the forum about keeping it low that it's always in my mind now. As I learn I guess I should think about it even more since operation will become second nature to me and I'll start doing some of the "tactical" jobs where it will REALLY be important to remember. Over confidence will do you in every time!

I should be able to push it over going down hill if I slice a bit at a time off the top, it was a BIG dozer so it's quite a bit that got pushed up. BUT the box blade idea does not seem to be a good idea here if I can avoid it. I got a lot of stumps AND it was pushed up going downhill. So the rut I have in the trail from the dozer is in front of the pile. I sure wish it were behind since your idea would have not only made it simple but would have also filled in the rut at the same time and I would have just needed to "slap" it down to pack the dirt before continuing downhill when I was finished with the job.

I guess I may be able to do that but then I'll need to steal from Peter to pay Paul and bring a few buckets of dirt BACK to the spot and fill in the rut.
 
   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill #6  
Howbout you come in from the top,fill the bucket curl it up then just drag it back to where you want to fill.
 
   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Dragging would be difficult due to the stumps and it's a bit of a distance over them. It may not be all of that big of a deal now, I just wanted to be sure I did not do a no-no. Up till' this weekend I had never been on a tractor so I don't want to assume anything when it comes to hills and grades.
 
   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill #8  
Rich,
How steep is this hill?
 
   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill #9  
SCRich said:
OK new tractor, only 3 hours on it a L3400. I got a somewhat steep hill where a logging tractor put in a "errosion burm" which is more like a mountain, about 4ft tall and 6ft wide. I want to clear it out somewhat so I can use that trail towards my staging area.

The tires are loaded and I have a box blade. What do you suggest, I think the best is going downill, and cutting away at the dirt a bit at a time, I would need to backup with the loaded bucket to get the dirt away. OR should I do it the opposite way by going uphill (not too far uphill) and back down. This is a HST Tranny.

Rich

I would approach it from the downhill side. Backing down a hill with a full bucket is much easier than trying to back up a hill with a full bucket. You will have better control and traction and the forces of gravity will not be working against you.
 
   / "Tactical" Question FEL on steep hill #10  
I assume the L3400 is 4 wheel drive??? Use it!!! It helps *more* with braking than for traction on steep hills.
 
 
Top