Traction A little humbled after what happened today.

[Coyote machine]

Your weight makes virtually no difference in the overall equation. And loaded tires contribute to ballast, but not enough to overcome the cantilever effect of the FEL hanging off the front end. Use 4x4 whenever you might slide, slip or other wise loose traction you would otherwise be able to use to get you where you're going.
If you only have two ranges, high and low, then do all your work in low, and level ground travel or slight grades in high. Use 4x4 for winter in snow, or mud, wet grass, etc., but not on dry hard ground. Use chains for traction on ice or slick snow. Tires and 4x4 won't keep you from sliding on hard packed snow, inclines or ice. Keep your COG (center of gravity ) low with the bucket low enough to not adversely effect your control over the tractor.
A box blade will add some ballast, but with your slopes something heavier might be needed, like a barrel attached to the 3PH with concrete in the barrel to give you better balance and ballast. Time will tell. Use your ROPS as designed, DON"T tilt it, and use your seatbelt and brakes to slow your momentum on steep terrain. Anticipate what you will encounter and keep yourself positioned so you are less likely to have a roll over by not crossing slopes side to side.
Show us some pictures of your site so we can add other useful tips. If we haven't seen pics it never happened!

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Actually Fitz . . I was in no danger . .

I completely disagree. You're tractor behaved in a way that you weren't expecting. In your own words, you had a "rather sudden uncontrolled increase in speed" while going down a hill. Despite that fact that you were testing in an area that you believe provided some safety, there are always variables beyond your control. The situation could have turned bad, you should recognize that, and be thankful it didn't. You are smart in spending time to get used to your machine on your property, others have found the limits of their machines with no so good outcomes.

 

[jlgurr]

I completely disagree. You're tractor behaved in a way that you weren't expecting. In your own words, you had a "rather sudden uncontrolled increase in speed" while going down a hill. Despite that fact that you were testing in an area that you believe provided some safety, there are always variables beyond your control. The situation could have turned bad, you should recognize that, and be thankful it didn't. You are smart in spending time to get used to your machine on your property, others have found the limits of their machines with no so good outcomes.

Reminds me of the time I skidded on ice and crashed into a guardrail. An older man (I was 19) at work said "you were driving too fast." I said no because the speed limit was 55 and I was going only 50. He said, "Yes, because you could not control the car." In other words, too fast for conditions. Luckily it was only my ego and wallet that hurt afterwards.

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[AxleHub]

I completely disagree. You're tractor behaved in a way that you weren't expecting. In your own words, you had a "rather sudden uncontrolled increase in speed" while going down a hill. Despite that fact that you were testing in an area that you believe provided some safety, there are always variables beyond your control. The situation could have turned bad, you should recognize that, and be thankful it didn't. You are smart in spending time to get used to your machine on your property, others have found the limits of their machines with no so good outcomes.

I'm always thankful I get another day

But I also realize that being safe and living safe are too quite different things. I don't want to live safe or I'd never accomplish my goals. At the same time . . . most would say I'm not a reckless person either. I appreciate your concern . . but at the same time . . I'm willingly attempting to be an example of proper planning for those who acquire a tractor but don't understand its concerns.

How many threads haven't we all read where "bigger is better". And my perspective is that bigger can be less safe under many conditions . . even in a residential setting with hills in lawn.

My point is . . others need to read about mistakes made from common things . . that don't result in harm from simple things that aren't in the manual.

Over a period of time like this fall and winter . . I'll highlight other humbling events of mine . . because many may not be willing to admit them in their own actions

Recently my wife read that aged 56 to 70 is the fastest growing and largest group for outside accidents from equipment operation. I figure a little embarrassment is worth it on my part

 

[HEC]

Nothing to be embarrassed about , it was just one more lesson in life , and many can learn from it . Thanks for posting your experience .

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

Actually Fitz . . I was in no danger . . so I thought posting this was a good way of showing a lack ofjust one or two details can make a difference. Being humbled is a good way of remembering. But having grown up an active motorcycler I learned early and often to always have a backup safety plan in case I misjudge or some other driver does something dumb. So my steepest hills end in a very wide open culvert and then banks up gradually to the road. As a result . . testing there is very safe because it gives me a "runout path" like they build for semi trucks on mountain roads "also known as breakaway trails". As long as I'm going straight and not side hilling it. And having the bucket turned up and fel relatively low means I can't catch the ground and forward somersault . . at least not in the distance of the steepness of my hill. I was "testing" so that I get an education in practice time . . not in loaded time What I really unexpectedly learned was that 4wd makes such a difference in downhill activity when just the empty fel is added in the equation. A perdon thinks of 4wd for up direction or side direction. And now for a question for you or other readers. The manual states not to use 4wd in high gear or on solid surfaces. So I'm wondering . . In winter . . How do you use 4wd on a very long concrete driveway? I don't mean to sound "green" . . but that's what it says in the manual

4x4 over drives the front tires compared to the rears so using on a hard surface with lots of grip will cause excessive tire wear. Use 2wd whenever possible. If you are spinning then go into 4x4 until unstuck.

 

[AxleHub]

4x4 over drives the front tires compared to the rears so using on a hard surface with lots of grip will cause excessive tire wear. Use 2wd whenever possible. If you are spinning then go into 4x4 until unstuck.

The lesson I learned was . . If you're going down a hill with an empty fel . . Be in 4wd because if the rears get a little "light" . . being in 4wd gives you hydro control on the fronts too

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

I agree,going down a hill in 4x4 gives you front brakes incase the rear end gets light. On flat, hard ground 2wd will save tire wear.

 

[SGStriglos]

I live on a very steep hill that flattens out at a lake and have experienced what you have way to many times. I have a 14y son that has had pounded into his head...first time down the hill on any given day you check to make sure you are in 4wd. There are many forces of nature already mentioned in thread that are going on, and no matter how many times it has happened to me....it is scary as **** each time. This is also closely related to the topic of going down the hill with a trailer loaded way past your stopping capacity with dew on the grass....so counter intuitive to accelerate to gain steering control regardless of 2wd/4wd and the calculated thought that steering to the bottom and going into the lake is a better solution that jack knifing and dying in a roll over. I know there are some saying you just shouldn't do it....but it is human nature with certain personalities to try to get as close to the edge safely to gain economy and efficiencies of completing the given task.

 

[AxleHub]

I live on a very steep hill that flattens out at a lake and have experienced what you have way to many times. I have a 14y son that has had pounded into his head...first time down the hill on any given day you check to make sure you are in 4wd. There are many forces of nature already mentioned in thread that are going on, and no matter how many times it has happened to me....it is scary as **** each time. This is also closely related to the topic of going down the hill with a trailer loaded way past your stopping capacity with dew on the grass....so counter intuitive to accelerate to gain steering control regardless of 2wd/4wd and the calculated thought that steering to the bottom and going into the lake is a better solution that jack knifing and dying in a roll over. I know there are some saying you just shouldn't do it....but it is human nature with certain personalities to try to get as close to the edge safely to gain economy and efficiencies of completing the given task.

Just curious . . When pulling the trailer downhill Instead of having the trailer behind you . . ever consider a front mount hitch point? Then you could steer the trailer instead of pulling it.

I've just found that pulling a trailer down hills makes me the slave to the direction the trailer wants to go. But when going downhill . . . if I'm front mount steering it . . I become more of the boss ("pulling" a trailer downhill . . the trailer wants to push your rear up in the air).