Mowing on slopes maximum angle before tip

[alpha&omega]

Thanks for posting the video of the tractor fails.

I have some steep hills I bushhog. When I bought my Kioti ten years ago I knew the FEL would be a huge counterbalancing help going UP the hills. On the steep one I go up backwards as the video pointed out is safest. Someone in this threat pointed out keeping FEL's as low as possible can lower the overall CG of the tractor.

I also bought 4 inch wide aluminum spacers for my rear wheels. At 5:40 in the video widening a tractor's stance is discussed. I think the spacers make a big difference is sideways stability - and today they look as new as the day I had them put on. They came almost perfectly drilled to match the hub - the holes matched up but one hole had to be ever so slightly reamed by a machine shop for the supplied bolt to go through it. They were anodized black by the manufacturer AND I painted them Kioti gray to match the gray paint. There isn't a speck of corrosion so far. I had my tractor dealership install these spacers - my loaded rear tires are just too much for me to handle at home.

I considered adding spacers to the front wheels, but a discussion on this forum about doing that dissuaded me. Widening the wheel stance does put downward strain on any axle. For the meaty through rear axle, which doesn't have steering/turning wheels, widening the stance 4 inches on each side is not an issue. For the turning front wheels (my tractor can be 4 wheel drive with an electric switch) I didn't want to risk disturbing the axle's design stresses.

If anyone is interested in investigating buying spacers PM me and I'll be happy to share the company info where I bought them. Two spacers were about $400 ten years ago, and came with the bolts and nuts.

Are you able to or have you tried mowing without the FEL on the tractor? Mine having a cab makes it that much more unstable with the FEL on it. A couple years ago I removed the belly mower and have only used the rear discharge since. That change in addition to the loaded tires, wheel weights and rear spacers makes things quite a bit more manageable when mowing my steep uneven terrain. Since the FEL is removed while mowing, there are some areas where I will throw a couple suitcase weights on the front.

For the most part it’s pretty stable as compared to the first year I owned it and was running it without filled tires, weights or spacers.

 

[Rhino35]

I haven't mowed without the FEL on the tractor. I was tempted to remove it, especially when the tractor started overheating. My "Wiley" Kioti has 41 HP and I should have bought the 45 HP same model. 41 HP works going up the hills, but truly the right speed (slow) to bush hog five feet high grass, bushes and saplings is the fastest it CAN go up the hills. In 4 wheel drive, FEL on, loaded rear tires (Rimguard, we have dogs and dogs love to lick anti-freeze if there was a leak), six wide foot hog, 2500 RPM. The video stressed how easy it is for our tractors to pull the front over on top of itself - especially on hills - so I've very leery of taking that FEL off. Plus, it is handy all year long.

The debris screen gets clogged with fine vegetative debris so I carry a leaf blower in the bucket. If the temperature starts climbing I blow it off. This is a whole 'nether story about the overheating. Last September before I get into fall bush hogging I finally bought a new thermostat, replaced the coolant with a 60% water/40% anti-freeze (water is better at cooling), and added a product called "Water Wetter". This has stopped the overheating. The mix still protects against freezing down to 7 degrees F. I keep the tractor in a garage that in Cincinnati winters (if the propane furnace doesn't quit) never gets below 40F.

I'm glad to hear you're putting weight up front without the FEL.

 

[5030]

The debris screen gets clogged with fine vegetative debris so I carry a leaf blower in the bucket.

I have one of those Harbor Freight 20 volt blowers and it fits behind the seat. I blow out my screens regularly when running hay.

 

[alpha&omega]

The debris screen gets clogged with fine vegetative debris so I carry a leaf blower in the bucket. If the temperature starts climbing I blow it off. This is a whole 'nether story about the overheating.
The mix still protects against freezing down to 7 degrees F. I keep the tractor in a garage that in Cincinnati winters (if the propane furnace doesn't quit) never gets below 40F.

I'm glad to hear you're putting weight up front without the FEL.

I have one of those Harbor Freight 20 volt blowers and it fits behind the seat. I blow out my screens regularly when running hay.

I use a backpack blower to clean off the top of my mower deck and some of the loose grass on my tractor, but normally for cleaning out the radiator, coolers and air filter, I will use one of these “air combs”. I bought two different lengths and one of the 90° guns.

24″ Air Comb® Filter and Radiator Cleaner | Innovative Products of America

The IPA® 24″ Air Comb® is a new type of blowgun that cleans radiators, condensors, air filters in just seconds.

ipatools.com

 

[bearthebruce]

I'll be mowing our fields next week. 20+ acres - 33 ponies - all engaged - all needed to mow the hills.

We run without the bucket but with the FEL on the tractor with our forks frame on the FEL (no forks). We also make sure that the turns up top are slow and easy. The FEL arms do enough to counter-balance the 5' hog on the back to keep all 4 planted on the ground if one takes their time.

2wd vs 4wd - I really do not have a preference. Have listened all the arguments and as a novice 300+ hours ago, I ran in 4wd always. Now? I like the lighter steering in 2wd. Yet there are places where the 4wd is needed to climb or descend the hill. My take: learn what works best and keep doing it.

33 ponies and a 5 foot cutter makes for long hours on the fields. The owner of the property doesn't want to invest in a bigger machine. So, we work this machine hard. Yep, we end up having to slow down depending on the amount of grass/brush to be cut in the field. Seems the grasses are much more difficult than is the brush.

The slope of the field is about 22 degrees. I just take it easy and plan to cut at about 1-1/2 acres per hour at best... conditions may drop things to closer to 1 acre an hour.

I opt for safe rather than fast. After all, I like riding on Missy Ferg!

 

[5030]

I use a backpack blower to clean off the top of my mower deck and some of the loose grass on my tractor, but normally for cleaning out the radiator, coolers and air filter, I will use one of these “air combs”. I bought two different lengths and one of the 90° guns.

24″ Air Comb® Filter and Radiator Cleaner | Innovative Products of America

The IPA® 24″ Air Comb® is a new type of blowgun that cleans radiators, condensors, air filters in just seconds.

ipatools.com

for 41 bucks you can buy the HF Bauer 20 volt blower and a battery and charger. I use mine for everything including blowing off the decks. Very powerful and very portable. Had mine for a year now and many hours on it without failure.

 

[2manyrocks]

Is there some way to reduce the amount of mowing debris that otherwise piles up on a rotary cutter deck or do you just have to clean it off?

 

[5030]

Depends on the height of the cut, again, I just use the HF blower, for me it's a must have tool and it fits behind the seats on both my M9's.

Just shredded a couple long rows of native long grass for a neighbor and that really piled up on the shredder but it was off in a couple seconds.

 

[2manyrocks]

thank you.

 

[alpha&omega]

for 41 bucks you can buy the HF Bauer 20 volt blower and a battery and charger. I use mine for everything including blowing off the decks. Very powerful and very portable. Had mine for a year now and many hours on it without failure.

Wow…really? You can’t beat that price. I debated buying a milwaukee since I have plenty of their 18v batteries already, but now you have me debating that idea. Usually I tend to steer away from HF because of their cheap knock of items, but I’ve been told about a couple things they carry that are as good if not better than the big name brand items. I’ll have to check it out the next time I’m in town.
Did it come with a battery and charger?