AxleHub
Elite Member
Greetings. My 2 week old Massey GC1715 sub compact has had to dodge the rain drops too often in its 2 week introduction. A few mowings and little chance to use the fel so far. So today was a better weather day . .and after a couple hours of my mmm doing its part with the grass . . I thought I'd do some testing with the fel attached.
Our yard of 1.5 acres varies from some flat to 50+% of it being hills from 10 to 25 degrees . . All grass mostly blue grass. Yards all cut and done. I add the fel on and with the mmm running I'm going up and down hills of varying steepness and gear choices. All of a sudden as im going down the steepest hill . . I start gaining momentum even with my foot off the hydro pedal. Faster and faster I'm going till I level off in the open culvert at the base.
What the heck . . I'm thinking . . did my hydro fail me and fail to slow and stop my progress ??? No. And I'd been up and down this hill several times during the day with no problem.
So what was the rather sudden uncontrolled speed increase? I had the fel on remember . . but I didn't have it in 4wd. So even with my considerable weight and loaded tires . . the fel reduced the rear tire contact pressure to the ground. No not off the ground . . Just less weight than normal. So in 2wd the hydro only controls the rear wheels . . So unknown to me . . I was sliding forward down the hill.
Once I figured out what likely happened . .I fearlessly put it in 4wd and tested the same run again . . But this time the hydro had a chance to hold back AND front axles . . and I emerged safe, triumphant, a little humbled, and a little smarter
Our yard of 1.5 acres varies from some flat to 50+% of it being hills from 10 to 25 degrees . . All grass mostly blue grass. Yards all cut and done. I add the fel on and with the mmm running I'm going up and down hills of varying steepness and gear choices. All of a sudden as im going down the steepest hill . . I start gaining momentum even with my foot off the hydro pedal. Faster and faster I'm going till I level off in the open culvert at the base.
What the heck . . I'm thinking . . did my hydro fail me and fail to slow and stop my progress ??? No. And I'd been up and down this hill several times during the day with no problem.
So what was the rather sudden uncontrolled speed increase? I had the fel on remember . . but I didn't have it in 4wd. So even with my considerable weight and loaded tires . . the fel reduced the rear tire contact pressure to the ground. No not off the ground . . Just less weight than normal. So in 2wd the hydro only controls the rear wheels . . So unknown to me . . I was sliding forward down the hill.
Once I figured out what likely happened . .I fearlessly put it in 4wd and tested the same run again . . But this time the hydro had a chance to hold back AND front axles . . and I emerged safe, triumphant, a little humbled, and a little smarter
