Operating tractor on a grade.

[firefighter jim]

I'll be darned, small world. You probably had some dicey rides to work last month. It's been a while, but I remember some curves and hills that could get interesting in bad weather. I'm out on Boden Road, NW of town about 7 miles or so, off of 209.

No dicey rides to work (I'm retired). Lots of snow this Winter for sure.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

No dicey rides to work (I'm retired). Lots of snow this Winter for sure.

I have relatives in the area, byesville, cambridge.

 

[LBrown59]

1*

I have relatives in the area, byesville, cambridge.

2*

I'll be darned, small world. You probably had some dicey rides to work last month. It's been a while, but I remember some curves and hills that could get interesting in bad weather. I'm out on Boden Road, NW of town about 7 miles or so, off of 209.

3*

No dicey rides to work (I'm retired). Lots of snow this Winter for sure.

4*I'm only about 30 miles or so south on I 77 from Byesville, or aprox 55 miles south of Cambridge.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

4*I'm only about 30 miles or so south on I 77 from Byesville, or aprox 55 miles south of Cambridge.

I knew that from the "First organized permanent settlement in the northwest territory". Did you see the news about the becky thatcher?

 

[taborekle]

As someone who has had Ag safety classes since freshman in high school, I would repeat the general rules. Only run equipment straight down hill. Never pull plows, disc, graders up hill, because of dumping tractor over backwards. I live in the hills and do not like weighted rear tires. I'd rather they slip than grab going up hill. All my tractors are 4 WD so I don't have to lock rear axle. It only takes ONE mistake and you'll be at the bottom of the hill. As my neighbor learned eleven years ago. "Better safe than sorry"

I have a neighboor that has a fairly steep hill that is going to need to be bush hogged. I have a 2920 with a 50 inch rotary cutter (bush hog) that both of us think would do the job.

So I've been thinking, yes, only running it straight up and straight down the slope of the hill. Definately no cross cutting.

But I was always wondering if I should mow up and back down, or mow down and back up. Sounds like mow down and then back up.

I also see that dumping the FEL is a good idea. No problem with that.

Anything else?

 

[TripleR]

I have a neighboor that has a fairly steep hill that is going to need to be bush hogged. I have a 2920 with a 50 inch rotary cutter (bush hog) that both of us think would do the job.

So I've been thinking, yes, only running it straight up and straight down the slope of the hill. Definately no cross cutting.

But I was always wondering if I should mow up and back down, or mow down and back up. Sounds like mow down and then back up.

I also see that dumping the FEL is a good idea. No problem with that.

Anything else?

If a hill is that steep, I will often mow by backing up and mow coming back down. It woks well for me even though it isn't very comfortable. If an alternate route is available to the top, I will just make a loop and mow only while going down as it is easier on the soil.

 

[JoeL4330]

So, is the HST degree limit really a safety factor ...tractor can't flip over backwards?...starts a wheelie and then runs out of hydro-juice?

As for the FEL adding weight "above the axles", almost anything except 50% fill tires also adds weight above the axle ...but the axle's not the issue, the CG is...if the loader frame added weight above the (otherwise) CG then it's working against you ...but with a filled bucket almost to the ground, mightn't it actually lower the CG?

 

[RoyJackson]

So, is the HST degree limit really a safety factor ...tractor can't flip over backwards?...starts a wheelie and then runs out of hydro-juice?

As for the FEL adding weight "above the axles", almost anything except 50% fill tires also adds weight above the axle ...but the axle's not the issue, the CG is...if the loader frame added weight above the (otherwise) CG then it's working against you ...but with a filled bucket almost to the ground, mightn't it actually lower the CG?

I don't think I'd depend on a hydro tranny as a "safety" device. There's a recent thread concerning back flips (correct term is "rear rollover", I believe) in the Safety forum. I won't rehash what is written on that thread, but it is worth a read.
As far as a filled bucket lowering the CofG, yeah, it would. Have to be a heck of a lot of fill to counteract all the weight above the axles though.

 

[Sportsman762]

I have had a Kubota B7500 HST on some pretty steep ground steep enough that I was concerned about rolling front/back. The tranny when in low did not have any problems climbing. I would NEVER use the HST as a safety on hills. The best safety on hills is what sits on your shoulders. I have not driven a loader much on hills but the lowering the bucket sounds like a great idea. At home I have a hill that is really steep and when i mow it I mow from top down If I try t back up it the mower digs in. Its a short but very steep hill.

 

[SPYDERLK]

As for the FEL adding weight "above the axles", almost anything except 50% fill tires also adds weight above the axle ...but the axle's not the issue, the CG is...if the loader frame added weight above the (otherwise) CG then it's working against you ...but with a filled bucket almost to the ground, mightn't it actually lower the CG?

It might lower the CG a little as you describe, but the weight is all forward - and some of it is beyond the front axle. Since stability comes soley from the rears, weight proportion moving forward decreases the tractors stability unless that weight averages out to being between the axles and below the CG. The further rearward and downward the better for side hill stability.
larry