Mowing mowing with the bucket on/off

[chim]

I gotta ask, since no one else has. Did you mow with the bucket on at all?

No wrong answer here, just curious.

I tried mowing with the loader on and didn't care for it:

1. I use a RFM so it makes the tractor awfully long to navigate.

2. To mow around trees & things I apporach the object straight on and slow down a bit as I get close. When the grille guard is getting close to the tree I turn just enough to skim by, then crank a little more steering to swing the deck close to the tree. Then dial a hard S turn to get back in line with the original route. This can't happen with the loader or loader arms on unless I want to spend a lot of time with the trimmer.

3. Sometimes in the Spring when the ground is soft, the added weight of the loader makes the front tires dig on tighter turns.

 

[howie70]

Don, I did not attempt to mow with the loader on. I was doing some work with the loader (patio project) and while I had it out I (slowly & carefully) navigated the hill a couple times. I then removed it. I just felt more comfortable with it off. Maybe it was a mental thing after the majority here suggested removing.

 

[Don87]

Don, I did not attempt to mow with the loader on. I was doing some work with the loader (patio project) and while I had it out I (slowly & carefully) navigated the hill a couple times. I then removed it. I just felt more comfortable with it off. Maybe it was a mental thing after the majority here suggested removing.

Anything is possible.
As I posted earlier, I keep mine on all the time and I live on a slope. But with that said, every property is different, and every tractor is different. I think mine is a couple inches wider than yours(IIRC), and that alone will make a huge difference in stability. I should also note that my rear tires are loaded with Rimguard, which further increases stability.
After you get more comfortable on the machine, give it a shot with the FEL on. Just for your own comparison.

 

[howie70]

Here is the front of the house with the hill. The pics make it look much smaller and not as steep. Lookin at the pic I am wondering why I would be concerned. LOL It is steeper than it looks!

 

[TripleR]

Howie, pictures sure are deceiving, I have taken them of slopes on our property and in looking at them wonder why they are so scary. I can tell your yard is pretty darned steep and certainly understand your concern.

Very nice house and property.:thumbsup:

 

[RaydaKub]

Here is the front of the house with the hill. The pics make it look much smaller and not as steep. Lookin at the pic I am wondering why I would be concerned. LOL It is steeper than it looks!

I'll be honest with you, it looks darn steep to me, even in the picture. I think you have every reason to be nervous on the hill.

Beautiful property.

 

[Don87]

That is a little steeper than I envisioned. I can see the concern.
I would only mow straight up and down on that(and I see by your tracks you have been doing that).
The good part is that it appears to level off very quickly(and the tress will stop ya :laughing, so you should be ok once you get accustomed to the terrain and the tractor.:thumbsup:

 

[howie70]

Yes I definitely mow up and down. The terrain I am use to, been here 13 years. The tractor, not so much just yet. Those trees have stopped me once or twice on my old riding mowers! :ashamed: The rest of the property is pretty much woods that I plan to brush hog if I can ever find a deal on a 4 footer before it sells.
Thanks for the compliments on the house and thanks for all the input!

 

[Don87]

Make sure you mow in 4wd. You'll find a huge difference between the BX and your average riding mower, as the 'engine braking capability' will be directed to the front wheels also, keeping you from sliding down the slope.
And yes, I would want to mow that with the FEL off also.

 

[Ed755]

All you fellows with 'modern' tractors make me envious, my 1986 755 does not have 'quick-tach' anything. So the FEL stays on, period. Just getting the mid-mount mower off at start of winter and on again in the spring is more work than I like to think about. Big plus one on being in 4wd while tackling your slopes. I have a couple steep enough that the tractor ran away when I came down slope in 2wd. Luckily I had the FEL on and a big brush pile at the bottom of the slope. I only did that twice, early on, now it is instinctive to double check that I am in 4wd. side slope going, on milder slopes, it is a tradeoff, stability vs front wheels chewing things up a bit. But the bucket stays low. ON the flat, 2wd only, for tighter and smoother turnings. I never operate in high range, low range only, except when travelling over the road to a nearby park where I mow trails, then it is 2wd high range.