What are your reasons for probably driving over them from the uphill side?
If you drove over them from the uphill side, do you think you could back up the hill to reposition yourself to drive down over another section or do you think you'd be fully committed to having to drive all the way down the hillside?
I'd probably add some mesh to the canopy to keep the briars off me as well as offer some protection from thrown debris.
My reasonings are:
- You have more engine power to the mower going downhill, as you're not using much at all to drive downhill(gravity is your friend), VS having to rob engine power to drive uphill on steeper slopes while the mower is running.
- Traction. Going uphill, more of the machine weight is towards the back wheels. The front wheels will start to spin. You can counter it by slightly pulling back on the joystick to just lift the mower wheels off the ground, and that takes the mower weight off it it's own wheels and transfers all that weight now hanging on the FEL arms directly to the front wheels and you gain a ton of traction.
- You can at any time turn off the mower deck to get full power to the drive wheels and either back up the hill or turn around and drive back up, but yes, you are correct that you can get on a slope so steep that you are committed to going nowhere but down the hill.
Mesh might not be a bad idea. I've considered it myself. However, I've not found it necessary. The debris tends to go under the machine. It will build up on the front of the machine where the FEL arms attach, and you will occasionally have to clear that out. I tend to do that at lunch break/refueling time. I like to stop the machine after several hours of operation, let it cool down, clear any debris I find on the machine, inspect hoses, tires, engine compartment, etc, have a snack and something to rehydrate.
My only concern with mesh is that if a sharp stick comes through the mesh, the mesh can act like a support to the stick and actually make it stronger to spear you, VS being able to swat it out of your way.
I've never been sprayed with a bunch of fast debris on my body while operating the brush cutter or mower. I have been covered in dust and wet clippings from the 13' thistle. I have seen a 2' long bent stick get shot out of the front of the brush cutter, spinning like a propeller, and was mesmerized by it as it flew about 40' out, made a beautiful arc, then turned around and came right back at me like a boomerang.
That was once in 20+ years of operation. I've seen it shoot softball size rocks 100+ feet. It's a dangerous machine, as are all brush cutters, that's for sure. Needs some respect and basic safety gear like eye and hearing protection, gloves, boots and jeans.
