Tractor Rollover

[CliffordK]

One of the things I did on my tractor was it had an adjustable mount on the wheels. I flipped the wheels out as far as they would go, effectively adding about a foot of width to the tractor. Perhaps not a lot, but every little bit counts.

You could probably find the tipping point of your tractor on the level by either jacking up one side, or winching the tractor over until it tips. Safety straps to catch it may not be a bad idea.

Then once you have a tipping spot, add a safety margin.

 

[crhunts]

Loading your rear tires makes a HUGE difference! Keeps tractor more planted.

 

[YLee Kioti]

Inclinometers | Slope Grade Degree Indicator For Sale | R&B MFG. INC

We started making manual inclinometers in 1996 at the request of a major equipment manufacturer. Soon, other equipment manufacturers started calling. Learn more!

www.tiltmeter.com

Call her up. She has had the meter built to state standard for their machines. I never go past 11 degrees, it my tractor. Though 15 degrees is the yellow zone. Been using it for about fours now. The vertical part helps when backing into the creek to mow.
10 degrees with bucket nearly touching the ground.
It's very tiring as the creek is about 350 foot long and mow both sides. Thinking of getting hedge trimmer attachment to weed eater and walking it down cutting that way.

 

[WinterDeere]

I’ve seen people with some kind of indicator mounted on there hood or dash. Loaded tires help a lot. I went from a Kubota BX to a JD 2025r. The JD sits taller but is wider and actually feels more stable, I have loaded tires in back.

Every sailing outfitter sells these, although they call them clinometers or "heel indicators". Here's the one mounted to the rear grating of one of my boats, they usually cost under $20.

 

[LouNY]

Inclinometers | Slope Grade Degree Indicator For Sale | R&B MFG. INC

We started making manual inclinometers in 1996 at the request of a major equipment manufacturer. Soon, other equipment manufacturers started calling. Learn more!

www.tiltmeter.com

Call her up. She has had the meter built to state standard for their machines. I never go past 11 degrees, it my tractor. Though 15 degrees is the yellow zone. Been using it for about fours now. The vertical part helps when backing into the creek to mow.
10 degrees with bucket nearly touching the ground.
It's very tiring as the creek is about 350 foot long and mow both sides. Thinking of getting hedge trimmer attachment to weed eater and walking it down cutting that way.

Interesting, my driveway has a 14-16 degree climb. Working on it sideways has a bit of a pucker factor.

 

[WinterDeere]

One of the issues with trusting a clinometer (or inclinometer) is that the rollover threshold for any tractor must change a lot, depending not only on what's in the loader bucket, but also on how high you carry that bucket or your rear ballast.

My lawn is very hilly, particularly the back yard, and there are areas where I just cannot go straight up and down the slope, I have to be at least partly sideways to it. I always make sure to carry both my rear ballast and loader bucket as low as I can manage in these areas, knowing it vastly increases stability over having either higher in the air.

 

[Torvy]

Those meters are great and all, but speed and a rock or a hole can dump you over even if your incline is 'green'. The incline adds to your risk, certainly. For me, having a meter would likely add to a dangerous level of complacency. Ymmv.

I am probably overly cautious, but my life doesn't depend on anything I'm doing with my tractor. It certainly isn't worth the risk to push the limits.

Basic physics things can help. Wider stance. Lower center of gravity. Weight in the seat (wheels). Inertia (slower is better). Keep your loader as low as is practical. Similar to driving on ice, sudden changes are not your friend.

 

[vagem55]

Kubota B3030 with loaded tires and wheel spacers for me. Cheap inclinometer mounted below the speedometer. Amazon.com

 

[dstriplett]

As someone said above, the critical rollover angle is a dynamic number with all kinds of variables and combination of variables. The most critical are the vertical center of gravity and SPEED. You also must rehearse beforehand what your reactions are going to be if you feel a rear wheel coming off the ground. You have to be quick in your response and you won't have time to sit there and think it thru once you cross the Rubicon. Keep the CG as low as possible, go as slow as possible, and rehearse your immediate action steps to where you can do them without thinking about it. A mechanical inclinometer tells you basically nothing of use as it measures static angles - which your roll over angle is not.

 

[Deanes]

We all know that (pucker) feeling when driving a tractor sideways on an incline. Is there any information on how to determine a safe angle of tilt? Do wheel weights and loaded tires make any difference on turn over? When going from smaller tractor to a larger one with a wider wheel base how much does the rollover decrease? Would having a bush hog attached low to the ground help or just be neutral? I wonder if one had a simple inclinometer, would this be of any help?

On my 55hp New Holland, it had a narrow wheel base. I just swapped the rear tires side to side. The dish of each tire is now out and literally made a difference of almost 2 ft. In width. Now, with the turf tires, I don't think it can turn over. The tires will slip down the slope before rollover. Tread pattern matters.