2660 on a hill

AHNC · Nov 22, 2009

How do you safely get a tractor up and down a hill that has some grade to it. It is a pretty consistent slope. I'm thinking of mounting the BrushBull and backing down and tying off the front to a large walnut tree and winching up and down to assist the 4wd. I'd be going straight up and down the fall line. No cross slope. I think with a bit of weight in the bucket, held low, it should be okay. We did this with a D9 on some very steep slopes on pipelines, so I'm thinking it should work ok here. Then again, I wasn't running the 9

Suggestions gratefully received

JOHNTHOMAS · Nov 22, 2009

I thought/think I have fairly steep hills and I've never done anything other than keep the bucket low if FEL is on, always keep it in low 4wd and go slow. Forward up and forward down. If I was concerned about the steepness of going up I would back uphill, never back downhill but I've never had to resort to that. I will take this opportunity to warn new and old that wet grass on a hill can be like ice. I did it one time down a hill and it was just hold on and try to keep the wheels straight till I got to the bottom.

TripleR · Nov 22, 2009

Like JohnThomas, I routinely go up and down some pretty steep inclines without any problems. I do it with and without my FEL; always in 4WD low range. I rarely use my rear diff lock. It is amazing how well the BX series handles slopes.

I have rear wheel weights, but none in the front; never need them.

brin · Nov 22, 2009

I don't know about backing down, I think I want to see what is coming without haveing to turn around in the seat all the time. I think the most important thing is to stay in low gear, low speed, FEL low but not so low as to catch on anything and flip you so be mindful of FEL height at all times, keep your foot off the clutch if you have one and stay in gear and remember slow...slow and slow. You mention going straight up and down the fall line and no cross slope. I might suggest a slight zig zag steering on the way down..but I do not know the degree of your slope and no picture so this is all with out that info. Be careful

BruceWard · Nov 22, 2009

Can you measure the steepness of the hill?

Two levels can be used to measure the amount of rise over distance. Place one level vertical and the other level running horizontally from the first level to the ground.

TripleR · Nov 23, 2009

BruceWard said:
Can you measure the steepness of the hill?

Two levels can be used to measure the amount of rise over distance. Place one level vertical and the other level running horizontally from the first level to the ground.

There is probably a formula to convert "pitch" to degree; would be interested to know what it is.

taborekle · Nov 23, 2009

AHNC said:
How do you safely get a tractor up and down a hill that has some grade to it. It is a pretty consistent slope. I'm thinking of mounting the BrushBull and backing down and tying off the front to a large walnut tree and winching up and down to assist the 4wd. I'd be going straight up and down the fall line. No cross slope. I think with a bit of weight in the bucket, held low, it should be okay. We did this with a D9 on some very steep slopes on pipelines, so I'm thinking it should work ok here. Then again, I wasn't running the 9

Suggestions gratefully received

I threw some cinderblocks into my FEL to give it some weight several months back when mowing a hill. Upon thinking about it, probably not the smartest thing I've ever done. Had the tractor went front over tail in a flip, the unsecured cinder blocks would have come right at me.

I did feel though that having the FEL loaded up helped. I'd just recommend that the load be secured to the FEL, just in case.

johnny_law · Nov 23, 2009

TripleR said:
There is probably a formula to convert "pitch" to degree; would be interested to know what it is.

FYI,

It's the arctan(rise/run) answer given will be radians or degrees depending on the calculator setting.

for example the arctan(1/1) = 45deg and the arctan(0/1) = 0deg

Slopes are usually given in percent grade which is a percentage of 45deg

A 100percent grade is 45deg a 50% grade is 22.5 deg a 10% grade is 4.5deg etc....

If you don't have a calculator that can determine the arctan(rise/run) then look at this tangent table and look up the closest corresponding number on the tangent column and look at the degree column.

TripleR · Nov 23, 2009

johnny_law said:
FYI,

It's the arctan(rise/run) answer given will be radians or degrees depending on the calculator setting.

for example the arctan(1/1) = 45deg and the arctan(0/1) = 0deg

Slopes are usually given in percent grade which is a percentage of 45deg

A 100percent grade is 45deg a 50% grade is 22.5 deg a 10% grade is 4.5deg etc....

If you don't have a calculator that can determine the arctan(rise/run) then look at this tangent table and look up the closest corresponding number on the tangent column and look at the degree column.

ZOOM: The sound of that going over my head. All I know is roof pitch such as in an 8-12 pitch.

At my age, I have developed a pretty good feel for the two most important descriptions on slopes: Steep and too **** steep.

rdsaustintx · Nov 23, 2009

TripleR said:
ZOOM: The sound of that going over my head. All I know is roof pitch such as in an 8-12 pitch.

At my age, I have developed a pretty good feel for the two most important descriptions on slopes: Steep and too **** steep.

LOL.

Get a 3' bubble stick level. Hold it level with one end on the ground. Measure the height of the other end. Use arctan (height/36) for angle or divide by 3 for pitch (in 12ths).

If this happens, it was too steep: YouTube - Explain This To Your Insurance Company LOL

TripleR · Nov 23, 2009

rdsaustintx said:
LOL.

Get a 3' bubble stick level. Hold it level with one end on the ground. Measure the height of the other end. Use arctan (height/36) for angle or divide by 3 for pitch (in 12ths).

If this happens, it was too steep: YouTube - Explain This To Your Insurance Company LOL

Oh man, that hurt to watch.

Thanks for the info.

radioman · Nov 23, 2009

I rather not back down a hill. Too much of a chance to slide sideways and roll over. Going forward makes me feel safer, with no implements in the rear.

Evil the Weasel · Nov 23, 2009

rdsaustintx said:
If this happens, it was too steep: YouTube - Explain This To Your Insurance Company LOL

Ouch. That's not a tractor... this is.

johnny_law · Nov 23, 2009

Well you asked. Actually the way I always measure a grade is by the ol' pucker factor. Works every time.

TripleR · Nov 23, 2009

johnny_law said:
Well you asked. Actually the way I always measure a grade is by the ol' pucker factor. Works every time.

Yep, that's what seems to work best for me. I operate four different tractors in addition to a 700 Grizzly and Rhino on my properties and each will handle slopes differently, so I just go by feel and experience and haven't turned anything over yet. I have been operating machinery for over fifty years, but occasionally the old alarm bells tell me I may be right on the edge though; pays to be careful.

JOHNTHOMAS · Nov 24, 2009

TripleR said:
Yep, that's what seems to work best for me. I operate four different tractors in addition to a 700 Grizzly and Rhino on my properties and each will handle slopes differently, so I just go by feel and experience and haven't turned anything over yet. I have been operating machinery for over fifty years, but occasionally the old alarm bells tell me I may be right on the edge though; pays to be careful.

This is the one I hate or the one where I think "I believe I may have gone past the edge on this one"!!!!