45 degrees is steep

[Dwellonroof]

Being the right tires against the side rails helps more than you would think.

 

[agjones]

My 1850 is more ambitious than me by about 10 degrees.

 

[ptsg]

Being the right tires against the side rails helps more than you would think.

Chances are that no one would really work sideways with such an angle. The tractor would most likely just slide sideways before even getting that far on the angle.

These demonstrations are mostly to prove that these machines can work sideways on very steep hills versus a conventional tractor.

 

[BigDaddyEureka]

So if you set the wayback machine to waaay back they way you tested your ROPS was to literally roll the machine down a hill sideways and evaluate the result at the bottom. Now, if your maximum working angle is steeper than 1:1 then your rollover hill has to be steeper than that.

Fast forward to Day 2 of Operator Training. Your mission: drive a dozer up the rollover hill 2/3 the way up (it's about 10 stories tall) to right before it gets steeper than 1:1 (it's labeled with little Barba-Shave signs so you know how steep it is at that point), punch the steering clutch in or shove the tiller over and make a 180 degree turn, and drive back down.

You'd be amazed how many rookies (including this one) begin reconsidering their life choices about half way there. By the time you're at the turn point you're up to a solid 9 on the sphincter factor. Then you begin your rotation and the downhill side rotates into your peripheral vision.

And then you realize your instructor set you up by leaving a paper coffee cup on dash. It quickly leaves and heads for the downhill exit, splattering all over the door window. High. Like shoulder high.

"OH Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiii......."

Then when you've finished the turn and you now need to DRIVE BACK DOWN THE SLOPE. On the old school steering clutch units you were expected to pull both steering clutches and ride the lightning while working the foot brakes (one for left and another for right).

It's quite the rush!

 

[MossRoad]

 

[CalG]

This is a true 45 degree angle.
I really don’t think people understand how steep that is lol [
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EVEN The "steep" ski slopes are less than 40 degrees. That's going down hill.!

Sure there are steeper slopes, but you can't ski them. just hop and jump....

 

[ponytug]

Chances are that no one would really work sideways with such an angle. The tractor would most likely just slide sideways before even getting that far on the angle.

These demonstrations are mostly to prove that these machines can work sideways on very steep hills versus a conventional tractor.

I encourage you to have another look at the video posted by @MossRoad. These are not just demonstrations. People do work sideways. I have actually mowed some of the same slopes at the factory. Being able to do figure eights on a slope with the mower is a big confidence builder in the abilities of the tractor.

Actually many of us own these tractors because our slopes are that steep and we value our lives. Yes, if it is wet the tractor can and does slide sideways a bit. You can see it in the video @MossRoad posted. I use chains to reduce slipping when I have to mow plants with gooey sap like thistle, or the slopes are muddy.

The 1850 is often used to maintain the steep face of earth dams.

These tractors exist and fill a niche not served by other tractors. (For which some of us are very thankful.)

All the best,

Peter

 

[MossRoad]

To put things in perspective:

- A PowerTrac PT1850 is rated for 45 degree slopes. It will drive up, down and across that slope while running a mower.
- That is a 100% grade.

How steep is 45 degrees?

- A 12:12 roof pitch is 45 degrees.
- For every 1 foot you move forward, you move up 1 foot.

This is a 12:12 pitch roof.
Drive your tractor up there and help this guy....

 

[5030]

Mossy...

I was reading along and lost my Internet.. I wanted to comment that I used to watch the Michigan State Highway crews mow the grass on the sides of the e-ways around Detroit and now I know what they used. I never had a clue but I will say the operators must have had gimballed seats because they sat level all the time (if I remember correctly)... Some of those banks are stupid steep....

 

[MossRoad]

The PT slope mowers have seats that automatically adjust to keep the operator level. I think they use a mercury switch arrangement of some sort. I'd have to ask the slope mower guys.

My little PT425 is limited to 25 degrees due to the engine oiling system in the Kohler engine.