Best Mountain Tractor?

Egon · Apr 13, 2002

Al:
Maybe think of %slope or the degrees angle in the same manner in which the pitch of you roof is determined or a set of stairs are laid out using a carpenters square.

Egon

Egon · Apr 13, 2002

Slamfire:

We used to weld caulks on the track grousers for working in steep places or in the winter when the ground was frozen.

Egon

GlueGuy · Apr 13, 2002

Did I say that?!? /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

No wonder you were confused. My fingers must have been disconnected from my brain... What I meant to say that if you operate with a circle with a radius of 1...

wasabi · Apr 13, 2002

Thanks guys, I think I'm getting a more realistic picture.

Egon, your suggestion of likening the grade to a roof pitch makes sense to me, but confess I still, even after 30 years of working with one, can't confidently say I understand all those chicken scratches on the framing square!

Charlie, GlueGuy, Roy, Slamfire (just how did you get that handle anyway? Are you fond of jalepenos?): Your illustrations are more along the lines of what I was looking for to try and guage what happens, since I am anovice with an absence of significant seat time like you guys. I know it won't be real until I get there, but I'm trying to at least mentally (along with financially) prepare...and guage the import of the right gear, which I at this point I estimate to be firstmost!!

GlueGuy...if you're not inclined to test it over 15 degrees, I'll venture no one is. Thx, you've helped quantify the pucker factor.

Gotta love those duals. eh Charlie? Perhaps your story is the type that inspired Paul Simon to write his song "Slip sliding away"

Carl_NH · Apr 13, 2002

Egon,

I'm back, re the reference to roof pitch, as this was what I posted a few pages ago, very few of us will drive their unit on the roof ( the grass roof and straw bale guys are the exception) but gives a good frame of reference. If any of you build stuff 22.5 degrees is a common cut esp when cutting the tails of rafters on a 12/12 pitch, or builiding a outdoor table..

Carl

bubenberg · Apr 13, 2002

the mountain farmers in the pre alpes, are rather well motorized. their experience is also gaining in that for some it is the third generation with single or multi axle tractors. AND their biggest fear is to flip one of these things onto them self or just damaging wagon, loads such as cheese, flower, or expensive appliances.

certain statistics claim that powered mountain vehicles are one of the highest source of fatality in the mountain farming. most of these people are not frivolous dear devils, but rather conservative , cautious and because of the meager income one can carve out of a mountain farm, also very frugal ... i know charlie, i fell of the devils cart ..that is way they sent me to the usa ... too knutts to farm in the bernis oberland.

these farmers would not gamble with their life and equipment. but still many get hurt in their daily performance of mowing, haying, logging, plowing, removing snow or transporting them self or their family up and down the mountain sides.

MossRoad · Apr 15, 2002

I did something similar to that with a toyota landcruiser, only the fence was a river /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif. I was going parallel to the river across a very low slope when I got into the slickest mud I've ever seen. Forwards, slide towards the river. Backwards, slide towards the river. Couldn't get out. Had to call for a tow. I can only imagine your situation. How did you tow it out?

RoyJackson · Apr 15, 2002

How did you tow it out?

Left it there for a day (this was in a suburb..just behind my sister's rental home). When the grass dried out, I bulled my way out. Didn't mess the fence up (heavy duty chain link) but I scratched the paint on the truck pretty badly. Also tore the grass up at the fence. Wasn't a big deal, truck was a worker, not too pretty anyway.
Rather embarassing situation though....

Charlie_Iliff · Apr 15, 2002

Forwards, slide towards the fence. Backwards, slide towards the fence.

Exactly right. To get out, embarassing as it is for a Power Trac, we detached the mower, pulled straight sideways with a Ford Explorer, of all things, at the top of the hill with a chain to the PT trailer hitch, and backed it out. Then we hooked the Power Trac to the mower with the chain, pulled it to the top of the hill, attached it and went back to work.