Brush mowing steep slopes

[AchingBack]

I am on my second DR mower. The first one I purchased in the early 1990's. It is the large wheeled 8hp model, with no reverse. It is still in use at my neighbor's house, as his ground is all flat, and mine is hilly, and my sand filter mound for my septic system is at a 30 degree angle. The old DR handled it with no problem. I gave it to my neighbor because I really needed reverse, and all terrain tires.

In the late 90's I bought a used DR electric start, 12.5 hp, Techumsa engine, with differential lock, all terrain tires, 4 forward gears, and reverse. It had very little use, and I was blessed to have paid only $900. Techumsa is going out of business, and recently when I had to replace the carburetor; there were only 2 in stock, at around $100.00. So, parts can be expensive, and possibly hard to obtain for some machines.

I mowed the sand filter with both of my DR mowers, and both did a very adequate job of cutting high grass and weeds. I have other slopes with blackberry, and saplings, and both mowers did well. Now days I use my brush hog because I am almost 70 years old, and would rather not walk and mow at the same time.

What I like so much about being a DR customer - they have fantastic service!

 

[leonz]

The problem with your site again is that it is too steep and the minute you attempt to climb it your two wheel tractor will want to fall to the left or right and roll over.


It happens with front end loader operators that stupidly push material up a stockpile face and think they are doing something of benefit while the stockpiles are being filled with an overhead conveyor.


The only absolute way that you should even consider doing this is with a Ramsey winch attached to the 2 wheel tractor and a second person operating the winch at the top with the winch mounted on a heavy pick up truck 3/4 ton with ballast.

 

[washita]

no experience with BCS, but my BIL has personally destroyed two hydrostatic drive transmissions in two different brands of brush cutters, I ruined the motor on my Gravely commercial 10A due to lack of proper lubrication because of steepness of grade while brush cutting (bought a PT 425 to replace Gravely), years ago we owned a ''slope mower'' 2 cycle engine and 20'' cut? self propelled , basically it traversed the slope in an arc while you stood at the top of the hill holding the rope that was attached to it, hmm wonder what ever became of it?, me personally ''day labor'' could possibly work if you do not mind having strangers wandering all over the property

 

[KentT]

I'll just have to see what I can do with loaded tires/wheel weights, wheel spacers and perhaps dual wheels and/or even tire chains. One of the reasons for trying it with a 2-wheeled tractor is that should the machine slip and roll, I'm not on it, but rather safely behind it -- on the opposite end from the cutter...

If I can get it cleared the first time, I think it could be maintained with a sicklebar, with dual wheels for stability.

Meanwhile, there are solutions for steep slopes, but perhaps not common in the US:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ox1iK9MxA&feature=related"]Brielmaier Motormäher am Hang mit 3,5m Mähwerk und Hillrake - YouTube[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hpoV_4p4OQ&feature=related[/ame]

 

[farmerboybill]

Hmm, we musta been typing at the same time, Kent...

Hi Leon,

I looked again at Kents pics and don't see anything unacceptably steep for a two wheel tractor. It looks no steeper than my farm.

Here's a couple of many European videos showing two wheel tractors on hillsides. Is this steep?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP_-u5ydgnk&feature=channel&list=UL]Mountainpress en - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fEa5Nwi05A&feature=related]Rapid REX - Der leichteste Hydrom臧er der Welt - YouTube[/ame]

These are extreme examples, but two wheel tractors are MADE for steep hillsides where a 4 wheel tractor would roll over. The second video shows a Rapid powered by a Robin Subaru EX21 7 hp motor. There's also videos showing remote controlled two wheel tractors, but I couldn't find them right away. Any two wheel tractor can be dualled up and steel wheels are available from Earth Tools that will help "hold" the hill. You can also get axle extensions and wheel weights to increase stability. Kent may need to go with a sickle mower to get a widened cutting path to stay within the wheel tracks if he needs to get very wide.

 

[RichardTX]

Sideways tilt on any engine is much less tolerated on a engine than front to back tilt. Of all the pressure lubed engines I have seen the max side tilt is around 15 degrees. Front to back tilt is usually specified at 35 degrees. Some manuals said that angles greater than 35% can be tolerated for short periods of time whatever that means. One manual said that the engine could be operated at angles up to 45 degrees but that the carb was the limiting factor.

A Gravely powered with the Gravely engine also equipped with axle extenders was advertised as being capable of mowing anywhere a man could walk. That engine was pressure lubricated.

Gravely did sell a hillside mower but it was a rebadged Harper. It too was limited to 34 degrees. 162 All Terrain Slope Mower

I have mowed hillsides up to 45 degrees using a Gravely 4 wheel tractor with a pressure lubricated CCKA engine. I always mowed downhill on the steepest slopes and went uphill on the less steep slopes. Sure that meant that I was making a big circle but it got the job done. For those unfamiliar with the Gravely 4 wheel tractor, the engine and transmission was at the very rear of the tractor. The only issue was if the slope was at it's steepest and the grass was wet. The rear tires would lose traction (I had chains on too!) and it would skid down the hill until the tires gained purchase again. Skidding down the hill was unnerving. I could steer just fine, just the speed was uncontrolled.

Mowing sideways on a steep hill is a problem. I would not do it except with a hillside mower. It is too hard on the ankles and in the case of a 4 wheel tractor, sliding out of the seat is a real problem. Don't even think about a seat belt unless a proper ROPS is installed.

I consider mowing downhill with anything except a Gravely 4 wheeler risky at best. A different class of machine is another matter altogether.

 

[KentT]

Sideways tilt on any engine is much less tolerated on a engine than front to back tilt. Of all the pressure lubed engines I have seen the max side tilt is around 15 degrees. Front to back tilt is usually specified at 35 degrees. Some manuals said that angles greater than 35% can be tolerated for short periods of time whatever that means. One manual said that the engine could be operated at angles up to 45 degrees but that the carb was the limiting factor.
......

I have mowed hillsides up to 45 degrees using a Gravely 4 wheel tractor with a pressure lubricated CCKA engine. I always mowed downhill on the steepest slopes and went uphill on the less steep slopes. Sure that meant that I was making a big circle but it got the job done. For those unfamiliar with the Gravely 4 wheel tractor, the engine and transmission was at the very rear of the tractor. The only issue was if the slope was at it's steepest and the grass was wet. The rear tires would lose traction and it would skid down the hill.

Richard, I have similar experiences with my Power Trac, with a Kohler Command CH-25. Its lube system is supposedly limited to 25 degree slopes, and to be honest, that is about the sideslope capability of the machine, since it crabs so badly in those situations. But, I've mowed up and down slopes that far exceed that.

If I have sufficient runount at the bottom, I will attempt to mow straight down the hill with it. There will likely be lots of trips back to the top, so I can mow back downhill since (a) I need the weight of the lifted brushcutter on the front for frontwheel traction to climb it, (b) it will spin trying to push the cutter up steep slopes if the cutter is on the ground, and (c) I don't have the engine power to both power the cutter and climb this steep a slope simultaneously...

My concern is areas where there is no runout, and areas where it is so steep I may not be able to safely turn the articulated machine. That's where I'm looking for a 2-wheeled solution...

 

[Davestc29]

What about renting a dozer and leveling off some of those steep slopes

 

[KentT]

What about renting a dozer and leveling off some of those steep slopes

Not sure I understand -- how do you level them? As it is, where they've cut in a road down into that hollow, they've left me with areas above it that now have no run-out, making it even more a challenge.

The third pic below shows how little topsoil there is on that "road" bank, before you get down to "cracked/layered shale" . ..

 

[Davestc29]

I see what you mean, I've seen brush mower here in my neck of the woods mounted on the side of a tractor with sort of an excavator ARM and a brush mower to get the sides of the canals over here there similar to this but with a lot more reach and on the center of the tractor