whistlepig
Elite Member
The loader mounts are above the axles. Any weight higher than the axles will make stuff top heavy.
Bush hogging backwards?
- Thread starter hopson0352
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SPYDERLK
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2006
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- 10,383
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- Tractor
- JD2010, Kubota3450,2550, Mahindra 7520 w FEL w Skid Steer QC w/Tilt Tatch, & BH, BX1500
Not good. weight forward of the front axle unweights the rears. Best easy thing you can do beyond rear tire loading and counterweight is to remove the bucket.
larry
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
I see your point.
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
Would not the weight of the bucket balance the weight of the rotary cutter?
whistlepig
Elite Member
On level ground yes. On side hills the FEL works against the tractor.
SPYDERLK
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2006
- Messages
- 10,383
- Location
- VA
- Tractor
- JD2010, Kubota3450,2550, Mahindra 7520 w FEL w Skid Steer QC w/Tilt Tatch, & BH, BX1500
Anything unweighting the rears makes it easier to tip. Front back balance might improve steering on side hill, but all anti tip stability comes from the solid rear axle so you dont want to take weight off rears by overhung weight on the front.
larry
DKCDKC
Platinum Member
I try to cut forward so I can see what the heck I'm about to cut, but do back up to get into areas where I could not pull into, or over ditches, etc. I leave my loader on all the time because I can hold it right off the ground to screen for logs, and for a greater sense of stability. The bucket is a not inconsiderable weight and keeping it at ground level almost seems to lower my center of gravity.
Hollow
Gold Member
A picture is worth a thousand words. You could be over analyzing the situation and have nothing to worry about. It's easy to get uneasy about operating equipment on slopes and not knowing its limits. Find out what kind of bushhog it is and the specs. A heavy bushhog with its low center gravity can lower the tractors center of gravity if it weights enough. What is the slope of the hillside? And how wide are the rear wheels set on your tractor?
As for backing up a hillside, be carefull!!! Especially in 4x4!!! If enough weight is shifted from the rear axle to the front the tractor can tilt over to one side or the other. I had one do this with me one time and believe me, it ain't fun! I was operating a John Deere 5500 on a steep slope, I was gong down hill and had it in 4x4 because it would have just slid the rear wheels if I hadn't. I was going down hill when the right rear tire went over a 4" stump that was 4" to 5" tall. The momentum and most of the weight being on the front axle was enough to tip it over to the left side and it almost made it all the way to the articulation stops on the axle before I dropped the FEL to the ground the leveled it out with the bucket. Most people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I'd rather drive cross ways than up and down, but for an experienced operated its easier to since the stability of the tractor that way. If you get in trouble driving cross ways its usually gradual and you can stop and get out of the situation. When driving up and down trouble is usually sudden with little to no reaction time... That's my experience anyway.
As for backing up a hillside, be carefull!!! Especially in 4x4!!! If enough weight is shifted from the rear axle to the front the tractor can tilt over to one side or the other. I had one do this with me one time and believe me, it ain't fun! I was operating a John Deere 5500 on a steep slope, I was gong down hill and had it in 4x4 because it would have just slid the rear wheels if I hadn't. I was going down hill when the right rear tire went over a 4" stump that was 4" to 5" tall. The momentum and most of the weight being on the front axle was enough to tip it over to the left side and it almost made it all the way to the articulation stops on the axle before I dropped the FEL to the ground the leveled it out with the bucket. Most people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I'd rather drive cross ways than up and down, but for an experienced operated its easier to since the stability of the tractor that way. If you get in trouble driving cross ways its usually gradual and you can stop and get out of the situation. When driving up and down trouble is usually sudden with little to no reaction time... That's my experience anyway.
the6shooter
Gold Member
After reading this thread, I have to weigh in on it from experiance.
I have a steep pond that I used to and still do mow.
I had a little massey 1528, and I used to mow this going nose down hill, with the loader on.
I did this 3 times in one season. and the last time I did it I did it going down hill. Never Again!!! there was so much weight on the front of the tractor, I broke the front axle mount right off, and it cost me $2400 bucks for mowing down hill. the service depart. told me to alway mow going up hill. because all of the weight was on the front axle carring all of the load. and It should be on the rear.
So after the costly repair the rear axle carries the weight.
The max. load on the front was 1900 lbs the weight of the tractor loader and brush cutter far exceeded the front axle, causing the failure. so to make a long story short, I only mow going up whenever I can. or I just won't mow anything that steep.
Hope this may help.
david
I have a steep pond that I used to and still do mow.
I had a little massey 1528, and I used to mow this going nose down hill, with the loader on.
I did this 3 times in one season. and the last time I did it I did it going down hill. Never Again!!! there was so much weight on the front of the tractor, I broke the front axle mount right off, and it cost me $2400 bucks for mowing down hill. the service depart. told me to alway mow going up hill. because all of the weight was on the front axle carring all of the load. and It should be on the rear.
So after the costly repair the rear axle carries the weight.
The max. load on the front was 1900 lbs the weight of the tractor loader and brush cutter far exceeded the front axle, causing the failure. so to make a long story short, I only mow going up whenever I can. or I just won't mow anything that steep.
Hope this may help.
david
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
When you mow up to the top of the hill how do you get back down to the bottom?
