Driving a mini-ex up a slope: safest method?

[Jchonline]

This isn't terrible, and agrees with what most are saying. Volvo trainer/operator in the machine.

 

[ktm250rider]

Yeah, typically you loose traction. If so, use the bucket to pull while walking up the hill.
I don't advise going that steep on rock basically with a 14ton while volunteering with your local snowmobile club. They slide in that situation!

 

[Code54]

I have to get up slopes that steep every year at our place and that is the right approach. They will climb but make sure it is not wet, and not covered with leaves and wet underneath. The biggest concern is having the machine slide and you getting sideways.

 

[kthompson]

We don't have any real slopes here but have used my mini on piles of dirt a good bit. Please realize they were probably only 10 to 12 feet high. I have climbed them with boom forward and also boom to the rear. I always climbed up or down with blade to the rear. Climbing would pull boom into excavator as close as I could and the use it to lever the excavator and push it as the tracks were pulling up the slope. Then when had travel the distance the boom had would lower the blade to hold the excavator and also make it as level as it could while pulling boom back in to go again.

May not work on rock and such but on for me on piles of dirt it worked great, for me.

 

[Wagtail]

If so, easily accomplished. Blade is down slope, arm about halfway out, bucket down, and you ride the bucket like a tricycle, where the bucket is the front wheel.

?

Coming down the slope I agree about the blade being down-slope... however I'd also come down the way I went up but in reverse. Keep the weight/load/arm uphill.

That's how I was taught on my Navy/Commercial forklift/crane course and how I treat any load on/in my FEL.

During haying season I usually fetch rounds of hay on some very steep gradient hills... drive up (4x4) to the bale, load and then reverse down (4x4) the same way (bale 'uphill').

 

[millsan1]

?

Coming down the slope I agree about the blade being down-slope... however I'd also come down the way I went up but in reverse. Keep the weight/load/arm uphill.

That's how I was taught on my Navy/Commercial forklift/crane course and how I treat any load on/in my FEL.

During haying season I usually fetch rounds of hay on some very steep gradient hills... drive up (4x4) to the bale, load and then reverse down (4x4) the same way (bale 'uphill').

With a tractor, I agree with you. However, with a mini, you have a built in anti tipping device, the arm and bucket. With the arm and bucket in contact with the ground below you, you cannot tip downhill, as the arm and bucket are like an outrigger. You are also facing in the direction of travel. This is how I was taught and how I drive mine. YMMV.

Extreme example of what can be accomplished this way:

 

[Wagtail]

With a tractor, I agree with you. However, with a mini, you have a built in anti tipping device, the arm and bucket. With the arm and bucket in contact with the ground below you, you cannot tip downhill, as the arm and bucket are like an outrigger. You are also facing in the direction of travel. This is how I was taught and how I drive mine. YMMV.

Fair enough. :thumbsup:

 

[Code54]

Yep - coming down (a decent slope) I ALWAYS go boom forward/blade forward and use my feet for track control. That way I use the bucket as my 3rd point of contact to avoid skidding and tipping. Use the blade as a brake if you start sliding too much.
I also use the bucket/boom a lot for getting up very steep short banks - say going over a ditch and up an almost vertical face where only the front curved part of the track can grab at the bank. I been amazed at where I can get the mini in and out of with practice and taking my time. Amazing machines!

 

[falfrenzy]

I really appreciate all the input guys, thank you!

 

[Jchonline]

Ok now go look at a bunch of Excavator fail videos on Youtube for some reverse inspiration!