Finally found time to mow pond dam

[jcummins]

to: jcummins, OP:
well lots of good response here, esp noting the steeper angle @ top of dam (that i overlooked). my feeling is, mow when everything's dry & forget the dam top area if you must mow with a rider rather than a walk behind or weed eater. everything has it's price....how far up did the hay harvest go on the dams as you mentioned?

Up very near the top.

Different people have done the haying, it's done in conjunction with other pastures around my place. One year, although I did not witness it, I was told the tires on the hay rack broke the bead on the rims, trying to rake that dam down. They had to push the hay towards the bottom...top to steep for baler.

 

[jcummins]

I measured best I could with an angle gauge, the slope is 20-22 degrees.

I mowed the dam again yesterday. Guess I'm getting use to it, since I did it quite a bit faster. The F does slide on this slope, but it's controllable.

When I first got this F, I had about 250lbs of weight down low over the rear tires. I took that weight off, thinking it might be making the rear slide downhill. Think I will put those weights back on, since I'm more familiar with how the F feels now. Gotta think weight down that low should help, not hurt.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I measured best I could with an angle gauge, the slope is 20-22 degrees.

I mowed the dam again yesterday. Guess I'm getting use to it, since I did it quite a bit faster. The F does slide on this slope, but it's controllable.

When I first got this F, I had about 250lbs of weight down low over the rear tires. I took that weight off, thinking it might be making the rear slide downhill. Think I will put those weights back on, since I'm more familiar with how the F feels now. Gotta think weight down that low should help, not hurt.

I don't know but I know weight force will go down and when your laying sideways, down is down or going toward the side and not "down" toward the bottom of the object (F mower). Seems like that weight will be wanting to go toward the bottom of the dam/hill (or side of the tires)instead of down to the bottom of the tires. :2cents: On a slight incline doubt it would make much difference but on a steep incline seems to me weight sticking/protruding out from the back that doesn't have direct contact with the ground would be trying to provide some force/weight down the hill. If you could put it on something that would swing it around to the upper side (like swinging the backhoe bucket up the hill side when traversing a hill) then it seems it might add some small benefit with the weight of the machine you have.

 

[jcummins]

I don't know but I know weight force will go down and when your laying sideways, down is down or going toward the side and not "down" toward the bottom of the object (F mower). Seems like that weight will be wanting to go toward the bottom of the dam/hill (or side of the tires)instead of down to the bottom of the tires. :2cents: On a slight incline doubt it would make much difference but on a steep incline seems to me weight sticking/protruding out from the back that doesn't have direct contact with the ground would be trying to provide some force/weight down the hill. If you could put it on something that would swing it around to the upper side (like swinging the backhoe bucket up the hill side when traversing a hill) then it seems it might add some small benefit with the weight of the machine you have.

Honestly....I couldn't tell a difference between the weight on or off. BUT being more familiar with the feel of the F now, I may be able to tell a difference now....the reason I'm thinking of putting it back on. That weight where it is...is in line with the rear axle, so it is very low.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

That weight where it is...is in line with the rear axle, so it is very low.
Hang a weight on a string and stand on the bank of your dam and see where the weight is hanging or heading. Unless there is something wrong it won't be going down toward the spot your standing it will be going toward the bottom of your dam/bank. The weight will not be in line with your axle except when you are on level ground. I doubt it will make any difference either way but if it does any thing it will try and pull the back of the F toward the bottom of the bank or "down". It will have no effect on level ground.:2cents: Other than use more fuel because your pulling/pushing more weight. This is all about going sideways across bank and not straight up and down which will change the effect of the additional weight. Going straight down and to some extent going up will add additional weight to the axle, especially going straight down hill.

 

[jcummins]

For anyone following this thread.....I mow that pond dam every 2nd to 3rd time I mow the yard. The dam is curved and has a shorter section, but just as steep or even slightly steeper in one section. No water at the bottom, but there was a drainage issues that I've moved dirt in there, and it's slowly healing....but not quite yet. I was mowing that shorter dam today, and the F3680 started sliding, I only had about 3 feet or so, and there was the mucky area. Keep steady hst speed, hoping it would catch, since trying to speed it up would do nothing but spin the tires. It just kept sliding. Lucky me, married to a Gator tow driver that is half way decent on pulling me out of places.

One trait of this F is that with rear steer, in that situation, trying to steer out of the problem just puts the steering tires into the problem. Also, haven';t completely made up my mind, but believe the turf tires have to go. Need more bite.

 

[Xfaxman]

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One trait of this F is that with rear steer, in that situation, trying to steer out of the problem just puts the steering tires into the problem. Also, haven';t completely made up my mind, but believe the turf tires have to go. Need more bite.

Here is my bite. Much better than turf tires.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

For anyone following this thread.....I mow that pond dam every 2nd to 3rd time I mow the yard. The dam is curved and has a shorter section, but just as steep or even slightly steeper in one section. No water at the bottom, but there was a drainage issues that I've moved dirt in there, and it's slowly healing....but not quite yet. I was mowing that shorter dam today, and the F3680 started sliding, I only had about 3 feet or so, and there was the mucky area. Keep steady hst speed, hoping it would catch, since trying to speed it up would do nothing but spin the tires. It just kept sliding. Lucky me, married to a Gator tow driver that is half way decent on pulling me out of places.

One trait of this F is that with rear steer, in that situation, trying to steer out of the problem just puts the steering tires into the problem. Also, haven';t completely made up my mind, but believe the turf tires have to go. Need more bite.

No doubt about ag tires having more bite in mud but how do you figure a tire with less rubber on the ground will have more bite on dry ground? or do you think that? Drag racers have no tread for more bite but they don't race in the mud. I had both ag and turf tires on my former F2680e because there was an in between owner that put the ags on it but I hated them since I mowed dry ground, not muddy ground. The in between owner installed them thinking it would give a 2wd the traction of a 4wd on a hillside, didn't happen so he sold the F2680e back to Barlows and I bought it back with both sets of tires. Still have the turf tires but not the F2680e.

 

[Pete6114]

One trait of this F is that with rear steer, in that situation, trying to steer out of the problem just puts the steering tires into the problem. Also, haven';t completely made up my mind, but believe the turf tires have to go. Need more bite.

Have you tried cutting that problem area in reverse, so you can steer out of it, instead of into the mush?
I'd be concerned what ags would do to my Lawn.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Have you tried cutting that problem area in reverse, so you can steer out of it, instead of into the mush?
I'd be concerned what ags would do to my Lawn.

They will tear it up with the least bit of slippage, especially on turns.