Finally got a inclinometer

Stargazer · May 24, 2014

Sjmarbu: Any idea where purchased/price like it has fore/aft as well as side/side. Thanx PR

newbury · May 24, 2014

TripleR said:
One of those things I keep meaning to get and will someday more out of curiosity than anything else as like JOHNTHOMAS while angles don't change my internal pucker factor sure does from one machine to another.

Stargazer said:
Sjmarbu: Any idea where purchased/price like it has fore/aft as well as side/side. Thanx PR

If you've got an Android device there's many apps for that: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=inclinometer&c=apps

Stargazer · May 24, 2014

slmarbu: Found it duh amazon $17 + s/h Thanx Should have tried there first

TripleR · May 24, 2014

newbury said:
If you've got an Android device there's many apps for that: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=inclinometer&c=apps

Thanks, no signal where I live, so I've stuck with the old style phone.

Kenneth in Texas · May 24, 2014

Sun Company 201-F Lev-o-gage Inclinometer and Tilt Gauge: Snap Gauges: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

this is the one i got except mine just goes to 30 degrees, ive seen these on boats and other tractors plus mine has been rained on a couple times so im thinking its waterproof.

RaydaKub · May 24, 2014

sjmarbu said:
But many is the time I've had to slam down the FEL to keep from going over, and I pretty much always have it on the tractor for that reason.

I understand the big emergency brake idea. I've used it myself. But I can also tell you that having the FEL on the front end can make a huge difference in the stability of the tractor. I've only got a BX. It is even closer to the ground than the B. My rears are loaded with washer fluid, so roughly 100 lbs each. I mounted 50 lbs of wheel weights on them and put 275 lbs on my 3pt low to the ground. I then drove over to my hillside which measures at about 20-22 degrees. It always felt tippy to me, so I parked it there, got off, and pushed on the rollbar. I could left the wheel with some effort. I went back to the garage, took off the weight bar, wheel weights, and FEL and parked in the exact same spot. I could NOT lift the rear wheel by pushing on the roll bar. The FEL transfers a lot of weight from the solid rear axle to the tippy front axle. The effects are dramatic at least on a subcompact.

So while it feels good to have that emergency brake on, that brake can be a huge contributor to the problem you are trying to solve.

RedNeckGeek · May 25, 2014

I agree that with the bucket in the air the CG is shifted up because of the high FEL attachment points. But by dropping the bucket that weight transfers to the ground, and at least in my experience so far, the wheels do as well. I've also had the misfortune of stripping the spline out of a front propeller shaft coupling while carrying a loaded bucket down a steep hill in 4WD. The back wheels were locked solid leaving two brown streaks of dust off the back but having no appreciable effect at slowing the tractor. I left a third in my seat, then remembered all I had to do was lower the bucket to get the thing stopped. My only other alternative at that point was to aim for a rock pile or tree, and that would have both painful and expensive.