Goodbye 3030 HSTC, Hello 3430 HSTC

[Toolguy]

It's not as bad as it may look. I wouldn't drive on anything much steeper than that, but I feel perfectly safe on that slope. I have been driving tractors for over 50 years. I started with my dad on the seat when I was four and by the time I was eight I was doing light field work all by myself. I was in my first tractor pulling contest when I was eleven. I grew up driving Fords back in the 50's. They are a good tractor to learn on as they are built low to the ground. They also are a safe tractor because the driver's legs straddle the transmision and your feet rest on running boards alongside the trans. The clutch and brakes are down there so all of the normal working of the controls keeps you in a safe postion where it would be pretty hard to fall off as long as you are hanging onto the steering wheel. I only say all of this to emphasize that I have a lot of tractor driving experience and was taught how to drive and how to be safe by my father. He always stressed safety first on the farm and would let you know in no uncertain terms if he caught you doing anything stupid. Our farm had lots of steep sidehills that we worked. I got the feel of what is safe and what is not a long time ago and learned to respect the danger involved if you went too far. My advice to anyone worried about driving on hills is to not do anything you are uncomfortable with. There is always another way to get the job done. Drive up and down the hill if you think it is too steep to go across. Or, just stay off of it completely. Don't take any unnecessary chances if you feel an accident is possible. Your life and health is far more important than cutting some grass. Good luck.

 

[TomKioti]

Guys,

There is a product available that I think is called the Tiltometer. Hopefully it's still available. It may be a good indicator tool for those of you "grade challenged" property owners. I've read about it here on TBN but I can't find the links although I'm sure the wiser among us will point you in the right direction to find it.

Good Luck and Congrats on your 2nd new toy.

 

[ovrszd]

It's not as bad as it may look. I wouldn't drive on anything much steeper than that, but I feel perfectly safe on that slope. I have been driving tractors for over 50 years. I started with my dad on the seat when I was four and by the time I was eight I was doing light field work all by myself. I was in my first tractor pulling contest when I was eleven. I grew up driving Fords back in the 50's. They are a good tractor to learn on as they are built low to the ground. They also are a safe tractor because the driver's legs straddle the transmision and your feet rest on running boards alongside the trans. The clutch and brakes are down there so all of the normal working of the controls keeps you in a safe postion where it would be pretty hard to fall off as long as you are hanging onto the steering wheel. I only say all of this to emphasize that I have a lot of tractor driving experience and was taught how to drive and how to be safe by my father. He always stressed safety first on the farm and would let you know in no uncertain terms if he caught you doing anything stupid. Our farm had lots of steep sidehills that we worked. I got the feel of what is safe and what is not a long time ago and learned to respect the danger involved if you went too far. My advice to anyone worried about driving on hills is to not do anything you are uncomfortable with. There is always another way to get the job done. Drive up and down the hill if you think it is too steep to go across. Or, just stay off of it completely. Don't take any unnecessary chances if you feel an accident is possible. Your life and health is far more important than cutting some grass. Good luck.

I too grew up on little Fords, 8N, 641, 861 and later a 4000. I started about the same age as you. Great way to start life!!!

 

[Charlesaf3]

Thanks for the thoughts all. I think I'll stay with the 3030... even though it hasn't been delivered yet. Its been pretty modified to suit me.

I was pretty torn by whether to get the 3430 or 3030, but ended up with the 3030 as mowing will be a big thing for it. I did get the tires (R4) foamed which puts a lot more weight downbelow. Should help with the CG.

Anybody ever tried to use their backhoe as a "balancing pole" on slopes - ie putting it uphill? Seems like it might help. I also thought a heavy bucket carried a few inches off the ground would help bring down the CG. That would really be tough on the grass weightwise though.

I think I'm going to buy the inclinometer off here. Gives money to TBN too.

 

[IslandTractor]

Anybody ever tried to use their backhoe as a "balancing pole" on slopes - ie putting it uphill? Seems like it might help. I also thought a heavy bucket carried a few inches off the ground would help bring down the CG. That would really be tough on the grass weightwise though.

I think I'm going to buy the inclinometer off here. Gives money to TBN too.

There are some specialty slope mowing devices that use counterweights but I think generally it is not too practical and possibly dangerous. Think about what you'd do at the end of each row when you needed to turn around.

I have an inclinometer (TBN type) but while it does provide some interesting information, it is not as accurate or quick to provide information as my olde reliable puckermeter. I imagine that most tip overs are "dynamic" in that they involve motion as well as or rather than just increasing angle. A jolt from shifting load or down hill tire hitting a hole or uphill tire running over a rock or old stump are factors that the meter simply cannot help prevent. It is actually dangerous to look at the inclinometer while moving as it means you are not watching carefully for bumps and dips. I did find it interesting to correlate my puckermeter with the inclinometer and I am now quite convinced that I can predict the angle within a couple of degrees based on how anxious I am. My personal warning device tends to start at about 10 degrees and builds up from there. I am reasonably comfortable going up to 15 degrees while working but after that I go real slow and watch the tire placement carefully. It is so slow that for practical purposes I don't get much work done trying to drive along a hill of 15 degrees or more. I'd rather just go up and down. That said, my closest calls have not been on hills but rather traveling on flat areas with a heavy load in the grapple raised about 4 feet (so I can see under it) and hitting a bump or dip with my wheels. The inclinometer is clearly not useful in those situations.

 

[Charlesaf3]

There are some specialty slope mowing devices that use counterweights but I think generally it is not too practical and possibly dangerous. Think about what you'd do at the end of each row when you needed to turn around.

I have an inclinometer (TBN type) but while it does provide some interesting information, it is not as accurate or quick to provide information as my olde reliable puckermeter. I imagine that most tip overs are "dynamic" in that they involve motion as well as or rather than just increasing angle. A jolt from shifting load or down hill tire hitting a hole or uphill tire running over a rock or old stump are factors that the meter simply cannot help prevent. It is actually dangerous to look at the inclinometer while moving as it means you are not watching carefully for bumps and dips. I did find it interesting to correlate my puckermeter with the inclinometer and I am now quite convinced that I can predict the angle within a couple of degrees based on how anxious I am. My personal warning device tends to start at about 10 degrees and builds up from there. I am reasonably comfortable going up to 15 degrees while working but after that I go real slow and watch the tire placement carefully. It is so slow that for practical purposes I don't get much work done trying to drive along a hill of 15 degrees or more. I'd rather just go up and down. That said, my closest calls have not been on hills but rather traveling on flat areas with a heavy load in the grapple raised about 4 feet (so I can see under it) and hitting a bump or dip with my wheels. The inclinometer is clearly not useful in those situations.

I was thinking in terms of doing spirals while moving - keeps backhoe uphill the whole time, and generally an easier way to mow I've found as it keeps the tight turns down. But yeah - I'm just exploring the backhoe idea, not actually advocating for it (yet... )

Makes sense on using the pucker factor. I think I'll still get the inclinometer to calibrate my pucker factor and support TBN. Also, if I get the dual axis one it'll provide all sorts of interesting data - I love data

Good to know on the grapple issue - I'm not sure I would have considered that. I continue to learn so much on here.

 

[IslandTractor]

I was thinking in terms of doing spirals while moving - keeps backhoe uphill the whole time, .

I'm having a hard time visualizing how a "spiral" mowing technique would keep an implement (e.g. backhoe or other counterweight) on the uphill side constantly. If a spiral is a continuous series of ever increasing diameter circles then the counterweight would be on the downhill side half the time. Wouldn't it?

 

[WayneW]

I think mowing stability and the type of stability VAMountains is talking about are different. With a 5 or 6 ft mowing deck, you have a nice wide, low counterweight. 400 lbs or so that makes for an incredible stable tractor, able to mow pretty steep slopes. That's almost 20% of a 3030's weight (tractor+mower) about 8" off the ground.

Taking the deck off and adding a loader (and perhaps a backhoe) add a bunch of weight (much more than the 3030 weighs) much higher. (I'm referring to a carry position). This can turn a stable mowing tractor into a not so stable one.

 

[lawn_king]

King, you wouldn't happen to have a tiltmeter or something similar on your 3030 would ya?? I know you've ran it enough to know what it will safely do and was curious if you have any factual data to submit. Thanks.

I dont have a tilt meter, i just try and use good judgement & common sense. There are services that take me longer (fertilizing,spraying,aerating,etc) going up & down the hills instead of across the acreage, but i would rather be safe that sorry! One unseen gopher hole can lay you over. I always wear my belt, i'm in the habit as my dumptruck is a cabover.

 

[Charlesaf3]

I'm having a hard time visualizing how a "spiral" mowing technique would keep an implement (e.g. backhoe or other counterweight) on the uphill side constantly. If a spiral is a continuous series of ever increasing diameter circles then the counterweight would be on the downhill side half the time. Wouldn't it?

Think of tying a rope to a pole, and then walking clockwise around the pole - your right shoulder will always be facing the pole, and will eventually touch it.

Hmmm, maybe a rope and a pole would be good roll over protection!