I have a JD 5045e with a mx6 brushhog and a 553 loader/bucket on the front. This hill is making me a little nervous this year with the loader on. I know, I could/should take the loader off, but my thought is it is giving more weight up front to keep the front end down as I drive straight up and down the hill. Last year I mowed this several times without the loader, but I had a couple suitcase weights( approx 200 lbs.) on along with the heavy weight holder. I didn't have trouble at all as long as I mowed the top part in 4wd. I drove it up and down with ease. Am I wrong thinking the loader will be even better to keep the front down? No problems so far on the parts that I have already done, but that top section I am not so sure about. Feels really steep. Anyway, what are your guesses on the angles of this hill? This loader is fairly new to me. Any polite comments are appreciated.
Guess the angle
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brin
Super Member
I would guess 25 deg. and I think you could safely mow it sideways as long as you keep your bucket low...just off the ground, be sure you know where any down hill pot holes are and avoid them, go slow low speed and if you ever did start to slip just turn downhill and you should be fine. If you want to just mow up and down the hill the just keep your bucket low. I routinely mow two hillsides on my farm..one by the lake is a little steeper than yours and I have mowed it with both my JD 3020 with fel and tC-29d with fel..just go slow and be careful.
Also remember if mowing from side to side instead of up and down you don't have to go straight across you can mow in arches so you start out at the bottom of the hill on one side and slightly turn up the hill and make a curving cut then come back again with a higher curving cut up the hill and so on...so while you are cutting sideways you are still almost always going up or down the hill except for brief moments when you are in the arc or each cut...does that make sense..? I wish I could draw it out for you...
Also remember if mowing from side to side instead of up and down you don't have to go straight across you can mow in arches so you start out at the bottom of the hill on one side and slightly turn up the hill and make a curving cut then come back again with a higher curving cut up the hill and so on...so while you are cutting sideways you are still almost always going up or down the hill except for brief moments when you are in the arc or each cut...does that make sense..? I wish I could draw it out for you...
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Runner
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I agree with 25 from the middle up, looks like it levels out to about 20 below the mid section.
I don't think I'd try it side-slope with my machine. 20 is about my limit.
I don't think I'd try it side-slope with my machine. 20 is about my limit.
TripleR
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I mow levies just a little bit steeper in appearance than that with my CX80 both up and down as well as sideways, but would not try going sideways with my L5030. I grew up in the flat lands though and don't think I will ever be "comfortable" mowing sideways on these inclines.
sweettractors
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I would be more concerned about going down the hill when a little wet than going up with the loader on. The loader will take traction off your rear wheels and you could slide down. Ken Sweet
RoyJackson
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Based upon the first picture, the upper section of the slope is 15-20 degrees, the lower section is 8-12 degrees.
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JoeL4330
Platinum Member
Yup...except that he has 4wd and that's how I would mow downhill, no matter what
sweettractors
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I would be concerned about what was in that ditch at the bottom of the hill. I have had new tractors pop out of 4 wheel drive. I have also forgot to put tractor in in 4 wheel assist before I started a job like this. Just be careful. Ken Sweet
pat32rf
Veteran Member
You will find that you have more stability with a loaded bucket carried LOW, than you will have with the loader off, in 4wd, going up or accross. You are the operator however, if it don't feel right, don't do it.....
Brin's idea of the arches may sound good, and they do this with ATVs but they also count on centifical force (and high speed) during that brief moment when they are at the top of the arch, and in the WORST position for a downhill roll. They can sometimes prevent a roll by turning down into it quickly, an option you probably don't have when mowing...
Brin's idea of the arches may sound good, and they do this with ATVs but they also count on centifical force (and high speed) during that brief moment when they are at the top of the arch, and in the WORST position for a downhill roll. They can sometimes prevent a roll by turning down into it quickly, an option you probably don't have when mowing...
RoyJackson
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Personally, I wouldn't mow on sloped wet grass with or without 4WD. Once that slide starts, 4WD and engine braking aren't going to help a bit.
RoyJackson
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If your front end comes up, it's telling you that you need more weight up there. As far as raising the bucket, it's not going to add more weight but it will raise the center of gravity (not good if the tractor starts rolling to the side). So, best bet is stop and shift to a lower gear, even if that means backing back down the slope and starting back up.
Going down the slope...again, raising the bucket isn't going to help. I'm with Ken Sweet...if I must mow down a slope, I don't want the loader on...but what goes down, must come up (which means going up slope, the loader weight might be handy).
Most important thing is to not get into a situation...that means going as slow as you can go...and leave the mowing until the grass is dry.
TripleR
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Ok , I hope these do this hill more justice-maybe I just am afraid of heights?
I will be the first to admit that mowing on hill makes me nervous. Oftentimes people are afraid of mowing on slopes when there is no real need to. I have some pond levies that are of a uniform slope and I got "use" to mowing on them by starting at the bottom, it is surprising how much steeper something looks from the top rather than the bottom. Once you know you are "safe", you can go from there and get to know your tractor. When mowing sideways, I am always prepared to immediately turn down hill and accelerate as this saved my behind many years ago on a new tractor.
There is certainly nothing wrong with being afraid as it may keep you out of trouble. Hills never bothered my father in law and he rolled more than one lawn mower; got trapped for about four hours once, but it didn't slow him down.
If I am in doubt after a little experimenting, I just park it.
crazyal
Super Member
I found on a government web site a simple grade measuring device. It's a JPG image you print out and attach to board and at the location on the sheet you insert a screw then hand a weight on a string off of it. I added a second board about 5 feet long to the bottom so I can set it on the ground. It takes a lot of the guess work out of "how steep is that", kind of like a tilt gauge on a tractor without the need to drive the tractor on it to find out.
A Landowner's Guide to Building Forest Access Roads - Grade Meter
A Landowner's Guide to Building Forest Access Roads - Grade Meter
pat32rf
Veteran Member
If I'm going uphill and the front wheels start to lift (not just get light) I imediately lift my right foot and re-assess the situation. Probably result in a bigger load in my bucket....which would be carried as low as possible.
If the rear wheels come up, while going down hill all you can do is ride it on down, hoping that it doesn't pop out of 4wd and keeping the bucket low.
Around here I don't have fields to mow, but some very steep bush trails.....
If the rear wheels come up, while going down hill all you can do is ride it on down, hoping that it doesn't pop out of 4wd and keeping the bucket low.
Around here I don't have fields to mow, but some very steep bush trails.....
American Bulldog
Gold Member
Best way to balance the weight of the tractor is to put suitcase weights on the front. They give better vision and balance. Up and down should be very safe with the tractor, as the mower on the 3 point hitch will prevent wheelies.
You can get wheel extensions to improve stability when mowing sideways on the hills. Don't take unnecessary risks, as it is not worth it. Always wear the seat belt.
I have a JD 5520 with a 15 foot flex wing mower that runs off of the draw bar hitch. I tried going up a 30 degree slope with it, and it pulled a wheelie and almost went completely vertical. Somehow a ended up gaining control of the tractor, but I practically soiled my pants. And I had 800 pounds of weight on the front.
One thing that disappoints me about John Deere is that they are very vague when it comes to operating their equipment on slopes. I am currently saving up for a Power Trac PT1460, as these are rated for 30 degree slopes from the factory. For 30 grand it has 60 HP hydrostatic drive with a 7 1/2 foot rough cut mower on the front. Considering it handles 30 degree slopes, these are tough to beat.
You can get wheel extensions to improve stability when mowing sideways on the hills. Don't take unnecessary risks, as it is not worth it. Always wear the seat belt.
I have a JD 5520 with a 15 foot flex wing mower that runs off of the draw bar hitch. I tried going up a 30 degree slope with it, and it pulled a wheelie and almost went completely vertical. Somehow a ended up gaining control of the tractor, but I practically soiled my pants. And I had 800 pounds of weight on the front.
One thing that disappoints me about John Deere is that they are very vague when it comes to operating their equipment on slopes. I am currently saving up for a Power Trac PT1460, as these are rated for 30 degree slopes from the factory. For 30 grand it has 60 HP hydrostatic drive with a 7 1/2 foot rough cut mower on the front. Considering it handles 30 degree slopes, these are tough to beat.
gotrocks
Platinum Member
Ok if your camera was "level" for this pic then here are a couple of angles drawn.
brin
Super Member
Ok , I hope these do this hill more justice-maybe I just am afraid of heights?
Ok, I can tell you there are none of those hills I would hesitate to mow using the sideways arching procedure I described to you in a previous post, but I have been doing this for 30 yrs....So you start slow...start at the bottom and go up and make a slow arch at the peak of your first run and then finish the run by turning down, then take your next run, slow and so on - just remember if you ever feel uneasy or anything goes wrong - turn downhill immediately and ride it down..do not put in the clutch ! You just have to get used to it and take it slow..don't get in a hurry and you will gain confidence as you go..I was scared when I first started too.
