Helping to prevent roll-overs

[st1c2]

like everything else i do, i do it for myself.
i plan on getting one of the gages. i will simply do what i did
for the gage on my old cj5 15 years ago.
tether the tractor, jack it up, ease off the tether and jack it up some more until i find the pivot point, of course it will be full of fuel, no three point implement and i will get on the seat to determine the exact "point of no return".
now in practice as with the old jeep i expect it to work perfectly. because slow motion is best when you even get close to the pivot point.
steve c.

 

[jfdlaw]

I think it's tough for tractor manufacturers to publish data on roll over angles because so much of it depends on what you have attached and the resulting center of gravity. Loaded tires will probably lower it. A FEL will probably raise it. 3pt hitch implement could lower it. I imagine a MMM would lower it. Weight low, good. Weight high, bad. I imagine even tire choice could impact stability.

I try to keep weight low, keep the wheels at maximum width, avoid carrying too much in the bucket, keep some weight low on three point hitch (box blade) and go slow.

Power trac publishes angles for its slope mowers, in their standard configuration. (dual wheels, mower deck attached) There aren't as many variables with a powertrac. (by the way they are neat machines. Maybe someday I'll hit the lottery and can afford a second machine) They can publish angles without fear someone will roll one on a gentler slope and sue them.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( can anyone help me find out what the A.N.S.I. standard is for the tilt limit on tractors made or sold in the U.S )</font>

Well, you aroused my curiosity and I thought I had read somewhere that it was 20 degrees, but I sure haven't been able to find that now (maybe it was my imagination or old timers disease or something). But as already stated by others, that would be the tractor alone with no accessories and on a smooth, firm slope anyway, so I doubt that any of the tractor manufacturers would publish anything. When I had my tiltmeters, I've gone to 18 degrees with the rear finish mower and with the brush hog. I even stopped on an 18 degree slope and got off (on the high side) then tried to push the tractor over. I didn't succeed, and I didn't try very hard; just wanted to see if it would tip over easily because 15 degrees always scared me.

I think the maker of the tiltmeters (Rick) is a very knowledgeable guy and the one I would trust to answer any questions. I don't know why we haven't seen him lately on the forum, but you could send him an e-mail from his website.

 

[theboman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">
I think the maker of the tiltmeters (Rick) is a very knowledgeable guy and the one I would trust to answer any questions. I don't know why we haven't seen him lately on the forum, but you could send him an e-mail from his website. )</font>

Rick know his stuff. If I'm not mistaken he worked for the highway department for years running equipment (tractors) and the importance of safety.

Also, there's many a company in the world who could learn a thing or two about customer service from R&B. They have more than exceeded my expectations.

 

[RBManufacturing]

Bo & Bird,
WOW, thanks for the vote of confidence Guys!!! I have not been on TBN much lately. Moved into a new building last few weeks. Twice the size, and HEAT throughout the building. Missed chatting with you guys. Getting ready to go to Indianapolis for a 4x4 off road show Feb. 4-5. Trying to get into that market a little more. (SEMAoffroad). Will try to check in a little more often. Make sure you guys are staying out of trouble. Will be in Louisville for the Farm show mid Feb. also. Take care Friends. Rick /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

Re: Helping to prevent roll-jvers

Glad to see you're still around, Rick. After not hearing"from you for over 3 months, I bagan to wonder. Good luck and have fun in Indiajapolis and Louisville.

 

[EastTexFrank]

I doubt that you'll find any hard and fast numbers from manufactures for liability reasons. Like Bird, the 20 degree number seems to be stuck in my mind but don't quote me because I don't have any verification for it what so ever.

I find the tiltmeter a good reference tool. When I first got it, I was surprised how closely it and my sphincter were calibrated. Around 15 degrees I am starting to get very uncomfortable and above that I am looking for a way out. It only takes one hole, stump or clump to change things drastically. However, as Henro said, it's all relative. I feel much happier on slopes while driving the old JD820 or the new M5700 than I do while on the same slopes in the MF275. Perhaps that has to do with the fact that I very nearly did role the MF275 and I've never felt comfortable in it since. There's something about having a tractor up on two wheels, balanced there, while it decides whether it's going to go all the way over on to its side or come back down on all four wheels. Luckily it came down on all four wheels but it seemed to take an eternity. I think my B2400 is too narrow to feel very comfortable on any slope much above 15 degrees. It's another machine that I've never felt too comfortable on while traversing slopes.

Whatever you decide your upper operating limit to be, don't crowd it. Stay a good 5 degrees below it to allow for the unexpected and even that may not be enough. When you start to feel uncomfortable, it's time to get out of there.

 

[Sadler]

Not for Kubota, but relevant to your question is a post I found very useful by Memenzel on 02/9/02--a post I've made a copy of since I use my tractor on hills and want to stay upright; maybe Kubota publishes similar data:

Poster: memenzel
Subject: Re: Safely Mowing Hills

In the John Deere information for the 4000 series compact tractors it states that it meets ANSI B71.4 Slope Requirements. Nobody at JD would tell me what that requirement was so i bought the ANSI B71.4 Safety Specifications for Commercial Turf Care Equipment ($70.00). It contains the specifications, test conditions and procedure for conducting the tests. It generally states for longitudinal test acceptance is 30 degrees (58 % slope) with either end positioned downhill. Lateral tests acceptance is 20 degrees (36.4 % slope) with either side positioned downhill. It further states that how the tractor is equipped and ballasted will effect these figures. I mow on a 20 to 30 degree slope with a JD 4400 hydrostat 4 wheel drive, 72" mmm, with turf tires. I mow up and down, can back up or back down any parts of the hill without any problems. At first it was interesting but after years of mowing it is now second nature. With the hydro I can stop, change direction, either going up or down the hill without any tire slippage or loss of control.

 

[RonR]

Thanks for that info! I think it provides some "hard" numbers for people that might be interested.

I would caution though, as has been mentioned before here, that a slope of say 18 degrees mowing across could be safe. But on our narrow CUTS, if you drop a downhill wheel in a 4" hole or the uphill wheel rides over a 4" rock, you could pretty easily go from 18 degrees to 25 or so (my guess and I'm not a math major), which would REALLY not be good.

Smooth lawn type grass with no obstacle would probably be fine. Bush hogging virgin junk might not be so fine.

I'm thinking of getting a tilt meter just so I know, but I don't plan to count on it as a failsafe measure to prevent a rollover. I figure by the time it registered too much angle, I'm already too late--and if I'm getting in that situation, I doubt I'll be looking at the meter.

But I do appreciate your research on the number! THANKS.
Ron

 

[bugstruck]

Here's are two links to tilt meters. Shipping is a little stiff but still worth it. I bought the first one. It's 3.5" wide and you need a flat vertical surface to mount it. My FEL mount post works good enough.

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/collinsbros/levtilgaugfo.html

http://www.4by4connection.com/clinometer.html