How Steep Is too Steep?

[megaboz]

I recently purchased a BX24. Great little tractor for the most part, but being new to the tractor world, it tends to scare me a little when going sideways on a hill.

The funny thing is, on my riding lawn mower, (I know it isn't a tractor) I would cut grass on hillsides so steep I would knock the tires of the beeds. But on this this tractor a slight grade I feel like it is going to tip over.

Even though I routinely stop and have tried to tip it over (why would I do that? Got me!), It seems rock solid. There appears to be two different flew point the frame on the tractor (for lack of a better description) and the tire flex.

But how steep sideways do you cut and still be safe?

Backing up and down the hills everywhere is not an option if I want to get grass cut in a day. I do do that on the really steep parts only because I have no front ballast yet, just have the rear tires filled. I actually thought that would be enough but I ended up doing a wheelie the other day as I crested a hill. I thought I was going to have to buy another seat when I climbed off as it was still stuck to my crack.

The owners manual isn't of much help, don't use it on steep hills. I'm in WV, everything is steep here including the price of gas!

Thanks for the input.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I am the other way. The bank in front of our house I never forced myself to cut with the mover, but with the tractor I dont have a problem. Not sure how steep it is

I think you could feel the tractor going over, I mean since this is not an accident when you hit a ditch and roll but slowly feel the side lift up and you can always shift your weight to save it.

Driving jeep off road the most important feeling is in your butt, thats where you first pick whatever is it gonna do - like slip or slide or what not. I imagine tractor would be the same.

 

[Grrrr]

You will probably feel like the tractor is going to tip over much before it is likely to tip over.

I don't know how steep the BX24 would go, but if the tires were out wide i would think it would still be safe at 25 degrees (but I'm not sure)

Much of it is in the operator. An experienced operator would drive straight across a steep hill wheras a new operator would be scared stiff.

An experience operator will also know what to do in a roll over whereas an unexperienced operator will not.

One thing for sure is to always keep the roll bar up and the seat belt on when driving on a slope as things can go wrong.

If the tractor did start to go over and you had ROPS you would want to tuck yourself in and hold on tight to the steering wheel. Without a ROPS, you want to get off the thing ASAP.

We have some pretty steep areas on our farm and there are not many places tractors haven't been. We have also had a couple of rolls in the last 30 years

Just be careful, keep the ROPS up, be totally familiar with the tractor and don't go anywhere you are not sure about.

I also know what you mean about riding lawn mowers going places tractors can't. I mow a little area in front of our lawn that is pasture. It has a track cut into it to drive across but it gets very thistley below.

I mow it with our garden tractor, which has 23" loaded rears and is very heavy, and find I cannot drive across straight as I slip down. It is very steep, but I never feel like it is going to go over. I could also get off it very quickly if I needed to.

 

[DiezNutz]

This topic has been exhausted in many a thread, if you do some searching. Basically, there is no one correct answer for every situation... all depends on the tractor, you, how the weight is distributed (e.g., attachments), how fast you're moving, the profile of the terrain, whether you hit a bump or rut, etc. etc. etc. etc.

 

[Kevin Beitz]

Don't trust the Bx... I have one... Its the most tipsy tractor I've ever had and I've had many... I put duels on my BX and it made a world of difference until I snapped a axle... Now I'm back to single wheels and I don't like it one bit... I might put spacers on but they are big $$$$....

 

[studway]

Personally, I avoid any incline that has even a remote possibility of rolling the tractor. One foolish risk on my part might mean years of misery for myself and my loved ones. It just isn't worth it.

 

[don716]

I have a B7500 which is a size up fron the BX and I was scared on my ditch bank for a while.If you haven't taken off your loader yet it's time to do so.When I took mine off it's like an oversize lawnmower.I take my time on the ditch bank but it's not a problem anymore. Take your time and you will get used to it.
Donny

 

[AMR]

I mow up and down a slope so steep that hydraulic fluid leaks out of the vent of my BX23, I am much more cautious when I cross a slope, I agree with others, I don't need to be seriously injured mowing the lawn

 

[czechsonofagun]

Or you could build this special hill tractor with small right wheels and big left wheels.

Actually, it should be the other way to have a grass discharage down the hill if you run MMM.

Sorry, couldn't help myself, it is FRIDAY, after all

 

[CurtisB]

I have a B7610 and when we first bought our place here I was scared to death of the ditch banks. I tried it the first time and was very weary, I always put the ROPS up and always wear my seat belt. I also run it in 4WD all the time because it helps to keep me on the bank. Now, the 7610 is alot bigger machine and I run it on my ditch banks at a 45 degree angle and I can get off the machine and it is really not tippy. I am quite surprised that it handles them that well. I figure maybe the fact that I have that 325lb. 60" deck hanging below really helps. Anyway, now I can cruise along, at a steady slow pace with no problems.

Curtis