Mowing Mowing on complex hills --- HELP!!!

[MikeFromVA]

I'm a new tractor owner who finally got to do some mowing on my brand new lawn. I live on a fairly hilly lot and I know that I should not mow across a hill but that isn't always possible. What about when the hill slopes two ways?

I don't know if it is because I am new to tractors, but these spots really increase my "pucker factor".

I just ordered the tilt meter, but should I be trying to find another method to mow my lawn? Notice that some of the slopes go all the way to the house so turning becomes an issue also. Would it be better without the FEL? Anything else I can do to make it safer? Or am I just worried over nothing and I'll get used to it?

 

[beenthere]

To me, the slopes you have are not too steep to worry about tipping over. I would worry more about tearing up the grass and sod with the tires trying to gain traction (looks like that has been a problem already).

If me, I'd get something the size of an X series or smaller (because that is what I have), and use each machine for what it does best.

Nice place you have there, and some terrraces may be in order for your future enjoyment and lawn care.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Mike, your 4110 would be similar in size to my TC24 and I think that if I had the slopes you have, I would probably be pretty comfortable AFTER about a summer of mowing. I can understand your pucker factor, but I think that it is probably unfounded IF you do your best not to cross the slopes. I also have slopes, some steeper than yours, and I have flat spots too. I picked up a Ventrac 3000 for the slopes because it runs up/down/across them with zero puckering and a huge smile across my face. But I really picked it up because I have some steep spots that simply have nowhere for me to turn my larger tractors around and it would simply be foolish to run a CUT on some of slopes. You are fortunate in that you have pretty much wide open spaces so you can pick your climb and decline paths without worrying about too much.

It is much easier to mow with the FEL off. You might want to drop it once just to give it a try.

Also, because you do have compound slopes in some places, NEVER mow when the grass is wet because the tires will slip on the grass. I did a nice "fishtail" down a gentle slope one day that taught me to wait until the sun burns the dew off all the shady spots before going out to mow.

Seriously, you do have some steep patches there, but not too much for the 4110 if you are cautious. Personally I would like a smaller 4wd tractor like a sub-cut or a Steiner or a Ventrac for the slopes, but I really do think you can negotiate them safely given enough practice. The times when you are puckering is when you are being careful. The time for your wife to worry about you is when/if you stop puckering, because that is when you are likely to have a problem. Never let yourself become confident, always be wary of the slopes. A small rut in one of those slopes can change the attitude of your tractor from safe to on its side in about a heartbeat. Wear your seatbelt.

 

[MikeFromVA]

I'm hoping that I am over-reacting. I guess I'm a little worried about tipping after one side came up when I hit a rut with a full load in my FEL on Saturday. Fortunately, I lost most of the load and the tractor righted itself.

I'm also not too sure that the pics do the slopes justice. I will let you know when the tilt meter arrives how much I'm dealing with.

Is a smaller tractor better on the slopes? Should I have gone with a 2210?

 

[hazmat]

Are your tires loaded? Did you have counterweight on the three point. Both will make a huge difference regarding stability with the FEL.

Regarding mowing - definitely loose the FEL. Much easier & lower CG to boot.

Are your rear wheels "dished out" - check your owners manaul - on most tractors you can adjust the track width by swapping the wheels left for right.

2210 and X series aren't much narrower than your machine & are lower. Thus they will be more stable. By stable I mean that the tip over angle will be higher ie the point of no return. Personally I'd like to have a ROPS so the 2210 might be a better choice than the X.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Better on slopes is a function of the center of gravity of the tractor. A large tractor can have a lower COG than a small one, but generally the lower the ground clearance, the lower the COG is going to be (that is a broad stroke comment based on the tractors I am familiar with). I presume the 2210 has a lower COG than the 4110, it sure looks like it does. But COG is not the whole story because track width and length come into play as well. The fun slope machines like Steiner & Ventracs are closer to square with wheelbases that are wide and short (similar to a Jeep CJ or Wrangler).

As for the pictures, they are often hard to judge. I know my slopes look milder in photos than from the seat of a tractor! I've climbed my steepest - tallest hill with the TC24D, in low gear & 4wd it climbed it with ease, the problem is turning and the fact that it is a compound slope. I'd never take it down that slope. And it was harrowing getting off the top of the slope. So it probably won't be repeated. I don't know if you should have gotten the 2210, but I think you'll adjust to the 4410.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">Is a smaller tractor better on the slopes? Should I have gone with a 2210? </font>

That is really a hard question to answer...

I do know that I will do figure eights on slopes with my BX2200 kubota that I would never get sideways on with my B2910 kubota due to the pucker factor...

But I don't know how much being lower to the ground on the BX2200 just makes it feel more stable. I need to measure my slopes again, but I am pretty sure they max out at about 20 degrees. 20 degrees on the larger tractor feels really steep! Feels less steep if I look at the flat operator's platform rather than elsewhere...

In fact, it could be that a smaller tractor just gives the illusion of greater stability/safety.

Even though my BX feels pretty stable on cross slopes, I still elected to foam fill my new front bar tires, and will liquid fill the new bar rears, just to add a little more insurance...

By the way, you can use a carpenter's level to measure slope angle...rise over run, and do the math calculation...

A tilt meter is a good idea. After you use it a while it will have less worth unless you are constantly finding yourself on new ground...but even though I have only 3.7 acres to deal with I find myself wishing I had one...at times...just to give me more confidence...when I am on safe slopes but puckering anyway... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

By the way, over reacting is not bad...better safe than sorry...

 

[Libertine]

MikeFromVA:

<font color="blue">I just ordered the tilt meter, but should I be trying to find another method to mow my lawn? </font>

Those slopes look easy . . . maybe 20 degrees M/L. Go slow and watch the uphill tires. I'll trade you slopes. I mowed yesterday some 45 degree slopes (small area, but used for drainage). No sweat going up or down or across. I use a 2 wheel walking tractor (BCS) with a PTO driven 38" deck for stuff like that. Will mow anything I can stand up on. There's a thread on this type of equipment in Buying forum.

JEH

 

[JDFANATIC]

Mike,

Lose the loader for mowing. You'll find the balance waay different. Also when using the loader, you should be cognizant of the proper ballasting--I know--just ask me why... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Mike, a couple other observations. As has been stated, see if you can dish out your tires to make the track wider. Low weight is always a good thing, so as Henro did fill the tires, it puts most of the weight below the frame.

On the vacant lot I bought next door to me, the land is mostly a gentle slope toward the woods, but there are a few bumps where the land drops about 5 or 6 feet and the TC24 can only climb those in low range with 4wd engaged, the B2910 needs low or mid with 4wd. But in the correct range, the climb is easy and controlled. Decending the same spots in hi range is a very short thrill ride, but decending in low range is easily controlled. I find a similar thing when I decend off the roadway to get down to my valley area, the drop is about 15 or 20 feet, the slope is probably a bit over 20 degrees, decending in high range is sort of like a free fall out of control ride and you better keep your foot on both brakes or something bad will happen, and stopping the tractor before hitting the thicket-like thorny Hawthorn tree line just beyond the base is imperitive. Now going down in low range requires just a gentle pressure on the brakes to easily decend. So I guess what I am trying to get to is make sure you are in the proper gear range on your slopes, and make sure you are in 4wd. Both will assist you on your slopes.