Novice Question-leveling a slope

[Mike_C]

Yes, be careful about rollover. I learned the hard way and rolled mine. I had a bucket full of dirt about as high as the hood, and that combined with the backhoe on my bx-22 raised the center of gravity enough that when I hit a small bump of dirt while driving sideways on a small incline and , here-we-go! roll-over! The key issue is wear your seat belt any time you are on uneven or unlevel ground.

Now, as far as leveling a slope, i just leveled a 20x20 area for a swimming pool for a friend of mine. The dirt was dry hard clay, and the FEL would not cut into it even with a toothbar. I ended up using the backhoe to loosen up the dirt in a bunch of small semi-circles, then scooping it up with the FEL to make the pile. It took an entire day, but looking back that was probably not that long.

 

[btolle]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The key issue is wear your seat belt any time you are on uneven or unlevel ground.
)</font>

I am going to go a little further and ask that you wear your seat belt ALL of the time, not just when you on unlevel ground.

First of all, it is more likely to be be habitual if you wear it all the time. If you only wear it part time you may forget it the one time you really need it. You can be crushed to death by the roll bar if you fall off the seat.

Secondly, unlevel ground is not the only place you can roll a tractor. I have seen them turned over (not necessarily rolled) by hitting a soft spot with one wheel while traveling on level ground.

Please, wear the seat belt all of the time!

Bill Tolle

 

[PiggRiver]

Mike C and btolle, good advice on the seat belt (we learned as young pilots to always "strap-it-on, before you turned-it-on" sounds like good advice for a tractor).

Catskillsman and cooperhead1967, a BH will be the next major expense . . . but need to put a few $ away first (these tractor thingies are expensive). I'll "get advice" on which would be the best setup for a BH (Kubota or second party) as I get closer to a purchase. Other than this first leveling job the actual house will not be started until later next year (so no serious foundation work yet).

Egon, I love the "beer level" . . . but it's really hard to keep beer, in its liquid form, anywhere near an ex-pilot . . . keeps disappearing (I tell the wife the glass has a hole, but I don't think see believes me anymore).

To all you folks, it was an honor to serve. I got to be a "big kid" for a long time; gave me an airplane, gas and paid me . . .just doesn't get any better than that (well maybe the long family separations and getting shot at were not that much fun . . . but then "work" is a four letter word).

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences with me, Roger on the Pigg.

 

[Mike_C]

btolle,
Yes, I agree, wearing the seat belt all the time would be best. I do wear mine _almost_ all the time. The only time I don't is on
trash night when I load the trash cans into the FEL and drive them down to the road. It's straight and level, plus I have to jump off to unload the cans. But other than that I wear it. Even cutting grass I wear the seat belt.

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( btolle,
Yes, I agree, wearing the seat belt all the time would be best. I do wear mine _almost_ all the time. The only time I don't is on
trash night when I load the trash cans into the FEL and drive them down to the road. It's straight and level, plus I have to jump off to unload the cans. But other than that I wear it. Even cutting grass I wear the seat belt. )</font>

============
I just throw the trash bags in the FEL bucket and haul then down to the road and dump the fel when I get there .
Don't have to get off the tractor that way.
Always wear the seat belt even doing this.