Question on tipping tractor over

[Rockyridge]

In the past when ever I need to do something on steep land I have feel pretty safe backing up the hill with the understanding that if it gets to steep the tractor will spin and not go up far enough to tip over the front. But thinking about it with now having a tractor with 4 wheel drive this is probably no longer be true. You could think that it would be better to not have the loader on because the front wheels will have less traction and there for loose traction before getting steep enough to tip over, but on the other hand, if it does tip with the loader on and low enough I suspect that it would hit the ground and prevent the tractor from going over. Another possible concern could be if the front wheels dig them selves into the dirt quickly it could put the tractor at greater angle and therefore more likely to tip over.

Has anyone had any experience with this or know anyone who has?

Thanks for any experience you can share

 

[AndyinIowa]

a flipover as you've described depends on a lot of factors.

1. Tractor weight - While operating my BX2350, I am a decent % of the total operating weight of the vehicle. I'm also sitting over the rear axle. When backing up a hill, I've always been traction limited well before the rear tires get light enough to feel like the tractor may flip

2. Tires - for this situation, R1's or chains provide the highest drawbar pull on non-hard surface hills.

3. Loader or attachments - FEL, rear mower, etc... all change the game considerably.


This being said, I've stood the BX2350 on the front tires and FEL bucket several times will in a downhill situation loading materials into the FEL. Not a pleasant feeling, but manageable. I've also fluid filled the rear tires, which helps.


FWIW, I'm also traction limited going uphill (FEL first). Wouldn't do it with a bushhog unless ballast was in the bucket up front...

 

[texasjohn]

I WOULD leave the FEL on..... in the particular scenario you describe, IF a forward tip were to begin, the FEL digs into the ground changing the entire fulcrum to much further ahead of the front wheels. I suspect that your pucker factor would certainly give up before reaching that point. However, keep the FEL just barely off of the surface and be prepared to drop it to the ground IMMEDIATELY if a problem develops.

 

[638]

You will know when the rear end starts to come up. It will suddenly tip to one side or the other due to the pivot in the front axle. When that happens, get the bucket on the ground and reverse directions, going back down hill.

ron

 

[john_bud]

You will know when the rear end starts to come up. It will suddenly tip to one side or the other due to the pivot in the front axle. When that happens, get the bucket on the ground and reverse directions, going back down hill.

ron

I think I'd just get a goat....

 

[Wombat125]

You will know when the rear end starts to come up. It will suddenly tip to one side or the other due to the pivot in the front axle. When that happens, get the bucket on the ground and reverse directions, going back down hill.

This is a great point. I think it is an often overlooked detail that until you hit the oscillation limit of your front axle, your tractor is really just a tricycle. If there is any momentum in the tipping, the axle stop might not keep you from going over.

This is why it's such a bad idea to drive downhill at any angle but 90.

 

[RayCo]

However, keep the FEL just barely off of the surface and be prepared to drop it to the ground IMMEDIATELY if a problem develops.

Just make sure you don't drop it so fast that you float it.

 

[megaboz]

I only have one comment, I have yet to find a hill steep enough to cause my BX24 to feel like it was going to tip when going down a hill or up it backwards. I have bruises on my lap from the seat belt holding me back in my seat. Not to say that a good pot hole for the front end or something couldn't do it, but I have yet to find one.

What I have found is that with the FEL on, my back tires loose traction, front tires hae plenty of traction and one decideds to spend and then bounce and then start sliding down the hill to the point that the rear wheels gain enough weight to get traction again.

Bouncing down the hill is NO fun.

There was another post about using the bucket when sliding down a hill out of control. The more I think about it, the more I think it is a bad idea. If you don't put the cutting edge into the ground and accidentally put the bottom of the FEL on the ground and slightly lift the front tires, you just turn the front in to snowmobile without steering. Wouldn't be much different then going down a steep hill with out 4WD. Many of us on here has experienced that thrill ride!

If you are going to have the FEL on then you should probably have a counterweight. On my BX24, having the rear tires filled doesn't do much on the same hills. I typically can't back up some of them with the FEL on and no BH. But with no FEL, I can back up them fairly easily.

If you need more wieght to keep from rolling head over hills, get a balast box on the back. IMO.

 

[JerryG]

I have mowed a lot of steep places over the years, but have never had one try to tip on end. I have had the tractor slid when going down hill and I've had the front tires skipping just barely making contact when going up. This was all with a loader down low, R-1 tires and 4wd.

If it is really steep and your mowing down hill, take most of the weight off of the tail wheel. That way more weight will be on the large tractor tires so they will get more traction.

When mowing up hill, have the tail wheel carry all the weight it can. By doing that, it will allow more weight on the front axle.

 

[WildAK]

This whole discussion has really gotten by attention. I live remote in Alaska and was planning to take a L4400 with FEL and BH back to my place along a 4-wheeler trail. It isn't a bad trail, but is steep going up and down in several places. Anyone got a good feel for how steep is too steep? Back up and forward down all the hills?

Thanks,
Kelvin

 

[john_bud]

Not sure, but I think the HST will suck air at 44 degrees nose up. If you have gear, that shouldn't be an issue. IF you are planning on going over 44 degrees, then you would have to back up to keep the pump sucking liquid if you have an HST.

I would put something heavy in the FEL and have it skimming above the ground when going up the steep hills. Would also have something on the 3pt that could be used to slow me down by dragging it. Remember to be in 4wd or the front tires won't help slow you down.

 

[Greenfield Dave]

Note: The steeper the grade, the higher the relative PF. (Pucker Factor)

I always use an old Forklift motto: "carry it low and drive it slow"

 

[moot]

Is there a rule about tipping to the side? Given FEL is low, nothing on 3PH...
I was thinking on the line of the levels I use on the RV...

 

[john_bud]

Yeah, on this site you can buy tilt meters. I think 15 degrees is pretty puckery, but generally safe. With stuff low, no bumps, etc.

jb

 

[wincher]

Once I leave my yard almost, no everything is down hill on my property for the nest 8 acres. Pretty step too. I just go slow and go by feel you either know what you should be doing or you don't. If YOU feel unsafe find another way to do the work. Me I should have rolled and/or flipped a half a dozen times by now. I just pay attention and keep my foot near my clutch pedal.

 

[moot]

To lessen the chance of roll-over/tipping, what would be preferred; weights on front and on rear wheels OR water ballast in the tires?
Are duel wheels an option on a Kubota L3010GST?

 

[SPYDERLK]

I would never prefer to climb a hill backwards with any tractor. In the 1st place it severely limits the traction you have available from directional treads. Worse, the situations that may cause tip with a 4wd are more easy to aggravate and more difficult to foresee when backing up. Notice how the front swings sideways when you make direction correction when backing up and then imagine that that end is supplying most of the push. Now factor in that that end is on a center pivot and the back end is light. If youve got a loader bucket thats some help, but really its not that far forward, and considering the shear mass of the high centered back end the situation is not pretty for avoiding a forward sideways tip. Also, help from the loader in arresting motion going forward back down the hill can easily go wrong if the bucket lip scoops into the ground.

The danger situation is more easy to predict and influence when you climb forward. The heavy end -the one that gives the tractor stability- is down. If the tractor tips it will be straight backward. Since you know this you have installed a bushog on the back and hold it slightly suspended so that, while any rearward tip will be a little premature, it will be immediately damped automatically by touchdown of the implement wheel. You are looking to the front, right at where lift will occur. If you have a loader on you are running it a couple feet off the ground. You are going slow [always in such cases] and you have 2 safeties that do not exhibit immediate criticality toward degree of finesse or with error. Plenty of margin to feel your way up the hill if its going to go..... or reverse back down if it wont.
larry

 

[Hermio]

"lose" traction, not "loose" traction.

 

[SPYDERLK]

"lose" traction, not "loose" traction.

:thumbsup: Loose traction is like on gravel or marbles where you start to lose traction. Loosing power is when things start to fly around. Loosing can be dangerous when motion is involved -- like loosing bushog blades. ,,

 

[McREBEL]

"lose" traction, not "loose" traction.

I am sure he would have appreciated this correction 7 years ago. Then again, maybe not. I am reminded of a song by Randy Travis....something about digging up bones. :shovel: