Slope Climbing Capabilities

[ernemats]

Is this a new machine or used one?

 

[MossRoad]

I agree with the others...

If you're pushing the joystick forward, and the front wheels of the tractor are coming off the ground, you need to push the joystick forward even further to go past the detent and get into float mode. You'll feel a definite click as you push past the UP function, and the front wheels of the tractor will drop back onto the ground. From that point on, the FEL arms are free to float up and down with the undulations of the mower.

 

[MossRoad]

The joystick has several positions.

Normally, with no operator intervention, the joystick is in LOCK and the FEL arms will not move from their current position.

Pull back on the joystick is RAISE.
Push forward on the joystick is LOWER.
Push all the way forward past LOWER to get into FLOAT. You have to force it past LOWER to get into FLOAT.

Practice it at idle to get a feel for it.

The faster you push or pull the joystick, the faster the FEL responds. So sometimes you want to get into float fast, and not lift the wheels off the ground. So just slam the joystick forward past the detent and it'll go directly into float.

If the thing doesn't operate that way, then something is wrong or it's O.E. (Operator Error).

Let us know how it goes.

 

[m5040]

AZ, what model tractor do you have? The PT180 has "float" in a different position then the other tractors. You have to pull it back to get into float. I changed mine after many attempts to raise my mower while it was hitting a rock, and tried to pull into raise position, but in my rush ended up pulling the lever past the "raise" position and into "float" making my problem worse.

 

[Incline]

I frequently experience the front end lifting up in float when mowing. It happens so smoothly that sometimes it surprises me to see how lifted I've become. Usually it's just as I'm making a turn and heading up hill where the grade goes both up and sideways. I'm not sure what causes that but agjones's comment sounds right. I will take it out of float and lift it slightly, make the turn and when I'm back to heading straight up the hill, I can return it to float without any front wheel lift. When the grade gets really steep, it does help to take it out of float and lift it slightly just to add weight to the front wheels. As others have said, make sure you are in fact in float mode by making a quick and forceful push forward on the joystick - you'll feel/hear a slight "click" when you do so.

 

[m5040]

Just an FYI, the diesel Power Tracs have a draft option (at least my 1430) and it specifically spells out on the dash not to use float with draft. The principle of the draft is that it sends pressure from the drive circuit to the lift circuit. So if on a smooth level surface like asphalt, there is not much pressure going to the drive motors and therefore not much pressure going to the lift cylinders. Now climb a steep hill with the tractor and the pressure going to the wheel motors is high. PT uses this pressure to apply a lift to the loader arms. It is proportional to the amount of wheel motor torque needed to move the tractor, the more torque the more lift. As it applies lift it adds weight to the front wheels taking it off of the mower deck, in effect making the mower "lighter"

 

[woodlandfarms]

Could it be he is “climbing over” the implement? I know for me if I am in float and not in draft if the implement digs in or wheel catch I will climb over it. Usually happens with my York rake.

 

[MossRoad]

Could it be he is “climbing over” the implement? I know for me if I am in float and not in draft if the implement digs in or wheel catch I will climb over it. Usually happens with my York rake.

Yes, that could happen if the implement digs in. I think you'd notice the wheel ruts pretty quick, though.

 

[cqaigy2]

I've had that happen, mowing uphill especially. If there is enough resistance, you'll climb up the front wheels.

 

[azizfargo]

I have PT-425. And yes pushing forward and fast, makes the click sound, at which point it is indeed in float. The diagram on the dash does show forward for float, but I would have never guessed it needs to be pushed swiftly to avoid front wheels lifting.