Stability

[Anonymous Poster]

Ok guys, on to my next question.
I want to know how to best deal with the instability problem I feel exists with my 1610. My close encounter with instability already reported had to do with front to back stability that probably exists with all tractors. (ie. climbing a hill like a dumb-[censored] with the implement raised on the back, causing the front to lift off the ground) How about stability side to side? I have more slopes on my property than I would like. I think this type of tractor (grey yanmars) is more top heavy than most. On the front of my property, I mow a swale area about 450' in length. This fronts my dirt road and slopes into a drainage area at about 18 to 20 degrees. I also have an area at the back of my property that slopes down to a lake that is about 150' wide at about 20 degrees. I dont feel very stable if mowing this length wise. I probably can devise a pattern that allows me to mow up and down on the back slope but that is not really practical on the front.

My question is two fold. Anyone know of an source of a rops that is available for grey yanmars? Also, a source of rear wheel weights? Would rear weights improve stability??
I have already added suitcase weights to the front. (3 weights @~44 # each) This is all that would fit on the front bumper.

Any suggestion would be appreciated.

Thanks
Gary

 

[EFC]

Mow up and down, ROPS won’t keep a tractor from falling over and it isn’t really designed to save your life if it falls over on its side. ROPS are designed to keep the operator safe if the tractor flips over backwards. It used to be very common to have an implement hang up and the tractor flips over and pins the driver between the tractor and the implement. That is why ROPS angle backwards. Wheel weights give you flat ground stability but the tractor will still tip over and fluid is no better and can actually be worse if it starts sloshing side to side in the tire. Get your rear tires as wide as you can and think up/down not side to side /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[blackd]

Do you have the rice tires on the tractor? If so, they can be replaced with turf tires. Tires can also be loaded/filled with calcium or RV antifreeze to add weight. There also is a belly mower for the American Yannies that may fit your tractor. Belly mower would lower the center of gravity.

Tractors are inherently unstable because of the high center of gravity needed for ground clearance. Anything to lower the center of gravity would be helpful, e.g lower wheels and tires.

 

[normde2001]

Have you reversed the rear tires, left to right and right to left, for a wider stance? This will put the valve stems to the inside and concave hub facing outside. That's just the nature of the beast with tractors, especially compacts, and why the U. S. of A. requires ROP's and seatbelts on all new tractors.

 

[BrettW]

cut from the safety section on this site

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John Miller, III
(Unregistered)
05/28/01 08:11 AM
Re: Safety Tips -Preventing Tractor Side Turnovers [re: John Miller, III] Reply




PENPAGES: Factsheets from Pennsylvania State University

Preventing Tractor Turnover To The Side
In 1979 a middle-aged Pennsylvania farmer attempted to drive his tractor across an incline with the front-end loader raised and full of stone. The tractor upset, fatally crushing him. This accident was all the more tragic because he left behind a wife and three daughters.

Tractor overturns result in more farm accident deaths each year than any other farm-related accident. In four out of five of these accidents the tractor is turned over on its side. These statistics are especially unfortunate because nearly all overturns to the side could be avoided. To prevent side rollovers, operators must understand the specific hazards associated with the tractor and the proper safety precautions to apply when using them.

To keep your tractor firmly on the ground you must control the two forces which are responsible for side overturns. One of these forces is gravity. When setting on level ground a tractor's center of gravity is approximately two feet in front of and ten inches above the rear axle. With the center of gravity in this position the tractor is stable. However, if you change the position of the center of gravity by using certain types of mounted equipment or by driving across steep slopes, the tractor's stability decreases and the opportunities for an upset become greater.

Centrifugal force is the other major force involved in tractors turning over. This is the force that pushes at you and your tractor from one side as you turn it around or follow a bend in the roadway. Centrifugal force is dangerous; the pressure it exerts against a turning tractor multiplies rapidly as the tractor's speed increases. For instance, doubling a tractor's speed will increase the centrifugal force four times, tripling it will increase this force nine times. As the pressure exerted against a tractor becomes stronger, short or quick turns can rapidly change the vehicle's center of gravity and cause the tractor to tip over.

Fortunately, both of these forces can be controlled through the application of proper safety precautions. Remember, a tractor's center of gravity should be kept as low to the ground as possible when it is moving. A bump is less likely to tip the tractor and there is less chance that centrifugal force will upset it when turning. Drive a front-end loader with the bucket in a lowered rather than a raised position, and add weights to the tractor of off-set high-mounted liquid fertilizer tanks to keep the tractor's center of gravity low.

Tractors should be driven no faster than conditions will allow. Speed reduces the stability of tractors. Be alert to hazards in your path such as rocks, holes, or other obstructions and make your turns cautiously and at reduced speeds.

Proper braking of the tractor also reduces the chance of upset. Before driving at transport speeds, lock the brake pedals together to insure even braking pressure (brakes must be evenly adjusted). Braking only one pedal at higher speeds can force your vehicle to swerve abruptly and roll over. When travelling downhill, shift to a lower speed before you begin to descend and let the engine do most of the braking. This will help avoid the possibility of a runaway tractor which could flip over.

The safety-minded operator will avoid crossing steep slopes with his tractor if at all possible. Tractors are less stable on hillsides and can be easily over-turned. If you must work on slopes, however, use tractors with wide front ends and space your rear tires as far apart as possible. Watch for bumps or depressions and cross the slope slowly, keeping any side-mounted equipment on the uphill side of the tractor.

Together with safe operation of the tractor, it is a good idea to safeguard yourself with the extra protection provided by a roll-over protective structure. Roll-over protective structures are either protective frames or protective enclosures which, when mounted on the tractor, will limit most upsets to 90 degrees as well as protect the operator, particularly if the operator is wearing the seatbelt.

The safety oriented operator must always be concerned about maintaining his tractor in a stable position. By applying these five safety precautions the chances for turning your tractor over on its side will be greatly reduced:

1. Remember to keep the tractor's center of gravity as low to the ground as possible.

2. Drive no faster than conditions will permit.

3. Lock your brakes before travelling at transport speed and, if possible, use the engine as a braking mechanism when going downhill.

4. Avoid crossing steep slopes. If you must, drive slowly and position side-mounted equipment on the uphill side of the tractor.

5. Guard your life by installing roll-over protective structures on your tractor and use the seatbelt.


Author: Dennis J. Murphy, Associate Prof. Ag. Engr. Department of Agricultural Engineering, Penn State February 1988 PENpages Number: 0870186
__________________________________________

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Based on the responses (and I do appreciate them), It appears there is no "source" for adding ROPS to a grey yanmar. This seems to be a do it yourself situation or a "have it done for your tractor on a custom made basis situation". If you are really good at the welding and engineering, You probably have already accomplished this job. If you are having the custom made ROPS, you must have enough money that you didn't need to purchase a grey tractor in the first place.

It looks like most people here just try the "be careful" approach and hope for the best.

With my sloped property, I am a little apprehensive. I know, I know!! mow up and down not side to side.

Thanks guys,
Gary

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks for your comments Don,

Turf tires are another topic that seems unresolved to me. I am not able to understand how the conversion from rice to turf tires works. I know the size of my rice tires is 8.3x22 but have not found any turf tires listed in that size on any of the sites I have read about. (Firestone, Miller tire etc) I concede that the best solution is to actually talk to a tire company that sells tractor tires but haven't gotten to that point yet.

It appears that the "8.3" is the width of the tire at the bead, and the "22" is the inside diameter of the tire. Am I understanding that correctly?

I read all the threads on tires on the board including one that made my head hurt. It is obvious that my understanding of the engineering of tires is rudimentary at best.

The closest match I saw on the sites was a tire listed at 8x24 and that was not a turf tire. I also noticed on the Firestone site that along with the tire sizes, they also showed tires pictured by different tread profiles and identified by letters. Turf tires appeared to be listed by the letter "F". Yet in the tire list on the same page, I did not see any tires listed with a "F" tread?????

Maybe tractors are just smarter than me/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Gary

 

[pruntyc]

Call, it be careful, or what ever, for you always need to be careful, ROPS or no. Fact is, I suppose most of us are of the older school. That is they havn't had ROPS for that many years, and then they weren't manatory till later. We grew up without them, so they don't seem as important, to us. Maybe we are use to watching out for danger more, because of it. Like the one said, the side turnover kills or hurts the most people and the ROPS is really made more to protect the backward flip. Either way the best way is to watch what you are doing all the time while on the tractor, or you may be very sorry.

 

[blackd]

OK, the last option is to put a weight box on the uphill side of the tractor. Cheap and easy would be to mount a bracket to the frame and have a removable platform for a plastic barrel. Fill the barrel with water when using and you have @ (?7lbs?) per gallon of added weight on the correct/up hill side of the tractor. Cut in a diagonal across the slope except for the opposite corners which you would cut up and down.

My FX24D has steps which obviously carry 200+ lbs. I would reinforce them and put a bracket on both sides using them as the mounts. Changing the direction of the cut periodically would be a simple and reasonably fast change. Drain the barrel. Take off the mount and move to the other side. put the barrel back on and refill. Once every 2-3 cuts it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience. and immensely safer. Make sure the barrel is securely attached to the mount.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

8 lbs per gallon for water, 6 for gas/oil.