Tilt Meter

[bigdaddy]

Any opinions on how useful or "good" this "Tilt Meter" is? I just bought a tractor (Mahindra 5525) and going to be doing quite a bit of Bush Hogging. (6' Bush Hog) Not OVERLY hilly terrain but...... The last time I operated a tractor extensively, I was in my teens and bullet proof. Agile. Supple. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Now I'm 56 and lifting my foot to wash it can sometimes be an effort so I approach Bush Hogging with a little more trepidation!

 

[3RRL]

I'll share my opinion with you. I bought what I thought was a pretty good one.



I found, however, that it was rather slow to respond to the slopes. It did not always react to the slope I was on either. So for me, it was not much value. Perhaps mine is defective or it's not mounted properly. I'm hoping other's will reply with better information for you.

 

[hbaird]

I at 68 know how easy it is to screw up big time. I bought and use a tilt meter. The main thing I have found is most of my tilting is limited to about 15 Deg. A safe, in most cases, limit as long as the loader mass is below the axles and speed is very slow and the ground is smooth and God is smiling on you. A blown or quick flat tire or any of a dozen other surprises can flip you in a heartbeat. Slopes and tractors are not friends.
Harold

 

[602466]

I purchased one about a year ago. Seems to do what it said it would do. I was new to this so I thought it would help.

Bottom line, if I don't feel comfortable doing something don't. Why do I need the meter to tell me that?

Just my 2 cents!

Thanks,

Wally

 

[RonMar]

I find my pucker factor goes off well before the tilt meter I installed hits what I would call critical. The pucker factor makes me cautious and gets my mind in gear to confirm loader height and mower height are as low as possible. The tilt meter allows me to determine if I can proceed(slowly) with what I am doing or continue thru the area I am traversing. I found a very reasonable 2" X 3" meter used for sailboats($11?). It unfortunately is a little lower resolution than I would like at +/- 45 degrees. +/- 20 degrees would be much nicer to have, but I havn't found one at a reasonable price in that size.

 

[bigdaddy]

I purchased one about a year ago. Seems to do what it said it would do. I was new to this so I thought it would help.

Bottom line, if I don't feel comfortable doing something don't. Why do I need the meter to tell me that?

Just my 2 cents!

Thanks,

Wally

Because my "Comfort Meter" over the years has grown feathers??

 

[woodlandfarms]

With the PT rated to 45 degrees, I bought the slope meter before the tractor ever arrived.

All of the note above are great, and for me, the built in slope meter (the one built between me and my seat) activates much sooner than the physical meter on my dash. But having that meter is a great confidence builder and has helped in many ways beyond just keeping me alive. Just knowing a grade of something helps in laying out future building sites and fence lines.

I would have one on every tractor...

Carl

 

[Bird]

I had 2 on the canopy of my B2710; one for side to side and one for front to rear (before Rick made a single, dual axis model). It won't keep you from turning the tractor over any more than a gas gauge in your car will keep you from running out of gas, but it was information that I wanted, so I liked mine.

 

[dmccarty]

I have two tilmeters mounts on the tractor. One tells me the slope left and right and the other fore and aft. The second on is more for grins and giggles but I do use to get the tractor as level as possible when changing fluids. My land only has a few level places and the meters help me educate my fanny on what is safe and not.

For the most part I'm not happy between 5-10 degrees. I know its 5-10 degrees because of the meters. 15 degrees is starting to get into Change The Fruit Of The Looms territory.

The meters are good just to tell you what the slope is when you are in a new area. There is not any guessing. You know. Going to 15 degrees is my limit. I get out before crossing 15. If I see that I'm at 10 or so then I go even slower. It only takes a rock, hole or stump to put you in the roll over zone. And I have lots of rocks, holes, and stumps.

On our road, near the gate the ditch and road bed are at about 5 degrees. I'll put the left side of the tractor in the ditch and start mowing uphill. After about 500 feet or so its time to get out of the ditch. The road bed slowly and gradually gets higher than the ditch so your angle increase. Since it slowly happens you adjust to it. I keep my eye on the meter and when it gets to 10-15, we get out of the ditch.

The meter aint a silver bullet but it helps.

Later,
Dan

 

[hill]

I'll share my opinion with you. I bought what I thought was a pretty good one.



I found, however, that it was rather slow to respond to the slopes. It did not always react to the slope I was on either. So for me, it was not much value. Perhaps mine is defective or it's not mounted properly. I'm hoping other's will reply with better information for you.

#RRL,

That particular meter is kinda' slow acting for our use. I have those on my cabover camper for leveling in both axis when landing it from the truck, and for that they are adequate. For tractor use, if yours is like the ones I have, I think that we'd be flipped already before the bubble got wind of it and moved. Maybe the little tube is too small to allow quick bubble changes.