LBrown59
Super Star Member
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- Oct 27, 2004
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- 2003 Kubota BX1500/2004 Kubota Bx23/2005 Kubota BX1500
About 15 % Max
TiltMeter question...
- Thread starter FN in MT
- Start date
- Views: 3801
Bird
Rest in Peace
I hope in this kind of discussion that everyone keeps in mind the difference between "percent" and "degrees". I'd agree that 15 degrees is normally as far as I ever want to go, but I believe that would be about 33.33 percent.
newbury
Super Star Member
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- Jan 8, 2009
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- 14,096
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- From Vt, in Va, retiring to MS
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- Kubota's - B7610, M4700
<snip> I once parked sideways on an 18 degree slope, got off, and pushed on the high side without turning it over. But I can also tell you that 12 to 15 degrees was the steepest I wanted to get to and I moved very slowly and carefully at anything over 10 degrees.
This is the ONLY true test. Tires, wheel width, dirt on the frame vary, how high the FEL, how much fuel etc.
What you NEED to do, but probably won't, is put your tractor on some boards, jack the boards up on one end till your tractor tips over, buy a new tractor.
I already had my tractor lift it's left hind leg while slipping down a slope. The FEL went to the ground and I don't want to do it again. I did not have a strain gauge between my cheeks to accurately measure the pucker factor.
I'm thinking now of having a "tractor NOT tipping exercise" where' I'll get my tractor on a slope like Bird did and have my son's there with a rope to haul it back as soon as it starts to go.
It's good to have three strong son's.
Meanwhile I added about 800lbs of ballast, but it's partially top heavy
Attachments
Bird
Rest in Peace
Incidentally, when I did that, I had the FEL off the tractor.
skidoo
Gold Member
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- May 24, 2007
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- Montana - Growing Zone 5
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- JD 2520, JD X749, JD110TLB
A guideline won't do. You will need to figure it out for your self. Even On dry ground, conditions can vary greatly and will be different with different equipment. As you probably know, here in Montana, dry ground can solid with excellent traction, or it can be loose and crumbly, or the vegetation or droppings can be a factor. Dry ground with a lot of pine needle on top can be like marbles.
With that said, I can comfortably go up and down 35 degree (not percent) dry grass slopes and up to 25 deg side slope on my X749. On a JD 110 TLB, a 15 deg side slope is uncomfortable, and is not doable in more slick conditions. I have tried a 15 degree slope on the 110 in slick conditions, it would just slide sideways upon entering the slope. Had to wait until it dried out before it could go there.
For maximum slope, I think a key to the condition is to watch the front tires. If you try to steer up hill and if they slip and go straight or slip downhill, it is definitely too steep. The problem with getting to this point is at that slope and traction condition, you have lost full steering control. To recover requires some serious thought or else the situation can be made worse. Sometimes it feels like playing chess. You make a move, nature counters, you re-assess and make a different move, etc... To be on top of it, you really need to think several moves ahead and consider your risk each step of the way, and know the lay of the land. If you can't stand much risk, keep off slopes greater than the tractor manufacturer recomends. Oh, well maybe that is the guideline.
With that said, I can comfortably go up and down 35 degree (not percent) dry grass slopes and up to 25 deg side slope on my X749. On a JD 110 TLB, a 15 deg side slope is uncomfortable, and is not doable in more slick conditions. I have tried a 15 degree slope on the 110 in slick conditions, it would just slide sideways upon entering the slope. Had to wait until it dried out before it could go there.
For maximum slope, I think a key to the condition is to watch the front tires. If you try to steer up hill and if they slip and go straight or slip downhill, it is definitely too steep. The problem with getting to this point is at that slope and traction condition, you have lost full steering control. To recover requires some serious thought or else the situation can be made worse. Sometimes it feels like playing chess. You make a move, nature counters, you re-assess and make a different move, etc... To be on top of it, you really need to think several moves ahead and consider your risk each step of the way, and know the lay of the land. If you can't stand much risk, keep off slopes greater than the tractor manufacturer recomends. Oh, well maybe that is the guideline.
ccsial
Veteran Member
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- NorthWest Illinois
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- (Kuboto L3400) (Ford 1900 4WD w/FEL) (Deere X748SE) All bought new
I was discussing tilt meters with one of my engineers yesterday and he said a rule of thumb is not to drive on anything that would spill your beer.
Even a static absolute number is hard to define.
Even if you did a bump on the high side or pot hole on the down side could still upset you.
Staring at a protractor distracts you from watching for bumps, rocks, potholes, gopher holes.
Up/Down mowing is safest.
If you HAVE TO cross mow (& I would argue that you don't HAVE TO).
An offset mower has a slight advantage as long as you mow with it on the up side.
You might be able to work out a pattern whereby you make the return runs on flat(flatter) areas.
Also not what you want to hear, but loaded tires add stability, both by adding weight and by reducing bounce (less air cushion).
Maybe against instinct, but turn DOWN the hill if/when things get weird.
Even if you did a bump on the high side or pot hole on the down side could still upset you.
Staring at a protractor distracts you from watching for bumps, rocks, potholes, gopher holes.
Up/Down mowing is safest.
If you HAVE TO cross mow (& I would argue that you don't HAVE TO).
An offset mower has a slight advantage as long as you mow with it on the up side.
You might be able to work out a pattern whereby you make the return runs on flat(flatter) areas.
Also not what you want to hear, but loaded tires add stability, both by adding weight and by reducing bounce (less air cushion).
Maybe against instinct, but turn DOWN the hill if/when things get weird.
SpringHollow
Elite Member
I have two slope meters because it is interesting to see what angle you are at, not for safety. So today I know i was using the minihoe on my PT1850 slope mower sideways on a slope a little over 20 degrees. Neat to know but not important.
Ken
Ken
NuBota
Gold Member
I look at the Tilt-meter as a speedometer. You don't need the latter to tell if you are travelling at a dangerous speed. But, a speedomter will provide a scale as to how a particular vehicle handles at certain speeds under specific conditions, and, of course, based on the driver's skill. There is no hard, safe speed, for any given vehicle in any given scenario - it comes from experience. Think back to when you were 15 and you finally got to leave the drivers ed parking lot and were doing 60 on the hwy - bet the pucker factor was kinda high then huh? That 318 in my folk's Volare seemed like a rocket....
I like the tilt-meter because it provides a similar frame of reference. I can now look at slopes and assign a number to them. I glance at it from time to time, to associate my pucker factor to a number, but don't rely on it to determine if I am safe or not...
I like the tilt-meter because it provides a similar frame of reference. I can now look at slopes and assign a number to them. I glance at it from time to time, to associate my pucker factor to a number, but don't rely on it to determine if I am safe or not...
