Tipsy - what angle?

BamaDave · May 25, 2004

I'm a brand newbie with a Kubota Bx23 which is pretty low to the ground. My 10 acres has a good many hills, especially around the pond where I cut with a 48" rear cutter. This weekend, with the FEL attached also, I noticed that moving with my left side downhill felt much more stable than when I mowed with my right side downhill. Is it possible that the tractor is more stable with one side lower than when the other is lower? Maybe just my inner-ear playing tricks, but it was a noticeably different "feel".

Also, I plan to foam-fill all 4 tires to prevent flats (I had 3 the first week!!). It should add about 250 lbs, low-down. Should I notice any real difference in stability?

Thanks ahead of time for the advice. This forum is a great resource!

Dave

Jim_Fisher · May 26, 2004

( I noticed that moving with my left side downhill felt much more stable than when I mowed with my right side downhill. Is it possible that the tractor is more stable with one side lower than when the other is lower? )

It is if your tire pressures are not equal side to side. Remember that on a tractor, the tires are also the suspension.

chrisjbell · May 26, 2004

Also, I plan to foam-fill all 4 tires to prevent flats (I had 3 the first week!!). It should add about 250 lbs, low-down. Should I notice any real difference in stability?


Yes, you'll see a great increase in stability, not to mention not getting a flat every other day or so /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif. I'm a very big fan of filled tires - right now I run tires with tubes (because of flats) that are filled with water (no concern about freezing here). Last time I had a tube put in I was lazy about filling it with water - big mistake /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. Shouldn't be a problem for you but I would not recommend having one tire filled and another one empty /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif...

Fill 'em. You'll be pleased, I think, unless you are trying to do finish mowing. In that case, filled tires will rip your turf up pretty badly.

Egon · May 26, 2004

It may depend on what background landscape you are observing when going in different directions. Also a slightly different angle to fall line would make a difference.

Egon

Henro · May 26, 2004

I used to notice something like that when mowing sideways with my little garden tractor, on slopes I won't go sideways on with the larger tractors...

I just figured it was a right vs left handed thing. Being right handed I was more comfortable with my right side down hill for some reason. Maybe I am right-legged too and the body felt the right leg was stronger and could better hold up the little tractor if it started to tip???

I think it is all in one's mind if tire pressures are equal and loads are centered and not offset...

EastTexFrank · May 26, 2004

Strange, isn't it. I also feel "happier" with my right hand side being downhill.

It used to be that 20 degrees was the rule of thumb for a compact but I see that lots of you run them on a lot higher angles than that. Personally, that would scare the cr** out of me. I think 15 is about my maximum and that allows for the downhill side wheel to drop into a hole and still give me a chance of staying upright.

Many years ago I almost rolled a MF 275 when the drag bush hog broke loose on a slope and started to drag the rear end of the tractor downhill with it. That sucker went up on to 2 wheels and seemed to hang there forever before it came crashing back down on all four. It tore all kinds of things up. There was absolutely nothing you could do but sit there and wait for whatever was going to happen to happen. You have no control over the situation at all when it gets to that stage. I'll tell you that was one of the scariest things that's ever happened to me. That's also why I'm pretty chicken when it comes to slopes. Once I start to feel uncomfortable, I'm out of there but it all has to do with your personal comfort factor. I have a friend who mows for a living and runs his tractor on slopes that I probably wouldn't walk on. His tractor is also bigger than mine and the wheels are set W-I-D-E.

All I can say is, "Please be careful". If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. Let your sphincter be your guide. It doesn't take much to roll a CUT.

LBrown59 · Nov 18, 2004

( I'm a brand newbie with a Kubota Bx23
*which is pretty low to the ground.

Dave )
I couldn't decide between the B2410 and the BX23
*Being lower than the B2410 Was one of the reasons the BX23
won out over the B2410.
I got the BX23 in early Sept and haven't missed the B2410.
Got 77 Happy Hours on it now.