Mowing Use Low Gear on hills!!

[urbandeere2520]

On my way to mow an acre of grass on my 2520, approaching from the top of a 25% grade in high gear, I accidentally knocked the gear shift selector from High to Neutral (2WD) when moving my hand to grasp the left fender hand hold. Welp, facing down hill on the 25% slope the tractor took off down the hill like a jet propelled rocket!. I quickly applied the brakes but the rear wheels locked and the tractor bucked like it was ready to roll-over, so I released the brakes and reapplied them when near the bottom of the slope and saved the day. The rear wheels tore up a few good sections of sod, but the tractor and me are thankfully in one piece.

Lesson learned, approach slopes in low gear, since it's less likely that your hand will accidentally hit and move the gear shift selector to Neutral. Yes, the ROPS was up and the seat belt on... but it was scary, at least for a moment.

 

[bradrich18]

Sounds like a close call and good job saving it! I've had a 1026r now for a little over two weeks and I bought it specifically to cut hillsides I used to have to cut with a weedeater. Fortunately I haven't had a close call yet, but this is my first tractor and I'm nervous every time I head downhill. If you have any tips, I'll be glad to hear them.

 

[MarkV]

I would suggest to both of you to use 4wd in those situations. There are no brakes on the front wheels but when in 4wd you do get engine braking which helps a lot.

MarkV

 

[RoyJackson]

Learned a lesson there, didn't ya?

 

[k0ua]

Big lesson here is stay in 4wd on hills. I went down a steep hill in 2wd once and I was in 2nd gear and at a low throttle setting, the rear wheels started to slip due to the compression braking of the engine. Since I was not in 4wd I did not have the surface traction of the front wheels to take some of the braking load. The wheels slipped and once they start the tractor takes off. I rode it out to the bottom. I should have dropped the bucket to use as a brake but I didn't. I had been down that hill many times before, loaded the same, but always in 4wd, no problem. You can be sure the next trip down I was in 4wd:laughing:
No more problems. You could also argue if I had more weight on the 3pt it would never had happened. I am sure that is true, it makes sense. But by simply shifting to 4wd solved my immediate runaway problems.

James K0UA

 

[foggy1111]

Some of these things happen pretty fast. One thing that could be better than a brake would be to let the implement on the three point down to act as a brake - depending on which implement you have on the back. Seems I often operate with one hand on the hydraulic controls (loader or rockshaft) in order to bail me out if something goes amiss.

I've accidentally knocked the range lever into neutral a few times myself....and thought Deere could do a bit more to make this lever more fool-proof. Never a close call as a result....but I have made extra note of it in touchy situations.

 

[C-Range]

As someone who has also had a helpless close call some time ago, I can relate and I'm very glad you managed to pull through. It only took that one time for me to always be aware of whether I'm in 4WD or 2.

I also consider the brake to basically only be useful for parking (which is also something I almost always engage). As you've seen, depending on the brake for situations like this are futile.

It would be a whole different ball game if the brakes were also at the front wheels, of course. As anyone who rides motorcycles should know,70% of braking effort comes through the front wheel(s) (forward motion). That means the brakes on our tractors are only 30% effective in stopping the machine - at least compared to having brakes in the front as well.

These are the kinds of reasons I don't let ANYONE else operate my tractor, unless they are equally familiar and experienced. It's amazing how fast things can go wrong.

 

[LBrown59]

On my way to mow an acre of grass on my 2520, approaching from the top of a 25% grade in high gear, I accidentally knocked the gear shift selector from High to Neutral (2WD) when moving my hand to grasp the left fender hand hold. Welp, facing down hill on the 25% slope the tractor took off down the hill like a jet propelled rocket!. I quickly applied the brakes but the rear wheels locked and the tractor bucked like it was ready to roll-over, so I released the brakes and reapplied them when near the bottom of the slope and saved the day. The rear wheels tore up a few good sections of sod, but the tractor and me are thankfully in one piece.

Lesson learned, approach slopes in low gear, since it's less likely that your hand will accidentally hit and move the gear shift selector to Neutral. Yes, the ROPS was up and the seat belt on... but it was scary, at least for a moment.

Use 4 by 4 going down hill.

 

[Edward. S]

On my way to mow an acre of grass on my 2520, approaching from the top of a 25% grade in high gear, I accidentally knocked the gear shift selector from High to Neutral (2WD) when moving my hand to grasp the left fender hand hold. Welp, facing down hill on the 25% slope the tractor took off down the hill like a jet propelled rocket!. I quickly applied the brakes but the rear wheels locked and the tractor bucked like it was ready to roll-over, so I released the brakes and reapplied them when near the bottom of the slope and saved the day. The rear wheels tore up a few good sections of sod, but the tractor and me are thankfully in one piece.

Lesson learned, approach slopes in low gear, since it's less likely that your hand will accidentally hit and move the gear shift selector to Neutral. Yes, the ROPS was up and the seat belt on... but it was scary, at least for a moment.

Next time if your going down that hill again make sure you have your feet on the brakes and be prepared. Good luck next week for the next mow.

 

[urbandeere2520]

Next time if your going down that hill again make sure you have your feet on the brakes and be prepared. Good luck next week for the next mow.

Thanks for all the comments....

Regarding 4WD and preventing this surprise run-away tractor, I decided to try a test today. I put the 2520 in 4WD on the same steep slope in high gear and replicated my left hand accidentally knocking the tractor out of high gear to neutral. Did having the tractor in 4WD make a difference? **** no, the tractor took off like a rocket down hill, just as it did in 2WD.

Folks, on a steep hill (20% plus grade), neutral is neutral, doesn't matter if you're in 4WD or 2WD, the tractor is gonna accelerate fast... so be ready on the brakes, er you'll be in for the ride of your life time, if you survive.

Lesson's learned - make sure the tractor is in LOW gear on steep terrain, as you're less likely to knock it into neutral from low gear than if in high gear... high gear requires a push on the lever to neutral, easy to do, whereas moving from low to neutral requires a pull, much less likely.

JD should consider adding a locking mechanism to the gear shift lever so it cannot be inadvertently knocked out of gear, Hi or Low. Maybe a button you need to push at the top of the lever to change gears, Hi, Low, Neutral.... maybe in 2012?

 

[k0ua]

Yes, true, BUT, if you are in 4wd and hit the brakes you have a friction patch of the front tires out there to help slow down the tractor because they are now hooked to the rear axle which has actual brakes on it. In my case, when I was loaded and going down the hill in 2wd in second gear with a low throttle setting, the rear tires broke lose from the road, due to compression braking from the engine. In other words, the engine was going slower than the tractor wanted to go down this steep hill with this heavy load. Of course with a heavy load that means the rears are "light" with only a rear blade on like I had that day, BUT the fronts are freewheeling because they are not hooked to the rears mechanically. Applying brake in my case would be totally useless, because the engine had already applied more brake than I needed. In your case if you were in 4wd and then accidently bumped the transmission into neutral you would apply the brakes to slow down the tractor, and the tractor would stop better because it is in 4wd and has more "rubber on the road" than if you are in 2wd. The difference in my "runaway" and your "runaway" is you never broke traction with the road surface, and I did just that due to engine braking.

James K0UA

 

[urbandeere2520]

Wow, let me re-state your post....going downhill in neutral

Assumption - transmission is in the neutral position:

So if I'm in 2WD, and brake, then the brakes are only applied to the rear wheels.

If I'm in 4WD, the brakes are applied to all 4 wheels...

Correct?

 

[k0ua]

Wow, let me re-state your post....going downhill in neutral

Assumption - transmission is in the neutral position:

So if I'm in 2WD, and brake, then the brakes are only applied to the rear wheels.

If I'm in 4WD, the brakes are applied to all 4 wheels...

Correct?

Yes, in a manner of speaking, There are no actual brakes on the front wheels , but there is a mechanical connection of front axle to rear axle, and when you slow down the rear axle with applying brakes, then the front axle slows down and the tires apply friction to the road. therefore more contact patch on the road, and less likely to slide rear tires on the road surface for loss of control.

In my actual situation where I lost friction with the back tires due to engine compression braking, I had been using 4wd on all the loads before that fatefull one, with no problems, and I used 4wd for all the rest of the exact same loads with no problems. The only time I lost friction with the road was when I forgot to put the tractor back into 4wd after the turning out onto the road and after straighting back up.

James K0UA

 

[urbandeere2520]

So even though the tractor is in neutral.. no brakes on the front wheels, by braking the rear wheels in 4WD the front wheels also provide braking action because they are mechanically connected to the rear wheels.... correct?

 

[k0ua]

So even though the tractor is in neutral.. no brakes on the front wheels, by braking the rear wheels in 4WD the front wheels also provide braking action because they are mechanically connected to the rear wheels.... correct?

yep

James K0UA

 

[whistlepig]

I have mowed steep hills all my life with two wheel drive tractors. I bought my first 4WD tractor 5 years ago. I would never mow a dangerous hill in 4WD.

 

[alabama roughneck]

Once when I was about 8-10 yr old, first time on the tractor by myself bush hog down a hill, hit the brakes to slow down, so I thought. I had actually pressed the clutch on Pap's Ford 4000. At the bottom of the hill I cut.the wheels hard as I could so I wouldnt run into the trees. What a scary ride for a young fellow. From then on I had no trouble remembering which was clutch and brake. BTW weve never owned 4x4 and didnt know whata ROPs was till i was about 20. Moral of this story? Make sure your kids are familiar with controls before turning them loose on the tractor

 

[electrarc]

I have mowed steep hills all my life with two wheel drive tractors. I bought my first 4WD tractor 5 years ago. I would never mow a dangerous hill in 4WD.

OK. I have to ask why?

Cheers

 

[MarkV]

OK. I have to ask why?

Cheers

I was going to ask the same thing.

MarkV

 

[cantbeatadeere]

is it a riddle of sorts????