Working On A Slope

[rekees4300]

"The book says I should back up these slopes"

Do what the book says. An alternative would be to drive up a less steep route to the top then mow downhill going forward. If you don't have a less steep route then I would just mow as much as possible using the backup method and leave the rest unmowed. Is your life worth a few friggin' weeds?!

Also based on 10 years of experience: FEL + slopes = RIP Remove your FEL before mowing! Gravity does not reward stupidity!

 

[dex3361]

Let me add this as a new tractor user you should go slow until you learn the machine. Don't try to do everything that the tractor is capable of, because it takes time to learn where the limits are. Go slow, always keep the FEL low to the ground if it is on the tractor. keep all of the implements as low to the ground as possible. Watch for pot holes dips sales rocks or anything else that could change the angle rapidly. Have an experienced operator walk you through the operation and what may be acceptable or unacceptable areas. Stay off of the slopes when it is wet, A tractor is not a fun sled ride. I agree with backing up the slopes first to see how the machine does. Here is a pic of a 27 degree hill tractor path that I made with my L4400 HST

 

[crazyal]

Being from Vermont myself I'm sure you can find a large rock that you can do like I do and put it in your front bucket. As you get some seat time you'll feel the front becoming light while driving up some of the steeper hills. But for now I would take it easy and safe.

 

[Youare]

The FEL can be your best friend and a pain in the neck. When using a 3PH mower or anything for that matter you tend to be looking backwards a lot. The FEL does add length to the tractor's front and it is easy to swing it into something when backing up or looking backwards.

Keeping the FEL low, a foot or so off the ground, while you mow helps keep the center of gravity lower. I have used the FEL once or twice to get me out of a tippy situation. I was driving down a moderate sloped woods road and encountered a soft spot on one side. When the front wheel sank a little I felt the tractor tip more than what I was comfortable with. I stopped lowered the FEL until it just started to lift the front end and then backed up out of that spot. The width of the bucket really helped to stablize the tractor and got me out of an uncomfortable spot.

Unless you have a good counterweight on the rear of the tractor if you load one side of the bucket more than the other that can make for a tippy situation. Digging into a bank and catching a root or rock with one corner of the bucket can make the opposite rear wheel leave the ground pretty quick.

Go slow and learn how your tractor handles and responds to different situations.

Randy

 

[cuoffroad]

"The book says I should back up these slopes"

Do what the book says. An alternative would be to drive up a less steep route to the top then mow downhill going forward. If you don't have a less steep route then I would just mow as much as possible using the backup method and leave the rest unmowed. Is your life worth a few friggin' weeds?!

Also based on 10 years of experience: FEL + slopes = RIP Remove your FEL before mowing! Gravity does not reward stupidity!

:welcome: and x2 for the above. Attachments and hills / slopes are nothing to mess around with. If something happens, it's gonna happen quick and it's just not worth the chance.

 

[DanielVT]

Also based on 10 years of experience: FEL + slopes = RIP Remove your FEL before mowing! Gravity does not reward stupidity!

Good enough for me. The guy who I used to pay to do the mowing here before I got my new toy used a 35 HP Kubota, no FEL. He's gotta be close to 80 now. Probably didn't get that far by taking chances on his tractor.

Maybe I should put some weights on the front though? Mr. Kubotadealer would be happy to sell me some nice-looking orange ones I'm sure. I'll look at the mower manual to see if they say anything about front-end ballast while using it.

Thanks everybody for your advice.

 

[rekees4300]

Daniel front ballast is a good idea. It will help with steering control but don't let the ballast lull you into a false sense of security that it's okay to mow going forward uphill.

 

[Ken45101]

You have less traction if you have to back uphill than if you back down the hill and drive forward back up it. Ag tires are designed for max traction forward.

I have pastures here that I've had to mow by backing down. Enough so that I've gotten a stiff neck watching backward!

Also, if it's really overgrown, you can see if the mower drops off over an edge.

If you take the loader off, you will need to add front weights to compensate. Otherwise, the tractor will be frontend light and more susceptible to doing a wheelie.

I've done the hillsides with and without the loader, but always backing downhill. Never had a problem. YMMV.

 

[Redneck in training]

Stay in four-wheel drive. Tractors have brakes in rear axle only but going downhill you need also brakes in the front especially with the FEL attached. By using FWD all four wheel will brake.
One time I just entered the top of a hill while the grass was wet. When I realized what was happening I was already on the bottom doing a doughnut on two wheels. Now I leave the tractor in FWD all the time.

 

[Ken45101]

Stay in four-wheel drive. Tractors have brakes in rear axle only but going downhill you need also brakes in the front especially with the FEL attached. By using FWD all four wheel will brake.
One time I just entered the top of a hill while the grass was wet. When I realized what was happening I was already on the bottom doing a doughnut on two wheels. Now I leave the tractor in FWD all the time.

Excellent and important advice. Twice I've had the lawn tractor (B2710) accidently in 2wd and slid down one of the hills in the yard. I was stopped by the fence! Don't even have a loader on it, just a MMM.