20% grade

[Rhino35]

I bought the hillside behind my house last year and the guy I bought it from came over to say hello and check out my new Kioti (on a quad runner). He saw I was going up and down and commented that he used to go around in a circle in a two wheel drive older tractor - one that just looking at it would appear to have a higher center of gravity that mine because the wheels are closer together - especially his front wheels. The graphic posted in this thread of a 20 degree slope - that does look pretty tame on paper - but my land is not perfectly graded. It is generally smooth but has little depressions and humps. It is when I got a wheel started down off one of those areas that I felt most at risk of either a slide or a rollover happening. Hog, your post, and others about highway maintenance, is confidence inspiring, but as most have commented safety is all about knowing your land and where a sudden drop off can occur that could tip you over. Thanks for the reply! I will try and upload some pictures of my land today.

 

[paulharvey]

When we build DRAs (retention ponds, generally dry ponds) we cut the slopes to a 4:1 (25%) and they are mowed sideways, would take a month of Sundays to mow up/down. On the flip side, these guys mow 6 days per week, 12-14 hours per day, they are used to it. Typically using 75-85 HP JDs or Kubs. When construction is done we generally make the road builder mow the entire job, and many times they bring a zero turn or a tracked skid steer with bushhog because there puker meter goes off using a tractor sideways on a 4:1.

 

[Rhino35]

Trying to upload some photos of the hillside.

 

[schmism]

20-30 goats... some sheep....a few llama .... fixed that issue

 

[dragoneggs]

Okay, just downloaded a free app "tiltmeter" for my iphone. Will give it at try and report back. Then realized I needed to buy a Lifeproof Suction cup holder to fit the waterproof case. App seems useful on its own. Want to mount to my tractor and see want kind of slopes I am dealing with and try to get an idea of 'safe' slope for my landscaping/grading project in my backyard. Have a sloping cleared acre to play with.

 

[Rhino35]

I suggested that to my wife and she thought it not such a viable solution!

 

[sd455dan]

My wife and I purchased a small farm that has a lot of grades. Most fields have less than 15% grade but some of the lower fields have 20% grade. The farm was plowed by a horse and plow. I am looking for suggestions on what type of tractor would be the best to buy in order to plow safely.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

how about a small to medium tracked vehicle maybe the size of a JD 450-550 got to be more stable than the average tractor??

 

[hog987]

Here are some pics of some of the hills I have. Cell phone cam does not do the best job showing how steep they really are

 

[Rhino35]

Hog,

That third pic with the tree shadows - yep, you got a hill there! That looks like the steepest part of my property.

Rhino

 

[RickB]

I used to farm a coutour stripped hill that the USDA had mapped at an average of 30% slope over the length of the hill which was about 1000 feet. Yes it was steep. No I didn't have any significant problems or accidents using typical hay and small grains equipment. A 20% grade is really no big deal if one uses common sense and pays attention.

 

[Larro Darro]

I wouldn't plow the steepest parts unless you had too. Keep it in grass.
My old hayfield has a deep hollow in it. When we bought the land in 1978 it had just been cleared and planted in coastal. Before the grass could get a foothold, a gully started about halfway up the slope. Over the years it grew, going all the way up to the top, to level ground. We tried to control it by putting all sorts of debri in it, including rolls of old hay. We slowed it down, but didn't fix the problem until we scalped the land across the slope to plant pine trees.

If you have to plow, a buffer of intact grass between the plowed sections would help with the erosion.

 

[Rhino35]

Rick,

Up and down on the parts steeper than 20 degrees?

Rhno

 

[RickB]

Rick,

Up and down on the parts steeper than 20 degrees?

Rhno

The field had contour strips which means all traffic was across the slope.

 

[Rhino35]

Dang!

Just stock width of your equipment? No spacers?

 

[RickB]

John Deere 4240, 4430, 4010, 3020, 2030, 6620 combine, etc. Tractor rear wheel track 8-8.5' outside to outside.

 

[jhernan]

Just eyeballing that cross cut...that looks very steep! Have you ever checked it with an inclinometer? Do you cut the rest of that hill going up and down? Add in the pond at the bottom - this is a worst case scenario. It is beautiful country!

Thanks for your comment. I haven't checked them hills with an incliometer yet. Maybe I just don't really want to know. The pucker factor is always with me so that tells me were I shouldn't go. Yes I do cut the rest of the hills. I just take my time. My neighbor tells me that my little tractor can climb a tree. I did have all four wheels pushed out before delivery. The rear tires meassure 84" on the outside of the tires.