L3560 with cab. How would I know if I'm close to rolling over?

[Fallon]

As other noted... 2wd & when the high side tire starts spinning. Stop, put it in 4wd then slowly back up. Done that a few times. Was inching along REALLY slow before that.

Inclinometers are really useful in in retrospect. They can tell you when you went to far, just like your tractor being on its side can. Given the rough terrain a tractor is on a bump or hole at any speed means they aren't useful in practice.

 

[newbury]

Get a backhoe, drive around your area with the stabilizers extended.

 

[SDT]

Hey all - I recently bought an L3560 with a cab. I've got a pretty hilly property and I've been using the tractor with a Brush Hog to clear out some of the overgrown sections. It's my first cabbed tractor and I'm struggling with figuring out if I'm within the "danger zone" in some sections or if I'm just being paranoid. It was a lot easier to feel the angles with my previous non-cabbed tractor but now I'm a little more removed from the environment in my little cab. I don't have wheel spacers or anything. Would an angle meter or something help me out to know how close I might be, or is there something else I could look for?

Without lots of experience, you cannot know.

Yes, an inclinometer will indicate incline but you still do not know at what incline your tractor will roll.

I disagree with Jeff in post #2. This size Kubota is notorious in my opinion for lacking enough rear wheel spacing adjustment. BY FAR the best thing you can do is install 6" wheel spacers each side. Your comfort, confidence AND safety will increase by leaps and bounds. [I did exactly that on a B2150 and it went from nervous to comfy on a 45% slope sideways.] Of course spread the wheels as much as you can with factory design but I'm betting it is way too narrow for use on steep ground. PLEASE ignore post #4 and do not go trying to pry your uphill wheel off the ground under ANY circumstances!
RjCorazza has it about right in terms of steepness: his 28 degrees works out to a roughly 53% slope and you do not want to be operating on any steeper slope than that -- if that steep. I run a MF2660 low profile model with rear tires 8ft apart at the outer edges and ~ 50% is my limit. Of course you can come DOWN a little steeper slope letting the tractor down using brakes in 4WD etc. but there are so many ways to get in trouble.
I have lost VERY experienced tractor operating friends rolling over while bush hogging. At some point you have to compare the value of a clean hillside to the value of your life !!

About slopes: I am no fan of inclinometers and gadgets that just distract you from concentrating on operating the tractor. But when you have land you regularly mow, or will mow, it is helpful to know what degree/% slope your are dealing with.

I built a crude measuring device using a 1x2 piece of lumber, a printed chart of slope angles and a thread with weight dangling from the thread to measure the slope. I use a piece of stiff wire in each end of the 1x2 in order to stick the gadget in the ground standing on it's own while I satisfy myself that the 1x2 is parallel to the slope. Sorry for the low quality photo.
View attachment 821264

This below shows a 24 degrees (45%) measured slope.
View attachment 821265

To the right in this picture below measures 45%. That is also the B2150 with 6" spacers added on each side rear.
View attachment 821267


And finally, measure it this way if you have a helper. Do the math.

View attachment 821269

Low CG with the belly mower, and the 72" mower will just about assure that it will slide down the hill well before rolling.

 

[airbiscuit]

My rule is, when my sphincter starts to pucker, I start to worry!

 

[deserteagle71]

But seriously, an incline meter can help for generalization. However, if a tire drops in a groundhog hole, goes over a hidden rock, chunk of dropped firewood, etc., things can change quickly. Familiarity of the land can help greatly, however those groundhogs move around. Recent rains can make hidden depressions, washouts, things like that as well.

Best bet is common sense, go slow, not across the hills if you don't have to, but up and down if possible, seat time builds a feel for the machine, keep loads as low as possible.

^This!

Having a general idea of the angle at which your tractor might roll may be helpful but doesn't really matter when one of the uphill tires runs over a rock or one of the downhill tires drops into a depression hidden by grass because that angle just changed instantly.

Those of you who watch Matt's Off-road Recovery videos may remember an episode where he and his crew go up on a mountain to recover a crashed airplane. While making their way up the road one of the people in a side by side had the driver's side front tire drop into a small depression at the same time the passenger side rear tire went over a small rock and the side by side rolled instantly, in a place not really badly off-camber. If it hadn't been for a big rock outcropping just below the side by side it would have rolled a long way down the mountain.

 

[jaxs]

Take baby steps while learning your tractor rather than pushing the envelope based on what you pick up on the web.

 

[JerkyChew]

Thanks everyone - Lots of information here that I hadn't even considered besides just the angle of the dangle. The area does have surprise holes and bumps and is not a straight, smooth slope. I'll see if I can get some pictures and maybe this weekend, take some slope measurements.
@JWR - awesome post and thank you very much for that information. It's appreciated.

My rear tires are filled. In hindsight I should have looked into spacers at the time of purchase and will keep those in mind. Great idea about testing in 2WD first, too.

 

[2manyrocks]

I don't know what noncab model you had before, but generally a L3560 will have a higher center of gravity due to the cab than a noncab tractor. There could be other factors, too, that differ like the size and width of tires, tractor width, where the weight is centered in the tractor. There are real differences between different models of tractors.

If you don't feel comfortable, then don't do it.

 

[Fallon]

Thanks everyone - Lots of information here that I hadn't even considered besides just the angle of the dangle. The area does have surprise holes and bumps and is not a straight, smooth slope. I'll see if I can get some pictures and maybe this weekend, take some slope measurements.
@JWR - awesome post and thank you very much for that information. It's appreciated.

My rear tires are filled. In hindsight I should have looked into spacers at the time of purchase and will keep those in mind. Great idea about testing in 2WD first, too.

The rims on Grand Ls (an R1 but not R4 economy Ls) are adjustable. I have my R4s set to 72", which if I recall is in the middle. Wider would be better, but it matches my impliments & gives me good manuverability.

The rim attaches to the center disk on the inside or outside & the disk attaches to the hub inside or outside. Tires are heavy & loaded tires are really heavy. Make sure you have the proper gear & techniques if you plan on moving them yourself.

The manual notes the different configuration options. When they list width though it's centerline of the tires to the other centerline. That's 6-10" or so narrower than actual with Most people talk about track which is outside to outside & more useful for matching impliments or getting through a gate.

 

[JWR]

...or fitting onto a trailer. Trailers that are not deck-over have width limitations between the wheels/fenders. This was a factor when I traded up to a deck-over design. My MF2660 rear tires are 8ft outer edge to outer edge and that does not work with trailers whose deck sits between wheels.