Scary experience on my B7100

[bobm39]

Last evening I was mowing with my B7100 HST. A lot of my property is sloped probably about 20 % could be more. I am always careful and not push the tractor to places that I feel could be dangerous. Most all mowing is done in 4WD and low gear. Last evening I was playing around with the 4WD vs 2WD and low & high gear when mowing across the slope. I made a turn that put me front end down the slope, this is when it got scary. I lost control of the tractor as it started to run down the hill. I'm headed for a boulder, we have several to mow around along with trees. I was able to steer around that but was concerned with rolling over. With the brakes on the rear tires locked and they just slid, it was like being on ice. I have mowed this area with this same tractor for 10 years without incident.

After calming down I went back to an area with the same slope but no boulders or trees and tried to repeat this. I found that when in 4WD there is no problem as the front wheels when in gear act as a brake. Tried again in 2WD and I was off to the races again. I am also sure that using low vs high will also give more brake effect.

Just wanted to pass this experience on.

 

[llenrocs]

I had a similar experience years ago with a B6200 HST 4WD. I was mowing downhill near the banks of our pond. The tractor slipped out of gear and quickly accelerated downhill towards the pond. Slamming on the brakes did nothing (turf tires) so straight into the pond I went. We pulled the tractor back out, cleaned out the air cleaner & it started right up (thankfully).

The problem with going downhill is that amount of weight carried by the rear tires is less, and therefore the amount of traction available at the rear tires is reduced.

My experience was scary enough.... I'm sure heading for a large boulder was much worse.

Sean

 

[KeithInSpace]

That is NO fun. I hate to say that it has happend to me 3 or 4 times since I bought my tractor. It even happened to my once on my old POS Monkey Wards LT (towing 400# of SacCrete down a 3:1 slope). Usually it only happens when doing un-intelligent things...after the experience, I clean my pants and say to myself, "Well, dummy, what did you expect???"

What is REALLY scary is when this happens when you think you're doing something 'normal'.

Fortunate you didn't bend your machine. Glad to hear you got out of it OK.

 

[FrogLick]

I noticed that you said you were mowing ACROSS the slope. I was under the impression that mowing up & down slopes was always the safest way to prevent roll over on slopes of any significant grade. I have a very steep slope I have to mow and always mow downhill in 4WD, low range, seat belt on, and don't try to get in a hurry. So far I've had no problem but it always makes me nervous.

 

[FullBucket]

Glad to hear you and your tractor made it downhill unharmed. Thanks for sharing your tip. While I don't have major slopes, I have most of my landscaping still to do. Uneven dips around ditches and swales have made me nervous several times. I try to go slow when I'm on a side slope fearing the result of too quick a rise or fall on one side. Up until this week I had always used four wheel drive. I liked the traction doing FEL work and had just left it that way. Got the idea that it really wasn't necessary for mowing and popped it back to two wheel. I still have significant amounts of bucket work to do on and around slopes and will keep your advise in mind (I hope). Hate to ruin a perfectly good pair of underwear

 

[sunnyside360]

Having a lot of steep hills on this old farm I've learned years ago the "does" and "don'ts". All my tractors have liquid ballast in rear the tires and I use 4WD in low range mowing only up and down these hills. In fact, on the very steepest of hills where the front wheels come off the ground going up, I only back up and then mow down the hill -- never turn. I found this to be the safest for the steep hills. On a few occasions I've had some very close calls until I got the above described technique down. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Sherweld]

The really great thing about being old and having a good deal of experience is; if you ever ask yourself, "should I really be doing it this way", you probably shouldn't.

 

[dougtrr2]

Similar experience with my BX24. Had the FEL full of heavy oak pieces and went down a slight slope in 2WD on the High side. Never again. Always stop at the top of the slope and switch to 4WD and Lo side. I am tranporting my firewood from where I cut it to where I stack it and the majority of it is level so I run the 2WD and HI side.

Take Care
Doug in SW IA

 

[NuBota]

All my hills are 15 - 25 degrees - I have not had my BX out of 4WD low since I've had it. And as others have said - back up the steep ones and go straight down. And I am positive the filled tires have saved me countless times.

Bobm39 - appreciate the info - you tested what I always took for granted - heck it took me two weeks after buying the tractor to get the stones to even attempt the hills. I am glad you and the tractor came away unscathed.

 

[megaboz]

....

After calming down I went back to an area with the same slope but no boulders or trees and tried to repeat this. I found that when in 4WD there is no problem as the front wheels when in gear act as a brake. Tried again in 2WD and I was off to the races again. I am also sure that using low vs high will also give more brake effect.

Just wanted to pass this experience on.

I can't believe you went and tried it again on purpose?

The second day that I had my BX I had it out of 4wd, I shot down about a 5 foot hill completely out of control. If I am on grass/dirt, it stays in 4wd.

I did have a similar experience on a 4-wheeler with a pull behind mower. I slid about 100 yards down the hill. With the forest coming at me and trying to pump the breaks and thinking that if I did make it through the trees, the
30' drop off was going to do me in. I decided at the last minute to try to turn it sideways so I could jump off on the up-hill side. Before I could jump off the whole contraption did a 180. I grabbed all the brakes and prayed. It stopped. After my hands relaxed on the brakes, I went up the hill and parked it for the day.

 

[grossgary]

I can't believe you went and tried it again on purpose?

that's what i was thinking!

i do significant amount of work on 4WD subaru's, i play with them...locking center differentials, locking rears, trans and engine conversions, lifting rigs, etc. that and being an aerospace engineer i'm decent at understanding and conceptualizing mechanics. and even still i didn't understand that tractors are much different than other equipment i've used. and that mowing hills requires more than just "mowing up and down" as a strategy. you still need to understand exactly how the tractor works, it's balance, the weight....like the rears not having much weight mentioned by someone earlier, how the brakes work, the trans, gearing, and 4WD, etc.

my generic riding mowers were terrible for this. lost control a couple times as well, not having any idea how the "brakes" worked. not much of brakes at all. on one ocassion with my old rider i tried mowing up hill (very steep and long). just as i was getting close to the top the rear tires started to spin and i started drifting backwards. not sure what happened in the fit of panick but i'm glad those cheap riders don't have seat belts - as i started gaining speed, backwards mind you, adrenaline pumping and tried to gradually turn the steering wheel to slow it down...obviously that doesn't work - i jumped off the tractor and it bounced, flipped and rolled exactly 3 times down the hill as i just sat on the ground watching it all.

i've been very scared since then. but i did find out the hard way the exact same thing this poster mentioned, also with my B7100. in 2WD and high range it lost it on the same hill. it was either a tiny bit less scarry than my old riders or i was just "used to it"! it did feel much more steady, controllable, and wasn't bouncing feet off the ground like those old riders. i held on tight and have been VERY **** about using it now on the steep sections.

my wife has gotten lectured to only mow our main front lawn - completely flat. she is never to even get close to slopes. this is definitely information that's good to get out there.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I also have some fairly steep slopes, ditches and trees. My first tractor was a BX2200, MMM and FEL. I got it down in a pile of downed trees and with the MMM couldn't get it out. I thought fel made me able to go anywhere. When my friend came to do some heavy dirt moving with his track front end loader, I told him to go get my tractor out of the trees, He got a big charge out of that. I traded BX for a B7800, RFM and FEL. One really cold Ky day my friend returned to cut the top of a hill off for me. His tracks on his loader were frozen and he couldn't get his machine to move. I told him it looked like I'd have to go get my Kubota and lift his front loader off the trailer. After beating and banging for an hour and trying to move his machine back and forth he told me to go get the Kubota. I got beside his trailer and lifted his tracks with my fel and got his track loose enough that he could get it off of the trailer. Guess I laughed last at him. Always kidded him about taking a Kubota to get his big machine to work. I've also done the sliding down the hill in wet grass with no control. First time really got my attention. I did cut the wheels to go straight down and rode it out to the bottom which fortunately is the level part of my yard. I was going to go across the hill to the other side of the yard because it wasn't that steep but it started sliding. Haven't driven any of them on wet grass since then.

 

[bobm39]

Yes I did do it a second time on purpose. The second time I made sure I didn't have any boulders or trees in the way and the ground ended up in a flatter area. I figured if it got away again I'd just ride it out.

 

[Dirk Lately]

Question. Is it a good tactic to use the FEL to try to stop a runaway?

I've got R1 tires and 4WD, but steep, grassy slopes as well. I understand to nose down the slopes when traversing them, but when I lose traction, is it a dumb idea to shove the FEL down? It would be an abrupt stop I bet, but better than rolling, right?

 

[megaboz]

I would say "yes" and "no". Yes if you aren't going too fast and the slope is even, No for about everything else. Of course it all depends on the alternative, a 30' drop off, yea I would bury the thing. But too much force might tear up the FEL.

I cuaght a tree branch going down hil with the ROPS. The branch didn't give, but the tractor did ride down the hill on the back two wheels. WIshed I had a camera for that one.

I do tend to keep my FEL low to the ground and constantly watch it and do use when I have to. But I have also caught a couple of humps with the corner and it tends to spin you around.

 

[Harry c]

Question. Is it a good tactic to use the FEL to try to stop a runaway?

QUOTE]
In most cases you will have the bucket level or tilted back. Drop it as soon as you think you might have a problem. That puts more weight on the rear wheels, lowers the center of gravity, and of course the bucket produces a lot of drag. Even if the bucket is pointed down some, it will come to a relatively gradual stop (compared to hitting a boulder or tree) as it digs in. If it's angled down far enough, the speed is high enough, the hill is steep enough, and the tractor is heavy enough, it can rip the welds right out of the bucket. Don't ask me how I know about that one.

 

[FullBucket]

Sounds like you intend to head downhill. I haven't tried dropping the FEL on a downhill runaway but just the idea of it scares me. If you have any speed, aside from the potential damage to your loader, you run the risk of flipping the tractor. A better idea would be to lower any attachment on your three point hitch to add drag, of course those that might tend to dig in might do some damage. Good luck and stay safe.

 

[grossgary]

thanks for the comment on wet grass - i'll know to avoid my hill when it's even possibly wet.

i'm not sure what slopes everyone is talking about, but mine is "thiiiissss big"! well for real, i am fairly confident that had i put anything in front of the tractor as fast as i was going on my runaway it would have flipped. going that fast and bouncing there seems to be lots of room for that thing to grab enough to flip an already unstable and geometrically challenged tractor. but i don't have FEL either so that's just arm chair commentary from a man who got very scared on that runaway!

 

[megaboz]

I agree, if you were to be going to fast I definietly don't reccommend it. But since when you are in low range, the fastest you can be doing when it slips is about 3 mph, so if you were to bury the bucket immediately when it broke loose, you would be fine.

THe other thing to remember to with the FEL, most likely you will have it curled (unless you are planning on using it as a brake) So when you slam it into the ground it is just going to be a big sled without steering.

I have had my tractor on some slopes (slopes are the right word, maybe widow maker of a hill) that are simply very steep, probably greater than 30 degerees. One hill is so steep that it is all I can do to hold myself in the seat. And as long as they are not muddy, and it is in 4WD and low range, it goes up and down them without sliding/spinning a tire. I rarely have to use the Diff Lock.

The biggest thing is to pay attention. I don't go up and down these hill if I notive that the tires are getting extremely wet because when it comes to grass you just cannot count on getting enough traction from a little BX>

 

[Dirk Lately]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm pretty worried about hills - my property is sloped in parts, I'm an absolute novice, and it rains a lot here. I'll be moving veeerrrry slowly for a while!