Slope Question

[MHarryE]

Person who said not published for legal reasons is absolutely correct. At Caterpillar we test tipping angle on a tilt table but we don't publish because dynamic conditions cause most rollovers. I've investigated rollovers on some relatively flat places. One hit a boulder hidden in grass. Two had banks give way. One turned corner at high speed. In every case the slope on which they were working was less than half tipping angle.

 

[JWR]

Person who said not published for legal reasons is absolutely correct. At Caterpillar we test tipping angle on a tilt table but we don't publish because dynamic conditions cause most rollovers. I've investigated rollovers on some relatively flat places. One hit a boulder hidden in grass. Two had banks give way. One turned corner at high speed. In every case the slope on which they were working was less than half tipping angle.

Good point. Reality is dynamic, not static. Sitting on a hillside is one thing and mowing it is another ! I think all of the experienced yakkers in this thread who spoke of "What steepness they consider too much" to operate on and similar statements are inherently ALSO saying 1) that they are taking into account normal amounts of bumping and jumping around and 2) that they are very familiar with the slope and the ground they are mowing or else creep over it VERY slow the first time. I mentioned in an earlier post ground hog holes and sink holes as hazards. Let's add to that list the cow paths made along steep slopes that amount to "steps" if you are going up or down. Steep places on WV farms typically include those.

 

[jajiu]

There are a lot of good comments and suggestions out here, the one thing I go by is If I'm uncomfortable with the situation, I don't do it. If I start to do or go someplace on an angle, I go cautiously and if it becomes uncomfortable to me, I stop and carefully back out. My hand is always ready to drop the loader to the ground if necessary. One thing for sure is that if something out of expectation can happen, it will.

 

[davidcbaker]

There are a lot of good comments and suggestions out here, the one thing I go by is If I'm uncomfortable with the situation, I don't do it. If I start to do or go someplace on an angle, I go cautiously and if it becomes uncomfortable to me, I stop and carefully back out. My hand is always ready to drop the loader to the ground if necessary. One thing for sure is that if something out of expectation can happen, it will.

Yep. A lot of parallels between this and my era teaching motorcycle racing. Before I was completely relaxed and comfortable doing this, it took many years of scientific learning, knowing equipment, and knowing my limitations. The massive difference between what I was doing on this race track and a field is "controlled conditions"--I'm not going to have that. Thanks to all of you for the helpful comments.

 

[flusher]

I'm newer and have done what I could on the search side, scouring Youtube, etc., but still have a succinct (I hope) question. Manual doesn't seem to address this.

Equipment: Kubota M5-111 pulling LP 3615 (15 batwing). Tractor has wheel weights. LA1854 loader (could take it off if I need to). Rear wheels have not been widened. I haven't planned on filing tires, though I could.

Land is full of 8-degree slopes with a few steeper ones at 12-degrees.

If I take my time and am not an idiot, would that slope scare any of you?

Thanks!

Any potholes on your slopes? All you need to roll a tractor is to drop the downslope front wheel in a hole. I nearly rolled my 2005 Kubota B7510HST while scooping dirt with the FEL when the right front wheel dropped into a wheel rut. Be careful out there.

Good luck

 

[SDT]

Person who said not published for legal reasons is absolutely correct. At Caterpillar we test tipping angle on a tilt table but we don't publish because dynamic conditions cause most rollovers. I've investigated rollovers on some relatively flat places. One hit a boulder hidden in grass. Two had banks give way. One turned corner at high speed. In every case the slope on which they were working was less than half tipping angle.

Bingo, MHE.

Another not uncommon cause of rollovers is underinflated tubeless tires.

An underinflated tubeless tire on the downslope side can peel off of the rim. Of course, the downhill side of the tractor immediately drops the distance between the rim and the ground. Such circumstances usually happen upon steep slopes resulting in rollover.

Hitting a hidden obstacle with the uphill tire produces similar results.

SDT

 

[oosik]

I simply don't worry about SLOPE. The only slope on my 80 acres is 45 degrees and I DO NOT even go straight up it. There is a way around and that is how I go. Going horizontal on a slope says, at least, a couple things. I hope nothing lifts the high wheel(hidden rock) - - I hope the low wheel doesn't drop into some unseen hole/depression.

Going horizontal just is not worth the risk. And my rear tires are spread as wide as possible and filled with rim guard.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Ray, I respectfully disagree. Your B2230 (and mine) bear little or no resemblance to the M5-111 pulling a 15 ft batwing ! His M5 is over 100hp and over 3 tons. The 15ft batwing is probably a ton by itself. Our little 2200's are ants versus elephants by comparison. The geometry is drastically different. My BX2200 is very easy to get tipsy by lifting too much weight in the bucket, holding it too high with weight in it, and various other dumb things we probably all have done once in a while. My fat butt weight is a significant portion of the total keeping the rear wheels down at times. That's with miniature machines where our body weight is a significant fraction in calculations. Not the case with a 3 tons plus M5. The orig poster (with FEL on it) gets better traction with more weight on the front, lowers his c.g. slightly, makes his whole rig more stable.

I see no circumstance in which his FEL is going to make anything "go bad in the first place" with the large tractor.

I have a 100hp Deere and 15’ batwing. Tractor is around 5-6 tons with ballast and loader. Batwing is close to 5k lbs.

When I mow slopes then 4wd is absolutely used. Keep the loader very low and sometimes actually use the seatbelt. The batwing being so heavy helps don’t let it start sliding down the hill though

Brett

 

[goeduck]

You might want to think about a 'tiltmeter' like they have in the site store. I bought one because I have a lot of hills and uneven areas on my property

Looks very useful, I like that it is not electronic.

 

[goeduck]

I simply don't worry about SLOPE. The only slope on my 80 acres is 45 degrees and I DO NOT even go straight up it. There is a way around and that is how I go. Going horizontal on a slope says, at least, a couple things. I hope nothing lifts the high wheel(hidden rock) - - I hope the low wheel doesn't drop into some unseen hole/depression.

Going horizontal just is not worth the risk. And my rear tires are spread as wide as possible and filled with rim guard.

I took the backhoe off of my little B21 and wondered why it wanted to tip to the left side all the time even when I thought it would go on its front axle. Turns out the previous owner must have replaced one rear and did not fill it. The right rear has a little more tread and no fluid. It wants to tip to the left every chance it gets. I need to fill that tire, meanwhile it sure makes working with my larger L size backhoe feel much more stable (I always leave the backhoe on it). But yes, 45 degrees might was well be 90.