What gear should i be travelling downhill when loaded?

[rockstarrancher]

While hauling corn, i have 4 gears with 3 ranges in each gear. Nervous about travelling down hill. The last time i did i got lucky but it was very scary as i made some errors. Do i just throw it in 4 to assure that the tractor will be travelling as fast as the wagon is gonna push it? Is there a rule of thumb to go by when hauling down a hill? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Hay Dude]

While hauling corn, i have 4 gears with 3 ranges in each gear. Nervous about travelling down hill. The last time i did i got lucky but it was very scary as i made some errors. Do i just throw it in 4 to assure that the tractor will be travelling as fast as the wagon is gonna push it? Is there a rule of thumb to go by when hauling down a hill? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Can’t tell by the info you are giving.
Is this a power shift?
If your tractor is 4WD, I’d be sure to be in 4WD.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

If you're going down hill on grass/soil,
1. lock the rear differential.
2. Be in 4 wheel drive
3. Choose a gear that you guess will have you going slower than you'd like to be going. My guess, not knowing the weight of trailer nor tractor - low range, 3rd gear. You can always notch it up, once you're comfortable.
4. Go down the hill straight. Keep that trailer behind you.

If you're on pavement, delete 2

 

[zzvyb6]

All the above, but I'd like to add a provision that you pick the range & gear which results in the tach at about 1/2 max rpm. This stays away from the peak engine torque, it will keep the drive wheels from skidding, and you will have sufficient hydraulic pressure to have good steering control if & when you need it. If you have an articulated wagon behind you, too much brake will jackknife your rig. Minimize brake usage if at all possible because you risking locking the drive wheels, skidding them, and losing steering. Also, a light brake apply often helps you from skidding just 1 wheel.
Best advice is to practice regularly on minor down-slopes. Seat belts will save you from being run over by the trailer as well as tractor structural parts, including the ROPS.

 

[rockstarrancher]

Can’t tell by the info you are giving.
Is this a power shift?
If your tractor is 4WD, I’d be sure to be in 4WD.

The 4 main gears are not power shift … The 3 within each of the 4 gears are power shift…. I took the same hill in a much bigger case tractor that was much heavier and it was a power shift, and it handled the hill just fine. But the McCormick you can really feel the load pushing the tractor down, so I am just here to see what others approach would be in this scenario… I’m pulling one big gravity wagon loaded with corn … not sure how many bushel it is, I want to say 400.

 

[Hay Dude]

If it’s DRY ground, I would use a low gear and use the STAB approach on brakes to slow the wheels down and keep the RPM’s from getting out of control, but let up before they lock. Keep repeating the STAB approach until you reach bottom.

If it’s soft ground, well, I would just avoid it unless absolutely necessary. Once you get sideways, it ain’t pretty.
I have had large balers behind me going downhill. Mine is 18 tons empty and it’ll get squirrely-even with hydraulic brakes.

BE CAREFUL

 

[rockstarrancher]

All the above, but I'd like to add a provision that you pick the range & gear which results in the tach at about 1/2 max rpm. This stays away from the peak engine torque, it will keep the drive wheels from skidding, and you will have sufficient hydraulic pressure to have good steering control if & when you need it. If you have an articulated wagon behind you, too much brake will jackknife your rig. Minimize brake usage if at all possible because you risking locking the drive wheels, skidding them, and losing steering. Also, a light brake apply often helps you from skidding just 1 wheel.
Best advice is to practice regularly on minor down-slopes. Seat belts will save you from being run over by the trailer as well as tractor structural parts, including the ROPS.

All the above, but I'd like to add a provision that you pick the range & gear which results in the tach at about 1/2 max rpm. This stays away from the peak engine torque, it will keep the drive wheels from skidding, and you will have sufficient hydraulic pressure to have good steering control if & when you need it. If you have an articulated wagon behind you, too much brake will jackknife your rig. Minimize brake usage if at all possible because you risking locking the drive wheels, skidding them, and losing steering. Also, a light brake apply often helps you from skidding just 1 wheel.
Best advice is to practice regularly on minor down-slopes. Seat belts will save you from being run over by the trailer as well as tractor structural parts, including the ROPS.

Thank you for your reply! What happened the first time down the hill in this particular scenario, was just that, my wheels skidded and I believe my rpm’s were running much higher than where I should have had them … it was last year so I don’t recall exactly what I did wrong, but I made a mistake and I think I pulled it out of gear thinking I could coast down the hill, or was in the low of a gear… and I also mistakenly braked too hard. All in all it was a mess that and I think I am lucky the gravity wagon didn’t jackknife… it was quite a scare, I’m not sure when I will have to do it again, but I am trying to best prepare for the situation next time it happens …. I asked my boss about what gear or speed he would travel down it himself and he really didn’t have an answer, just basically said I don’t know, just go down the hill.

 

[rockstarrancher]

If it’s DRY ground, I would use a low gear and use the STAB approach on brakes to slow the wheels down and keep the RPM’s from getting out of control, but let up before they lock. Keep repeating the STAB approach until you reach bottom.

If it’s soft ground, well, I would just avoid it unless absolutely necessary. Once you get sideways, it ain’t pretty.
I have had large balers behind me going downhill. Mine is 18 tons empty and it’ll get squirrely-even with hydraulic brakes.

BE CAREFUL

 

[rockstarrancher]

It’s a straight gravel laneway … lots of flat ground to stop once I’m at the bottom of the incline and no traffic to deal with. I’m just trying to avoid locking everything up and running rpms sky high or jack knifing and the wagon…. The last time I thought i was being careful and made all the wrong decisions I think …. I panicked when I started to feel the load push me, and yeah I just did the wrong thing, and was lucky I did not mess anything up. Thank you very much for your help.

 

[Hay Dude]

Not the most ideal on gravel, but I would keep using the stab approach on the brakes.
Uupshift if you feel like you’re losing control or going sideways and get off the brakes. You can always regain control and slow down at the bottom.
I don’t like that situation, but deal with it more than I like.