Where to mount tilt-meter

[madpogue]

Rig: '07 790 MFwd, R1 tires, about 20 hrs.

I got the Tilt Meter featured here on TBN. To be honest, I'm not too impressed with the construction. Bracketry could be WAY simpler, with fewer fasteners that could work loose. Poorly packed; I had to fish fasteners out of the box, and a nut was trapped inside the bracket.

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone's mounted one of these on a 790, and where would be the best place. If possible, can you post a pic? I'm 2.5 hrs away from the tractor right now, and won't be out there again 'til next weekend, so I'll need some visual help.

Ideas?

 

[RoyJackson]

This is where and how I mounted mine (attached pics). The pics just give a few different views.
Make sure you're on a fairly flat, level surface when you mount the tiltmeter.
I drilled my hood (it was a used tractor anyway), but the double sided tape is quite robust if you don't want to drill.
This was on a Deere 670 which was the 790's older brother.

Now, I'm sure you're going to ask why I didn't mount it on my 790. Well, the 670 was the first tractor I had operated since my Dad passed away, so I wasn't real used to them. Also, I'm much more aware of my property so I don't feel the need for the tiltmeter as much as I did. And, with a lot more hours, I'm more familar with the machine's capabilities and limitations (not that I'm getting complacent).

 

[JerryG]

Rig: '07 790 MFwd, R1 tires, about 20 hrs.

I got the Tilt Meter featured here on TBN. To be honest, I'm not too impressed with the construction. Bracketry could be WAY simpler, with fewer fasteners that could work loose. Poorly packed; I had to fish fasteners out of the box, and a nut was trapped inside the bracket.

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone's mounted one of these on a 790, and where would be the best place. If possible, can you post a pic? I'm 2.5 hrs away from the tractor right now, and won't be out there again 'til next weekend, so I'll need some visual help.

Ideas?

As long as these have been sold here and even when members were purchasing them before, I think this is the first complaint that has ever been aired about them. When they were first marketed, they just had simple L brackets. The L brackets didn't allow mounting on the many angles that some tractors had. That is when Rick added a different bracket to the package. The new brackets seem to have worked much better that the old ones. Personally I don't use anything provided to mount either of my tilt meters. One of the meters is mounted to my overhead console and the other is mounted to the canopy above the slide rail. Here is a picture of the console mounted meter. I don't have a good picture of the side meter.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/2117/sort/1/cat/500/page/1

 

[madpogue]

Good point, Jerry, that the current mounting system allows for side-to-side leveling. But looking at Roy's setup, even though it's "fixed" side-to-side, it looks much more stable than the current bracket with the single block in the middle. I'll have to see how my wife feels about me drilling thru the hood. I'd feel more confident about the double-sticky if it were on the ends like Roy's. Hm, I also wonder how well that stickum would hold up to the occasional diesel spill.

Roy, thanks for the photos. I have a "from the seat" photo of our 790, and was trying to imagine how the meter would fit in front of or behind the fuel cap. Hard to get that perspective/scale with just a photo in one hand and the meter in the other. Your photo of the meter installed demonstrates how visible it is, even mounted on the far side of the cap. I'm gonna give that location a try. I was hoping to find a way to mount it to the top edge of the instrument panel bezel, but I'm sure it would be visually blocked by the steering wheel.

BTW, why is yours off-center a bit? Seems like, with the slight "crown" of the hood, it'd be most level dead center.

As for the fasteners, Rick went to the trouble of putting nylock nuts on the fasteners that hold the main meter body to the rear plate part of the bracket (thumbs up). But the fasteners at the pivot point are just plain-old zinc screws with square-head nuts meant to be kept captive in the bracket (it was one of those nuts that got trapped inside the bracket cavity, 'cuz the bolt had vibrated off it in shipping). P'raps a coupla bolts going all the way thru, with nylock nuts, will do 'er. Or maybe just some loctite. In my short experience using this kind of equipment, I've found that vibration isn't just an annoyance, it can (pun intended) be your undoing.

 

[RoyJackson]

BTW, why is yours off-center a bit? Seems like, with the slight "crown" of the hood, it'd be most level dead center.

Actually, I eyeballed it in place. Once I realized I'd drilled the first hole off center..well, being perfectly centered wasn't too important. The camber of the hood makes it look more offset then it actually was.
The main thing is that it be level to the ground.

 

[madpogue]

Dang, I was hoping for a high-falutin' answer about ergonomics and feng shui, like how all the fab new cars have the dashboard off to the driver's right, etc. etc.

Yeah, it provides, eh, visual balance with the exhaust stack, yeah, that's the ticket!....

 

[Flywheel]

Make sure you're on a fairly flat, level surface when you mount the tiltmeter.

I don't get it.......

 

[RoyJackson]

The layout and positioning of the tiltmeter was carefully calculated using the latest statistical software along with a portable laser theodolite using GPS/satellite positioning methodologies.
That, along with a highly paid ergonomics consultant to establish optimal positioning relative to the primary operator's dominant eye and neck angles for reduced strain and fatigue, resulted in the most statistically significant position of the calibrated instrumentation (i.e. Tiltmeter).

That's how I actually did it...but I didn't want to you men to think I was being overly technical.

 

[JerryG]

Roy, Would it be to much to ask what an installation like that would cost?
O'well never mind. I don't think I could afford it anyway.

The layout and positioning of the tiltmeter was carefully calculated using the latest statistical software along with a portable laser theodolite using GPS/satellite positioning methodologies.
That, along with a highly paid ergonomics consultant to establish optimal positioning relative to the primary operator's dominant eye and neck angles for reduced strain and fatigue, resulted in the most statistically significant position of the calibrated instrumentation (i.e. Tiltmeter).

That's how I actually did it...but I didn't want to you men to think I was being overly technical.

 

[RoyJackson]

Roy, Would it be to much to ask what an installation like that would cost?
O'well never mind. I don't think I could afford it anyway.

That's right...you couldn't. I had to make my wife get a job to pay for it.

 

[DrainPondDesign]

Has anyone ever seen a published minimum safe limit of tilt in degrees for a basic bare tractor? It seems reasonable that there is some minimum design standard the manufacturers must meet but I have not been able to find it & I just don’t want to do my own empirical testing.

Sometimes when you explore limits you find them.

 

[Rob-D]

I mounted mine with velcro above the brake pedals on my 2320.

 

[Willl]

Sometimes when you explore limits you find them.

My thinking also, keep going till you tip over then back off 1 degree.

 

[madpogue]

My thinking also, keep going till you tip over then back off 1 degree.

Oh, sorta like "torque to yield" -- torque it 'til the threads strip, then back it off 1/4 turn.

Roy, man, don't you know, once you throw that many buzzwords at an idea, the only way to pay for it is with a government grant! Just throw in "state of the art", "cutting edge", "widely accepted standard" or "peer reviewed study" somewhere.

 

[Flywheel]

My thinking also, keep going till you tip over then back off 1 degree.

hahaha. And I was thinking that once you mounted a tiltmeter, it prevents you from rolling over...or at least gives you something to look at while going over....

Question - once you're upsidedown - does the tiltmeter go back to zero? I think I know some folks who wouldnt be able to tell the difference....

 

[dmccarty]

I bought the tractor in 10/2000. Shortly there after I got a Tiltmeter. I put the Tiltmeter on the right side vertical FEL support. Eventually I bought another meter to measure the fore and aft angles just for grins and giggles. This one is mounted on the ROPS.

HOW are the mounted? With the tape Rick sent.

I don't have a barn or garage to store the tractor in so it sits under a shade tree. I used to put a tarp over it but I don't bother anymore.

The tiltmeters have not moved even though they have been out in the weather for 6-7 years...

Later,
Dan

 

[RoyJackson]

Has anyone ever seen a published minimum safe limit of tilt in degrees for a basic bare tractor? It seems reasonable that there is some minimum design standard the manufacturers must meet but I have not been able to find it & I just don’t want to do my own empirical testing.

Sometimes when you explore limits you find them.

There's an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard but I cannot recall the number. It's been discussed on TBN from time to time. You may see this standard called out in your tractor's manual.
If I recall, the standard requires a 20° static tilt. Static isn't too reliable (unless you just want to park and look at your tractor), but it does provide some kind of baseline data.

 

[Rob-D]

My thinking also, keep going till you tip over then back off 1 degree.

Doesn't work, your head gets pushed down and you can't see through your chest cavity.
What's worse is you have the embarrassment of someone plungering your head back out.

 

[orlo]

As Roy mentioned above it's an ANSI standard. If you look at the specs of the tractor it'll give you the ANSI standard number. Problem is if you search any site that has it is a 'membership' only site that you need to pay for.

The tiltmeter company knows the standard and calibrates their meters (orange/red) accordingly. I think for CUTS it's 15 for safe and maybe 20 (as Roy said) for daredevils.

If you call the tiltmeter guy he can explain the standard. Also, when MFG's conform to the standard it's with a typical configuration, not including accessories (Especially a loader), etc. There are many factors that can change the tipover point.

I would think from a MFG's liability point of view that they would test with the narrowest tire position, etc. but I can't base that on anything.

 

[Flywheel]

I know when we do equipment tests for SEMI Compliance - it is 15deg - and this is static.

There are many many variables that effect that especially when moving on eneven ground, a canopy, your weight, attachments, air pressure.


I don't mess with it on these little CUTs - they're pretty tippy - but so am I have the time....oh that's tipsy...