There is no right answer here. There's too many variables involved. Soil condition, tire type, wet or dry grass, how your tractor is set up, smooth or rough terrain, ballast or no ballast, where your ballast is located, etc, etc. You have to get a feel for it. I have noticed my 1026R like the slopes better with the mower deck installed vs. the FEL and BB. I would imagine with a BH it would be even more unstable. I had a tire lift off the ground while operating the FEL on a side slope. The "pucker factor" was extremely high until I got it back on the ground. Had to take a break for a while after that.:morning2: I don't want to discourage you, but take your time and be safe rather than sorry:good2:
Hilly terrain
What are your thoughts on approach angles when dealing with hilly terrain? It is apparent to challenge the topo perpendicularly VS parallel, but how much is too much and how does one gauge? I operate my zero turn mower on the hills without any issues but it has a very low center of gravity as compared to the 1026R (FEL and backhoe).
Thanks
Thanks
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
I could tell you about mowing with no front end loader, no backhoe and a lot larger tires. Speed, size of tires and the relative size of depressions and humps to the tires come into play. The safest thing to do would be to back up the hill, straight up. If you are four wheel or mfwd chances are the manual has warnings about how that makes more traction but not more stability and hence can get you into more trouble. Is the object to work on the hill or just cover terrain to get to another spot?
Fran
Fran
I need to cover the hilly terrain to get to my area of work. I think I'll look at backing up the hill and driving forward down the hill while in 4WD. I will receive the tractor on the 22nd of this month and thought I would put this out and get some feedback. This will be my first tractor and first backhoe and I am curious as to the effect on stability with the backhoe. Removing the backhoe isn't an option, that is what I need to transport to the low areas to get some work done.I could tell you about mowing with no front end loader, no backhoe and a lot larger tires. Speed, size of tires and the relative size of depressions and humps to the tires come into play. The safest thing to do would be to back up the hill, straight up. If you are four wheel or mfwd chances are the manual has warnings about how that makes more traction but not more stability and hence can get you into more trouble. Is the object to work on the hill or just cover terrain to get to another spot?
Fran
Thanks
pdoug, I asked the same question a while ago and got a few good things to try. Here is the other post
http://www.greentractortalk.com/forums/showthread.php?3181-How-steep-is-too-steep&highlight=steep
I haven't had a chance to try going cross slope after I got the suggestions, but I plan to keep the BH unpinned and experiment again. Pointing the BH uphill was an answer I got from GTT and a few friends who have experience with larger machines.
The best advice I got was to avoid going cross slope as much as possible. Straight up and down, and cross on as level ground as you can. If you have to do it, keep your FEL low, and if you feel unsteady, use it to steady the tractor. Pointing the BH to put balance weight on the uphill side seems to make sense.
I haven't had a chance to try these new techniques yet is because my 1026R had had leak issues and it's been at the dealer for almost 4 weeks now. But I'm planning to traverse my back woods to get some work done soon after I get it back. BTW my leak issue seems isolated to mine, as there few if any similar that I have found.
By all means, please go slow, don't take chances, and let us know how you make out.
http://www.greentractortalk.com/forums/showthread.php?3181-How-steep-is-too-steep&highlight=steep
I haven't had a chance to try going cross slope after I got the suggestions, but I plan to keep the BH unpinned and experiment again. Pointing the BH uphill was an answer I got from GTT and a few friends who have experience with larger machines.
The best advice I got was to avoid going cross slope as much as possible. Straight up and down, and cross on as level ground as you can. If you have to do it, keep your FEL low, and if you feel unsteady, use it to steady the tractor. Pointing the BH to put balance weight on the uphill side seems to make sense.
I haven't had a chance to try these new techniques yet is because my 1026R had had leak issues and it's been at the dealer for almost 4 weeks now. But I'm planning to traverse my back woods to get some work done soon after I get it back. BTW my leak issue seems isolated to mine, as there few if any similar that I have found.
By all means, please go slow, don't take chances, and let us know how you make out.
Hiya,
Let me preface this by saying that I have no experence with the 1 series or the previous models in that size class, the smallest sub-cut I have owned was a 2520. I do live on a mountain that was a ski resort in the past so no part of my property is flat and level so I do feel qualified to speak to operating on slopes.
1) If you have a loader on the machine, keep it as low as possible when not on flat ground or 90 degrees to a slope. The loader is a huge lever on the chassis. The front axle pivots without resistance so as you lift the bucket higher, the lever effect causes the weight to be shifted off the high side rear wheel and placed on the low side front wheel, as the front axle will pivot, the chassis will roll with this load and pull the rear up higher as the bucket. When traversing slopes I was taught to keep the bucket no more than inches off the ground and to keep my hand on the loader control to put it down as quick as possible if I felt it getting tippy.
2) Wheel weights and loaded tires. These are the 2 things that help the most in making a tractor more stable, not just on slopes but in general. All my equipment has loaded tires and some have wheel weights. My 2520 felt a little tippy on my property compared to the larger tractors we have, once I loaded the tires and added weights that feeling went away and it felt rock steady.
3) Set your rear wheels to the widest position. I know it's only a few inches on most sub-cuts/cuts but it really does help.
I can't speak to using the hoe on a small tractor to assist with traversing a slope, the only TLB I have operated is our Case 580 which weighs more than some small countries.
My 2 cents,
Tom
Let me preface this by saying that I have no experence with the 1 series or the previous models in that size class, the smallest sub-cut I have owned was a 2520. I do live on a mountain that was a ski resort in the past so no part of my property is flat and level so I do feel qualified to speak to operating on slopes.
1) If you have a loader on the machine, keep it as low as possible when not on flat ground or 90 degrees to a slope. The loader is a huge lever on the chassis. The front axle pivots without resistance so as you lift the bucket higher, the lever effect causes the weight to be shifted off the high side rear wheel and placed on the low side front wheel, as the front axle will pivot, the chassis will roll with this load and pull the rear up higher as the bucket. When traversing slopes I was taught to keep the bucket no more than inches off the ground and to keep my hand on the loader control to put it down as quick as possible if I felt it getting tippy.
2) Wheel weights and loaded tires. These are the 2 things that help the most in making a tractor more stable, not just on slopes but in general. All my equipment has loaded tires and some have wheel weights. My 2520 felt a little tippy on my property compared to the larger tractors we have, once I loaded the tires and added weights that feeling went away and it felt rock steady.
3) Set your rear wheels to the widest position. I know it's only a few inches on most sub-cuts/cuts but it really does help.
I can't speak to using the hoe on a small tractor to assist with traversing a slope, the only TLB I have operated is our Case 580 which weighs more than some small countries.
My 2 cents,
Tom
Slopes
Slopes are something you need to just respect, as soon as you loose respect for what can happen it will. Keep it slow and all implement low to help lower the center of gravity. Indepentent brakes are great for this, which is why I went with a 2520 instead of a 1026r amoung other reasons.
Slopes are something you need to just respect, as soon as you loose respect for what can happen it will. Keep it slow and all implement low to help lower the center of gravity. Indepentent brakes are great for this, which is why I went with a 2520 instead of a 1026r amoung other reasons.
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
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