Sliding down hill in low

37chief · Apr 14, 2017

I was mowing today the hill was fairly steep and leveled off at the bottom. One of my worst jobs. In low going down the wheels started sliding. I gained some speed at the bottom. I put the clutch in at the bottom, and let it roll out. It seams like letting the tires slide in gear can't be good. This is on my JD 401 industrial. I like this tractor, it matches up real good to my 7 1/2 flail mower. I don't sure want to break it. Any thoughts? Stan

Dean · Apr 14, 2017

Sliding the tires will not hurt your tractor unless excessive speed causes you to crash.

Lifting the mower to apply more weight to the rear tires will increase traction and might eliminate the sliding.

No need to declutch and doing so may increase the danger of a crash.

Dean

Cliff Nelson · Apr 14, 2017

I have seen clutch disks destroyed by doing that. It overspeeds the disk to the point that centrifugal force causes the lining to come apart. Had one village do it twice before we asked enough questions (and the right people) to figure out what they were doing. As long as you have control of where you are going, let the wheels slide.

Eldon (WA) · Apr 14, 2017

(quoted from post at 20:20:25 04/14/17) I was mowing today the hill was fairly steep and leveled off at the bottom. One of my worst jobs. In low going down the wheels started sliding. I gained some speed at the bottom. I put the clutch in at the bottom, and let it roll out. It seams like letting the tires slide in gear can't be good. This is on my JD 401 industrial. I like this tractor, it matches up real good to my 7 1/2 flail mower. I don't sure want to break it. Any thoughts? Stan

I've gone down hills with the bush hog where one wheel spins backward and the other goes twice as fast forward...gets your heart going!

Brown Swiss · Apr 15, 2017

It is fine, just keep your feet off the clutch and brakes!

ohiojim · Apr 15, 2017

i'll second the post about blowing the clutch disc. had a new driver blow the clutch out of my dump truck by coasting in gear

showcrop · Apr 15, 2017

I was on the interstate not far from my house, passing an interchange when I noticed two Kubota tractors way up on the top of a slope between two ledge outcroppings. They were state roadside mowers about to start down on a slope that was way too steep. I pulled over to watch and be ready to call for an ambulance. They both came down, sliding a good part of the way, moving very fast. They kept the tractors going straight, and upright, but not many blades of grass would have been cut.

coonie minnie · Apr 15, 2017

I'd ask myself, "do I need to mow this?"

Geo-TH,In · Apr 15, 2017

Stan,
Your post Sliding down hill in low reminds me of a college kid that put his sports car, rear wheel wheel drive, in low gear while going down an ice covered hill. He did circles coming down the hill, hitting the guardrail many times. Totalled car.

jacksun65 · Apr 15, 2017

I have a 1520 just one cylinder short of yours, I use a med duty bush hog 6ft had same problem on the hard dirt around here. went with a narrower tire 14.9 and long bar short bar and never had skidding problem after that.

MARK ROBKE · Apr 15, 2017

I believe you are safer to let it slide-it does not hurt anything in the transmission.Going too fast with the clutch depressed while in gear however, can over speed the clutch disc and cause it to explode.When I am in a situation where the tires slide,or suspect they are going to slide,I engage the differential lock,idle back the engine and control myself with the steering wheel,and lower or leave the implement down.If it is pull type implement only go down the hill straight so as not to jackknife.My older tractor does not have a differential lock,and I have had it slide a time or two or three,and if one tire spins backwards while the other goes forward I will step on the brake of the going forward so that it will make the other tire stop going backwards,but you have to be careful.I live on a very hilly farm in Kentucky,and have had many experiences of this.The best thing is to avoid slopes or at least long slopes when the ground is wet.Be safe.Mark

JimB2 · Apr 15, 2017

Hi, if the tractor has a diff lock use that to lock both rear wheels together so one wheel will not skip BUT always make sure you keep steering the tractor straight down hill. Some types of rear tractor treads provide good traction in both directions but other types are good for pulling a load but not so good when load is pushing tractor.
JimB

37chief · Apr 15, 2017

I ask my self the same question every year. The problem this year is I tried to use my bigger tractor it did a far worse job on the hill, which is a small part of the field. The rest is flat. I usually use my MF 213 and a 6 ft mower. it handles the hill much better. That job may be on top of an Indian burial ground. One year I got stuck and had to drive 40 miles to get another tractor to be pulled out. Another year I got a log between the tire and fender. Another drive to get tools to remove the rear wheel. Most years the hill doesn't have hardly any weeds and not much mowing is needed. This year weeds grow on ground hard as cement, with all the rain we had here in California this year. The state with the highest tax rate and highest gas price, which is going higher next year with our governor just deciding we need more money for road repair, I will believe that, when I see it. Stan

buickanddeere · Apr 15, 2017

Stepping on the clutch or any other major move causes a large and sudden change in dynamics that can turn a minor situation into an out of control situation.
Ditto on exploding the clutch, that has been a topic here numerous times.

curtkeiser · Apr 15, 2017

(quoted from post at 20:20:25 04/14/17) I was mowing today the hill was fairly steep and leveled off at the bottom. One of my worst jobs. In low going down the wheels started sliding. I gained some speed at the bottom. I put the clutch in at the bottom, and let it roll out. It seams like letting the tires slide in gear can't be good. This is on my JD 401 industrial. I like this tractor, it matches up real good to my 7 1/2 flail mower. I don't sure want to break it. Any thoughts? Stan

If you have to mow a steep hill it will work better sideways if the wheels are all the way out or have duals on.

Dune Country · Apr 15, 2017

never, ever, ever mow a hill sideways, never!!!

curtkeiser · Apr 15, 2017

(quoted from post at 09:48:41 04/15/17) never, ever, ever mow a hill sideways, never!!!

I said with wheels all the way out or with duals. :?: It is done safely all the time by highway department.

David G · Apr 15, 2017

Stan,

I do not think you will damage anything, but why risk your life for the few dollars you can make on that hill.

showcrop · Apr 15, 2017

(quoted from post at 10:01:03 04/15/17)

(quoted from post at 09:48:41 04/15/17) never, ever, ever mow a hill sideways, never!!!

Click to expand...

I said with wheels all the way out or with duals. :?: It is done safely all the time by highway department.

Curt, I have seen them mowing steep side hills along Rt 89 in Northern VT. They had a big JD with duals set way out. Loaded at least half way no doubt.

MARK ROBKE · Apr 15, 2017

I replied below,but was wondering-do you drive back up this hill?Mark

37chief · Apr 15, 2017

I go sideways on the not so steep part. Stan

J.Wondergem · Apr 15, 2017

Maybe you should get some goats for that part.

Eldon (WA) · Apr 15, 2017

(quoted from post at 09:48:41 04/15/17) never, ever, ever mow a hill sideways, never!!!

Wow, you would have brown shorts spending a day brush hogging with me

Dune Country · Apr 15, 2017

Eldon, tell me you didn't the first couple of times :lol:

wolfman · Apr 15, 2017

I have hills to mow that no way can you mow up and down. Much too steep to climb and would skid down. Mow sideways with a very widened tractor and on the very steepest part I mow diagonally down. The mower nearly dragging and cutting keeps me
from a full skid . Have to climb back up at an angle on a not quite so steep place and diagonal down again.

Sliding down hill in low

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