Too Steep for a B01 or Even a BX?

[n00b]

I've never owned a tractor before, but am about to purchase either a BX series (other than BX1880) or a B01 series with a MMM, and I'm not sure whether my hilly, uneven terrain that I need to mow/brush hog/clear leaves from will be too much for a B01. I've included some pictures below, and am looking for some opinions on whether the B01 (or maybe even a BX) would be too unstable for this terrain. A neighbor mentioned that the previous owners used some kind of tractor to clean up at least some part of the hilly stuff, but both passed passed away before we bought the place last fall, so it's unclear what model was used or which areas they stayed away from.

I'm not sure I need a B01 over a BX, but I'm naively more attracted to the idea of extra clearance for the woods and more lifting/pulling/PTO power, even if that's fairly incremental. The way our mowable land is partitioned up makes a rear finish mower seem like a PITA. I plan on having Rim Guard added to the rears and adding 2" rear spacers (the largest I understand will work with an MMM) to whatever I get.

Other details:

The property is 5 acres, with 2 acres of undeveloped woods (full of paths and brush piles to clear, windfall to get up off the ground, and lots of 18+" diameter firewood to haul so far that I've been carrying out with a wheelbarrow like a fool) and an acre or so of sections of reasonably flat grass/weed "lawn" (MMM) and an acre and a half of the aforementioned hilly, uneven terrain (presumably brush hog, with maybe some MMM as appropriate). Additionally, we've got a big gravel driveway to maintain (along with a long private road easement with no management plan and lots of potholes), and are looking to do some hobby farming, including taking on some sheep/goats/chickens.

 

[Mowbizz]

My BX is like a mountain goat in 4WD never a hiccup on the steep (up and down).
I now use a zero turn which is more challenging on the steep but manageable. With spacers and loaded tires I would think the B series would be just as capable but someone that owns one should pipe in.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I've never owned a tractor before, but am about to purchase either a BX series (other than BX1880) or a B01 series with a MMM, and I'm not sure whether my hilly, uneven terrain that I need to mow/brush hog/clear leaves from will be too much for a B01. I've included some pictures below, and am looking for some opinions on whether the B01 (or maybe even a BX) would be too unstable for this terrain. A neighbor mentioned that the previous owners used some kind of tractor to clean up at least some part of the hilly stuff, but both passed passed away before we bought the place last fall, so it's unclear what model was used or which areas they stayed away from.

I'm not sure I need a B01 over a BX, but I'm naively more attracted to the idea of extra clearance for the woods and more lifting/pulling/PTO power, even if that's fairly incremental. The way our mowable land is partitioned up makes a rear finish mower seem like a PITA. I plan on having Rim Guard added to the rears and adding 2" rear spacers (the largest I understand will work with an MMM) to whatever I get.

Other details:

The property is 5 acres, with 2 acres of undeveloped woods (full of paths to and brush piles to clear, windfall to get up off the ground, and lots of 18+" diameter firewood to haul so far that I've been carrying out) and an acre or so of sections of reasonably flat grass/weed "lawn" (MMM) and an acre and a half of the aforementioned hilly, uneven terrain (presumably brush hog, with maybe some MMM as appropriate). Additionally, we've got a big gravel driveway to maintain (along with a long private road easement with no management plan and lots of potholes), and are looking to do some hobby farming, including taking on some sheep/goats/chickens.

View attachment 84790 View attachment 84791 View attachment 84792 View attachment 84793 View attachment 84794

The choice of models is not going to change that hilly calculus much. Looking at the pictures a larger B01 strikes me as being far more capable in terms of size and weight. When you start operating on slopes the tractor has to be bigger to handle the mass of the implement.

Dan

 

[Rdrcr]

I’d only recommend mowing those hills straight up and down. Don’t try to side mow. If you hit a hole or uneven ground, it could be enough to tip the tractor. I’d also recommend 2” wheel spacers (maximum size with MMM) on either tractor (B or BX) to help with stability.

I have a 22* slope (40% grade) I mow. When I had my B2601, I’d mow it straight up and down (with the loader removed). I had 2” wheel spacers and filled tires. The tractor would get tippy with any side mowing.

I’m now mowing this hill and others with a Cub Cadet ZTR with 4 wheel steering specifically designed for hillside mowing. It’s faster and much safer. Just a bunch more cost.

Mike

 

[Velma]

Have a B2301.

Up and down are fine. In fact you will likely need to be in 4wd low just to get up the hill, especially if hauling a rear cutter. In my case I have a finish mower and it struggles dragging #600 up a hill.

Sidehilling is sketchy even on a slight incline. Still not used to it.

Recommend the B01 if you can swing the price, if only for the low range.

 

[PaulL]

I had a BX, I now have a B01. I have a steep hillside I mow, refer this comment: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/...2610-or-something-different.54160/post-499115 . That hillside is 30 degrees, it's pretty uncomfortable mowing it, but I do it every couple weeks in summer. As you can see, there's no option for up and down, so it's always side to side. It's only short though, so I just go real slow.

I haven't found my B01 to be any less stable than the BX. The reality is that both of them are capable of driving on hills that my butt pucker isn't happy with, and that's unballasted.

Things I know:

• Up and down is always better than side to side. Either machine will do 30 degrees or more up and down - it's almost impossible to tip them over that way, but you can run out of traction. If it's dry though you'll run out of testicles long before you run out of traction.
• Side to side is safer than you think with a MMM, because for the tractor to tip over, it has to roll around the MMM - and that's pretty wide. If you've got to a place where it's tipped into the MMM and that's all that's stopping you from rolling then you're in a world of hurt, but you're not dead.
• On that hillside I provided photos of (30 degree angle according to the level in my phone), I often get off and stand beside the tractor and rock it. It's actually quite solid even though it looks like it shouldn't be. I do this every so often when I start to think it's too dangerous to mow
• When you're looking at photos, you want to get the drawing tool and draw the lines, then compare it to 90 degrees (right angle), half that (45 degrees), usually you're going to find that what you think is really steep is about 22.5 degrees (half of 45 degrees). Which is really steep, but most Kubotas will drive on that. The slopes I can see in your photos look about 20 degrees, but you have some photos that are only going uphill (can't eyeball that well) - take some photos directly across the steepest part so we can see it side on
• Speed is your enemy. A hillside that is stable at a slow speed can turn into a death trap when you go faster. It's the inertia that gets you - you hit a bump and suddenly you're over. If you have a large hillside just creeping along it really isn't an option (it is for me on the one I linked). So then you want to be up and down not side to side
• Better still, put a board on the slope, put your phone on it and use the level to measure the angle (if you have an iPhone it's built in, no idea on an Android but reasonable odds they have one too)
• When mowing with a MMM, always take the loader off, always take any 3pt implements off. They actually raise your centre of gravity. Unless you for some reason need it to keep the front end down (more common when using a brush hog - you need something to counter balance it)
• Lots of people get spacers and fill the tires. I haven't, and my theory is that those are things you can easily add afterwards. So I'd start without, then decide whether you have a problem that needs solving. Spacers are pretty fine, just a bit of fiddling around to install. But filled tires are filled forever - bigger ruts in your lawn, more weight if you put it on a trailer etc etc. I wouldn't do it unless you're sure you need it
• Any part of your property that you mow often (more than once a month) you can do with the MMM. I don't have a brush hog, and I mow some roadside that started off pretty wild - higher than the tractor hood with blackberry, gorse bush and broom (a native weed that's a bit woody). I pushed it down with the bucket and mowed it with the MMM. It's not good for it, but they're pretty tough. Then I mowed it every month since, it now looks mostly like a lawn (rough lawn, to be fair). If it were me I'd borrow a brush hog for the first and maybe second mow, then use your MMM thereafter. I personally think brush hogs suck on hills - too much weight on the back of the machine, so now you need to put the FEL on to counter balance, and then your centre of gravity is all messed up

Then on tractors and implements

• I moved from the BX to the B01 because a BX isn't enough.
• My theory is that a BX is the smallest real tractor you can buy, and it's been deliberately engineered to be the size of a ride on - so it's non-threatening and you can tell your wife it's not really a tractor, it's just a big ride on.
• But that small size introduces a lot of compromises, on the 3ph in particular (the geometry is wrong because it's too low / not enough range of motion. So it doesn't lift very much - a BX lifts nearly as much in the FEL as on the 3ph). And also in ground clearance, which is fine on a lawn, but if you're in the woods a BX doesn't have enough clearance
• Bigger tires are really useful too - it's easy to overload the front of a BX because the tires are so small, the rear tires aren't a lot better. It's a great machine in it's place, but I don't personally believe 5 acres is that place, especially with woods. It's for moving mulch around your manicured lawns. It can do more (I did a lot more with mine), but it's not really made for it
• The B01 has a heavier duty MMM, it has a 3 range transmission (a lot faster in H - in "road gear" going from place to place), it has position control (which I don't think is super important for me, but it has it, and for driveway maintenance I believe it'd be good)
• It lifts nearly twice as much on the 3ph, about 30% more on the FEL
• You'll need a grapple (NEED, not WANT. In fact, when you're talking to the missus, the word you should use is DESERVE, because that's a power word) And grapples rob front end loader lift, because they're heavy. A B01 with a grapple is a lot better than a BX with a grapple
• The engine runs lower revs for the same power - it's a lot more pleasant to operate
• It's actually about the same length and width - marginally bigger. It's mostly just taller and heavier. So it fits pretty much anywhere a BX fits (in terms of garage)
• The treadle pedal on the BX was better, the spring on the B01 is too stiff. That's annoying, but liveable

For implements, I'd say you need:

• Probably a grapple and therefore third function. But if not a grapple then forks at least, to move branches and wind fall
• A chipper if you're not burning, you get great mulch from all that windfall
• Forks - mine go on both the FEL and on the 3ph. When you stack your firewood on pallets you can then move it easily from place to place, much better than restacking it every time you move it. 3ph lifts a lot more than FEL. My firewood setup isn't suitable for that, but yours may be
• MMM obviously is essential
• I have a ballast box, because I don't like using my chipper as a counter weight, and it makes the machine much more manoeuvrable than a big implement sticking out. They're cheap, are good for your tractor (taking load off the front axle, which loaded tires doesn't do), and keep you safe when using the loader. Remember that tractor front axles are on a pivot - they provide no stability. If your rear wheels are off the ground, or even light, then your tractor is not stable and can tip over just by going around a corner quickly on flat ground
• A land plane / grade scraper for driveway maintenance. People with them swear by them as being better than a box blade. I don't have a gravel driveway.....

 

[hodge]

A Ventrac or Steiner with duals on all fours is very stable, but expensive.

 

[ve9aa]

I had a BX, I now have a B01. I have a steep hillside I mow, refer this comment: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/...2610-or-something-different.54160/post-499115 . That hillside is 30 degrees, it's pretty uncomfortable mowing it, but I do it every couple weeks in summer. As you can see, there's no option for up and down, so it's always side to side. It's only short though, so I just go real slow.

I haven't found my B01 to be any less stable than the BX. The reality is that both of them are capable of driving on hills that my butt pucker isn't happy with, and that's unballasted.

Things I know:

• Up and down is always better than side to side. Either machine will do 30 degrees or more up and down - it's almost impossible to tip them over that way, but you can run out of traction. If it's dry though you'll run out of testicles long before you run out of traction.
• Side to side is safer than you think with a MMM, because for the tractor to tip over, it has to roll around the MMM - and that's pretty wide. If you've got to a place where it's tipped into the MMM and that's all that's stopping you from rolling then you're in a world of hurt, but you're not dead.
• On that hillside I provided photos of (30 degree angle according to the level in my phone), I often get off and stand beside the tractor and rock it. It's actually quite solid even though it looks like it shouldn't be. I do this every so often when I start to think it's too dangerous to mow
• When you're looking at photos, you want to get the drawing tool and draw the lines, then compare it to 90 degrees (right angle), half that (45 degrees), usually you're going to find that what you think is really steep is about 22.5 degrees (half of 45 degrees). Which is really steep, but most Kubotas will drive on that. The slopes I can see in your photos look about 20 degrees, but you have some photos that are only going uphill (can't eyeball that well) - take some photos directly across the steepest part so we can see it side on
• Speed is your enemy. A hillside that is stable at a slow speed can turn into a death trap when you go faster. It's the inertia that gets you - you hit a bump and suddenly you're over. If you have a large hillside just creeping along it really isn't an option (it is for me on the one I linked). So then you want to be up and down not side to side
• Better still, put a board on the slope, put your phone on it and use the level to measure the angle (if you have an iPhone it's built in, no idea on an Android but reasonable odds they have one too)
• When mowing with a MMM, always take the loader off, always take any 3pt implements off. They actually raise your centre of gravity. Unless you for some reason need it to keep the front end down (more common when using a brush hog - you need something to counter balance it)
• Lots of people get spacers and fill the tires. I haven't, and my theory is that those are things you can easily add afterwards. So I'd start without, then decide whether you have a problem that needs solving. Spacers are pretty fine, just a bit of fiddling around to install. But filled tires are filled forever - bigger ruts in your lawn, more weight if you put it on a trailer etc etc. I wouldn't do it unless you're sure you need it
• Any part of your property that you mow often (more than once a month) you can do with the MMM. I don't have a brush hog, and I mow some roadside that started off pretty wild - higher than the tractor hood with blackberry, gorse bush and broom (a native weed that's a bit woody). I pushed it down with the bucket and mowed it with the MMM. It's not good for it, but they're pretty tough. Then I mowed it every month since, it now looks mostly like a lawn (rough lawn, to be fair). If it were me I'd borrow a brush hog for the first and maybe second mow, then use your MMM thereafter. I personally think brush hogs suck on hills - too much weight on the back of the machine, so now you need to put the FEL on to counter balance, and then your centre of gravity is all messed up

Then on tractors and implements

• I moved from the BX to the B01 because a BX isn't enough.
• My theory is that a BX is the smallest real tractor you can buy, and it's been deliberately engineered to be the size of a ride on - so it's non-threatening and you can tell your wife it's not really a tractor, it's just a big ride on.
• But that small size introduces a lot of compromises, on the 3ph in particular (the geometry is wrong because it's too low / not enough range of motion. So it doesn't lift very much - a BX lifts nearly as much in the FEL as on the 3ph). And also in ground clearance, which is fine on a lawn, but if you're in the woods a BX doesn't have enough clearance
• Bigger tires are really useful too - it's easy to overload the front of a BX because the tires are so small, the rear tires aren't a lot better. It's a great machine in it's place, but I don't personally believe 5 acres is that place, especially with woods. It's for moving mulch around your manicured lawns. It can do more (I did a lot more with mine), but it's not really made for it
• The B01 has a heavier duty MMM, it has a 3 range transmission (a lot faster in H - in "road gear" going from place to place), it has position control (which I don't think is super important for me, but it has it, and for driveway maintenance I believe it'd be good)
• It lifts nearly twice as much on the 3ph, about 30% more on the FEL
• You'll need a grapple (NEED, not WANT. In fact, when you're talking to the missus, the word you should use is DESERVE, because that's a power word) And grapples rob front end loader lift, because they're heavy. A B01 with a grapple is a lot better than a BX with a grapple
• The engine runs lower revs for the same power - it's a lot more pleasant to operate
• It's actually about the same length and width - marginally bigger. It's mostly just taller and heavier. So it fits pretty much anywhere a BX fits (in terms of garage)
• The treadle pedal on the BX was better, the spring on the B01 is too stiff. That's annoying, but liveable

For implements, I'd say you need:

• Probably a grapple and therefore third function. But if not a grapple then forks at least, to move branches and wind fall
• A chipper if you're not burning, you get great mulch from all that windfall
• Forks - mine go on both the FEL and on the 3ph. When you stack your firewood on pallets you can then move it easily from place to place, much better than restacking it every time you move it. 3ph lifts a lot more than FEL. My firewood setup isn't suitable for that, but yours may be
• MMM obviously is essential
• I have a ballast box, because I don't like using my chipper as a counter weight, and it makes the machine much more manoeuvrable than a big implement sticking out. They're cheap, are good for your tractor (taking load off the front axle, which loaded tires doesn't do), and keep you safe when using the loader. Remember that tractor front axles are on a pivot - they provide no stability. If your rear wheels are off the ground, or even light, then your tractor is not stable and can tip over just by going around a corner quickly on flat ground
• A land plane / grade scraper for driveway maintenance. People with them swear by them as being better than a box blade. I don't have a gravel driveway.....

I've never ran a B01, but incrementally I've gone from a TG1860 (a large ride-on, 3cyl diesel) to a BX and can really see where this fellow gave you great advice on the B01.
Looking at those pix, I'd probably want the slightly bigger/tougher more capable B01 (even though I love my BX, my land is nearly "like Kansas" in 90% of its areas.

Kudos again to the guy (PaulL) who wrote that. WOW

 

[woodman55]

Another issue is tire choice. I would say R14's, I don't think turfs would give the needed traction, and R 1's would be too much. R4's are decent at everything, but not good at anything.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I had a BX, I now have a B01. I have a steep hillside I mow, refer this comment: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/...2610-or-something-different.54160/post-499115 . That hillside is 30 degrees, it's pretty uncomfortable mowing it, but I do it every couple weeks in summer. As you can see, there's no option for up and down, so it's always side to side. It's only short though, so I just go real slow.

I haven't found my B01 to be any less stable than the BX. The reality is that both of them are capable of driving on hills that my butt pucker isn't happy with, and that's unballasted.

Things I know:

• Up and down is always better than side to side. Either machine will do 30 degrees or more up and down - it's almost impossible to tip them over that way, but you can run out of traction. If it's dry though you'll run out of testicles long before you run out of traction.
• Side to side is safer than you think with a MMM, because for the tractor to tip over, it has to roll around the MMM - and that's pretty wide. If you've got to a place where it's tipped into the MMM and that's all that's stopping you from rolling then you're in a world of hurt, but you're not dead.
• On that hillside I provided photos of (30 degree angle according to the level in my phone), I often get off and stand beside the tractor and rock it. It's actually quite solid even though it looks like it shouldn't be. I do this every so often when I start to think it's too dangerous to mow
• When you're looking at photos, you want to get the drawing tool and draw the lines, then compare it to 90 degrees (right angle), half that (45 degrees), usually you're going to find that what you think is really steep is about 22.5 degrees (half of 45 degrees). Which is really steep, but most Kubotas will drive on that. The slopes I can see in your photos look about 20 degrees, but you have some photos that are only going uphill (can't eyeball that well) - take some photos directly across the steepest part so we can see it side on
• Speed is your enemy. A hillside that is stable at a slow speed can turn into a death trap when you go faster. It's the inertia that gets you - you hit a bump and suddenly you're over. If you have a large hillside just creeping along it really isn't an option (it is for me on the one I linked). So then you want to be up and down not side to side
• Better still, put a board on the slope, put your phone on it and use the level to measure the angle (if you have an iPhone it's built in, no idea on an Android but reasonable odds they have one too)
• When mowing with a MMM, always take the loader off, always take any 3pt implements off. They actually raise your centre of gravity. Unless you for some reason need it to keep the front end down (more common when using a brush hog - you need something to counter balance it)
• Lots of people get spacers and fill the tires. I haven't, and my theory is that those are things you can easily add afterwards. So I'd start without, then decide whether you have a problem that needs solving. Spacers are pretty fine, just a bit of fiddling around to install. But filled tires are filled forever - bigger ruts in your lawn, more weight if you put it on a trailer etc etc. I wouldn't do it unless you're sure you need it
• Any part of your property that you mow often (more than once a month) you can do with the MMM. I don't have a brush hog, and I mow some roadside that started off pretty wild - higher than the tractor hood with blackberry, gorse bush and broom (a native weed that's a bit woody). I pushed it down with the bucket and mowed it with the MMM. It's not good for it, but they're pretty tough. Then I mowed it every month since, it now looks mostly like a lawn (rough lawn, to be fair). If it were me I'd borrow a brush hog for the first and maybe second mow, then use your MMM thereafter. I personally think brush hogs suck on hills - too much weight on the back of the machine, so now you need to put the FEL on to counter balance, and then your centre of gravity is all messed up

Then on tractors and implements

• I moved from the BX to the B01 because a BX isn't enough.
• My theory is that a BX is the smallest real tractor you can buy, and it's been deliberately engineered to be the size of a ride on - so it's non-threatening and you can tell your wife it's not really a tractor, it's just a big ride on.
• But that small size introduces a lot of compromises, on the 3ph in particular (the geometry is wrong because it's too low / not enough range of motion. So it doesn't lift very much - a BX lifts nearly as much in the FEL as on the 3ph). And also in ground clearance, which is fine on a lawn, but if you're in the woods a BX doesn't have enough clearance
• Bigger tires are really useful too - it's easy to overload the front of a BX because the tires are so small, the rear tires aren't a lot better. It's a great machine in it's place, but I don't personally believe 5 acres is that place, especially with woods. It's for moving mulch around your manicured lawns. It can do more (I did a lot more with mine), but it's not really made for it
• The B01 has a heavier duty MMM, it has a 3 range transmission (a lot faster in H - in "road gear" going from place to place), it has position control (which I don't think is super important for me, but it has it, and for driveway maintenance I believe it'd be good)
• It lifts nearly twice as much on the 3ph, about 30% more on the FEL
• You'll need a grapple (NEED, not WANT. In fact, when you're talking to the missus, the word you should use is DESERVE, because that's a power word) And grapples rob front end loader lift, because they're heavy. A B01 with a grapple is a lot better than a BX with a grapple
• The engine runs lower revs for the same power - it's a lot more pleasant to operate
• It's actually about the same length and width - marginally bigger. It's mostly just taller and heavier. So it fits pretty much anywhere a BX fits (in terms of garage)
• The treadle pedal on the BX was better, the spring on the B01 is too stiff. That's annoying, but liveable

For implements, I'd say you need:

• Probably a grapple and therefore third function. But if not a grapple then forks at least, to move branches and wind fall
• A chipper if you're not burning, you get great mulch from all that windfall
• Forks - mine go on both the FEL and on the 3ph. When you stack your firewood on pallets you can then move it easily from place to place, much better than restacking it every time you move it. 3ph lifts a lot more than FEL. My firewood setup isn't suitable for that, but yours may be
• MMM obviously is essential
• I have a ballast box, because I don't like using my chipper as a counter weight, and it makes the machine much more manoeuvrable than a big implement sticking out. They're cheap, are good for your tractor (taking load off the front axle, which loaded tires doesn't do), and keep you safe when using the loader. Remember that tractor front axles are on a pivot - they provide no stability. If your rear wheels are off the ground, or even light, then your tractor is not stable and can tip over just by going around a corner quickly on flat ground
• A land plane / grade scraper for driveway maintenance. People with them swear by them as being better than a box blade. I don't have a gravel driveway.....

I would certainly agree in large part with that especially as regards the lowered CG you get with a mid mount mower.

I will add that I maintain a very similar property to Mssr. n00b both in size, vegetation, and grade. I did it for a decade plus with a B7200DT with loader and 3pt mowers. Then I added G2160 and G2460 garden tractors with mid-mount mowers. Last year I added an L3901 to the mix and immediately discovered how much I had been beating myself up with the little B7200. I wish I had got up off that money many years earler. I don't think there would be of any great value in anything larger than teh L01 but if I could trade both of the 2wd G series for one 4wd BX with midmount mower they would be gone in a heartbeat. I have my radar out and if something local pops up they will be. I am getting old, lazy, and "deserve" it

Dan

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Rule #1. Never, EVER mow 'side hill', ALWAYS 'up and down'.
Rule #2. If you break rule #1 ,be sure your life insurance is paid up in full

Now for those that have broken #1, you've been lucky but your luck will run out.

If the hill is too steep,simple solution.... recover with a 'no-mow' form of vegetation.

 

[RBsingl]

I agree with the others that only up and down on steep slopes and the bigger tractor will be much safer.

I only have one very small area that is a pain to mow. It is a roadside ditch area that feeds into the creek that runs into the pasture and where the ditch intersects with the creek is a problem spot. I back the rotary cutter in with the Deere 955 in 4WD low range and take it very slow for a few feet and the tractor is just starting to get on a steep side hill when I finish the cut and do the final work with my Stihl trimmer with triangle blade. A handheld trimmer and brush saw or triangle blade is often the best tool for smaller areas where it isn't safe to take your tractor. And there is always Roundup or a weedy brush killer to treat areas as needed

I have a several hundred foot run mowing across a slope near the creek but it is a mild slope and doesn't present a problem. I have seen our county running their mowers on a steep hillside near my place and they were using Deere 5000 series tractors with all wheels driven and they have the front wheels turned hard to the side and slipping to go straight across the hill. That is not something I would try on any size tractor.

Rodger

 

[Henro]

I agree with the others that only up and down on steep slopes and the bigger tractor will be much safer.

All I know for sure is my BX is MUCH more stable on side slopes than my B2910. So I do not agree that a larger tractor is inherently more stable.

Now I must admit my BX has four foam filled tires (heavy) and wheel spacers. 1.25 inch spacers I think, the max I could install with the MMM. AND the MMM adds a lot of weight down low.

This amount of slope is uncomfortable, but if I get off the tractor on the high side, and push the ROPS, there is no way I can cause anything to happen. It feels no different than pushing the ROPS when the tractor is sitting on the level.

Anyway, having tipped my B2910 over, there is no way I even go across a slope half this steep without puckering up pretty bad.

Just a point of reference and without question the best way is up and down a slope and not across it.

 

[JimmyJazz]

My B2601 cuts hills steeper than that weekly. Follow the advice of the others here and you will be fine. Good luck.

 

[Henro]

My B2601 cuts hills steeper than that weekly. Follow the advice of the others here and you will be fine. Good luck.

Hills steeper than what I show in the image I posted? Cross slope?

Curious...if cross slope, you have two of something much larger than mine!

Up and down, even at a moderate angle, of course no issue...

 

[PaulL]

All I know for sure is my BX is MUCH more stable on side slopes than my B2910. So I do not agree that a larger tractor is inherently more stable.

Now I must admit my BX has four foam filled tires (heavy) and wheel spacers. 1.25 inch spacers I think, the max I could install with the MMM. AND the MMM adds a lot of weight down low.

This amount of slope is uncomfortable, but if I get off the tractor on the high side, and push the ROPS, there is no way I can cause anything to happen. It feels no different than pushing the ROPS when the tractor is sitting on the level.

Anyway, having tipped my B2910 over, there is no way I even go across a slope half this steep without puckering up pretty bad.

Just a point of reference and without question the best way is up and down a slope and not across it.


View attachment 84830

Assuming your horizon is level, that looks to be 25-30 degrees to me. And therefore probably a bit steeper than OP. And I agree, that's reasonably comfortable so long as you're not going too fast, and it's not bumpy. So once OP has his slope under control (go slow first few times), he possibly could mow side to side - but only if he has to. Up and down is always preferable, but not always possible.

 

[Henro]

Assuming your horizon is level, that looks to be 25-30 degrees to me. And therefore probably a bit steeper than OP. And I agree, that's reasonably comfortable so long as you're not going too fast, and it's not bumpy. So once OP has his slope under control (go slow first few times), he possibly could mow side to side - but only if he has to. Up and down is always preferable, but not always possible.

Another thing that needs to be considered is the possibility of slipping sideways if the grass is wet. That adds to the danger, as sideways momentum can cause a tip over if movement stops suddenly for whatever reason.

Agree up and down is safest. For me it gets tiring as with a short bank it doubles the time needed at minimum. Not that I am in a hurry, but...

Would recommend the OP minimize side slope mowing until he becomes quite familiar with tractor operation. AND that he wear his seatbelt and keep the ROPS up!

You never know when things are going to turn bad, and very often no time to react when they do.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

OP, that’s a beautiful place you got there. I have a hilly property similar in size at my residence. I had a BX before I got a B. The B has a little more lift capabilty, but I believe the BX was more stable side to side…slightly lower center of gravity. Youve got a bit of property and most likely lots of tasks you’ve not thought about that a tractor can help with. The BX would most likely be better for mowing than a B, however the B is going to do more for you if you do outside work/maintenance yourself. When it comes to the mowing I think maybe decide is a riding mower possible or not for regular mowing…they are way less money…and then get a little more tractor such as an L. For your woods work you may want a brush hog vs a MMM. If thinking about animals think about how you will be receiving their feed…if on pallets think about how much you want to be able to lift on a pallet. If you would need to haul water and plan to use the loader for that there is another weight capacity to consider. Based on that how much loader capacity you want? That might help you match the work to to the machine. If you have an option for mowing other than the tractor L (price out an L2501 for giggles) is a much better value IMO. A BX or B will both do what you described and both are awesome machines. But estimating future tasks and work capabilities might nudge you one way or another.

 

[Shekkie]

Get whatever tractor you think best suits your tractor needs and skip the MMM. For the price of the MMM you can find a solid used commercial ZTR and never look back. I resisted similar advice years ago and was more wrong than I was for marrying my 1st ex.

 

[n00b]

Wow – there is a ton of useful information here. Thank you all for the replies.

It's surprising to me, but predicted above, that after going outside and actually measuring the slope, it's less than I had thought. There's no single plane/grade here, with larger-scale "mounds" and "bowls" coupled with smaller-scale ruts and uneven ground, but I came up with a maximum of about 18 degrees in the worst the places that I'm concerned about (there are other spots that are up to 28 deg, but those are narrower sections that are impractical to get at due to our current fencing).

So it sounds pretty clearly like the B2601 isn't an obviously terrible idea in the hands of a first time owner who is generally cautious and understands that riding along hills is dangerous. I'm still a bit apprehensive given that it seems unavoidable in practice on these contours to end up off of the straight-up-and-down paths, but I'm also hearing that some of that is likely going to be fine. I'm also thinking it might be a good idea to try smooth out the surface on the small-scale to make it safer/more predictable, but possibly with some kind of walk-behind equipment to avoid a chicken-and-egg problem...

RE: skipping the MMM for a zero turn or a riding mower, I've thought about it for the flat stuff, but I've not heard great things about reliability/longevity with them (I've never owned either before...), and I'd still need to brush hog the hilly stuff from the pictures. I think the zero turn is a stretch for our place, as the "flat" stuff I've referred to is only sorta "flat," none of it is "smooth" (it's currently pretty easy to turn an ankle on all the ruts, although I recognize that I can spend the time to fix that) and at least half an acre of it is still sloped in some direction. Frankly, after having suggested a riding mower for finish work to my wife a while back, that's still her preference. I imagine that I'd end up spending more in the long run with that option (operation and maintenance and presumably replacement at some point), but I acknowledge it would surely be faster. It's still a possibility.