What’s Your Pucker Factor?

[Henro]

Well, here’s mine! My BX has foam filled tires front and back (very heavy), and the maximum rear wheel spacers I could put on was something like 1.25 inches.

I started cutting the bank of my pond across slope because it took too long and wasn’t any fun going up and down. I know my BX is very stable with loaded tires and the MMM hanging down low below the axles. It’s still feels really steep when sitting on the tractor moving along this direction, even though it doesn’t look that deep in the picture.

I got off on the high side side to take the picture and I tried pushing on the rollbar to see if it was at all unstable, and it was rocksolid actually.

Still this is about my limit. I would never consider getting close do this with my larger tractor, since I tipped it on the side once in a condition where I never thought I would…

The angle finder on my phone says the tractor is tilted at 26°. Are you guys comfortable on slopes greater than this? I’ve realized I’m not...

 

[S-G-R]

I'd mow on that angle if it was dry, seatbelt on and ROP's up. Try going down on a 45 degree angle and see if that's easier.

 

[ctfjr]

You have bigger balls than me (but I'm old)

 

[Nodlenor]

I mowed right-a-ways for Modot in northern Missouri for over 10 years with a Massy Ferguson 245 but I wouldn’t start to put my BX in places that I mowed then. It is a lot more tipsy than the Massy. And my pucker factor just ain’t the same these days.

 

[69 SS]

Got the right rear up with nothing but the PHD on the other day, 5 seconds felt like an eternity,couldn't get the front wheels turned left quickly enough, auger on PHD was dragging straight out behind tractor. Won't be doing a turn on any inclines for a while. Everyone please be careful out there.

 

[NCL4701]

Well, here’s mine! My BX has foam filled tires front and back (very heavy), and the maximum rear wheel spacers I could put on was something like 1.25 inches.

I started cutting the bank of my pond across slope because it took too long and wasn’t any fun going up and down. I know my BX is very stable with loaded tires and the MMM hanging down low below the axles. It’s still feels really steep when sitting on the tractor moving along this direction, even though it doesn’t look that deep in the picture.

I got off on the high side side to take the picture and I tried pushing on the rollbar to see if it was at all unstable, and it was rocksolid actually.

Still this is about my limit. I would never consider getting close do this with my larger tractor, since I tipped it on the side once in a condition where I never thought I would…

The angle finder on my phone says the tractor is tilted at 26°. Are you guys comfortable on slopes greater than this? I’ve realized I’m not...

View attachment 59084

With the Ventrac I ain’t got, sure. Not with the L4701. I’ve had it close to that with one wheel in a ditch but not where it could slide or roll down a hill. I’d mow that with the L up/down and/or run at angles, but not dead on sideways. Your BX with belly mower almost certainly has a lower center of gravity than my L.

Dam at our pond is steeper than what that looks like. More like 45 degrees. Mow it couple times a year with a Stihl 079 weed eater.

 

[foobert]

I have a hill that's probably a little steeper than that at it's worst spot. It's flat enough to turn around at the top, so my intention is to go up/down. I don't want to load the tires (unnecessary compaction), but, ya got me thinking about some spacers.

It's all theoretical until my mower deck shows up -- 1 month and still hasn't arrived yet. The sheep have been maintaining that slope for the last coupla years -- it'd be completely overgrown wild otherwise.

 

[PaulR]

Big tough offroad Jeep guy here, been over a number of times angles much much worse than that.
But, I can picture myself sitting in that seat, with the lean I would need to take, and I'm saying NOPE, NOPE, NOPE!!!

 

[skeets]

All I know is my pucker factor aint what it use to be thats for sure

 

[mcfarmall]

My bunghole tightens up between 5 and 10 degrees of tilt. I don't want to roll. I've also learned that 10 degrees feels like 45 to me!

 

[orange crusher]

Just go for it. If things start going south, remember to put your head down between your legs and kiss your arse goodbye...............

 

[Bota2230]

Oh yeah I can relate to mowing around ponds for sure! I have 2 2230’s and one with turf and one with AG tires. What I have found out is turf tires stay the course on mowing the angle and the AG tires slide down the hill and I have to over steer to keep my line. So when I do mow it it’s in 4wd and in mow range and hug the seat to the side that will come up. I do not run loaded tires. I have more of a pucker factor when loadering so I made a 600 lbs steel weight to hang onto the quick hitch. So that is gone thank Goodness

 

[Henro]

I'd mow on that angle if it was dry, seatbelt on and ROP's up. Try going down on a 45 degree angle and see if that's easier.

That bank curves around on two sides, and is only about 150 feet long, since it is a small pond.

I have some shorter banks and do cut them at 45 degrees, rather than straight up and down. Found that doing it that way minimizes scalping at the transition point between slope and flat.

 

[Magicman]

I have a very similar pond levee situation that I have Bush Hogged for years with the JD 1530,. Even though the M4900 has the exact same size rear tires, the seat is taller and my balls are smaller.

I know that it ain't gonna tip over, but I choose to go diagonal so now one ball is larger than the other.

 

[Henro]

Big tough offroad Jeep guy here, been over a number of times angles much much worse than that.
But, I can picture myself sitting in that seat, with the lean I would need to take, and I'm saying NOPE, NOPE, NOPE!!!

This was the first time I stopped the tractor there to actually see what the angle looked like.

It actually feels much worse when on the tractor than it looks when standing behind the tractor! Steepest part is only about 30 feet or so. I move very slowly there.

The combination of the mower deck and four foam-filled tires adds between 500 & 600 pounds, centered slightly below axle level. I would never take that tractor on that side slope with air filled tires and no mower deck! I do want to continue aging!

 

[Magicman]

Yes, looking forward to the aging factor is somewhat comforting.

 

[RCW]

I mow some steep places. I don’t know degrees, etc. but it’s the same lawn for 30 years. I don’t have spacers, but rears loaded.

This was a few years ago. Just chuckled it looked tipped over from above.

 

[Henro]

I mow some steep places. I don’t know degrees, etc. but it’s the same lawn for 30 years. I don’t have spacers, but rears loaded.

This was a few years ago. Just chuckled it looked tipped over from above.

View attachment 59097
View attachment 59098

It looks like your BX is tilted more than my BX is above. I got curious and used the same angle finder (digital protractor?) that is on my phone, that I used to check my angle, and it shows 20 degrees or a little more for your BX and 26 degrees in my photo. This amazed me because looking I would have bet your tractor is tilting more. Especially in the photo taken from the side!

I have notice that I might occasionally go around something where the angle is steeper, but usually, like in your photo, there is something the down slope side that makes it feel different than when the slope just keeps running downward...

Looks like if you cut back in the other direction, that bank is even steeper! Back towards the electric pole it looks to be 35 to 45 degrees! Did you ever cut that bank with the BX? I probably wouldn't...

 

[RCW]

Yeah, reason I took those pictures was because it looked funky from the uphill side! I don’t mow the house side of the ditch. There’s places that are way too much. That’s Stihl 086 or 130 brush cutter territory.

There’s some steep places out behind the house. Don’t know degrees there either, but I just have to pay attention.

I’ve very seldom felt uncomfortable mowing, but again been mowing same place for 30 years.

 

[random]

I guess I don't have much pucker factor, I wouldn't run that hill like that.