When does a tractor roll?

Montexy

Member
If you have just taken this bit of ground on you might be able to ask around as to how the previous tenant dealt with it, have a word with a neighbour see if they know, it might help you make up your mind. I spent a lot of time in the seat of a 135 back in the day, no cab then just a roll bar when they came, seems crazy now. Anyway, even with the best cab on - rusted or not, rolling down a hill is going to seriously mess your day up so I wouldn't chance it myself, think of your family.
 

PhilipB

Member
Thanks everyone, and I am taking seriously the urging of caution. And I have, up till now, heeded my 'gag reflex' - but how do I know if that reflex is set much too low?

To get to specifics, on a fixed seat tractor at the point when you're definitely bracing yourself with one leg to stay upright on the tilted seat- at that point what angle would you be at? (30 degrees?) the danger point is then immanent,... or some way off?

At that point it certainly doesn't *feel* ideal, but looking at how much the upside of the tractor would have to lift to tip over- it looks like the physics says I'm safer then I think I am.

(and I agree holes and anthills etc. Have to be very much considered)
 

onthehoof

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cambs
I was doing a bit the other day, pretty steep but flat at the top and the bottom so just went straight up and down, was going uphill forwards to start with but front wheels began to lift so went down forwards and up backwards felt much safer although there’s some YouTube videos that say do it the other way round
 

Exfarmer

Member
Location
Bury St Edmunds
I was doing a bit the other day, pretty steep but flat at the top and the bottom so just went straight up and down, was going uphill forwards to start with but front wheels began to lift so went down forwards and up backwards felt much safer although there’s some YouTube videos that say do it the other way round
You will be far safer going downhill.
one thing to consider, your mower, does it use a solid top link? Some toppers have a top link which has a fully flexible link in to enable the mower to follow ground contours, the top link only serves to lift the mower out of work. This makes the whole outfit far less stable. Another point is that an 8 foot machine sounds a large mowerfor a 135 and lastly does it have any roll over protection at all?
 

onthehoof

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cambs
Our Bomford topper has no top link and it’s brilliant because the topper follows contours and acts as a brake and a stabiliser
 
put wheels out as wide as possible reverse dish fit wheel weights to increase grip and stability keep mower just above ground to add weitght to back go steady reverse up
wear seat belt to prevent you from falling out of the seat
 

7610 super q

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
A lot of experts here, and i'm sure all well meant.

Cant help having the recurring thought of ' you're a long time dead'.

My 2p worth-
Seek out advice on site, and not on the internet
I dunno. Must be more tractor driving experience amassed on this forum than anywhere else on the planet.
There seems to be a growing trend on here to turn up on a thread, criticise everyone else's posts, and fudge off again without offering any advice..........

Anyhoo.......

 

Grassman

Member
Location
Derbyshire
A lot of experts here, and i'm sure all well meant.

Cant help having the recurring thought of ' you're a long time dead'.

My 2p worth-
Seek out advice on site, and not on the internet
There is a lot of experience on here and I haven't seen any bad advice on this thread.
I dunno. Must be more tractor driving experience amassed on this forum than anywhere else on the planet.
There seems to be a growing trend on here to turn up on a thread, criticise everyone else's posts, and fudge off again without offering any advice..........

Anyhoo.......

 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Duals would make it more stable on a side slope, but surely would lose traction easier being a lighter footprint?
Dual it on old style spade wheels though.....?
dual wheels will out grip singles, we have had to take one off to get in gateways or up narrow lanes when lime spreading and it would always be the side with the single wheel on that would lose grip first,
also duel narrow wheels will grip better going across a slope than wide low profile's IMHO
 

Grassman

Member
Location
Derbyshire
50 years ago there was some very steep ground operated on by very experienced drivers on 2wd tractors. Some fields in Wales i wouldnt even consider driving on!

An 8ft topper is certainly going to help prevent tipping sideways. However it could still tip over backwards if it doesn't have a fixed headstock. Some with just a chain top link will offer no protection.
If your field has a nice flattish bit top and bottom will help.
Just reverse up as far as you feel confident and come straight back down. Go a bit further up as you progress.
Don't try it in the rain on a hard surface as it will slide like a sledge.
If you not confident just employ a suitable contractor for a start and see how he copes.
 

Andrew

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
Location
Huntingdon, UK
dual wheels will out grip singles, we have had to take one off to get in gateways or up narrow lanes when lime spreading and it would always be the side with the single wheel on that would lose grip first,
also duel narrow wheels will grip better going across a slope than wide low profile's IMHO

On cultivating / loose ground I’d agree but on solid grass ground I’m not so sure. On trailers the floatations seem to lock up before the narrow wheels when braking.
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
I top a field with our MF565 and 9 foot topper and there is part of the field that I have to do downhill as the tractor wouldn't go up hill and you wouldn't drive across it, the tractor slides down over every time
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 43.2%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.4%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.4%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 5 2.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,286
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top