| Click to Post a New Message!
Page | [ 2 ] | | |
| | |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
Yes, that old car trick really did impress me. They'd go over a ramp with two wheels and then just keep one side in the air. I think some drivers could go clear around the track. You could swear that they were going to park and leave them that way.
I can't remember if it was driver's side up or down and I don't know if they had any help with the trick (maybe one side of the car was filled with wheel weights) but sure was impressive. Haven't seen it in a long time.
|
|
 Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
this sort of goes along with sidehill stability. I learned that it is possible for my deere 4200 to popout of 4wd unexpectedly. I was mowing nose down a pretty steep bank, and it suddenly went into 2wd. The back tires only couldn't hold it, and I slid about 10 ft into a tree. Glad I had the loader on, and glad the tree was there.
I learned another cheap lesson...Maybe I shouldn't depend on 4wd to keep me out of trouble, but be ready to drop the loader for the worlds best parking brake.
Brent
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
I wouldn't want to try using the loader as a parking brake if the tractor is still moving. It is amazing how fast a tractor can flip over and planting the bucket will try to stop the machine faster than gravity, momentum & inertia wants it to. Likely result, a tractor on it's side, probably after a few revolutions in the air, and hopefully with the operator anywhere but underneath it. At least rolling fast down the hill offers a chance at deciding the resting position when the ride finishes. I watched a skid steer do this a few years ago on a golf course we were building, it must have rolled end-over-end a dozen times before it came to rest beside a pond, if the tumble had started 50' farther over the machine would have ended up in the drink. Not a good idea. Best of luck.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
Update on the old driveing on two wheels at the fair trick:
Ole' Joey Chitwood has left his footprint in all of our lives. (insert nostalgic tear in your eye here)
It takes a special car for this, it has alot of weight on the lower side(usually the left side, the door can the support the weight of the driver, but there are high sided drivers out there who use some type of restraint).
There cars are heavily weighted on the left side, and the left side tires were filled with foam rubber so the sidwalls could support the weight of the vehical.
The suspensions were modified somewhat, but not as much as one might think.
Also, in the steering linkage the shaft between the steering whell and the gearbox had another gearbox mounted in-line to speed up the ratio of the steering wheel so small movment on the steering wheel created fast movement of the front tires.
Also, there was a large weight suspended on a pendulem on the left side of the car, the weight was so heavy, and placed so well, that if I lifted on the right side of the car miself, I could almost get two wheels in the air.
There were some other tricks o the trade, but those were the big ones.
In the car I checked out, there was an inclinometer in the dash in front of the driver, there were lines on the gragh to let the driver know when he was in the "sweet spot".
Even with all that trickery, it was still no easy ride. I tried it myself and it took several attempts to go even a few yards, speed is also critical because you have to make your adjustments with the wheel at a rate that is in proportion to ground speed..steadyness is also a great help.
But it was all over too soon, the show left town and moved on.....and the pretty little redhead who thought I was cute and spent much time with me in the evenings after the show went with it.
I have had an interesting life..to say the least.
Sorry to spoil the trick guys.
And to Valerie....wherever you are....you were cool, and my wife hates that picture of us at the fair that I won't let her throw out.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
Nope--reading how it's done doesn't spoil the trick for me at all. Thanks for the description. I sort of suspected that it couldn't be done without modifications. I guess that many people have a redhead somewhere in their lives. Those old-time state fairs seem like a good place for the memories. I'm not sure how the fairs are doing these days. The Canadian Exhibition in Toronto is our equivalent. I'm not sure what happened, but the Ex stopped being interesting many years ago. Hope other fairs are doing better. I guess the lesson is that you can't hold a fair in the middle of a big city.
I guess I'm fortunate 'cause I don't have to work on serious hills. The few times I have been doubtful about traction, I backed down and drove up. I figure that keeping the large rear wheels on the down side should give the best traction. I also know that if the tractor starts sliding, then there's going to be virtually no breaking or steering. In such a situation seeing where you're going probably qualifies as an over-rated experience. Besides, I suspect my bucket may make a better anchor than brake.
I suspect the bucket as brake might work at very slow speeds, if the problem was traction rather than stability. I also suspect that most times the slide would happen quicker than an operator could lower a bucket. If the bucket didn’t hold the tractor, it could make the situation worse instead of better.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
One 'rule' or response regarding dropping the bucket to the ground when losing rear wheel traction and sliding downhill likely won't always apply. If the traction on the rear wheels is lost, it is quite possible dropping the bucket will decrease weight on the front wheels and add weight, thus traction, to the rear sliding wheels. For sure, if there is a load in the bucket, it would be important to drop the bucket to the ground, hoping that the leading edge of the bucket is curled up and won't dig into the ground. I would also apply both brakes to keep one wheel from rotating forward and the other rotating in reverse. The positraction will work too. Just letting the rear wheels work through the differential, will cause one wheel to rotate counter to the other, thus increasing the chances of turning the tractor away from a straight downhill slide. Been there, done that.
About the car trick on its edge, I suspect the rear end differential was also modified, to get power to only the one rear wheel on the ground. I wasn't surprised that the cars were fixed up to do the trick. Thanks for letting us know how it was done. I remember being surprised they could keep the car on edge as long as they did. My original point was only to relate to the steering reaction to keep the car balanced on the two wheels i.e. turn 'downhill'.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
Good point about counter-rotation of the differential. True enough that if the tractor is sliding, then there's already virtually no traction so brakes aren't much good for stopping. Brakes might keep a tractor from turning and side rolling though. I understand that's actually more common than getting a wild ride all the way to the bottom.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
Tomg, if you sense that you are about to turn over, I guess you better turn down hill because that would be the quickest correct but...................almost always if you are pulling an implement you are better off turning uphill. I farm these Kentucky hillsides and any full time farmer will tell you that you will get into more trouble going downhill than uphill. You can usually pull more load up a hill than you can totally control going downhill. Good luck
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
Thanks William. That's my sense too, that many times I'd rather keep weight and the rear tires on the downhill side. Maybe that's why I can never seem to remember the rule of thumb. I always end up thinking 'Yes But.' Maybe it's best to conclude that there's really no good rule of thumb that can be used independent of the type of operation and conditions.
It's probably better to hope we develop good instincts and just do the right thing when a need arises. Of course, maybe we need some sort of rules of thumb to survive long enough to develop good instincts. I do appreciate you introducing the complexity that what's best to do may depend on what the tractor's doing.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Side-Hill Operaion
Also Tomg, when working on a hillside, you always want to have an escape route if the tractor takes off and you cannot stop it. Sometimes this is impossible but we need to try.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Page | [ 2 ] | | |
Thread 41547 Filter by Poster:
3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 3 |
|
()
Unanswered Questions
Active Subjects
Hot Topics
Featured Suppliers
|
Gas Generator Weather Protecti
03-30-2017, 12:26 
Reply
Digg It 
Del.icio.us 