Go BottomSlopes - Angle and Percent Grade
 | Jack in IL
Join Date: Posts: 1 
|
1999-12-04 10638
During the past year, there have been many posts dealing with operating on slopes. There is a difference between the concept of slope angle and percent grade that is sometimes confused. At the risk of sounding like a math teacher, the relationship is: Tangent of Slope Angle = Vertical Rise / Horizontal Distance. Percent Grade = 100 x Tangent of Slope Angle. You can easily measure slope angle with a carpenters pendulum protractor. Some examples: A 15 degree slope is a 26.8% grade. A 20 degree slope is a 36.4% grade. A 30 degree slope is a 57.7% grade. Most compact tractors are not capable of operating safely on sideslopes beyond 20 degrees and some are much less. With a loader installed the maximum slope angle could be considerably less. Some tractors such as Steiner, Ventrac, and Power-Trac that have been built with very low center of gravity and dual wheels front and rear can operate on slopes up to 30 degrees. I use a slope indicator mounted on my JD955 tractor canopy. It was made by R&B Manufacturing. (www.tiltmeter.com). Please drive cautiously.
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoSlopes - Angle and Percent Grade
| Larry
Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 0 St.Davids
|
1999-12-04 10641
I'm not trying to be rude but I think my JD dealer came up with a much simpler answer. If it doesn't feel right then you probably should not be there. An over simplification but something most compact tractor owners can relate to. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoSlopes - Angle and Percent Grade
| markchalkley
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
1999-12-06 10686
Jack's point is still well taken. One major reason that knowledge isn't just power in this instance, but may mean your life, is that people don't feel uncomfortable at the same point. Some are just born risk takers, and others don't get nearly as much done as they otherwise could because they can't judge a slope well. Far better to know what you're doing than wonder. I've used one of R&B's slope indicators for only a few hours and already have gotten a far better feel for what's safe and what isn't from it than from my previous 25 years of tractor operation. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoSlopes - Angle and Percent Grade
| Scott
Join Date: Posts: 1
|
1999-12-16 11122
Just a note, percent grade can be more easily understood as being the rise divided by the run. For example, if the grade rose 12 feet in 100 feet of horizontal distance the percent grade would be 12%. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo
Go Top
Share This