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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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lbrown59
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2007-10-23          147260

What's the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact Tractor?

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Now what's your experience? >>


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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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bvance
Join Date: Jul 2004
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2007-10-24          147275

Well as with most things.....it depends.

I would think a Cub Cadet with no attachments and a SCUT with no attachments would be a toss up...maybe because the Cadet is a bit closer to the ground, it might be a bit more stable but not enough to worry about.

If you equip the SCUT with a FEL or a box blade on the back, both will change the center of gravity (COG). If the blade is down all the way, it would be very difficult to tip the tractor. If the blade is up your COG changes appreciably. When I have the blade on and up going sideways across a hill, I am very careful. On the other hand, even with the blade down and in use, one needs to be careful, because the downhill side of the blade might be digging more than the uphill side, and that alone can change the COG a bunch and in a hurry.

Likewise with the FEL. But the FEL is always up some to keep it out of the way and it will change the COG quite a bit, especially with material in it.

If all you are doing is mowing and do not need any attachments, the Cadet would be best for side hills....but then again, it would not be very versatile.

What are you planning on doing with the tractor? That would help a lot in answering your question w/o using a lot of "it depends" responses.

Brian ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-10-24          147278

Brian's 100% right on. ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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Art White
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2007-10-24          147281


Not for nothing, I'll confuse this a little bit! You also could wind up with a balance from front to rear making a difference! I've seen different hills that one garden tractor won't climb and the other will ballasted the same, as some have more weight in the rear. I've seen some that the wheels are closer together, allows the manufacturer to use a smaller deck. You really can't lump them all together! ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
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2007-10-24          147284

Add to the mix that wheel slippage of a 2 WD garden tractor on slopes can make you feel less stable than a Sub Compact with 4WD even though the Sub Compact has the higher COG. ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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JasonR
Join Date: Jan 2006
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2007-10-24          147287

My floodwall has some slopes that range in the 30 - 40 deg range. I built them with the CUT, and I mow them with my garden tractor. Haven't ever tipped either tractor, nor have I safey tested them to see where the tipping points are.

When building them, I was alway much more nervous on the CUT when going 'sideways' on the hill. Granted, the terrain was much softer / bumpier when building them, but I had numerous experiences where uphill tire 'felt' rather light. (Granted, I may have been no where near tipping...) But you're also up higher, making things feel different.

When mowing, it's easy to shift the cetner of gravity by basiclly sitting on the uphill fender. Maybe it's just the fact that I could just 'fall off away' from a tipping tractor - but I've never had the same uneasyness on the garden tractor.

Jason ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
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2007-10-24          147289

It also makes a huge difference whether you are talking about working up & down the slope or sideslope.

The longer wheelbase and 4wd makes the SCUT a better choice if you are working up & down the hill.

If you need to work sideslope, my choice would be neither, get a commercial front deck machine, it will run just fine on a hill so steep you'd be challenged to walk along.

Also, bear in mind, a garden tractor doesn't have front brakes or much in the way of tire tread generally either. A SCUT has 4 wheel brakes and usually 4WD to boot.

Best of luck. ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
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2007-10-24          147300

Murf, back up boy! You shouldn't be flying while you're surfing da net.

4-wheel brakes? I've never seen a CUT or SCUT with 4 wheel brakes. Even in 4wd a CUT or SCUT still doesn't have real or effective braking mainly because the front diff can/will allow one wheel to counter rotate (if traction is lost wich is likely on a slope or wet grass) even if the front drive shaft is stopped due to the rears being locked or brakes applied.

I accept your apology for the oversight;) ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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AnnBrush
Join Date: Mar 2004
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2007-10-24          147303

I have a ditch along my road frontage that gets mowed. The garden tractor (riding mower), a 18hp craftsman regularly tips over on its side when mowing (mowing perpendicular to the gradient of the slope) this section, in fact you have to sit on the fender to prevent it from doing so. When it does I get the tractor and push it back over and drag it out. The JD 4300 doing the same slope (mowing along the slope, not up and down it) never budges, in fact I have to lean over toward the bottom of the slope to see where the edge of the MMM is in relation to the bottom of the ditch. Never any sign of the tractor slipping or wobbling.

In summary as the slope angle is increased the CG of the riding mower falls outside the wheelbase before that of the tractor does. ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
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2007-10-24          147304

And the height and weight of the operator also changes the COG significantly. As others have said, I can mow sidehill drainage ditches that I can't walk up with the 33D New Holland and a heavy brushhog. I estimate the sides to be at 45 degrees. Having the mower on the ground at all times is the only I can do it. In fact the front wheels will slide down the slope before there is even a hint that it will overturn. Now on the other hand, my light-weight nephew can't ride the small New Holland rider even on a berm to cut around trees. When I do it I have to lean all the way over or sit on the fender just to keep the high wheel down.

Just a thought...it should be easy enough to make a ballast or counterweight that could swing or slide manually to the high side of the slope. It (one on the rear) or they (front and rear) would be mounted low and could either swing one way or the other or slide and lock into position. Might be a good use of the barbells in the garage being used as a coat rack! ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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Billy
Join Date: Oct 1999
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2007-10-24          147310

Ann, ain't no way I'd be using a 18hp craftsman that regularly tips over on its side when mowing (mowing perpendicular to the gradient of the slope) this section, in fact you have to sit on the fender to prevent it from doing so. Nope ain't no way, one time deal and forget it.

The 4300 would be called to duty from that point on ;) ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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crunch
Join Date: Jan 2007
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2007-10-24          147317

My feeling is that my lawnmowers are less tippy. My gravely 8122 has a rear mounted engine - it has never tipped on me. I also feel safe on my JD LT190. I feel very unsafe on my JD4310. It is true that dropping the bucket rapidly always balanced me out but I feel the wheel width with R4's is too narrow. Also - I feel that I can handle a lawnmower that flips better than a 5,000 lb tractor. Net - my 4310 makes me a lot less comfortable than either of my mowers on hills. ....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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Murf
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2007-10-25          147338

Jeff'ry, although it wasn't very eloquently worded, I do assure you, my feet were no higher than the footrest of the La-Z-Boy when I wrote that, and yes, I was trying to say that IN 4WD it would EFFECTIVELY have front wheel brakes. But be nice now, I'm going to be passing close by you tomorrow on my way to Chi'cah-go!!!

As for the garden tractor tipping where the CUT wouldn't, I've experienced similar, but it has more to do with the width of the tire track than anything else IMHO. Where the rider has about a 2' wide track, and so may be forced to sit in such a position that it's downhill wheels are well below the uphill ones, but in the same spot the CUT being more than double the width, is able to sit with the wheels in a better spot. Especially if the bottom wheels are actually against the other slope preventing a downhill slide.

Best of luck.

....

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What s the least tippy on slopes a Garden Tractor or a Sub Compact

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-10-25          147356

Jis' tryin' to keep ya honest--and feet on the ground.

Didn't want anyone walking away thinking they had 4-whl brakes by any means ....

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