R/W tractors-mowers

[proessler]

Started career (?), 1973 summer mowing with 4400 Ford non ROPS with Mott 3 point 8' flail mower mowing around I-system delineator posts (50/mile). That 1st summer I got a new 1 gallon H2O jug & rubber strapped it to back of the seat... on that day decided to go nose first down a steep slope to R/W in " The Badger Interchange" I 90/94 to a lower roadway. By the time a got to bottom of the slope front wheels turning , back tires lost grip & slid ,the Mott roller rolled over the top of H2O jug & rendered it Flat... I learned to raise up rear mower up 6" or so to put the weight of the mower on the rear wheels (since there were no duals , weights ,or fluid).

I Actually learned the down slope maneuver while in HS. When I got caught & put on "after school work crew" for incorrect behavior, I volunteered to mow with a Farmall Super A with Mott flail or a Ford 2110 LCG with 7-8' Mott flail....I enjoyed every minute of "Work Crew" I got to play with tractors.

To be continued...

 

[kmcconaughey]

 

[proessler]

Early mowers were purchased by County Hwy. Dept. The last 15 years or so they get lease/rent bids for multiple years for just 80-100 HP 4x4 tractors & own the pull type Bush Hog, Woods, etc. rotaries varying from a 1 pan, 2 pan, & triple pan mower decks. The weight of the mowers on the tractor drawbar is significant for good traction for most times. Most tractors had 5-600#of weight on front so front would have a bite, I would've preferred more like 1,000#+ because I had times when fronts would be just scratching the surface when pulling out of a ditch or other times. I'm going to stop now, I don't want upset Denny during his Celebration week! I might get too long winded.

More later...

 

[dfrisk]

PAUL - Yes, I was always amazed at some of the places you guys would get at to mow. The steep slopes, ditches, banks, then sprinkle in a bunch of sign posts and guard rails. I'm surprised the engines & hyd systems don't start sucking air at the angles those mower tractors run at!

Down home in IL, the State DOT did the Interstates, and local highways, but never touched the rural roads. 2-3 times a year when we had the sickle mower on Dad would mow the mile or so of roadbanks on the farms. Think it was about 1964 or 1965 that he almost rolled the Super M-TA on it's side in a wash-out next to a big 2-3 ft diameter road tube. He saw it coming, eased down into it and thought he could drive on out of it, but couldn't. And he quickly lost his nerve with the M-TA listing over at about 40 degrees! Neighbor pulled him out with his WD-45 and I think it was the '51 M we had tied to the other rear wheel to keep the tractor from tipping.

It hasn't been much of a "Celebration week", just mostly another normal week.

 

[ewells]

Paul enjoying your post of r/w mowing.We had an old fellow that mowed for our county with a Ford Jublee and side mount mower.He could hardly walk due to age.They told of one time he drove off the end of a bridge into the creek.He said to the guys well they must have shortened the bridge since last year.He restarted and drove out the other side and kept mowing.

 

[proessler]

Here goes some more...I can't write with the longevity that Denny writes in his Awesome literary descriptions & critiques of IHC & etal. But my Creating Writing teacher, Sr. Monica gave me passing grades, when I assured her I'd survive without Acing her class.
Wisconsin county Hwy. Dept.'s maintain I- systems (Fed),state ,County & in some counties township roadways. I've had experience on all types of R/W and enjoyed the varying challenges.
Sorry, time to Blow some Snow!

 

[proessler]

Some of the tractors used over the years were ...Ford conventional & Bi-Directional, Ford New Holland,JD,Kubota,CaseIH, IH,AgcoAllis, & MF. Mowers were...Woods Batwing-- my favorite rotary,because of blade connecting pin assembly & the blade design that did not bend as easy others, & easier to maneuver, Bush Hog, Ford rotary & sickle bar, Vicon disc mower could mow the fastest ...almost road gear,Triumph chickle bar,Tiger Triple Flail--my favorite mower because the 2 side flails mounted between front & rear wheels on either side & rear on the 3 point to give Maximum traction & maneuverability & all 3 flails could be run independent of the others... & Mott Interstater flail.
Correction on previous post...Creative Writing Class.

 

[proessler]

To keep traction & direction of travel , when mowing with a triple flail, I would raise upside flail a few inches off ground to use that weight to hold tractor , the lower flail would be left to float along the ground, & the rear 3 point flail could be left floating or raised a few inches off the ground if the slope was very steep. Then once pointed in correct direction I'd press the differential lock to keep the tractor frontend pointed up or inline of travel.
Mowing with a pull type mower on the same steep slope would usually use D.Lock or use the up side brake to force the down slope drive wheel to keep the front end pointed up slope. All the while the mower rear tends to slide down by virtue of gravity/ loss of traction since implement tires weren't designed for side draft.

Ultimate Traction Control...

 

[jchamberlin]

Sounds pretty tricky, Paul. Did you "feather" the clutch, or just hang on and drive?

 

[kmcconaughey]

Paul,

 

[proessler]

Buckle the seat belt, insert ear plugs, left hand on the steering wheel, right hand on hydraulic controls & Go...

I have been careful & lucky our Lord's Angels have watched over me...I've been stuck many times through out the years , but never less than 2 wheels on the ground at any moment in time. Because, when I was younger, wheelies were just as fun as they are now!

 

[proessler]

Ford 4400 Industrial (no weights,no fluid in tires, no ROPS but Dif. Lock & rear wheels set wide as possible) with 6' 3 point rotary deck mowing first cut along county road & I come to guard rail 2-300' long with steep slope behind it. Brush starting to grow up so I got to cut , but tractor doesn't want to go where I steer it behind the rail.

So turn tractor around , put in reverse & raise mower just off the ground backing up to mow because tractor won't hold on the slope going forward. So with the weight of the deck pointed on the high side of the direction of travel.( And the tractor doesn't see where it's going ,only where it's been!) The nose of the tractor facing diagonally across the slope. Mission accomplished with a sigh of relief when continuing on forward direction.I kept my Guardian Angel busy that morning.

That's all for now...

 

[jchamberlin]

Paul: No ROPS as in no "Engineered Safety?" --what decade are we talking, '60's, '70's, '80's, '90's? More than a few people have been killed by mowers turning over on the driver or a bystander.

 

[proessler]

Jeremiah, that episode would have been in the 1970's.