[Richard Martin]

Since the first pic gives the best angle at the slope from the side (straight into the slope) I used that one to measure the angle.

28 degrees is all it is.

The banking at Talledega Superspeedway is 33 degrees.

 

[Duekster]

Well a 45% slope is steeper than some would think.

% slope and degrees are related but not the same.

 

[Roger]

Lay a board on the slope. Use a level and protractor to measure the angle. The procedure is very simple.

 

[rodfather]

Slope is 25 degrees max I bet. You can barely walk across, down, up a 45 degree slope much less run a mower.

 

[Envy Lawn Service]

What I'd like to know is if you ride the sulky across that?

Now that would be pushing my luck..H*LL NO
It's bad enough I bring cleets with me so I can barely walk behind the w/b

I know I'd try to ride that with my ZTR... at least once anyways...
Dang'd if I'd want to try to walk all over that with a walkbehind.

This is why I like lawn tractors.
If my ZTR wouldn't do it, I'd just go get on the lawn tractor and ride it no trouble at all.

Since the first pic gives the best angle at the slope from the side (straight into the slope) I used that one to measure the angle.

28 degrees is all it is.

The banking at Talledega Superspeedway is 33 degrees.

Yeah... it looks 28-30 degrees... which feels like 45 degrees when you are trying to mow it.

But we can't tell what it really is by trying to measure a picture.
I thought I proved that point a long time ago with my slope meter.

I posted pictures of 35, 40, 45, etc and none of them looked that steep in pictures.
Then I took pictures of the same with the slope meter on them...

 

[Envy Lawn Service]

Here's a perfect example of how a camera just can't seem to capture a slope.
Not and do it any justice...

Guys were guessing this was 20-22 degrees.

So I set my slope meter on it.
Then I went down to the other end and snapped a pic.

Then I walked back to the slope meter and took a closeup.

This slope was a dead 40 degrees, but looked half that in pictures.

 

[naa]

Slope (rise/run) is the tangent of the angle, and % grade is 100 times the slope.

(guessing 24 degree angle; 45% grade)

 

[ChadsLawn]

Id jump on it with my Z... Ill try anything once..

 

[Dirt Digger2]

thats about a 3:1 slope...usually the steepest mowable, 2:1 is the steepest allowed here in PA if you break ground anywere you have to turn it back to atleast a 2:1 if not softer

 

[bobcat175]

Here's what I did...
I took a 2x4 and measured it (68.5").

Go to the hill and lay the board level holding it in the air. By level I placed a straight edge level on top of the board and moved the board until the bubble was in the middle. Now that board is extending out over the hill perfectly level.

While still holding the board level, measure with a tape measure from the suspended end of the 2x4 to the ground. Try and measure straight down from the board. This won't be exact but it will be close enough.
Remember to measure the bottom of the end of the 2x4 because that is the side that is touching the ground on the other end.

Make a note of the tape measurement. Mine was 28.5".

Now it's just a right angle triangle so you can use trigonometry to figure out the angle.

tan(angle) = opposite / adjacent
tan(angle) = 28.5" / 68.5"
tan(angle) = 0.416
angle = 22.59 degrees. I rounded up to 23 in my email.

On my hill there were a couple of inclines. I just moved the 2x4 to cover the different slopes. The longer the board the more area covered.

quoted from original thread...
http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=164018&page=2

 

[petekief]

what are you using? it looks like a gear drive scag ?!?! and when you let it go downhill in low doesn't it run away on you? doesn't the transmition free wheel? i'm debating my next major purchase and have been leaning away from a gear-drive but if thats what you use on those hills . . .

 

[locknut]

Here's what I did...
I took a 2x4 and measured it (68.5").

Go to the hill and lay the board level holding it in the air. By level I placed a straight edge level on top of the board and moved the board until the bubble was in the middle. Now that board is extending out over the hill perfectly level.

While still holding the board level, measure with a tape measure from the suspended end of the 2x4 to the ground. Try and measure straight down from the board. This won't be exact but it will be close enough.
Remember to measure the bottom of the end of the 2x4 because that is the side that is touching the ground on the other end.

Make a note of the tape measurement. Mine was 28.5".

Now it's just a right angle triangle so you can use trigonometry to figure out the angle.

tan(angle) = opposite / adjacent
tan(angle) = 28.5" / 68.5"
tan(angle) = 0.416
angle = 22.59 degrees. I rounded up to 23 in my email.

On my hill there were a couple of inclines. I just moved the 2x4 to cover the different slopes. The longer the board the more area covered.

quoted from original thread...
http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=164018&page=2

Before I purchased my last tractor,I made a simple slope-finder using a scrap piece of plywood about 4ft by 2ft and a plastic protractor.Cheap,easy to make and handy to carry around to check slope angles.Here's a pic.

http://community-2.webtv.net/GregBarker/KubotaGR2000/

 

[smcunningham]

petekief
what are you using? it looks like a gear drive scag ?!?! and when you let it go downhill in low doesn't it run away on you? doesn't the transmition free wheel? i'm debating my next major purchase and have been leaning away from a gear-drive but if thats what you use on those hills . . .

Its a Scag, dual hydro's, 18 hp Briggs/Stratton Vanguard, 52" deck.....
since its hydro, no it dos'nt free wheel.......I use to have a 48" scag belt drive and let me tell you its night and day on hills like what have posted if you can afford the hyrdo over gear/belt go that direction.....

 

[mowingmachine]

I would have to say it is about 20 degrees. Maybe 25 degrees but no more. Slopes always look steeper than they are. A 45 degree slope is very hard to walk on and there is no way a walk behind is going to hold the slope.

 

[bobcat175]

Before I purchased my last tractor,I made a simple slope-finder using a scrap piece of plywood about 4ft by 2ft and a plastic protractor.Cheap,easy to make and handy to carry around to check slope angles.Here's a pic.

http://community-2.webtv.net/GregBarker/KubotaGR2000/

That's pretty good.....I would rest a small level on top of the protractor. Don't think it's too accurate to eyeball level while on a hill with only 6 inches.

I bet you can't do that hill sideways....ps - that's not a dare...

 

[SoloSulkySurfer]

Steep enough to be a PITA. Personally I wouldnt ride on the sulky on that hill. JMO

 

[locknut]

That's pretty good.....I would rest a small level on top of the protractor. Don't think it's too accurate to eyeball level while on a hill with only 6 inches.

I bet you can't do that hill sideways....ps - that's not a dare...

My first attempt was using a 4ft 2 by 6,the protractor,and a 1ft torpedo level.It worked,but way too awkward to use.I added a small washer between the protractor and plywood to help it swing more freely.Quick,easy and dead accurate.

I mow the lower part sideways,but when the tilt meter on the tractor goes past 20° the "pucker" factor takes over.Way more fun going straight up/down.
After 30+ years mowing this property I've finally found the right tool for the job.The worst that ever happened was my brother in law using a push mower,working from the top down,reaching as far as possible.Then he got smart and decided to step down over the crest and reach down a little further.Ever hear what it sounds like when someone pulls a mower up over their foot? Killed the engine dead.I thought he'd ran over a stump.

It's tough to work any hillside that's impossible to keep your footing on.

 

[bobcat175]

My first attempt was using a 4ft 2 by 6,the protractor,and a 1ft torpedo level.It worked,but way too awkward to use.I added a small washer between the protractor and plywood to help it swing more freely.Quick,easy and dead accurate.

I mow the lower part sideways,but when the tilt meter on the tractor goes past 20° the "pucker" factor takes over.Way more fun going straight up/down.
After 30+ years mowing this property I've finally found the right tool for the job.The worst that ever happened was my brother in law using a push mower,working from the top down,reaching as far as possible.Then he got smart and decided to step down over the crest and reach down a little further.Ever hear what it sounds like when someone pulls a mower up over their foot? Killed the engine dead.I thought he'd ran over a stump.

It's tough to work any hillside that's impossible to keep your footing on.

I understand now...the protractor is free to spin and you let it balance on the center to find level. Did it read 0 when using a level on the board?

Your bro-in-law is real lucky he didn't lose a foot/toe.....I bet he wears steel toe shoes now.

 

[locknut]

I understand now...the protractor is free to spin and you let it balance on the center to find level. Did it read 0 when using a level on the board?

Your bro-in-law is real lucky he didn't lose a foot/toe.....I bet he wears steel toe shoes now.

It's easy to check the protractor for balance.Place the plywood on a perfectly level suface,then check the marks on each side of the protractor and see if they line up on the parallel pencil line.If for some reason they don't,you could do some sanding on the heavy side.Wouldn't take much.

Yes,he kept his toes,but barely and took a very long time to heal.

 

[TheKingNJ]

this makes me wanna take pics of a hill i mow with my rider. I go stright up it and back down. well i can't even go 100% straight because my muffler will bottom out when i start.