Flip or roll a Bobcat 773 - how hard is it, how steep can you go?

[byrone]

HI all, my last thread for now... I know this is an age-old question with many answers and views but maybe thought I could collect some advice. I have some hillside cutting I need to do pointing up. I'm not too worried once the bucket is full but when it's empty, I get scared. how steep can you go with a 773? I had it rear up already once but it only sat on the back corner and I backed it up and she sat back down. What's safe here? I already bought the machine and maybe should have gone with tracks but that's out of the question for now. I turned a bobcat over years ago on the bucket and learned how to walk my self back upright with the arms and bucket. I guess I'm more concerned about a full roll or flip rather than just landing on the bucket or back corner. How much is too much? Thanks, Byron

 

[OldMachinist]

With any skid steer inclines have to be driven heavy end up hill. So if the bucket is empty you have to go up and down rear pointed up hill. If you have enough load in the bucket you can go bucket end up hill as long the load is as low to the ground as possible. There is some info on this in the operators manual. As far as how steep up can climb empty bucket uphill only pratice with your machine will tell you and it will be different with a full fuel load vs near empty.

 

[Tazza]

With any skid steer inclines have to be driven heavy end up hill. So if the bucket is empty you have to go up and down rear pointed up hill. If you have enough load in the bucket you can go bucket end up hill as long the load is as low to the ground as possible. There is some info on this in the operators manual. As far as how steep up can climb empty bucket uphill only pratice with your machine will tell you and it will be different with a full fuel load vs near empty.

It really is just a feeling thing. You get used to how much it can handle. As OM stated, heaviest end up hill is what you are meant to do, but that is not always an option. You really need to keep the load as low as possible at all times. The higher you go, the further back you put it's centre of gravity. When turning on a hill, keep the load low as well or you risk tipping on your side.

 

[reaperman]

IF you must drive uphill with a empty bucket my advise is to drive slowly. By driving slow it enables you to feel what happening before its too late. The front end may begin to lift and then settle back down in a slow speed. Driving faster will put more momentum into a wheelie and throw the front end up suddenly. You can crawl pretty steep front-wards by working the levers back and forth, basically pulling the front end down when it starts to lift, then go forward more.

 

[[email protected]]

IF you must drive uphill with a empty bucket my advise is to drive slowly. By driving slow it enables you to feel what happening before its too late. The front end may begin to lift and then settle back down in a slow speed. Driving faster will put more momentum into a wheelie and throw the front end up suddenly. You can crawl pretty steep front-wards by working the levers back and forth, basically pulling the front end down when it starts to lift, then go forward more.

it would be hard to roll a machine backwards, they hit the ground at the rear before they roll back.

 

[HanSolo]

All good advise below. Also, if you can tavel at an angle uphill, the machine will be less likely to tip backwards. Think of your wheel foot print as a box. When you turn the box 45 degress to the incline, that track will be more stabile. I use that technique with my zero turn mower on slopes.

 

[byrone]

All good advise below. Also, if you can tavel at an angle uphill, the machine will be less likely to tip backwards. Think of your wheel foot print as a box. When you turn the box 45 degress to the incline, that track will be more stabile. I use that technique with my zero turn mower on slopes.

Thanks All for the good advice, yes sometimes heavy end uphill is not an option and I had to cut uphill for the job i was doing. as soon as my bucket was full, all felt really good, but as I was crawling up to get at the site with an empty bucket, she reared up a couple of times and I was feathering the sticks to bring her back down. I was just curious as to "how much is too much". good to know the back end will hold the machine since it hits first - I had noticed that but it's still scary. Also, I had not thought about the full vs empty fuel load and that will definitely change the center of gravity. best, Byron