Re: (ET) Elec-Trak.org site...

[Ken Olum <kdo cosmos phy tufts edu>]

   From: Christopher Zach <cz alembic crystel com>
   Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:56:17 -0400

   Hitting the brakes when going backwards on a down grade is a bad thing. 
   When you do this, the rear wants to stop, and it creates a pivot around 
   the rear axle. The result of this is the entire tractor wants to lift 
   the nose *up*. Since the nose is already somewhat up (being on a slope) 
   it is easier for it to go more "up".

I was concerned about exactly this mowing a steep hill pointed upward
using my Electric Ox.  So I had a friend try to lift up the front of
the mowing deck while stopped on the hill.  She said it was nowhere
near flipping over.  Of course, this is grass, where there is no
possibility of locking the wheels suddenly without slipping.

I would be cautious about backing down hills without an attachment.

The Ox has separate motors on the two wheels and dynamic braking.
There is a mechanical brake, but it only is intended as a parking
brake.

                                        Ken