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Choose positive $x$ downhill and positive $\theta$ in the corresponding rolling direction, with $x=\theta =0$ initially. For rolling without slipping, the contact point has zero velocity, so $\dot{x}-b\dot{\theta }=0$. Integrating the rolling constraint givesLet $F$ be the uphill static friction. Along the inclined plane, Newton's second law for the centre of mass givesThe weight passes through the centre of mass, and the normal reaction has its line of action through it. Thus only static friction supplies torque about $G$. The angular velocity is along the cylinder's symmetry axis, so the inertia tensor gives angular momentum $C\dot{\theta }$ in that direction. The torque equation is thereforeEliminating static friction and inserting $C$ givesThe extra term represents the rotational inertia that must be accelerated along with the translational mass.

Put $D=m{R}^2+{\mathcal{I}}_{33}=m(R^2+a^2/2)$. The angular acceleration is constant. The initial rest conditions and $x(0)=\varphi (0)=0$ giveFor the upward rightward pull in the diagram, $0\le \alpha \le \pi /2$, the sign of $x(t)$ is the sign of $R\cos \alpha -a$. Consequently it rolls towards the horizontal pull when $0\le \alpha <\arccos (a/R)$. At $\alpha =\arccos (a/R)$ it remains at rest, with balanced forces and torques. For $\arccos (a/R)<\alpha \le \pi /2$, it rolls to the left. In particular a horizontal pull, $\alpha =0$, makes it roll to the right, since $R>a$. If other pulling angles are allowed, the general condition for motion in the same horizontal direction as the pull is $\cos \alpha (R\cos \alpha -a)>0$.

The required static friction at each rail follows from the translational equation:For $0\le \alpha \le \pi /2$ it is positive, agreeing with the leftward force convention. The assumed rolling without slipping is physically possible only if the rails can supply this force while maintaining contact. With coefficient of static friction ${\mu }_s$, the necessary contact inequalities areFor the usual pulling range, these becomeIf either fails, the proposed motion requires lift-off or more static friction than the rails provide. Equality $T\sin \alpha =mg$ is also incompatible here: it gives $N=0$ but a nonzero required friction. The question supplies no coefficient of static friction, so it determines the required friction exactly but gives no numerical slip threshold. If $F$ is regarded as a prescribed force rather than an available contact response, it must equal $F_{\mathrm{req}}$ for the rolling constraint to hold.

A uniform solid sphere released from the top of a fixed spherical surface has $v^2=10g(R+r)(1-\cos \theta )/7$ under the ideal rolling constraint. The normal force is $Mg(17\cos \theta -10)/7$, giving the title's ideal detachment angle. The required static friction is $2Mg\sin \theta /7$. Its ratio to the normal force diverges at detachment, so any finite coefficient of static friction causes prior slipping; a physical subsequent trajectory requires a sliding-friction model.