7010 with bush hog versus 1" pry bar

[Gary Fowler]

A few days ago I wanted to check the bolts in my bush hog and had to use my 1" pry bar to turn the PTO shaft. Well I got the blade bolt tighened and decided to check the stump jumper so I wedged my pry bar in the yoke of the PTO shaft to keep from spinning while tightening.
Well today I decided to do a little cutting and when I engaged the PTO it stalled the motor at idle so I increased throttle to 1500 and that when I saw pieces of the pry bar thrown about 15 feet to the side. It broke off a section about 10" long and bent the other piece into a shepherd hook.
Yep, I forgot to remove the pry bar from the yoke when I finished. Lucky it didnt damage the bush hog other than the two support bars from the 3 ph to the rear (1" schedule 80 pipe) I jacked and come-a-longed them back straight. I guess Bush Hog builds some very strong universal joint yokes.
I guess I need a checklist to remember to pick up and remove all my tools.

I managed to cut off the bend and weld back the wedge end to make 2 foot long pry bar out of my 4 foot one.

[rwork]

Wow, that's scary! I've been guilty of leaving tools under the hood of the truck before. Good thing it didn't do much damage.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

[Gary Fowler]

My fault for not removing the bar, but I blame it all on not having a way to feather in the PTO. That sudden slam in gear is rough on everything. I prefer the live PTO with 2 stage clutch rather than this electrically engaging buttons the tractors now have. If I had been feathering it in and the motor stalled, I would have looked for the cause but since it just slams in and I do it at idle I thought that was what killed the engine so I just increased the power a bit.
My tractor runs 540 at about 1950 rpm but I found that it cuts well at 1500 rpm

[RDrancher]

My tractor runs 540 at about 1950 rpm but I found that it cuts well at 1500 rpm

It should...Heck, it'll cut steel!

[KILWERBZZ]

A pre trip inspection would work the best.

[Gary Fowler]

Yep, like a pre-flight of an airplane but who can remember to do that when I dont know where I am going and sometimes dont know why I went in the first place. Most of my tasks come about after doing a planned task and then thinking "why dont I do ???? while here.
Any one else here ever walk into a room and say why did I come here and have to think for a moment and maybe not remember at all. Lots of times I will start working on one thing in my shop and end up doing 3 or 4 other tasks and maybe not finish my original work that day.
Last week my BIL was gone all week to a funeral and I looked after his livestock and my chores. I stayed busy all day every day but could only recall a few of the things I did all week.
Today we were originally out to trim some limbs. Ended up removing the blades from the lawnmower, straightening a rod and reinstalling it (which we found bent and loose while looking at the blades) then tried the pole saw and the chain was dull so went to town to get new mower blades and new chain for pole saw, had a flat tire on the way, so had to get it fixed, found out that somewhere in its life the truck had lost its jack handle and lug wrench so we couldnt get the spare down. Tire shop put two plugs in the large hole and no one had a 20" tire in stock in Arkadelphia, so hopefully it stays up till B-I-L can get someone in Hot Springs to get a new tire in stock Monday. Also has to go to Dodge dealer to order handle and lug wrench. Finally got around to trimming the limbs about 1PM and then while hauling off the limbs decided to build up a dam a little higher so some pools in the creek would hold a bit more water.
Never did get those new lawn mower blades on. Finding those blades is another tale in itself. Stopped by Sears and they only had 2 of the 3 we needed and they wanted $27 each. Then we went to a small engine shop and of course they were closed at 12:15 on Saturday. Finally found them at Atwoods for $16 each so that saved a few bucks over Sears and having to order the other one.
Just another typical day on the farm.

[texasjohn]

LOL...yep...I resemble your planned activities....I start out on one thing...and have to fix, move, repair, find, etc., a whole bunch of stuff ...it can be days before I finish that ONE THING

[PineRidge]

The good news is that no one else was standing next to the PTO when you engaged it. Pry bars can be replaced, body parts can't. Have to admit that I made a more than a few mistakes that made me shake my head in disbelief too.

Glad you're OK and there was no serious damage done.

[Sackett2]

Well today I decided to do a little cutting and when I engaged the PTO it stalled the motor at idle so I increased throttle to 1500 and that when I saw pieces of the pry bar thrown about 15 feet to the side. It broke off a section about 10" long and bent the other piece into a shepherd hook.
Yep, I forgot to remove the pry bar from the yoke when I finished. Lucky it didnt damage the bush hog other than the two support bars from the 3 ph to the rear (1" schedule 80 pipe) I jacked and come-a-longed them back straight. I guess Bush Hog builds some very strong universal joint yokes.

guilty.. Mine was a crowbar; a cheap one. Bent it a bit and took out the shear-bolt. Lesson learned....

[Gary Fowler]

Next time I will have to remember to put it behind the slip clutch rather than in front. A fellow cant remember everything at my age, heck even professionals forget to do something like put the dip stick back in after changing oil and really bad ones forget to put in the plug. We had a company truck engine burned up after oil change when the mechanic forgot to put the drain plug back in and all he did all day long was change oil, filter and air filter on our company fleet. Sometimes the mind just isnt where it should be.