Teaching Wife to Operate Tractor

[TripleR]

I am in the process, well paused for the winter, of doing the same thing. I have taught her to use our Kubota BX2660 this past year or so and am transitioning her into our Case CX80 pulling a Woods DS1260 rotary cutter.

I am having her get use to driving the tractor, gear selection, FEL etc without anything being hooked to it. We have several hundred acres, so she will have ample room to practice in without having to worry about running into anything.

When she is comfortable with all of the controls, I will hook it up to the mower and trim for her and let her get use to the operation without having to worry so much about running into anything. I am going from a Woods 121 3 point hitch to the DS1260 pull behind, so it will be a little easier in some instances and a little harder in others.

Basically I am just going to take it slow and let her progress at the pace that is comfortable to her. We are both retired, so as mentioned, there is no real hurry.

 

[Stargazer]

Hopefully flat land no holes/ditches etc to cause rollover

 

[jayste]

I did this once. I felt so shameful, helpless, sad & unworthy watching her go around and around brushhogging that pasture! So I just went inside and ironed clothes and cleaned the bathrooms!

 

[Specop_007]

Best thing is to just get on and do it, after pointing out the very serious consequences to mucking about with that spinny thing on the back if its spinning. In other words, AVOID THE PTO.

I'd keep her on the flat parts until she was comfortable. At the end of the day its a tractor, not a space shuttle. Theres very little more to concern oneself with that if they were to drive a car.

 

[jayste]

Some folks make this kind of mistake and have to end up buying another tractor to get there's back!

 

[Coyote machine]

You should both watch the rollover demo in the safety forum section. And just so someone says it: some women can operate machinery, and some should not be allowed anywhere near any machine.

I just posted to an old thread in: Kubota Owning/Operating:
Don't let my wife drive your MMM tractor., about a guy whose wife was using his tractor to mow a ditch, literally. Mine has dumped my DR. mower into my pond because she decided to wrestle it instead of letting go of the handle, which would have stopped it dead in its tracks.

Good luck

 

[kthompson]

No idea on any JD videos other than those for children but they are great to watch. We gave them to our grandson when he was 3 and I enjoyed them as much as he did. Now not much on really teaching operations but still did some showing them at work.

"You tube" can be a great source for the two of you to view together and if it is of dumb things or accidents discuss what went wrong. They have many of that.

What ever you do, do not stand around watching her with the cutter...or you may get hit by flying debris. Would be natural to help any new driver get it in gear and them running and you near enough to be hurt or killed.

If she is totally new to tractor begin with such as a rake or blade to get use to tractor and controls.

 

[sixgun]

Yeah, well, just be careful. The fairer sex is pretty smart, even in the greasy, manly world us guys think we live in. I can't recall how many times I'd be scrathin' my head over some problem or another and my lovely bride would say, "...why don't you just...". Of course I'd say something like "naw, that won't work because (insert sufficiently technical but entirely lame excuse here)".

Before you know it you'll be racing her to the barn just to get to mow the lawn. Just get her her own right now and be done with it.

 

[wedge40]

budlite how did you learn? Tell her about the hazards and safety equipment. Hand her the keys and let her go. Unless she's a fearless teenager she will will go slow and be cautious. Probably like you were when you first started, then as she learns the lay of the land she will be a little more aggressive. Other then a few anatomical differences I have yet to find anything a man can do that a women isn't just as capable.

Wedge

 

[radioman]

heh -- If you try to coach her to do controls while moving, I'll pray for you.

Actually what I would do is find a dirtpile and tell her to move it from point A to point B. or get a empty hay feild and have her do the bushhog hookup and let her go to town in a empty feild