Man killed in tractor accident

[nebraskasparks]

Do you have a link to that? I'd rather learn that way than the hard way.

Excellent document on tractor overturn hazards...Should be required reading and understanding for the TBN crowd.

http://nasdonline.org/static_content...06/d000746.pdf

[RoyJackson]

Keeping the front end down is not as simple as hooking the load below the axle. While that technique keeps the tractor from rotating up about the axle, the new pivot point then becomes the rear tires' contact point with the ground. In effect, the tires try to "walk" out from under the tractor. Another TBN poster made this point years ago. I'm just passing it on here because it seems to make sense.

Reread your post carefully...even draw a sketch to help visualize it.
I think you'll find what you've described cannot happen.

[CurlyDave]

Reread your post carefully...even draw a sketch to help visualize it.
I think you'll find what you've described cannot happen.

Roy:

It can and does happen.

In fact the only way that the tractor will pivot about the rear axle is if the tires are either frozen to the ground or otherwise stuck to the ground.

If the rear tires are free to roll on the ground, the pivot point of the entire tractor in a turnover is the bottom of the rear tires, not the axle.

Hooking up a load below the rear axle is good only because it is low on the tractor. For real protection against rear turnover, only hook to the factory-designed drawbar which is attached below the rear axle. The length of the drawbar is as important as its attachment point.

Never confuse a real drawbar with a towbar, which attaches to the 3-point arms, and provides no protection against overturn.

[RoyJackson]

Roy:

It can and does happen.

Hooking up a load below the rear axle is good only because it is low on the tractor. For real protection against rear turnover, only hook to the factory-designed drawbar which is attached below the rear axle.

I must have missed something since I thought he was talkng about hitching to the drawbar (only place I tow from except for an occasional light pull with the bucket hooks).

[BTDT2]

Here's some reminders from the Penn State article:

"Four-wheel drive tractors are less susceptible to the rear axle torque hazard than two-wheel drive tractors because torque is applied to both the front and rear axles and tires. Also, more weight is carried on the front axle, moving the CG forward". [another advantage to 4WD]


"By design, a load will always lose its ability to tip a tractor rearward before the tractors CG reaches the rear stability baseline [using the factory drawbar] . As the load loses its ability to continue to tip the tractor rearward, the front end falls back to the ground. If the tractor operator doesn稚 stop the pulling action, the entire process will repeat itself, resulting in a bouncing of the tractor front end".

On the other hand, hitching unsafely, for example to
a point higher than the drawbar, increases the angle of pull and leverage of a load."

The roll-over protective structure (ROPS) and seat
belt, when worn, are the two most important safety devices to protect operators from death during tractor overturns. It is important to remember that the ROPS does not prevent tractor overturns."

[Boeing]

Couple of questions fellas..I just bought acreage in mountains and a tractor. My tractor does have a front end loader (weight) and I normally have a box scrape hanging on the rear. ASSUMING a scrape is back there I would think that would STOP any rear flipping??? I did plan on pulling some stumps....now I don't know. Maybe hooking a chain and lifting with the FEL while applying ax and chain saw persuasion would be a better idea? How did the guy pass a chain UNDER his tractor for a more forward hookup? What would you hook to?
Thanks

[BTDT2]

The box blade will move the CG rearward (not good) , but I would think if you run the chain under the box blade direct to the drawbar, it might help stop the tractor from going completely over, as the box blade meets its upper limits on the three point hitch, and the chain pushes the front down?

I have a few thousand hours on tractors and never had a tipping issue when using the factory drawbar. Except perhaps for a Minneapolis Moline (aka widow maker) that had too high of a draw bar. But I was a kid back then and couldn't get hurt.

Driving tractors is a little like flying helicopters- stay alert and always expect the worse

[nebraskasparks]

Just had some digging done for a root cellar. They used a big 40,000 lb cat to do the job. When they were done I asked them if I could rent them for another hour...$245 later I had every old massive willow (lots of them) that were old and falling apart torn down and massive stumps removed. Even my new Kubota has limits and it might be worth the rental of a backhoe to tear them out (plus you get the pleasure of playing with another piece of machinery)
Small tree stumps 1 foot or less...the L5740 handles just fine with the grapple and rear weight.
Ditto on pulling with the factory drawbar...just like the owners manual says. I've seen stumps pulled as a kid with stuff hooked to the mid section or front (welded hook) but I also saw a chain snap doing one such operation which opened my eyes. Make sure the chain is rated properly.

[Qapla]

... it might be worth the rental of a backhoe to tear them out (plus you get the pleasure of playing with another piece of machinery)...

It may not be wise to tell the rental people you plan on digging stumps if you are renting a BH. Many of them frown upon people using them for stumps. If one does not know how to properly dig stumps, you can damage a BH. Rental places get tired of the repairs.

I know that around here, if you tell any of the rental places you plan on digging stumps, they will NOT rent to you.

[JBX]

It is sad to hear news like that. The article did not say if the tractor had a "roll over protection system (ROPS) in place. I suspect it did not. My view is don't use any heavy equipment that does not have a ROPS in place. If it is an older tractor, buy one or have one fabricated or don't get on the equipment. Even with using small chain links or other types of precautions, things go wrong.
Sincerely though, I realize my "coulda shoulda woulda" words do not comfort his family any. It might have been me on that tractor.

"The difference between a wise man and a smart man is this: a smart man learns from his mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others."