Man killed in tractor accident

[doall]

Cool pictures on that slide show Don. I don't want any part of that. How fast do they drive their tractors on the road over there? (head on two tractors) huh.

 

[greenyanmar]

One of the things to keep in mind when pulling with a chain is the point at which the chain is hooked to the tractor and also the stump or whatever is being pulled. Hook the chain/cable well below the center line of the rear axle.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I've been hooking the tree about a foot up, running the chain under the back blade, and hooking to the tow bar attached under the rear axle.

Haven't had any indication of it trying to flip, front tires are both staying firmly on the ground and digging in.

 

[beppington]

I've been hooking the tree about a foot up, running the chain under the back blade, and hooking to the tow bar attached under the rear axle.

Haven't had any indication of it trying to flip, front tires are both staying firmly on the ground and digging in.

Hmmm, I don't think that is the same as hooking below the rear axle, but I think the box blade should keep you from going over backwards anyway.

 

[tractchores]

I don't think pulling with the FEL is any safer. I've done some of that trying to maneuver logs out of tight spots and found that it is VERY easy to end up on 3 wheels if you're not really careful. The problem with the FEL is its easy to not be exactly inline with what you're pulling, so your risk isn't a front flip over, but a sideways flip. I always do any pulling in low range and at a crawl, so that when tires come off the ground I can stop and reverse the motion. For serious stuff I use the built in drawbar in the rear, though I have pulled some big things with the 3 pt drawbar (when I needed lift). In those cases I went incredibly slow, and stopped if the wheels came off the ground at all. You definitely need a ROPS and a healthy respect for the forces involved when operating this type of equipment. My biggest fear is of a chain breaking and whipping back.

 

[sparc]

My biggest fear is of a chain breaking and whipping back.

You are better off with a chain than a tow strap; synthetic sling; or wire rope, as all will stretch and they WILL whip back at you hard. Any energy pent up in a chain pretty much falls away when it breaks. There is not much stretch in a chain. You could try hanging a weight or short length of chain wrapped around the pull chain somewhere near halfway between the tractor/pulling vehicle and the load. If the chain (or strap) did break the weight will drop to the ground and slow or absorb any recoil.

 

[tractchores]

You are better off with a chain than a tow strap; synthetic sling; or wire rope, as all will stretch and they WILL whip back at you hard. Any energy pent up in a chain pretty much falls away when it breaks. There is not much stretch in a chain. You could try hanging a weight or short length of chain wrapped around the pull chain somewhere near halfway between the tractor/pulling vehicle and the load. If the chain (or strap) did break the weight will drop to the ground and slow or absorb any recoil.

Thats why i switched to chain, after a few broken straps. The chain i use now cold probably be used to lift the tractor, so hopefully isn't possible to break with it though i wouldn't bet on it.

 

[greenyanmar]

I can really appreciate everything you'uns are saying about safety. A little thought to physical forces, directions of pull, alignment, and center of gravity can avert trouble. Knew a young man who died many years ago when he turned a corner with a load lifted high in a FEL bucket. The tractor flipped over and he was crushed. Pushing orchard brush one time with forks on the FEL, I lifted the brush to deposit it on a burn pile. When the brush fork was raised high one of the forks broke off and came down point first and glanced sideways off the cowl of the MF 165 just ahead of the steering wheel. I just sat there for a while and thanked God that it hadn't hit just a little farther back. Those forks were made of heavy wall 2 by 2 steel tube.

 

[NHmitch]

ROPS are a very important safety feature, and I would always look at buying one before making one. There are a lot of people who are killed each year by making homemade ROPS. There are also a few programs out there depending on where you live that may help pay for them. Part of the reason that they should not be manufactured at home is because ROP have stress points that are tested and engineered to have give, and with out these stress points, or improper or to rigid of stress points, you can have catastrophic failure, and crush yourself. You ALWAYS need to wear a seatbelt when you area driving with the ROPS up, and always try to get an OSHA certified ROPS. This is a great article that may make you think twice about making your own. Hercules ROPS - FAQ

Anyways, please stay safe, and I hope that you can purchase ROPS for your tractor, or always air on the side of caution.

When the tractor above flipped backwards, this homemade ROPS tore away at the axle housing, instantly crushing the 14-year-old operator to death. The ROPS was undamaged.
A ROPS is not meant to be rigid and must be able to absorb energy, similar to the crumple zone of a car or a crash helmet. In the event of a roll over, this ability to absorb a discrete amount of energy, while maintaining a zone of clearance or protection, helps to prevent the tractor from pole-vaulting downhill. It also helps to prevent the energy generated from the roll over, from being transferred to the tractor itself. Not only does this lessen the likelihood of major damage to the tractor, more importantly, it reduces the likelihood of serious injury or death, as a consequence of the tractor's being torn apart. Many countries have stringent guidelines for the provision of ROPS, usually called a Standard.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

very . very sad... condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.