ASV face down

Robbie Hegwood · Jan 1, 2007

This is the end result of inexperience, a one ton head, and a two foot ditch. Gravity helped too! It was no fun climbing out the VERY SMALL back window!

Bob_Skurka · Jan 1, 2007

Robbie, nice to hear that you were able to crawl out the window and leave the ROPS cage with nothing injured more than your pride.

There is currently a new thread on TBN about a guy who intentionally cut 10" off of his ROPS bar and another guy who installed a shorter ROPS bar. After your experience, I wonder if you think that altering safety features is a good idea?

Here is the thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/92614-rops-modification-lights.html

Robbie Hegwood · Jan 1, 2007

Thanks, me too. It would have been much less eventful without the tree through the front window. With no tree I could have simply raised the lap bar and crawled out. But when the tree came in it pinned the lap bar in the down position, so I was trapped for a couple of minutes. I was able to wiggle out from under it and out the window.
As far as the rops I have thought of adding saftey features, definitely not removing. I hope no one makes the mistake I did, they would think twice after it happened to them though. It doesn't take long for things to go south!!!
But to ASV's credit all we did was pull her down onto the tracks, bleed the front two cylinders and start it up. When then drove it out and onto the low boy and to the shop. It took a week and 6000$ to fix.

Cliff_Johns · Jan 1, 2007

Robbie Hegwood said:
It took a week and 6000$ to fix.

As educations go, that's pretty cheap considering you're OK.

For me, the education of seeing your pictures is even cheaper, thanks for posting them. Pretty scary stuff.

Glad you survived,
Cliff

Robbie Hegwood · Jan 1, 2007

If posting can help somone avoid this happening to them than I'm glad I could help. Yes that's what insurance is for.
I was pretty upset with myself for letting that happen. But you live and learn. I keep God busy looking out for me. I'm trying to give him a break these days.
The lesson here is unless you are on completely level ground keep the head atleast two feet from the ground. It will and can pull you over. Proofs in the pictures, right? Robbie

burnetma · Jan 3, 2007

Robbie,

Dang! That is probably the scariest accident that I have ever seen. With the tree penetrating the cabin, you are an awful lucky soul. Thank you for posting that ego bruising, but potentially life saving series of pictures. Rest assured, I have taken notice.

Mark

Egon · Jan 3, 2007

That sure is a neat way of getting a picture of the bottom of the machine.

Glad you had no injuries, that is the main thing.

BTDT · Jan 5, 2007

Pretty amazing. Glad you weren't hurt. So, is the wife going to continue to let you do this kind of work?? Always expect the unexpected.

milkman · Jan 5, 2007

Glad you're safe, if your ROPS had been shortened 10", that stick would have went over the top instead of coming through the front, I'd be breakin out the sawzall.

QwikDraw · Jan 5, 2007

Wow..

Glad to hear you are safe...something like that is bound to shake you up.

Ted

Man, I just looked at those pictures again...that tree coming through the cab....that could have been so much worse...scary indeed.

Robbie Hegwood · Jan 5, 2007

Hey milkman, You can cut your rops all day long, I'll keep mine just the way it is. 10" shorter and no back window. Only one way out and with no tree or not the front exit is now blocked!!! Again, I'll keep it the same, I was scaped up from the tree going through but walked away. Plus I'm 6' and 225lbs. I need all the room I can get.

Yes we do have a new rule. Must have someone with at all times. I had my cell phone but no service. Most of my jobs very rural.

N80 · Jan 8, 2007

Yep, when I saw the first picture my thought was, that's funny, bet he's embarrased. But when you see that tree coming through its a bit horrifying.

Trees worry me. I use my tractor in the woods a lot. The other night I was winding my way through a valley to pick up a big hog that I'd killed. In more than one place I was on a side to side slope and the pucker factor really got up there. No one wants to roll a tractor but looking at the terrain it would have been a gentle roll.....but then I thought about the trees. If you roll and there is a tree beside you, the ROPS wouldn't keep the tree from crushing you, or if small enough, impaling you. I had two people with me, but I doubt they could have budged a 4000 pound tractor. Food for thought.

Soundguy · Jan 9, 2007

milkman said:
Glad you're safe, if your ROPS had been shortened 10", that stick would have went over the top instead of coming through the front, I'd be breakin out the sawzall.

If his rops had been shorter.. and that stick still made it into the operator cabin.. it might have went thru his head...

The manufacturer certifies a rops or fops for a specific use.. It makes me whoder why a bunch of armchair mechanical engineers immediatly want to whip out the chop saw and torch as soon as they buy a machine...

Soundguy

schmism · Jan 9, 2007

so did the machine stall or automatically shut off or what?

Robbie Hegwood · Jan 9, 2007

After I realized I was not hurt I imediatly(spell) wanted out. Since the tree pushed out the back window and my head pointed that way I just started wiggling. After I was out I then reached back in, found the key, not were I left it and turned it off. If there was no tree and I had a winch I could have justed winched it back onto her tracks and keep going. But then we wouldn't have these cool pictures to comment on!!!!!!! Robbie

Renze · Jan 10, 2007

man, indeed you're saved by a miracle (or just lucky) that stick looks mean though... Did you have any injuries from the tree sweeping against you or... ??

If that ever happened to me, i'd make sure i'd do all i can to make sure this was the last time: first thing i'd do was make a contra weight, a metal form for concrete to bolt on the back of my machine, at least 500 kg but probably more, and use punch press rounds to mix into the concrete of a contra weight. scrap steel is only 14 Eurocents where new steel is 1,40 per KG...

Sorry about the $6000 of repair but glad you walked away....

MikeD74T · Jan 10, 2007

Bob_Skurka said:
Robbie, nice to hear that you were able to crawl out the window and leave the ROPS cage with nothing injured more than your pride.

There is currently a new thread on TBN about a guy who intentionally cut 10" off of his ROPS bar and another guy who installed a shorter ROPS bar. After your experience, I wonder if you think that altering safety features is a good idea?

Here is the thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/92614-rops-modification-lights.html

Bob, I'm not sure how your comment makes much sense. If Robbie had no cab at all the outcome would have not been any different. The provided structure not only did not stop the rollover but it also did not stop the tree. Probably the only safety device Robbie benefitted from was the seat belt.

Robbie , Glad you remain uninjured. MikeD74t

MikeD74T · Jan 10, 2007

Robbie, Sounds like your mower head got the best of you. Similar situation at my workplace in July 05. Excavator on ledge side hill over reached, started to slide sideways, when it caught it went over. Righted it with two large wreckers. MikeD74T

Thomas · Jan 10, 2007

Morning MikeD74T.
Hope the operator wasn't hurt..yikes.
Almost the same event last summer,operator reaching little to far while setting on slight slope,than ground loosen and pure ledge and he went over slowly...workers had to break glass to remove operator that was bang up.

milkman · Jan 10, 2007

milkman said:
Glad you're safe, if your ROPS had been shortened 10", that stick would have went over the top instead of coming through the front, I'd be breakin out the sawzall.

Evidently noone saw the little blue face at the end of the post

, if you put your pointer over the blue face you will see what it means.