Today I saw a 6000 series mowing the highway at an incline that most likely would have rolled my tractor. He can do it sideways cause of the added width mostly I suppose. And I would think those ag tractors have a lower cg. It didn't hurt that he had a side flail. I was thinking I would have had the mower uphill for distribution, but I guess his putting it downhill could act as a rigger of sorts. Not sure how much weight it could hold.
If the tractor was going to go, it's very unlikely a side flail would stop it...
The key thing to remember whether you use your tractor on your own yard or drive them daily in all situations for work is to always think ahead... Without wanting to offend anybody that is why farmers around the world regually safely use their machines in situations that people describe as unsafe (or unwise) on TBN :laughing:
Many years ago when I was 16 I worked for an ag contractor in Cheltenham (UK). We were muck spreading in the rain using 12 tonne Sampson rear discharge spreaders on the back of MB Trac 1300's. With four equal sized tyres, airbrakes, four wheel drive and difflocks on both axels you would expect (as I did at the time) these tractors to be as sure footed as a mountain goat. But... after several hours spreading on a very steep bank, going backwards and forwards through a narrow muddy gateway, the inevitable happend...
I was halfway up the bank with the spreader working, when the tractor started to loose traction. Knowing that I wouldn't make it to the top of the bank (the only place I could safely turn) I stopped and applied the handbrake. Within seconds the tractor and spreader had started to slide backwards, and once on the freshly spread muck she gained speed very quickly...!
I was very lucky as one of my collegues saw what was happending and shouted across the radio to me to get into reverse quickly and bring it under control - by gunning the tractor backwards I was able to at least steer the tractor and spreader in a safe line down the bank, and move off of the muck which then improved my traction and allowed me to slow the tracor down and eventually stop it.
I must admit it was probably one of the scariest moments in my life, and if it wasn't for my collegues quick advice the tractor would alomst certained have jackknifed and rolled over. Since then I have regually worked even steeper banks - including silaging with self propelled foragers and trailers. The key thing is to always assess the risk - watch carefully what's happending (wheel slip etc) and react accordingly. When something does go wrong it should be second nature to be able to do anything possible to avoid an accident - although sometimes it is unavoidable and your best result will be to minimise the damage!
Glad your little adventure wasn't too serious - although sorry to hear about the wallet! :ashamed: Next time definately use 4wd and (as suggested in an earlier post), if you do start slipping gain a little speed and try to drive out of it... If slipping down a bank never try to turn sharply, unless you have to. :thumbsup:
