TomOfTarsus
Silver Member
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2008
- Messages
- 219
- Location
- North of Pittsburgh near Airport
- Tractor
- 1999 New Holland TC18 HST
No, not THAT first time... Just wanted to get your attention.
I just took my tractor out yesterday for my first attempt at actually using the thing, and my first extended time operating it on my hilly, bumpy land. I've never driven a tractor in my life, other that about 10 min. when I got this one.
Yow, what a learning experience! Dumb stunt no. 1, like about everyone does at first, and I knew it, (thanks to you guys), and did it anyway - it's bogging going up the hill, so what do I do? Hit the "gas", which of course isn't the gas, but the treadle, and boom, dead stall. So dear, disgusted wife (see siggie, and hereafter known as DDW) comes home from shopping to see the extension chord down over the driveway and the hood up on the tractor and figures I've screwed it all up. No just a low battery, I'd already used the one start it had in it - especially when I tried to re-start it with the lights on! (dumb stunt no. 2). Finished felling a tree whilst the battery gathered electrons, and I'm on my way again.
And what a way! I had no idea my land was that rough! And I can't figure out if my "pucker factor" is calibrated correctly. My brother-in-law (BIL) was working with me and said I had one wheel off the ground at one point and I didn't know it. I had a dip to cross that about made me soil myself the first time, but after the tractor didn't tip that seemed better. Had to ease it down over fairly steep banks, kept it parallel to the grade so it didn't feel tipsy at all, but I was leaning back in that seat and creeping it, I'll tell you.
From the trees I'd felled we hauled up 3 bucketfuls of wood (small, scrubby trees). Keep the bucket low, Tom, keep it low... until I can't move as I back it up my tractor path - yup, dumb stunt #3, I bridged it, now I have a big bucket drag mark on my nice grassy lane. Going back down, my BIL said I dang near clipped my ROPS on a low branch - there's a lot to keep in mind! This is definitely NOT your father's Oldsmobile!
Going down for the third bucketful I must've went into a rut from the first two trips because it lurched enough to really scare me, not soil yourself scare but heart attack scare. Whew! Got my confidence back and decided to try pushing a couple of stumps out. #1 was small and came out fine. #2 wasn't budging, though I think if I'd had time I could have come at it from a better angle. #3 was from a tree I'd just dropped, but the tap root was still ubnderneath it, it came right out.
Going back up with the 3rd bucketful, after three or 4 attempts to get up the rutted part (Low, diff lock, all that), I gave up. Boy, can those R4's move some dirt! So I backed'er down, got'er turned around and had to take the full bucket down a steep bank. I didn't want to go that way because I'd heard about small stumps of bushes and trees puncturing tires, and DDW would be very upset about an expense like that! But I got it done, roaded it back up to my grassy lane, backed it up the tractor path (lifting the bucket this time...), and got it garaged again just as darkness fell - at which time BIL had to remind me to...guess...(drum roll)...LOWER MY ROPS! Glory, what a dolt I was! So I got off on a pretty flat part of the drive, the thing starts drifting (very slowly), I didn't see it so BIL points that out again! Jump back on, thought I set the parking brake, BIL points out it's drifting again! Am I up to dumb stunt #6, I've lost count!
Exciting, exhilerating, scary, fantastic! Everthing a first time should be, and both I and the machine are dent free! Whew! I'll be taking it even easier the next time out. I'm still getting the pitter-patter just typing this!
Anybody else have any memories of their first time they'd like to share?
I just took my tractor out yesterday for my first attempt at actually using the thing, and my first extended time operating it on my hilly, bumpy land. I've never driven a tractor in my life, other that about 10 min. when I got this one.
Yow, what a learning experience! Dumb stunt no. 1, like about everyone does at first, and I knew it, (thanks to you guys), and did it anyway - it's bogging going up the hill, so what do I do? Hit the "gas", which of course isn't the gas, but the treadle, and boom, dead stall. So dear, disgusted wife (see siggie, and hereafter known as DDW) comes home from shopping to see the extension chord down over the driveway and the hood up on the tractor and figures I've screwed it all up. No just a low battery, I'd already used the one start it had in it - especially when I tried to re-start it with the lights on! (dumb stunt no. 2). Finished felling a tree whilst the battery gathered electrons, and I'm on my way again.
And what a way! I had no idea my land was that rough! And I can't figure out if my "pucker factor" is calibrated correctly. My brother-in-law (BIL) was working with me and said I had one wheel off the ground at one point and I didn't know it. I had a dip to cross that about made me soil myself the first time, but after the tractor didn't tip that seemed better. Had to ease it down over fairly steep banks, kept it parallel to the grade so it didn't feel tipsy at all, but I was leaning back in that seat and creeping it, I'll tell you.
From the trees I'd felled we hauled up 3 bucketfuls of wood (small, scrubby trees). Keep the bucket low, Tom, keep it low... until I can't move as I back it up my tractor path - yup, dumb stunt #3, I bridged it, now I have a big bucket drag mark on my nice grassy lane. Going back down, my BIL said I dang near clipped my ROPS on a low branch - there's a lot to keep in mind! This is definitely NOT your father's Oldsmobile!
Going down for the third bucketful I must've went into a rut from the first two trips because it lurched enough to really scare me, not soil yourself scare but heart attack scare. Whew! Got my confidence back and decided to try pushing a couple of stumps out. #1 was small and came out fine. #2 wasn't budging, though I think if I'd had time I could have come at it from a better angle. #3 was from a tree I'd just dropped, but the tap root was still ubnderneath it, it came right out.
Going back up with the 3rd bucketful, after three or 4 attempts to get up the rutted part (Low, diff lock, all that), I gave up. Boy, can those R4's move some dirt! So I backed'er down, got'er turned around and had to take the full bucket down a steep bank. I didn't want to go that way because I'd heard about small stumps of bushes and trees puncturing tires, and DDW would be very upset about an expense like that! But I got it done, roaded it back up to my grassy lane, backed it up the tractor path (lifting the bucket this time...), and got it garaged again just as darkness fell - at which time BIL had to remind me to...guess...(drum roll)...LOWER MY ROPS! Glory, what a dolt I was! So I got off on a pretty flat part of the drive, the thing starts drifting (very slowly), I didn't see it so BIL points that out again! Jump back on, thought I set the parking brake, BIL points out it's drifting again! Am I up to dumb stunt #6, I've lost count!
Exciting, exhilerating, scary, fantastic! Everthing a first time should be, and both I and the machine are dent free! Whew! I'll be taking it even easier the next time out. I'm still getting the pitter-patter just typing this!
Anybody else have any memories of their first time they'd like to share?