Rollover paranoia

[JohnT3383]

I'm grateful to see this discussion about rollover: I'm with those who advocate caution since I have several of the bad markers: relative noob (of the ~150 hours total time on my 5yo LS, maybe 100 is mine); lots of sloped, irregular ground; poor-to-no cell signal; no close neighbors; fairly remote location; over the hill (don't know how that happened: seems like I was 40 last year).
There's not a time I'm on it that I don't get nervous. It has a backhoe, so plenty of fore-aft counterweight, but even though I work low & slow, rolling is always my first concern. I have no idea how much lateral slope is safe, but 10-15 degrees sounds greater than is in my comfort range. I have contemplated securing the ROPS to a tree, then jacking up one side until it tips, but I'm sure that that is less practical and more stupid than it sounds. Sure wish I knew where the line is.

 

[redman135]

John T3383 see post 13

 

[scaredychicken]

I have a healthy fear of roll-overs (and a physical diability, so I can't expect to jump clear ... ever), and I'm still quite limited in my tractor experiences. I go low, and slow, learn as I go, and get a lot more work done than I (or anyone else that watched me grow up) ever expected to be able to do. I started driving tractors when I was about 11 yrs old, at my uncle's farm, but I'm still pretty green to it.

I think that I personally have about 270 hrs on the BX23S, I love it. I have some close friends that have a lot more experience with heavy equipment, tractors etc., so when I need something more difficult done I wait for them and then watch, learn, or have supervision.

The tractor keys stay in my possession now. Estranged wife is a bit too reckless with the tractor (my opinion) and a tenant who claimed to have lots of farming / equipment experience, has far less than me. She flipped the tractor over on TWO OCCASIONS, 5 week apart. Fortunately not injured. I'm keeping the keys now.

About 5 yrs ago a friend, miraculously survived a tractor roll-over accident, when he was on his own and isolated on the property for several hours . His testimony at church was amazing. I'm as cautious as I need to be, but not paranoid about it.

Take Care everyone, tractors are great tools.

 

[Eagle1]

I have no idea why today, this paranoia set in, aside from the fact that I'm using a new prescription for my eye glasses and the angles and terrain looks weird.

I got my first set of bi focal glasses, promptly tried to kill myself and the tractor. Working on rocky slopes and having the glasses change the location of the rocks and holes depending where you look down or out was a no go for me. Threw those glasses out that day and got a set of reading glasses.

 

[Shenandoah MF1760]

Your problem was the pile of dirt you backed over . Sudden shift of balance . Kevin .

I agree. I don't believe an inclinometer or alarm would have helped in this case as it was too sudden.

Tractors give a totally different and foreign feeling while driving due to the lack of suspension and the operator's elevated seating in respect to what you're used to.

Your attachments also change your center of gravity. I often use my Lane Shark raised high on my FEL while trimming the paths, a sudden dip on the side could potentially cause me to fall over so I use my ROBB as low as possible as a counterweight and I try to run the paths first to see if the rain has cut any groves or channels.

 

[Mudfarmer]

My Kubota B2650 with R1 tires is definitely narrower, lighter, and less stable than my JD 3005 with R4 tires. A narrow tractor has its advantages in tight spaces, but there is a price for that. Go slow, keep the bucket low.

 

[bunchgrass]

I agree. I don't believe an inclinometer or alarm would have helped in this case as it was too sudden.

Yep --- It can happen to the most experienced too. An experienced logger friend was operating a feller/buncher (tracked not wheeled machine) on a slope going vertically up and down the slope when he clipped the edge of a stump and it rolled him over on his side.

 

[hosspuller]

I have two Deere 5 series. Essentially the same except new one has loaded tires. Tire size was the same between tractors. New tractor was very tippy compared to old machine.
Stability was massively increased by increasing the rear tire width to match the old tractor. A difference of 7 inches total.

Point of this post is how much difference in stability, rear tire spacing makes. Much more than Loaded tires.

 

[just_Dave]

honestly.... it comes down to this.... speed, reverse, cab, height of fel and rear weight.

if you didn't have a backhoe, block, wheel weights or balist in the tires these rear tires are basically lightly loaded with a loaded FEL.
cab moves weight up than no cab tractor and the rear tire lightly loaded hit a bump and pushed you over and the cab helped push you in the wrong direction. think of the tire hitting that

I was working on a small tight yard with large piles of dirt from digging trenches and moving slowly. I was able to maneuver at severe angles slowly, at angles that would freak most out but I had no cab, backhoe on
moving slowly around as any place not a ditch was covered in big piles of dirt and I couldn't back fill yet sewer and water line install. no way I could do it at any speed over those piles.

so speed and cog is epic.. yours looks high in both regards.

 

[CliffordK]

The front axle does not contribute to the tractor's stability because its on a pivot. Yes there's a stop but I think in most cases when you hit the stop you're close to rolling it if not already rolled.

I made custom stop blocks for my front axle as I've picked up one rear wheel many times with the front end loader. If the tractor is reasonably level, I'm not sure how dangerous it is to roll over onto the axle stops. But, it feels very uncomfortable. And, it may also depend on the width of the tractor. So a super-narrow tractor will be problematic. With the stop blocks, I can pick up both rear wheels and still be stable. However, it is also easy to lose traction when one goes over a slope transition. Rear weight and fluid filled tires helps a lot. Don't put calcium into tubeless tires, and I'd probably avoid it today with better alternatives.

The tires on my tractor had some adjustment, and a few years ago I also flipped them out as wide as they would go (maintaining the chevrons pointing forward from the top side).

Eventually I'll get some kind of rough terrain forklift.