I have use tractors for few years with boom mower. This past Friday I came as close as ever to a roll over on the side. I was using a rear 3pth flail mower with hyd offset. Mowing the side of rural road to the road ditch, as shallow as 18" up to about 30". Did not realize my mower was dragging in the ditch bank enough to slowly be pulling my tractor to the ditch. As I was realizing my tractor was drifting that way my right front tire dropped into the ditch and by the time I could stop my tractor the right rear wheel was sliding sideways into the ditch.
No problem I thought, put it in four wheel drive, lift mower and bring it in and back out. Only problem was the mower was both holding it up and helping it want to tip at the same time. So could not pull mower in and raise it clear of the ditch bank to back out. Ended fine with chaining to uphill lift arm and pulling to prevent it tipping on its side and enough pull to get it out the ditch.
What caused this? One I was mowing too fast for safety. I was almost home and just cutting the road shoulder so no problem...failure to realize my mower was pulling my tractor towards the ditch with dragging in the ditch. Speed kills.
Want to add something here. I worked for a mobile crane manufacture a few years ago. We tested ever machine we made with driving up a test slope for brakes, ability to lift the rated loads and tipping radius. We would fully tip test every machine on outriggers and rubber. We never had a safety issue for we always move SLOWLY with loads near the ground. As soon as the load touch the tipping motion stopped. Had it been done fast or with load high, the momentum would or could have continued the tipping of the crane.
Be careful out there.
