OPERATIONAL TIPS FOR NEWBIES

[workinallthetime]

Last night my wife was telling me a story about a friend who rented a tractor and it about caused him a devorce. He was unable to fill the bucket full of loose soil, trenched up the yard, rolled a tire off hte rim (probably not his fault) and managed to hit the house with the box blade.
So much of what we talk about on here is pretty advanced or very specific si i thought i would start a thread about just general operation and our tips and tricks.
Come on fellas lets tell the newbies how we do it with a smile on our face

IMO
With a new machine take it slow 1st gear 1/2 throtle until your comfortable
loading the front loader - flat bucket with a curl as you load 4x4 on
general driving around the yard 2x4 mode
use the parking brake

 

[Charlton John]

I agree taking it slow and learning is the best policy. Another good tip is approach hills up and down and not sideways! I too am a fairly new operator about 2.3 years and almost 200 hrs. and I have learned a bunch by practicing and the help of all my fellow TBN' ers and I must say I am pretty good now and other more expirenced operators have commented on some of my completed projects.

 

[lungdoc]

A relative Newbie myself. Here's a few:
1) Respect the PTO, and all moving parts!
2) Use seatbelt and ROPS
3) Read the manual, then read it again for specific jobs
4) Pull with the drawbar, not a higher point on machine
5) Think before you do
6) Beer after tractor work, not before
7) Listen to the guys who've been around equipment
8) Learn when your machine isn't the right tool for the job
9) Quick attach/skid steer type bucket mounts are great, as are i-Match style hitch adapters.
10) If you don't know, ask on this forum!

 

[RWolf]

Common sense.....

 

[workinallthetime]

Another thing i found was lowering the tire pressure in my zd326 (ztr mower) to 12-15 psi, this kept my tires from slipping as much and imprved the ride greatly. They had close to 30 in them when delivered from the dealer.

 

[dodge man]

I think I have read that one of the common injuries is getting caught in a rotating parts, such as PTO's and tires. I have been driving along and been tempted to knock a chunk of mud off the tires while driving, don't! Also watch for pinch points, such as on the end loader, 3 point hitches etc.

Wear your seat belt.

Use your ROPS if it foldable.

I think for general operating, anyone just starting out will catch on, but saftey is the issue for the new owner. You don't want to learn the hard way. I have 150 hours on mine, so I'm really still a newbie. So far no broken bones or broken parts.

 

[RalphVa]

I'll start with these good ones and add to them.

1) Respect the PTO, and all moving parts!
2) Use seatbelt and ROPS
3) Read the manual, then read it again for specific jobs
4) Pull with the drawbar, not a higher point on machine
5) Think before you do
6) Beer after tractor work, not before
7) Listen to the guys who've been around equipment
8) Learn when your machine isn't the right tool for the job
9) Quick attach/skid steer type bucket mounts are great, as are i-Match style hitch adapters.
10) If you don't know, ask on this forum!
11) Go slowly with FEL loaded or on slopes, especially cross slope.
12) ALWAYS have plenty of weight on the 3ph when doing FEL work. Good idea to load the rear tires, but they're not enough.
13) NO NOT maneuver in a door way. Do your maneuvering before the doorway and get properly lined up before going into the door way.
14) Put PTO in neutral or forward (whatever position on your tractor to make it free wheel). Then support the PTO shaft of the implement with a tension cord, chain or whatever you find easy to use to take some of its weight off. Then put up against the shaft. Turn shaft on tractor by hand until you find the splines meshing. Then push on.
15) Tug that PTO both to & fro after pushing it onto the shaft.
15) Put implements on castors and preferably on a hard floor to store them.

Ralph

 

[Samandothers]

1) Respect the PTO, and all moving parts!
2) Use seatbelt and ROPS
3) Read the manual, then read it again for specific jobs
4) Pull with the drawbar, not a higher point on machine
5) Think before you do
6) Beer after tractor work, not before
7) Listen to the guys who've been around equipment
8) Learn when your machine isn't the right tool for the job
9) Quick attach/skid steer type bucket mounts are great, as are i-Match style hitch adapters.
10) If you don't know, ask on this forum!
11) Go slowly with FEL loaded or on slopes, especially cross slope.
12) ALWAYS have plenty of weight on the 3ph when doing FEL work. Good idea to load the rear tires, but they're not enough.
13) NO NOT maneuver in a door way. Do your maneuvering before the doorway and get properly lined up before going into the door way.
14) Put PTO in neutral or forward (whatever position on your tractor to make it free wheel). Then support the PTO shaft of the implement with a tension cord, chain or whatever you find easy to use to take some of its weight off. Then put up against the shaft. Turn shaft on tractor by hand until you find the splines meshing. Then push on.
15) Tug that PTO both to & fro after pushing it onto the shaft.
16) Put implements on castors and preferably on a hard floor to store them.
17) When using an implement (loader, backhoe, grapple, etc) on are near trees look up before jarring the tree. Things falling out of the tree on your head/equipment is not good.
18) Be mindful of your center of gravity keep it low and slow.

 

[dex3361]

1) Respect the PTO, and all moving parts!
2) Use seatbelt and ROPS
3) Read the manual, then read it again for specific jobs
4) Pull with the drawbar, not a higher point on machine
5) Think before you do
6) Beer after tractor work, not before
7) Listen to the guys who've been around equipment
8) Learn when your machine isn't the right tool for the job
9) Quick attach/skid steer type bucket mounts are great, as are i-Match style hitch adapters.
10) If you don't know, ask on this forum!
11) Go slowly with FEL loaded or on slopes, especially cross slope.
12) ALWAYS have plenty of weight on the 3ph when doing FEL work. Good idea to load the rear tires, but they're not enough.
13) NO NOT maneuver in a door way. Do your maneuvering before the doorway and get properly lined up before going into the door way.
14) Put PTO in neutral or forward (whatever position on your tractor to make it free wheel). Then support the PTO shaft of the implement with a tension cord, chain or whatever you find easy to use to take some of its weight off. Then put up against the shaft. Turn shaft on tractor by hand until you find the splines meshing. Then push on.
15) Tug that PTO both to & fro after pushing it onto the shaft.
16) Put implements on castors and preferably on a hard floor to store them.
17) When using an implement (loader, backhoe, grapple, etc) on are near trees look up before jarring the tree. Things falling out of the tree on your head/equipment is not good.
18) Be mindful of your center of gravity keep it low and slow.

19) When traveling across a slope with a FEL Keep the bucket low,a raised bucket will cause you to turn over on a hillside.
20) Be aware of dips and swells in the ground this can also cause a rollover.
21)Keep the equipment in good working order,safteys,brakes, maintenance etc.

 

[kebo]

22) When bushhogging a new area the first time, walk it over pretty good to spot any hazards, junk metal, or ditches/stumps that could "wreck" you or the mower.
23) When getting off the tractor, be CAREFUL! Tractors with cramped operator stations make it easy to catch the heel of a boot on a lever just before you jump off causing you to sprain or worse, break an ankle. Be sure of you landing, uneven/loose soil, rocks, or big limbs can roll and also sprain/break and ankle.
24) When you get tired, get off of it! Too many accidents happen when you get tired and you push yourself just a little harder/faster to finish up and bam, you get hurt!!
25) Hard pulls are best done from the front of the tractor. You can't pull as much from the front, but there is almost no risk of it flipping over backwards that way. TOO MANY operators have been killed making hard pulls from the rear by revving it up and dumping the clutch.
26) Wear gloves, eyegear, and ear plugs when using noisy implements, or if your tractor is just loud.
27) Watch for guy wires working around powerlines that might catch the ROPS or canopy. Saw a woman get killed cutting the ROW for highway dept. in Polk County, Florida 20some years ago. Canopy caught a guywire, tractor rared up, she fell behind it and in between the tractor and bushhog. It pretty well chopped her up, dead on the spot.
28) Don't ride wearing just flipflops or sandals! At least wear tennis shoes or better yet... wear boots.
29) Carry your cell phone in your pocket.
30) Observe all speed limit signs!!

 

[lungdoc]

This is turning into a really good list!

 

[/pine]

Great thread...! hope to see some task specific tips etc...

it can't be said enough...ROPSs do no good without the seatbelt use it!

 

[kebo]

31) Wear a cap or hat. You'll need it when you stir up a yellow jackets/hornets nest with the mower!!!

 

[willfick]

28) Don't ride wearing just flipflops or sandals!

Please, please, please! Think of the neighbors.
Good luck, Wm

 

[workinallthetime]

32. CALL LOCATE SERVICE BEFORE THE B/H TOUCHES THE GROUND.
33. when possible start french drain trenches from the dump end, this way you can make adjustments to depth, backfill as you go.
34. Make your family, friends, anyone that may be around you while your operating your equipment aware that they should NEVER be behind you.

more to come

 

[tydp]

25) Hard pulls are best done from the front of the tractor. You can't pull as much from the front, but there is almost no risk of it flipping over backwards that way. TOO MANY operators have been killed making hard pulls from the rear by revving it up and dumping the clutch.


The tractor's draw bar is made for hard pulls, and the tractor won't flip over backwards using it. Front axles or front end loaders are NOT made for hard pulls. Pulling from the front may cause severe equipment damage....

 

[tydp]

One thing that I have found in tractors as well as life in general:

35. There ain't no cure for dumba&& and there is no substitute for common sense.

 

[LD1]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but always try to go up/down hills with your load uphill.

Full fel bucket forward uphill, back down hill.

Big bushog and small tractor going uphill might not have the best of steering.

Use lower gear for enging breaking going down hill.

Don't ride the clutch. It wears them out prematurley and when a clutch goes out goung down a hill with a big load behind you it's the same as putting it in neutral and going for a ride.

 

[kthompson]

Some one mentioned about getting caught getting off of small or tight operators area..I have a Kubota CUT and with all the levels on it in the fenders have found it a great placed to get caught. Have a pair of shorts not ripped getting off one day was heading for me head landing first. Long pants only now and have had a lever to catch a front pocket last week.

In my part of the world PTO and roll overs are the killers. Finger issues are often hooking up. Be sure if you have someone moving the tractor for you to pin an implement you are not between the two.

 

[polo1665]

36. Careful while raising loads in the FEL, going too high could result in contents of bucket landing on hood of tractor or worse yet, on the operator.

Mark