CAUTION: may not be suitable etc, etc:
Things I've seen many years ago that will remain vivid in my mind the rest of my life are the simple things like: When parking your machine for the night, lower all hydraulics to the ground,...or if not practical, then block or "chain" them up! I could generalize, or tell you of many situations, but "one" specific incident should help you "remember" how important the practice "could" be.
A D-8 dozer operator on a construction site (back in the 1950's) parked the machine for the night, left the blade in the "up" position, climbed down and went home. A while later some of the local kids came by and began climbing on, under and around the machine having a wonderful carefree laughing time. An 8 year old boy was crawling forward on hands and knees coming out from underneath just as his young brother up on the operator's seat, innocently pulled the lever that immediately dropped the blade and chopped his brother in half!
Yes I know that is sickening,...."IT'S MEANT TO BE"!!! Remember it, especially if you have young kids or neighbours that could easily be "your" victims!!
With or without "people",..Hydraulics are NEVER to be trusted, NEVER! That includes leaving your loader up, (with or without bucket), forks etc as well as mid-mount and rear mower or ballast box etc and yes, I see dump trucks parked over night with the box "up". They drift down or drop as well. Put a block or proper metal bracket under it. And yes, Ive seen grown men crushed under them also. (Almost happened to me!)
IMPORTANT: Don't "ever" go under a raised hydraulic, even for just a quick second,...without FIRST placing a block, jack stand, piece of timber or some such safety device under it!!! If you knew what "dainty" little rubbers etc hold hydraulics up, you'd "never" trust them. (If you knew what actually "stops" your vehicle, you'd likely never drive again!!) Believe it or not, I DON'T enjoy dicussing this subject,....I've been involved one way or another with "equipment" all my life, and as previously stated, things I've seen will stay with me, "day and night" for life,... therefor, if making you sick or scaring you,...saves your life, one of your kid's, a nephew, a neighbour or even a stranger or one of the kids at "your" kid's birthday party,....then scaring you was well worth this sickening post.
NEWBIES: For heaven sake,....take this seriously! Sure its always a pain to go find something to block with, and tempting to think: "just this once and I'll be careful"............BANG!!...your dead!!
TOWING: I was ten years old operating an old 8-N about to pull a dump truck out of the mud with the tractor tow-bar. Yes the front end started to climb up enroute to a back flip when "somehow" my "instincts" caused me to jump on the clutch and down she came with a bang! That still sticks with me as an important lesson well learned early in life! BUT, the tractor was not up to the job.
Listen: if you chain the front of your tractor to a solid brick house and back up,...you'll likely bury the back wheels or pull the front end apart. If you turn around and chain it properly to the tow bar,...you still won't pull the house across the yard. BUT,...providing it doesn't stall,...the tractor is built to drive the back wheels,..and one way or another it will succeed!!
Remember,...it will "TRY" to do its job. So "IF" the wheels won't turn,..the tractor WILL !! The tractor will climb the wheels and flip over backwards!!
The idea is to match the tractor to the load,...and occasionally that means using common sense. Try it, .."easy", be ready for the worst and plan the best way to abort, BEFORE its tooooo late!
Okay boys I have plenty more but as usual, I've rambled far too long, so with sincere thanks for reading and hopefully learning,....I'll take my leave,
CHEERS and best wishes for safe operating,
. . tug
