Top 10 things NOT to do with a new loader!

[jimmysisson]

Roadhawk's is a keeper.
Jim

 

[caseyvand]

Watch the clothes line! No riders in the bucket. Don't walk under the bucket when raised. Always park tractor with bucket on ground.
Thanks.....Casey

 

[DavidVT]

Don't chain up a full length tree to the bucket and then try to pull it while backing up a hill. This is especially true with a 4WD tractor. This might seem like a handy way to skid a tree since you can lift the end of the log so very easily...

I was quite proud of my new mighty tractor and what I thought was a good idea until....

I thought it odd that the hill was getting steeper than I remembered. Just then I discovered that the bucket was going down while the rear wheels of the tractor where lifting well off the ground.

Footnote to self.. "don't chain up a full length tree......"

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Watch the clothes line! No riders in the bucket. Don't walk under the bucket when raised. Always park tractor with bucket on ground.
Thanks.....Casey

So a old door tied to clamp on forks on the FEL is not a good diving platform for the deep end of the pond?

 

[patrick_g]

Originally Posted by Atlas
...JUMP FROM THE TRACTOR!

Nope. Don't do it! High voltage electricity will arc right through you. Stay Calm. Stay in the Seat. It may be the longest wait of your life, but wait for the power company to de-energize the lines and then get off the tractor.

If the voltage is high enough to arc that far wouldn't it be arcing to ground from the implement or across the wheels to ground? IF it were the really high voltage transmission lines there would be lots of "fireworks" and no doubt about "hot" wires.

The reason JUMP was mentioned rather than step off the tractor was to avoid bridging the operator's body across the voltage, i.e. one foot on the tractor (which may be in contact with a live wire) and the other in contact with the ground (dirt) which is a likely way to get you fried.

It is unlikely that if the operator jumps free and does not come in close proximity to a live wire that there is a high probability of being electrocuted.

If the situation is stable, i.e. the live wires aren't in motion and you haven't been shocked yet it may be safe to just sit there but if you aren't in danger just sitting there why not just slowly drive away from the dangerous area if you can do so without having a live wire touch the operator?

It should be safe (for the operator) for a live wire to touch the tractor so long as it does not directly touch the operator AND if the operator dismounts (s)he jumps down such that the tractor and ground are not touched at the same time.

In any life threatening situation it is incumbent on the participant(s) to tailor their actions to the extant circumstances and NOT apply any suggestions by rote. Err on the side of caution.

Pat

 

[Iplayfarmer]

...If the voltage is high enough to arc that far wouldn't it be arcing to ground from the implement or across the wheels to ground? IF it were the really high voltage transmission lines there would be lots of "fireworks" and no doubt about "hot" wires...
Pat

I can't answer the questions as to how a downed power line would behave. I can tell you that we've lost at least one kid in this area to the false notion that you're safe if you jump. He worked for a friend of mine who is now the maintenance manager here where I work. He jumped from the fender of a tractor and it melted his shoes to the fender. He was into a higher voltage power line feeding irrigation pivots.

I'm not postulating or hypothesizing here about what should be okay or what I think the right answer is. I'm sharing a true life example. Any literature I've ever seen also advises "Stay calm, Stay in the Seat". Also as a 911 rescuer, I've been trained to keep the victim in the vehicle until the power company cuts power and verifies that the line is dead. No one jumps out. No one comes close.

I'm no safety monger, and I take risks. You can check my posting history to verify that. I take those risks knowing the consequences. I think readers here need to know that there is a chance of serious harm if they chose to jump from a vehicle in contact with power lines.

 

[patrick_g]

I can't answer the questions as to how a downed power line would behave.

I'm no safety monger, and I take risks. You can check my posting history to verify that. I take those risks knowing the consequences. I think readers here need to know that there is a chance of serious harm if they chose to jump from a vehicle in contact with power lines.

I repeat the last paragraph of my previous post for emphasis...

In any life threatening situation it is incumbent on the participant(s) to tailor their actions to the extant circumstances and NOT apply any suggestions by rote. Err on the side of caution.

Pat

 

[Wis Bang]

Oh man, watch out for a surprise manhole when pushing snow. Holy cow, I just about broke both thumbs and still smashed my head into the windshield even with my seatbelt on! I still can't believe I didn't demolish my FEL hitting something that hard and stopping about 12,000 pounds from about 6 mph to 0 in about 1 inch (moved the entire manhole about an inch). It stopped so fast my windshield wiper flipped straight out and one headlight popped out of it's socket. I'm still claiming that it was the hard yank by my seatbelt that caused the mess in my pants. Yeah, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

When my dad became supervisor of highways he outfitted all the snowplows w/ 2" thick live rubber blades. His newest equipment operator, graduated from truck driver, wore 'coke bottle' eyeglasses and his first snowstorm in the roadgrader he hooked a manhole while standing up [prefered way to operate a grader so you can see the blade] and broke his glasses.

Dad had the only Cat 112 grader w/ a live rubber cutting edge after that...

Those edges cut his plow repair bills by 2/3rds...

 

[HeyNow]

When using the FEL, don't run the tractor in high throttle because you are in a hurry. The controls move very fast! Use only the necessary throttle speed for the job. And slow down and enjoy the seat time. I've caught myself in a hurry for no reason and have made many mistakes. Thankfully, none to serious.

 

[Bedlam]

I have to agree. the other day I found I barely throttled up more than an idle . I know people saw full throttle then engine will thank you but ill take my chances...I always have my hand ready to lower it just in case..And I find there are allot of times like that

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Good advice to the fuel. With FEL work I like to set it at about 1000 and just use the foot fuel control if I need more. I found the shuttle shift is faster than clutching and braking too when needing to get stopped fast.

 

[big e]

When bushogging next to woods drive with the loader control away from the trees, they like to operate the FEL too.
and
Apparently, the FEL is not a bulldozer. When pushing trees, limbs, and brush... don't hit stumps or you may have hydro (liquid gold) all over your woods. Broken seals are expensive!

 

[montyhp]

Don't do what I did...

Cut a tree and it ended up hung on two other trees (widowmaker!) So I took my brand new (less than 5 hrs) tractor with the bucket fresh from the welder getting hooks put on. I hooked a chain around the trunk of the hung tree twice and to both hooks. The tractor did a great job of pulling the tree down, but I didn't leave enough slack in the chains, so the tree dropped, the end of the trunk closest to the tractor pushed up on the bottom of the bucket and actually bent it up.:ashamed: Anybody got a hydraulic ram I can use to bend it back?

montyhp (feeling like quite a maroon).

South TX

 

[rekees4300]

Consider yourself lucky ... could have been much worse. I personally don't use a tractor on trees until AFTER they are on the ground.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/169618-another-man-dies-tractor-accident.html

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Consider yourself lucky ... could have been much worse. I personally don't use a tractor on trees until AFTER they are on the ground.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/169618-another-man-dies-tractor-accident.html

Especially if it is tied to you.

 

[deere5105]

Have run tractors w/o FEL for over 20 years. This is my first one with FEL. Yesterday while mowing came into contact with trees on several occasions. I leave bucket on so I can push limbs that have fallen out of the way. Every time I think I can take it off I wind up finding something I should have left it on for. I kept thinking I had allowed enough distance to not contact the trees, but the sudden stop assured me I hadn't. Looked the FEL over good and didn't see any signs of damage. Recommend going slow when working in tight quarters no matter what you are doing.

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

Every time I think I can take it off I wind up finding something I should have left it on for.

Amen. I leave mine on all the time, and tell myself it's counterweight.

 

[RadarTech]

Be careful dumping stuff over banks.. watch the front tires and then keep your foot on the brake...

Dropped a front tire over a bank once, and the wife, step daughter and her boyfriend were all nearby.. Actually had to enlist the boyfriend to drive my truck to help me pull the tractor off the edge.

Embarrassing to the extreme... Wife was actually laughing at me on this one.. being as I am normally so careful with the tractor she could not get over me screwing up here.....

kinda irked me that she was laughing, as I was only an few inches from flipping over that bank....

anyway---

be careful out there....

J

 

[RoyJackson]

Have run tractors w/o FEL for over 20 years. This is my first one with FEL. Yesterday while mowing came into contact with trees on several occasions. I leave bucket on so I can push limbs that have fallen out of the way. Every time I think I can take it off I wind up finding something I should have left it on for. I kept thinking I had allowed enough distance to not contact the trees, but the sudden stop assured me I hadn't. Looked the FEL over good and didn't see any signs of damage. Recommend going slow when working in tight quarters no matter what you are doing.

If your FEL has a quick attach bucket, drop it off while you're mowing. It only takes a minute or two.
It's easier on the front axle, more visibility to see how close you are to the trees (they sure to stop you fast, don't they?) and the machine's overall length is about 3 feet shorter for better maneuvering.

 

[rekees4300]

Be careful dumping stuff over banks.. watch the front tires and then keep your foot on the brake...

Dropped a front tire over a bank once, and the wife, step daughter and her boyfriend were all nearby.. Actually had to enlist the boyfriend to drive my truck to help me pull the tractor off the edge.

Embarrassing to the extreme... Wife was actually laughing at me on this one.. being as I am normally so careful with the tractor she could not get over me screwing up here.....

kinda irked me that she was laughing, as I was only an few inches from flipping over that bank....

anyway---

be careful out there....

J

Been there done that. Dumping rocks on the inside of the pond dam for erosion control. I was aware of the danger. Nevertheless, got one front wheel over the dam lip and that's all it took. 3 seconds later the tractor was in the pond! Using 4WD, rear ballast box and slammed on the brakes but those weren't enough to offset the weight of a bucket full of rocks, steep slope, and gravity. Had to call a wrecker to pull it out. Cost $70 and considerable embarrassment.:ashamed: