First time stuck - almost

[buck12]

Took the tractor to the hunting camp this weekend to do a little road repair. After completing my work I thought I壇 take the tractor for a spin and check for turkey sign in a bottom. There is a loggers ford that crosses a shallow creek. When I approached the crossing it appeared dry. It appeared normal until my front tires sank axle deep in soupy sand. I guess a flood we had in early may washed in loose sand instead of the normally hard packed sand that can be easily crossed by truck or tractor. I immediately stopped locked the rear df and tried to back out but the R4s just spun. The loader was able to lift the front enough to put pieces of logs under the tires but still no luck. After about 45 minutes of trying to back out I tried forward and was able to cross the creek. The wide R4s basically floated across the soft sand while the narrow fronts sank. But was unable to make it up the opposite bank. Finally I put the tractor high range 3rd gear opened the throttle up pressed the df lock and was able to back out the way I came. I have stuck ATVs, motorcycles, lawnmowers, and trucks but having a tractor axle deep in sand with water oozing up was a bad feeling maybe even helpless feeling.

 

[RalphVa]

The diff lock has gotten me out of a lot of situations. Another thing that can get you unstuck is to drop with FEL with the point down. Then curl it up to back out. Used this during the winter when I went too far off the pavement to dump a load of snow.

Ralph

 

[BigD23]

Ran into a problem the other day where it should have been a slam/dunk while falling a tree...Had to use the FEL bucket curl to help me back out of some soft ground that appeared to be ok...There's always something near or on your tractor you can use to get you back to good solid ground.

Don

 

[buck12]

Tried to use the loader curl technique but in the soupy sand it did no good.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Been there done that. Here is what I ended up doing.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/174251-anyone-else-do-something-dumb-5.html

 

[gwdixon]

Another technique is to use a chain on the FEL (or forks in my case) attached to a tree or other solid object and then raise the FEL. Since the FEL gets closer to the tractor as it is raised the effect is to move forward a little bit at a time. Reset the chain and do it again, and again, and again....

It only works going forward, when the chain is attached fairly high on the object, and if there is plenty of time to mess with it.

Anything is better than walking away from the tractor however.

 

[RalphVa]

I remember way back in the old days when Dad stuck our tractor. He attached a plank to a rear tire with a chain. Each rotation brought the plank through the muck and moved the tractor.

Ralph

 

[buck12]

I remember way back in the old days when Dad stuck our tractor. He attached a plank to a rear tire with a chain. Each rotation brought the plank through the muck and moved the tractor.

Ralph

I remember my Granddad doing the same thing with a fence post.

 

[buck12]

Been there done that. Here is what I ended up doing.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/174251-anyone-else-do-something-dumb-5.html

A tow truck could not have gotten within two miles of my tractor. I am glad she finally came out under her own power.

 

[bw_wis]

After I redid my driveway I hauled some of the old driveway rubble to my aunt's to build up her shore line. The water level was low. So I had the idea to drive on the lake bed around dock to where we were working to dump a couple hoppers. (you all know where this is going.) Had few large pieces on the FEL forks. Just a 100# or so. The hopper on the 3ph was 900#ish.

One spot was a little wet. I approached it carefully going in and made it through. Barely leaving a rut. Dumped the hoppers and started back. As soon as got to the wet area the front wheel dropped in to the axle. I knew right away I was stuck good. Fighting would only get me in deeper. Went and got an off cut of plywood and was able use it as a ski under the forks. Worked like a charm. Got right out. Thank God!

What I couldn't figure right off was how I made through the first time 1000# heavier. Later it dawned on me. Having all the weight on the 3ph countered the weight of the FEL on the small front wheels. Two lessons learned that day. 1. When stuck don't fight it till you have a plan. (A lesson I often forget). 2. Balance!