Tree Fell On My BX

BHD · Mar 14, 2014

sorry but it looks like it could have been much worst,

I bet next time it is further from any trees being taken down, I know it is hard to see some thing new damaged, it hard when it is old, I had an auger blow over and hit my 1971 JD 4020 (just missed the cab y inches, took off the muffler air cleaner bent up the hood and damage the fuel tank, that was not a fun day either, and destroyed the 8" auger as well, (note: new auger tied to top of bin,)

Cherokee140 · Mar 14, 2014

I think you got off lucky and only the plastic got broken....just think if you bought a green one the entire tractor would be broken as it is all plastic

It does not look like there was any real major damage to the mechanicals....just be thankful you did not have a little one sitting on it watching the tree cutting.

Paystar · Mar 14, 2014

I couldn't get KTAC because I didn't finance, but my salesman was telling me about it.....I'm positive you will be covered. It sounds like an awesome plan from what he was telling me. I think your homeowners would cover it too if you have the tractor listed on it. That's what I did, had mine added to the homeowners, but might be different here in Canada.

RodSerling · Mar 14, 2014

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. You really eased my mind, well that and the Jack Daniels. I'm lucky to be a part of such a great community as this.

Kubotafan · Mar 14, 2014

RodSerling said:
Thanks everyone for the encouragement. You really eased my mind, well that and the Jack Daniels. I'm lucky to be a part of such a great community as this.

Was Jack Daniels helping you when the accident happened?

RodSerling · Mar 14, 2014

Kubotafan said:
Was Jack Daniels helping you when the accident happened?

No it wasn't but it sure did after, and I'm not a whiskey drinker.

jel1988 · Mar 14, 2014

Ouch! When falling trees best to be 1 1/2 tree lengths away from the action.

s219 · Mar 14, 2014

Paystar said:
I couldn't get KTAC because I didn't finance, but my salesman was telling me about it.....I'm positive you will be covered. It sounds like an awesome plan from what he was telling me. I think your homeowners would cover it too if you have the tractor listed on it. That's what I did, had mine added to the homeowners, but might be different here in Canada.

You don't need to finance to get KTAC. I paid cash for both Kubotas I bought and got a KTAC policy each time.

sixdogs · Mar 14, 2014

No problem with that small amount of damage. Just fix it 100%, including the smallest of parts and the event will fade from your mind in time.

I used to remove the mower deck on my B7800 by just lifting the front of the tractor with a chain and the loader on a much bigger tractor. Worked great until one day I just barely caught the edge of the B7800 hood and did a lot of damage. I ordered 100% new parts and rarely think of it any more. Oh, I no longer remove the deck that way.

Ken45101 · Mar 15, 2014

Dear old "Murphy's Law of Selective Gravitation"

(Things will fall where they do the most damage.)

radioman · Mar 15, 2014

Just like everyone said -- you really lucked out. The FEL uprights arms saves your tractor. The pot metal that holds your fuse box, battery,instrument panel/screen filter needs to be replaced and its not a quick job. Its not hard either - just time consuming as its pretty much a one piece I think. hood, hood latch, panel all needs to be replaced. It will be more then 500 bucks that for sure and I think its closer to over 1kfor parts and labor but your insurance SHOULD cover it. Did you also have your homeowners cover the tractor? Mine is.

Dont worry - we all did stupid things at one time or another and it takes a real man to admit what happened. you are in good company and your damages can be fixed and nothing like time to heal your hurt feelings.

cj7m57 · Mar 15, 2014

Sorry this happened, but good that the damage was only to stuff.

I first read the title to your post as 'a tree fell on my ex', which would have been a different situation altogether...

22rimfire · Mar 15, 2014

Being a new BX owner myself, I can only imagine how you feel, and can't really add much to what's already been said except thanks for posting and telling your experience so we can all learn from it. Glad no one got hurt, and keep us posted on the fix. Good luck.

RodSerling · Mar 15, 2014

I keep playing it over and over in my head. I am usually known as a safety **** and overly cautious person so I guess that's why I just can't believe I had such a complete and utter lack of fore thought. The tree was supposed to fall at 1 o'clock and on the back cut changed directions and leaned back at 6 o'clock and did that crack, spilt, and slow fall right onto the steering wheel. The whole thing took all of 3 seconds but seemed to last 10 minutes. I know better, I really do.
We weren't even going to take the tree, but my friend said "Any more?" and I said "yeah how about that one". I turned looked at the Kubota and thought "Nah". A minute later we were looking at each other silently with that "what just happened" look, and started cutting it off to assess the damage.

radioman said:
Just like everyone said -- you really lucked out. The FEL uprights arms saves your tractor. The pot metal that holds your fuse box, battery,instrument panel/screen filter needs to be replaced and its not a quick job. Its not hard either - just time consuming as its pretty much a one piece I think. hood, hood latch, panel all needs to be replaced. It will be more then 500 bucks that for sure and I think its closer to over 1kfor parts and labor but your insurance SHOULD cover it. Did you also have your homeowners cover the tractor? Mine is.

Dont worry - we all did stupid things at one time or another and it takes a real man to admit what happened. you are in good company and your damages can be fixed and nothing like time to heal your hurt feelings.

That's pretty accurate assessment.
The steering wheel and column are also bent and I'm sure what else inside. The hood is bent up too. Can they transfer over the hours from the old panel to the new?

sixdogs · Mar 15, 2014

RodSerling said:
....
The steering wheel and column are also bent and I'm sure what else inside. The hood is bent up too. Can they transfer over the hours from the old panel to the new?

You're going to be over $1,000.
They couldn't transfer hours over on mine. odometer starts from scratch.

Colonel Monk · Mar 15, 2014

sixdogs said:
You're going to be over $1,000.
They couldn't transfer hours over on mine. odometer starts from scratch.

If you're handy, correcting the hour meter isn't so hard... Just need +12V to the clock and it will advance. Depending how many hours you have might take a week or so but it'll get there... We did that on my dad's old wood boat - got the new hourmeter to read just like the old one.

CobyRupert · Mar 15, 2014

Is that the tree that did it in the last picture? You should take it out to the woodshed and teach it a lesson.

Paystar · Mar 15, 2014

s219 said:
You don't need to finance to get KTAC. I paid cash for both Kubotas I bought and got a KTAC policy each time.

Really s219? Wonder if maybe it is different in the U.S.?? My dealer told me I could only get it if I financed.

TnAndy · Mar 16, 2014

ovrszd said:
Man, I hate it for your friend. Homeowners will cover it if Kubota's insurance doesn't. Bummer.

I cut a LOT of large trees. I always do the visual "fall path" before I start cutting to make sure I've got the tractor out of the way. I'm sure you will too next time....

yeah, I do that too.

But here is what happened one day:

Tree was leaning and notched so it could ONLY fall one way.....which it did. ON THE WAY DOWN, it broke the top out of an oak tree on the way down, which managed to 'slingshot' backwards. About an 8" diameter section 30' long came down right across the operator section of my tractor. Beat a big hole in the fiberglass hood, bent the steering wheel nearly in half, made the kind of mess you see in the OP's photos of the dash, and so on.

BIG reason to wear a hard hat while falling.

KBOTA1 · Mar 16, 2014

TnAndy said:
yeah, I do that too.

But here is what happened one day:

Tree was leaning and notched so it could ONLY fall one way.....which it did. ON THE WAY DOWN, it broke the top out of an oak tree on the way down, which managed to 'slingshot' backwards. About an 8" diameter section 30' long came down right across the operator section of my tractor. Beat a big hole in the fiberglass hood, bent the steering wheel nearly in half, made the kind of mess you see in the OP's photos of the dash, and so on.

BIG reason to wear a hard hat while falling.

Wverytime I cut a tree, I worry will this be the time things go wrong! Good that you have KTAC, but there again mine has a $250 deducible.