ROPS & Seatbelts WORK!!

[s219]

The Boulder in scoop didn't shift, but the whole 3pt was a little wobbly. Turn buckles needed tightened. A small stabilizer bar would be nice too.
I turned it back over with a chain and ford 841. I didn't let it sit long enough before trying to start. The starter would only start to turn over then stop. Waited about 30 min and it started and burnt off the oil. Finished spreading gravel next day without incident.

Phew, yeah, you have to be careful -- you can bend a rod trying to start an engine after it has been tipped over. Maybe you got lucky the starter didn't have enough guts to do that. Normally you can remove the glow plugs or injectors (whatever's easier) and turn it over to expel the oil. Then button back up, check fluid levels, and start.

 

[Garycw]

Trying a new ballast set up. It will still utilize the dirt scoop, but using concrete. I oiled everything up real good to keep from sticking to scoop. Also inserted som rebar to help secure and pulling out. If concrete is out, should be able to scoop it back up. Put a cpl pieces of wood form in to cover the two big bolts to keep from getting hung up. I'll find out after it dries

 

[SPYDERLK]

I know I'm not going to jump. I'm disabled and don't get around well on level ground as it is. My big feet catch on the underside of throttle or clutch and other doodads as it is. Atleast my ROPS is rigid. Don't like the seatbelt much but I use it most of the time.

My little Yanmar doesn't have a ROPS so I don't have a seatbelt on it. Hope I can spring enough if the time ever comes!

Good post. We all neglect safety now and again for convenience and stuff like this is a good reminder. The only time I wear my seat belt is when I'm roading the tractor (Wouldn't want to get flung out if I got clipped by another vehicle) or using the FEL on a hill. I really should wear the seat belt more often than I do. If I did start to roll without the seat belt I would not attempt to jump clear of the tractor. I would just hold on to the handles, steering wheel, inside of cage etc. and try to stay put until it stopped moving. It isn't that I don't think I could jump clear, I think I could. But something can always go wrong. Heck, a piece of cloths can get caught on a lever. Then you're half on, half off and that is definitely not where you want to be.

Yeah I'm not in the jumping crowd either. Just to many if's.

Wife's uncle. He had a shop fire and had moved his fuel tanks for a rebuild. Two lane state highway cuts thru his property. Tanks are on top of a 6' bank cut by the highway. Backs a newly purchased 165 MF up to fuel tanks. Not his only tractor. Breaks don't hold as he tries to stop. Off the bank he goes backwards. No ROPS. He decides to jump foot gets caught on brake pedals. As tractor goes over backwards at about a 45* angle to bank. He gets clear of tractor lands with his head on the yellow line. Tractor bounces and lands on his hips. Crushed his pelvis. He ended up flown from the scene. They pieced his pelvis and hips back together and he can walk but has trouble getting around.

He's lucky he didn't land in front of somebody or in front of a tractor trailer. He knew brakes were iffy but they had been holding and stopping tractor.

Back when I was driving truck I was going through Pa and a truck ran out of the road and into a corn field. Someone on the CB started yelling jump, he did and the truck ran over him. the truck was fine and almost no damage to it. It was just sitting in a corn field. If he had stayed in the cab he could have driven the truck out of the field.

Telling someone to jump off of a rolling tractor is not wise, not if there is a roll bar and seat belt. If you try to jump off the high side it may throw you backwards under the tractor and the low side is the way the tractor is rolling. Someone killed that truck driver that night by welling jump. Don't do the same here. Ed

Who recommended jumping?

 

[Garycw]

I guess You had mentioned just stepping off, another. That without ROPS or up to jump, and a cpl examples of people that had jumped. I'm diffinetly not opposed to jumping if the need arises, just not my first choice if a ROPS & belt is available. 20-30 years ago, that was usually your ONLY choice, unless you just got lucky. I would have been a much better jumper 20-30 years ago too.

 

[Garycw]

Trying a new ballast set up. It will still utilize the dirt scoop, but using concrete. I oiled everything up real good to keep from sticking to scoop. Also inserted som rebar to help secure and pulling out. If concrete is out, should be able to scoop it back up. Put a cpl pieces of wood form in to cover the two big bolts to keep from getting hung up. I'll find out after it dries <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/safety/442900-rops-seatbelts-work-image-1378012766-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/safety/442905-rops-seatbelts-work-image-1993827629-jpg"/>

I found out today it's Not coming out? Removed the forms , did a little chiseling, and taping bucket with 3 lb sledge. I hooked a chain to rebar and trailer hitch of my truck to try and pull out. All it did was drag the truck. It WILL come out at some point, just not sure best method. Any suggestions??
Meanwhile I have around 5-600 lbs ballast.

 

[MossRoad]

I don't think I had quite enough ballast either. It had been fine up till then though. Also a good point about a rollover on "flat" ground. You never know when you might hit s soft spot, rut, rock, groundhog hole etc. I handy been using ROPS & belt when mowing but may start. As to relying on a park brake I had set it last week and was in front of, behind another tractor when it popped & released. It's nose was sloped down into the barn and had been set about 5 min when it released. More ballast is on my next agenda. View attachment 441580
Also as I look at the pic, my bucket wasn't low enough either. Crap!

Well, just be thankful that you had your seat belt on, a good ROPS and everything worked as intended and you are just fine now and no one else got hurt either. Live and learn.

 

[MossRoad]

I only ever put on a seat belt when I think I am in danger. It's my neck, but it's just too much hassle. I flipped my first tractor this summer, albeit just my little steiner. Quite disorienting, trying to get the thing shut off in a hurry. Where did the key go? I'm glad I wasn't strapped in as I might have gotten caught under it, rather then jumping away.

Ballast is important, but a lot of ballast on a small tractor can present a problem of it's own. Sure, the front is balanced with the back when the loader is full, but it can be a lot of weight in motion.

Your life is worth more than the 2-3 seconds it takes to click it.

 

[kenmac]

I keep my bucket low to the ground loaded or empty.. Just high enough off the ground not to hit anything

 

[redman135]

1) are you able to flip the scoop upside down so it stays upside down? If so , then hold the frame with the bucket so it doesn't roll on you and sledge hammer the underside (steel) as this is the easiest way to loosen concrete. I used to relief drive a concrete truck and used the technique to remove lumps of concrete when I got issued a dirty truck.
2) I had a near rollover years ago. I got away with it because I had dual wheels on the tractor, so it went slow enough to catch by dropping the bucket.

 

[MossRoad]

I keep my bucket low to the ground loaded or empty.. Just high enough off the ground not to hit anything

Like in your avatar, or mine, for that matter??? :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

As I recall, and many years of discussion here on TBN, the general consensus has always been, if you have no ROPS you shouldn't use a seatbelt, as the operator's head is going to be the pivot point if it rolls over and you may be able to jump or be thrown clear. On the other hand, if you have a ROPS, you should always use a seatbelt, as the ROPS will be the pivot point if the tractor rolls over. If you stay belted in and keep your hands gripped on the wheel, you'll most likely come out with minor bruises.

Its been discussed here several hundred times in the safety forums. There's links to videos on roll-over demonstrations. There's even been statistics on reaction times to jump clear. The odds aren't in your favor of jumping clear VS riding it out with a ROPS and seat belt.

Yes, many people have survived. However, its hardly a week goes by that we don't hear about someone being killed in a tractor roll over, be it farmer, landscaper or home owner. The safety equipment works. Its up to you to decide if you want to use it or not. I imagine its a hard thing for a loved one to find one of us dead under a tractor because we decided to not use it.

Be safe.

 

[aczlan]

1) are you able to flip the scoop upside down so it stays upside down? If so , then hold the frame with the bucket so it doesn't roll on you and sledge hammer the underside (steel) as this is the easiest way to loosen concrete. I used to relief drive a concrete truck and used the technique to remove lumps of concrete when I got issued a dirty truck.

Yep. That is about the only way to get it out

As I recall, and many years of discussion here on TBN, the general consensus has always been, if you have no ROPS you shouldn't use a seatbelt, as the operator's head is going to be the pivot point if it rolls over and you may be able to jump or be thrown clear. On the other hand, if you have a ROPS, you should always use a seatbelt, as the ROPS will be the pivot point if the tractor rolls over. If you stay belted in and keep your hands gripped on the wheel, you'll most likely come out with minor bruises.

Its been discussed here several hundred times in the safety forums. There's links to videos on roll-over demonstrations. There's even been statistics on reaction times to jump clear. The odds aren't in your favor of jumping clear VS riding it out with a ROPS and seat belt.

Yes, many people have survived. However, its hardly a week goes by that we don't hear about someone being killed in a tractor roll over, be it farmer, landscaper or home owner. The safety equipment works. Its up to you to decide if you want to use it or not. I imagine its a hard thing for a loved one to find one of us dead under a tractor because we decided to not use it.

Be safe.

Here is an example of a rollover demonstration showing how quickly it happens:

Note that it took less than 2 seconds to go from upright to laying on its side.

Aaron Z

 

[Garycw]

1) are you able to flip the scoop upside down so it stays upside down? If so , then hold the frame with the bucket so it doesn't roll on you and sledge hammer the underside (steel) as this is the easiest way to loosen concrete. I used to relief drive a concrete truck and used the technique to remove lumps of concrete when I got issued a dirty truck. 2) I had a near rollover years ago. I got away with it because I had dual wheels on the tractor, so it went slow enough to catch by dropping the bucket.

I might be able to back up and flip the scoop vertical. Not sure though, this sucker is really heavy now. If I take it off, I may be able to turn it over with the bucket or a larger tractor. Then possibly lift it up with a boom pole so it's not flat on the ground. I like that it's in there good, But don't like that I could now never use scoop if I wanted. Also it would make it much easier to attach scoop with it out, then scoop up the concrete to put in. This is some tough 4000lb concrete that was used for pouring walls.

 

[aczlan]

Trip it to dump, pull on the block with a chain (to put a little tension on it), then hit the metal of the scoop with a sledge to pop it loose.

Aaron Z

 

[GPintheMitten]

I found out today it's Not coming out? Removed the forms , did a little chiseling, and taping bucket with 3 lb sledge. I hooked a chain to rebar and trailer hitch of my truck to try and pull out. All it did was drag the truck. It WILL come out at some point, just not sure best method. Any suggestions??
Meanwhile I have around 5-600 lbs ballast.

Just buy another scoop and cut your losses. I see scoops on the side of the road for sale cheap pretty regularly.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I found out today it's Not coming out? Removed the forms , did a little chiseling, and taping bucket with 3 lb sledge. I hooked a chain to rebar and trailer hitch of my truck to try and pull out. All it did was drag the truck. It WILL come out at some point, just not sure best method. Any suggestions??
Meanwhile I have around 5-600 lbs ballast.

Did the side forms come out? Looks like they could swell up and put a squeeze on the concrete.

... If theyre out it must be stuck on the bottom. Use 3/4 plywood to protect the bucket and a min 10# sledge on the bottom. Alternately a weedburner torch on the sleel bottom would probably break if free by differential expansion promptly. ... Alternately etc - a pressure washer directed at the concrete to steel junction on the sides will cause a separation force and with or w/o a prybar applied may "float" it loose.
Dont wait. You have the best chance while the concrete is still green.
larry

 

[MossRoad]

Yep. That is about the only way to get it out


Here is an example of a rollover demonstration showing how quickly it happens:

Note that it took less than 2 seconds to go from upright to laying on its side.

Aaron Z

Yep. And dummy man was buckled into the ROPS. There's another video out there where he isn't in the ROPs. He pops out and gets squished.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Yep. That is about the only way to get it out


Here is an example of a rollover demonstration showing how quickly it happens:

Note that it took less than 2 seconds to go from upright to laying on its side.

Aaron Z

Pls note that the instant circumstance happened on near level ground ... and on a small tractor. Not comparable to what is pictured.

 

[Garycw]

Did the side forms come out? Looks like they could swell up and put a squeeze on the concrete. ... If theyre out it must be stuck on the bottom. Use 3/4 plywood to protect the bucket and a min 10# sledge on the bottom. Alternately a weedburner torch on the sleel bottom would probably break if free by differential expansion promptly. ... Alternately etc - a pressure washer directed at the concrete to steel junction on the sides will cause a separation force and with or w/o a prybar applied may "float" it loose. Dont wait. You have the best chance while the concrete is still green. larry

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. I would jack hammer it out before I'd buy another scoop, plus this is a pretty good one. All four cement trucks came at once, so I had to do a quickly form. The side forms did come out, but still had to chisel around the pivot bolts, and behind them towards the front of scoop. After banging the crap outta it and used a T post to pry from the front. Success! It broke free and started sliding. also poured a little more oil in behind it. made sure it Will come out now, and pushed it back in to use as ballast. Had to use T post and chain tensioner to pull back in and lock it In place .
Once I do take it out I can do some fine tuning on the fit.

 

[oldpilgrim]

it looks to me that in all your pics, from the rollover to the later pics, is that your ballast is very high. You have a very heavy, very high framework and the 3pt is set a lot higher than I'd carry it.

Might be something to consider in your future design plans.