IF You are a Tractor Operator in your ROOKIE Season.

[AxleHub]

I've been running farm equipment and heavy equipment for 40 plus years and all this safety BS devises are out of control anymore. All these devises do is just create complacency. 40 years ago none of this safety stuff was around and I lived through it with zero accidents. Is what makes me super safe is NOT relying on the safety crap, NOT relying on the manufactures, nor the government mandates to keep me safe, it was knowing that I'm 100% responsible for my safety and knowing that... makes me take extreme caution at ALL times.

We are all prone to err, so all the safety BS isn't terrible but we really shouldn't rely on any of it. Do buckle up though.

What I don't like is pages and pages in owners manuals with diagrams of where safety stickers are located on equipment. Those pages and pages are not about safety . . just the locations of stickers.
Lol.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I've been running farm equipment and heavy equipment for 40 plus years and all this safety BS devises are out of control anymore. All these devises do is just create complacency. 40 years ago none of this safety stuff was around and I lived through it with zero accidents. Is what makes me super safe is NOT relying on the safety crap, NOT relying on the manufactures, nor the government mandates to keep me safe, it was knowing that I'm 100% responsible for my safety and knowing that... makes me take extreme caution at ALL times.

We are all prone to err, so all the safety BS isn't terrible but we really shouldn't rely on any of it. Do buckle up though.

Yep. It is the last resort protection not to be relied on or trusted in. The roll bar will not protect you in all roll overs, only on flat surfaces with no stuff like trees or rocks or ...... Same with all safety stuff. Ed

 

[Ed of all trades]

A thought that might help.
No one would look at an engraver doing very wonderful work and then pick up a graver and expect to do the same level of work. The engraver is a master, it took many years of simple work to get to his level of skill. Why do new tractor owners think they can do what a master tractor driver like rmk700 can? He has paid his dues and has earned the skill he has and you can't take short cuts, you have to pay your dues as well. The people who try to work like a master when they are new often pay a high price. I know many don't think this way but some do and i want all of you to live long and healthy enough to pay your dues and become masters. Ed

 

[AxleHub]

A thought that might help.
No one would look at an engraver doing very wonderful work and then pick up a graver and expect to do the same level of work. The engraver is a master, it took many years of simple work to get to his level of skill. Why do new tractor owners think they can do what a master tractor driver like rmk700 can? He has paid his dues and has earned the skill he has and you can't take short cuts, you have to pay your dues as well. The people who try to work like a master when they are new often pay a high price. I know many don't think this way but some do and i want all of you to live long and healthy enough to pay your dues and become masters. Ed

Good thought Ed,

I'll also point out that "just years" is not a very reliable measurement of tractor driving skill either. I know several tractir owners that have operated them for decades and they were always very hard on equipment and reckless in operation . . but very lucky too . Think how many people brag about never having a vehicle accident yet you wince when you're a passenger

Some people are "natural" tractor operators . . Many aren't naturals but are both good learners and have good memories and good awareness . . Some are lucky despite being reckless.

For me . . safety is not an option . . its an imperative. I won't know if I'm really a great or good or natural operator until I've got another 12 years in to the effort and if my jobs got done, my tractor still looks and runs like new, and I look and move like I did when I got the tractor lol.

 

[AxleHub]

Back to the idea of being a rookie . . Western WI as yet still doesn't have snow or ice in our radius area . . and thats good because I've been playing catch-up on my outside to-do list (still plenty to do).

Yesterday I took off my mmm deck in preparation to change oil today and test out my new clamp on Snow Edge for mu bucket.

My point . . . 231 pounds of mid located ballast just came off the tractor. Its time to compensate that ballast loss. Its easy to forget that a mmm does add benefits to stability.

 

[jix]

I love my Kioti... I love my ROPS heated cab. It was only7 18 F here this morning with some snow Kioti started right up, MY FM Normand 54" blower did the job nicely. I was in my shirtsleeves in the cab, with a hot coffee. Took me fifteen minutes start to finish. Last winter it took three hours. Reading the owners and Operators manual took the rest of the day... manual is a tad confusing. Found out that the dealer assembled the blower mount support levers incorrectly... W T F ??? ( and this took him three weeks!)
Can't find out where to add engine oil? Not in the manual... Anybody know?

Jix

 

[jix]

I love my Kioti... I love my ROPS heated cab. It was only7 18 F here this morning with some snow Kioti started right up, MY FM Normand 54" blower did the job nicely. I was in my shirtsleeves in the cab, with a hot coffee. Took me fifteen minutes start to finish. Last winter it took three hours. Reading the owners and Operators manual took the rest of the day... manual is a tad confusing. Found out that the dealer assembled the blower mount support levers incorrectly... W T F ??? ( and this took him three weeks!)
Can't find out where to add engine oil? Not in the manual... Anybody know?

Jix

 

[gladehound]

I've used ether to start 2-stroke gas snowmobiles for decades with no ill effects. I've also used it less frequently on stubborn 4-stroke gas engines and never had any problems. I'm not aware of any reason you shouldn't use it with gas engines or diesel engines without pre-heating devices.

 

[jix]

Possibility of bending a con rod is one reason in a small diesel is one good reason, possibly?

 

[RaydaKub]

I've used ether to start 2-stroke gas snowmobiles for decades with no ill effects. I've also used it less frequently on stubborn 4-stroke gas engines and never had any problems. I'm not aware of any reason you shouldn't use it with gas engines or diesel engines without pre-heating devices.

We used ether to start.the old 730 Case all the time. However as a young lad, I didn't know what it could do. I used a little more than usual and blew the top of the muffler right off. My dad never said a thing.