Stupid New Owner Tricks or What Not to Do with Your New Tractor

[tractchores]

I had a rough first day. Went to drive down a very steep hill with a lake at teh bottom. I didn't know that in 2WD you basically have 1 wheel braking, so slide down the slope nearly flipping over and nearly going into the lake (I had presence of mind to drop the FEL, which caused the tractor to pivot 180 and almost flipped me.

I tried to lift some logs with a chain that wasn't centered on the FEL and almost flipped over (no ballast)

I learned the hard way that driving through the woods if a branch hits your BH levers bad things happen, the branch caused the BH to pivot downhill putting me on 2 wheels... now its locked with the locking pins anytime I drive!

I've learned a lot more over the years, but the biggest thing is to stop and think "how can this go bad" before doing anything.

 

[oldballs]

Tractorchores.................I like your thinking..........."how can this go bad" before doing anything,

 

[Doofy]

Amen, Brother! Inattention will bite you in the arse every time.

 

[Howling]

With FEL raised it takes very little to pass from balanced to tractor on its side. There is time for a few choice words on that ride.

When cleaning up snow the tractor has no mercy on cars. Always leave space between tire chains and wife's bumper.

 

[shooterdon]

I have less than 20 hrs on a tractor. So far, I have not done anything stupid. But when I do, I hope it is not too serious.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I have less than 20 hrs on a tractor. So far, I have not done anything stupid. But when I do, I hope it is not too serious.

Oh you'll get your chance, don't worry!

I swiped my barn with the bucket as I was pulling inside. Knocked the 6x6 post clean off the foundation.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A raised FEL makes short work of Eaves Troughs. Good to remember when you "have" to rip them off for some reason.

Never put tools or anything you wish to see again on the tractor tires or any other surfaces where they can fall off. Especially , for just a second.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Funny picture of Farmer and wife, but examining it, I don't think her position on the tractor is having much affect. If she was farther rearward to take weight off the front axle, maybe.

 

[MHarryE]

Funny picture of Farmer and wife, but examining it, I don't think her position on the tractor is having much affect. If she was farther rearward to take weight off the front axle, maybe.

Many years ago when I first saw that pic I thought it was a neat way to get home but it’s really front axle against the stop. Friend and I were hauling a used swather home this summer, 200 mile haul. I had header on my trailer, he had tractor portion on our swather hauler behind his pickup. Ten miles into the trip the left rear spindle broke off and he swayed all over the road until he got it stopped. We checked it over, removed the broken spindle and wheel it was dragging, saw the axle stop held it fine except for the right wheel being tilted so we decided to press onward. At home we saw the only problem we had was wear on the corner on the tire although it was not yet to the cord so we stole the spindle assembly off one of our junker swathers and put it in the field.

 

[Luvmyhindra]

I've learned a lot more over the years, but the biggest thing is to stop and think "how can this go bad" before doing anything.

I always do that too! And shortly afterwards I say " Wow didn't see that one coming!" lol

 

[oosik]

Quit thinking just, because its a 4WD tractor, means you can go EVERYWHERE on your property. Those area where no vehicle should be, still could apply to your new tractor.

 

[Beltzington]

My newby mistake was when I was plowing a pathway around my house in 24" snow in order to get the new boiler into the basement through the bilco doors at the rear of the house. I got stuck, and needed to back uphill. I raised the FEL as high as it could go trying to get more weight on the rear wheels and the plow itself flipped backwards landing on the FEL arms about 2' in front of the steering wheel. The plow weighs 600 lbs and I realized how quickly I could have killed myself had the plow pins or mounts broken.

Not one of my first three mistakes but I had something very similar happen while using my pallet forks to load a wood pile into an 8' high roll-off dumpster. I had an 6' long 18" diameter pine log I was going to dump on top of all the limbs already in the dumpster to compress the load. I had been lifting trash all day and was feeling real comfortable with the process, I soon found out round logs like to follow gravity and if I had not be looking at the log when it started to roll it would have come over the pallet forks backstop and down the loader arms crushing me against the seat and ROPS. Luckily I saw it start and dump the forks but is was was way to close.

 

[Fade2blk]

Rolled down hill when forgetting brake once, just ended up on the lawn but woke me to the danger at hand.

 

[oosik]

I have a very nice farm wagon that I use to haul BIG rock and LARGE chunks of my ancient Ponderosa pine around the property. I've also got a pretty steep - in/out - portion of my driveway. I've only forgotten twice to put the tractor in 4WD when going down into this valley pulling a heavy load with the tractor. This farm wagon has a ten ton frame/running gear and when loaded will push like a wild herd of elephants. View attachment 581695

 

[mike69440]

For those familiar with my many threads, let it be know I thank the Lord whom has assigned me a platoon of guardian angels.

 

[kthompson]

headed down a hill - did not put it in 4wd (not that it would have mattered) with a load in the bucket. halfway down the hill the rear wheels lifted off the ground a bit and I went for a ride down the hill with gravity in control

could you not have eased the fel loader to the ground to stop? On some four wheel drives in four wheel drive think you will find it would have help for believe the gearing would also engage the rear wheels and thus the rear wheel only brakes would have help but might be dangerous if it did so for then the tractor would have tilted forward more so.Boy hope have all that correct. No doubt someone here can confirm my thoughts as right or wrong.

 

[vvanders]

New to me: don't use float when swapping implements on ssqa. Threw a set of pallet forks on top of a pallet(to keep it off the ground of course). Soon as I unhooked the lever loader arm "floated" onto my toes.

Let's just say steel toed boots are great and walked away from that one.

 

[newbury]

<snip>

I've learned a lot more over the years, but the biggest thing is to stop and think "how can this go bad" before doing anything.

I learned that before I got a tractor. In college, in Northern Vermont, I had a Suzuki 250 motorcycle for my primary transportation one winter. I should have known better when it snowed during registration. I soon lost track of the number of times I laid it down and got in the mode that driving meant constantly look for a good place to land.

Soon after I got the first tractor I had a full load of wet sand in the bucket and was driving it about 50 yards when the right front wheel dropped into a grass covered hole, yanked the wheel to the right and the left rear lifted. I hiked out for balance and pawed at the FEL. WHEW!

 

[MikeR 2018]

Hey, you are supposed to improve with age and hours!

Safety experts will tell you that a new worker is usually vigilant and careful. After a person gets familiar with a process, he/she gets complacent and that's when most stupid mistakes are made.

We should all keep this in mind.

 

[L120]

Watched a service guy run over his toolbox with a D10 CAT. **** no I wasn't going to say anything. That's just some funny shtuff.