2 wheel tractor dead man switches - what is your preference?

[oughtsix]

I recently purchased a used BCS 948 with a broken dead-mans paddle and disconnected dead-man wiring. I am putting the tractor back to factory-ish condition.

Do you appreciate the dead-man paddle/switch on your 2 wheel tractor or hate it?

I have been using a Mainland (BCS) tractor for 25 years. There were no dead-man switches back then. I installed a simple toggle switch at the handlebars that I could pull back to kill the motor if I got in trouble. I was happy with this solution. I have never had a tiller with a dead-man paddle on it before. Is it inconvenient... at least the way BCS implements it? Or do you appreciate having it? It looks like you can lock the tiller on by disengaging the clutch and pulling up the spring wire to keep the clutch disengaged which also keeps the dead-mans paddle engaged like you were holding it down??? So I can move a rock or my daughters barbie without having to kill and restart the engine????

Dead-mans switch = kills the motor if you let go of the handle / paddle. Dead-mans switch is what I have always called these safety motor kill switches.

No OSHA comments please. I am the only one that will ever be using the tractor on my small 5 acre plot.

 

[Torvy]

Wow. I've never heard these referred to as a 'tractor' before.

Dead man's clutch, dead man's switch? Doesn't matter what you call it. OSHA started requiring them in the early 80s on self-propelled tillers like this. Same rule applies to mowers and the like.

At the end of the day, appreciation is irrelevant. It is the law. Removal is futile...

 

[Jstpssng]

Do you ever use a push mower? I've never found them to be a problem. if they are, it's simple to tie it back temporarily.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

A dead man's switch is a pain until you need it.

When I look at machinery that was designed in the 30's,, even the 60's, it amazes me that non-office workers reached old age with all their limbs. I like driving my 30 year old Kubota with NO Occupant Presence Sensor, compared to my newer Kubota. The old one allows me to keep motivating while standing to stretch

All that said, I've removed my dead man switches from my Gravely's . Others have warned me not to trip and fall down while walk-behind's are backing up - a good way to be ground up like hamburger.

 

[K5lwq]

Wow. I've never heard these referred to as a 'tractor' before.

Lol the thread is in the 2 wheel tractor section. They can do a lot more than just till ground. You should watch some videos of them working. Quite impressive.

 

[joecoin]

On my Grillo, when I disengage the clutch the dead man lever is latched down, so the engine keeps running. The PTO and drive are disengaged.

 

[oughtsix]

Do you ever use a push mower? I've never found them to be a problem. if they are, it's simple to tie it back temporarily.

I bought the Honda mower with a blade clutch specifically so I wouldn't have to let the mower die every time I came to an obstacle.

It does sound like I can do the same in my BCS 948 which should be fine for my concerns. I believe the BCS and Grillo work the same in this fashion.

 

[RalphVa]

None on the Gravely 5665. Once ran into a YJ nest. Just ran off and left it running until the YJs calmed down enough to back it away from the stump.

 

[cmyoung2]

On my BCS850 the deadman switch is a lever above the clutch, like most mowers, if your hand leaves the grip everything cuts off, ie. shorts the motor out. I actually use mine most of the time, and yes, sometimes it is a pain, but there have been enough times I have had to get out of the way and it was really nice that the machine stopped. Sometimes I even think it does not stop fast enough. That said, sometimes you don't need/want it, so it is easy on mine to just unplug one of the wires going to the switch. Example, when you are using the chipper. The switch might or might not have saved my life a time or two, but is has for sure saved some bruises and wrecked machines. This is from someone who knows you can roll a BCS.

 

[Hopestill Farm]

Ifyou are using a tiller, a dead man's handle (and not the kill switch) is a really good idea. When the tiller hits a rock, or especially when it hits sod, it can jump quickly out of your control, and then the tiller will drive it at 3-4 times normal ground speed away from you. Without the automatic shutoff of the dead man's handle, the possibilities for bad outcomes are limited only by your imagination.

 

[Bigjaker]

I have a 853 with the transport gear. Accidentally put it in transport and that kill switch did save my bacon. I have several attachments, one being the rotary plow. While working some new land I hit some root ball from a former tree that jumped the BCS and jerked it from my hands. The kill switch gave me confidence that day that I need to keep it hooked up. Someone above said you hate it until you need it. No matter how careful you are and safety conscious you never know what lies ahead.

 

[charles todd]

Have a 1978 Troy Bilt Horse tiller. Not a safety device on it. Wife refuses to use it.

CT

 

[cmyoung2]

Years ago(about 50) I was trying to till hard ground with an Economy tractor with a rear mounted tiller-ran off the crank pulley on the front of the motor. The foot tiller clutch was on the side with the brakes. Hit a hard spot, tiller jumped up on top of the ground, lifting the rear wheels off the ground. The tiller was turning much faster than the tires--much faster- So, no brakes, tractor clutch did nothing, the tiller clutch was difficult to reach, especially with a new implement. All that equals a run away tractor--With Mom in front of it. Still not sure how nobody got hurt. SO, safety switches sometimes are nice-wish I had had something that day.

 

[oughtsix]

I just ordered a new dead mans lever for the BCS 948. You guys talked me into taking it back to original.

 

[Sonny580]

some of my stuff has crude switches on them but most are too old for them. I was going to add aftermarket switches but the job to install them would be complicated since they were never designed for that crap to begin with.
I despise them and wire the handles down on mine. They are still on there and would work but I cant fight them anymore. --- Being careful works better for me.

 

[oughtsix]

some of my stuff has crude switches on them but most are too old for them. I was going to add aftermarket switches but the job to install them would be complicated since they were never designed for that crap to begin with.
I despise them and wire the handles down on mine. They are still on there and would work but I cant fight them anymore. --- Being careful works better for me.

This is my emergency shut off switch on my late 70's Mainline / BCS 735. If the tractor is running away from me it is pretty easy to grab the switch and pull it backwards. It is not a dead mans switch but it works well for me when I need to kill the engine quickly or at my leisure without having to kill the engine when I dodn't want to.

Just a toggle switch and a small piece of angle aluminum. Cost maybe $2.

P.S. I REALLY like the V shaped granny bar that they put on the back of these handle bars! It allows me to get my hips into controlling the tractor which is a LOT less tiring than relying on my biceps/triceps for all controlling of the tractor. I was told they removed them in later models for safety reasons.

 

[PhilG327]

When I first bought my little hobby farm I had a hand-me-down Troy Bilt Horse tiller that had been passed around my wife's side of the family for years. Did a great job of tilling but that one time it hit a rock and got away from me it was a hard run across the pasture to catch it and shut it off. Replaced it with my BCS 852 and got out the checkbook when the dealer explained the dead man switch. I would never go back. It's come in handy with the brush mower attachment too. Got away from me once with the sickle bar but before I could release the handle it took out an expensive Michelin on the Jeep

 

[hkbirdman]

None on the Gravely 5665. Once ran into a YJ nest. Just ran off and left it running until the YJs calmed down enough to back it away from the stump.

I bought a used Gravely Pro 10 that had a dead-man switch which was disabled by the previous owner. I used it in this manner for a few years and then took in to a dealer for service. They advised me that before they released it from their service dept, - (from a liability standpoint) - they would have to activate the dead-man switch once again. I used it this way and probably 10 months later was using it with the brush-cutter attachment and was backing up and tripped over a low-cut stump. As I lay there on the ground - I was so glad to see the motor shut down. It saved me from serious injury and possibly death.