Backhoe Bad day: flipped backhoe, then almost flipped tractor...

Coyote machine · Oct 19, 2015

Today I set out to remove my subframe mounted Kioti KB-2485 back hoe and then install my BrushBull hog. The removal of the hoe went OK. Got it on the wheeled platform I built a few years back, that I had spent a few hours reworking yesterday to make it hold the hoe more stable.
The new design was not working as well as hoped for and the wheels were binding when trying to move the dolly with the hoe sitting on the dolly. I went to move the subframe with my grapple, but the dolly fixed wheels were not cooperating, then things went from bad to worse. Once the hoe began to tip sideways I was not able to regain control and it toppled over onto the barn floor. Fortunately there appears to be no damage, and the good thing is I needed to replace a zerk on one of the stabilizer bottom areas, which is WAY easier with the hoe on it's side!
So I figured out a way to use a couple of 3" ratchet straps and my pallet forks to lift the entire hoe and subframe to remove it to outside. When I got it outside, I went to do something off the tractor and as I started walking away I caught in the corner of my eye the tractor trying to lay down with the hoe! I jumped back on and lowered the forks to bring the COG lower.
What a nightmare!
All things being equal- I got off easy. Can't complain. Dolly needs more design time. No one hurt. Wasted a day, ( part of it anyway) screwing around. Lesson reinforced- one can't be too carefull. Need to restore ballast to the rear end before doing any 'recovery work' with the tractor. Man 1000+# of hoe really keeps the back end down nicely.:confused3:

Rustyiron · Oct 19, 2015

Glad everything is fairly OK. We've all had these situations, er learning lessons.

zombie · Oct 19, 2015

Glad everything worked out ok. I remember moving/trying to move the box scraper with the fel and no ballast, definitely uncomfortable. Glad you're ok.

CanuckPT · Oct 19, 2015

Phew! I got a knot In my stomach just reading that! I'm glad you & your equipment are unscathed.

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Billrog · Oct 19, 2015

Happy everything worked out for you no damage to the hoe and your still in good health.

Threepoint · Oct 19, 2015

Holey Smokes, CM!

Glad you weren't hurt. You'll probably be replaying that in your mind in Technicolor for the next few days!

dragoneggs · Oct 19, 2015

Glad to hear you and machines okay! The older I get the slower I go, the smarter I am, but I still do dumb things. A couple weeks ago, I was jacking up my deck that is 10ft in the air that supports a hot tub. The outside edge of the deck had sagged about 2+ inches over the years due to ground settling. I was using a bottle jack and temporary post to jack it up so I could shim the existing two posts. Well, the bottlejack/temp post buckled and **** near took out the corner post that it was next to... luckily the existing post fell back onto its pad and its bracket kept it from kicking out completely or I would have lost the deck and the tub! :shocked: Wondering also I would have moved far enough away in time not to get myself seriously killed? Remember the first part of the story about getting slower.

Coyote machine · Oct 19, 2015

Thanks to all who've expressed support, it means a lot. A plus 1000 pound hoe falling over in my shop is no minor thing. And I had my wife helping me earlier when we were trying to move it across the floor. It kept tipping toward the dipper stick but we were able to right it. I told her where not to stand in case it were to go over and kept telling her it could not fall backward toward her due to the subframe. She was still in the shop but in another bay when the hoe took it's dive for the mat. Fortunately it cleared the end of the workbench and landed on my Swisstrax floor, buckling a number of tiles. The Swisstrax broke the impact for the most part, and as I said earlier fortunately no one was anywhere near when it went over.
I'm a safety oriented guy when it comes to situational awareness and potential accident. I'm at least half an hour at best case from any type of help/town, etc. so most everything has to be well thought out and contingencies too.

I know the slowing down thing too. I had help for a while but it didn't work out. having a hired hand would have helped today, but the outcome might have been the same.

I just received a newspaper clipping from a friend about a local guy from the area where my CT home is located that stated the death of a tree guy we both knew of, who was found in his chipper - dead. He was 72, and working alone. Those commercial chippers are deadly to the max. I nearly got pulled into them on occasion when I was doing pro tree work in my youth. That was before there was even a bar to try to stop the rollers from pulling you into the chipper. Can't imagine anything worse happening to someone....really sad.

zombie · Oct 19, 2015

Just because people say "preventable" accidents, it doesn't do any good when something unimaginable happens that wasn't accounted for. Good you're around to tell about it, and I bet it will never happen again.