Buried the tractor

[Bird]

Will, I have a neighbor friend who has one of those jacks and we've used it on several occasions, but they're much like the old bumper jacks that cars came with; you just have to be careful and not let something slip, roll, or fall.

Bird

 

[RobertN]

I second that.... Check you diff's and all other oils/lubes to make sure they are clean, and there is no water.

It'll wipe out bearing, starter, alternators, ect really quickly

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[RobertN]

try this jack

http://www.rescue42.com/ranch.htm
http://www.rescue42.com/pull.html

Just poke around in there. This was designed by a Firefighter for rescue/extrication. Turns out it is VERY handy for a lot of other things!

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[gordon]

I'll third that as well. I learned the hard way a few years back when fourwheelin in the mud the damage it could do to my old CJ. That cost me a few bucks.

I've already checked the steering knuckles and the front axle. Isn't the first time I went submarining with it. So I do take the couple of minutes to check the fluids.

What always worries is the steering knuckles more so than the axle. If you leave the pressure off the front tires it takes the pressure-friction seal off the o-ring and they can leak fluid out and that means they can also leak fluid in as well.---Not good
Gordon

 

[scruffy]

Gordon, I will second your opinion on services for a four wheel drive rig. I turned my Father in law onto a 3/4 ton 75 Ford 4X4 pickup in 1980 for a grand in total price. It came with 2 brand new sets of tires, 39000 miles on the odometer, and had been sitting in a garage for the previous 1.5 years. The owners grandson got it stuck in a creek and left it overnight thinking he would have a local pull it out with a cat in the morning. Well, when they showed up, the top 6" of the cab was showing above the water, which had risen approximately 5 feet overnight.
I got the dubious honor of stripping it down, and rebuilding it. There was water/silt in the engine cylinders, front and rear differentials, axles, fuel tanks, filters, and everyplace imaginable. Total cost of repairs? $800. That was for seals, fluids, gasquet sets, etc. No labor, I worked cheap.
He drove it up until 4 months ago when he moved back to San Diego and sold it. Biggest benefitial tool was a pressure washer!

 

[gordon]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

Now guys it's time for the real deal. How stuck have you had your tractor? What did it take to get it out?
I know I'm not the only one-----who buried the tractor.
Gordon

 

[Bird]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

Gordon, I've done a little wheel spinning, but I can honestly say I've never stuck a tractor where I couldn't just drive it out. But now if you want to talk about cars, pickup trucks, and even a 40' motorhome once . ., well, I've been pulled out by other cars and pickups, farm tractors, wreckers, and even a big maintainer (road grader)./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Bird

 

[Rowski]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

What is the definition of stuck?

Derek

 

[Kelvin]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

I'll try to make up a definition...

Stuck: Where the vehicle can no longer move about freely on its own power; the situation requires the use of external equipment (tractor, tow truck, winch etc) to put the vehicle back into a favorable situation where it can move about under its own power.

Just a thought.

Kelvin

 

[glennmac]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

Kelvin,

Gordon won't accept the word "requires" since he extricated himself from what he calls "burying" without those external devices.

Switching to digital cameras, I looked all over town today for the Consumer Reports issue that you mentioned. Couldnt find it. I dont know if subscribers get their mail copies before stores or if everyone here is already sold out. What did CR rate the highest and as best buys?

Glenn

 

[scruffy]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

From your browser, do a simple search on 'Consumer Reports' and you will find plenty of sites to 'sift' through!
Like Bird, I've gotten other things stuck, including an old 42 Jeep twice in the same day, (once in a snow bank, once on dry, almost level ground!?!) but not a tractor.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by scruffy on 10/14/00 09:56 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[gordon]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

I'll go along with that definition Kelvin. I used the frontend loader to help pull myself out after putting down a couple of sets of logs. Without the loader I would have needed a tractor tow truck or large winch. Sometimes even after all these years on the same tractor I still think it can do alot more than it really can do---did that make any sense?/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

A couple of things I learned on my first day of kindergarten in the mud. If you even think you are going to have a probem, put your strap or chain or cable or whatever on the tractor (attached to the low pulling point) BEFORE YOU go in the mud, coil it or whatever and hang it on the tractor. SO MUCH EASIER then playing like a rhino in the mud trying to see what you're doing LATER.

I have ground that is like that. On my Ford Backhoe I took about 2 foot x 2 foot deck plate, bolted them to the backhoe legs and trimmed them to just clear the rear tires. With these I have been able to lift the backend of the tractor up without the legs sinking in. From there throw the junk under the tires, or use the backhoe to pull the tractor out if you can hook a chain to something (poor man's hydraulic winch!) I also built something I could hook the backhoe teeth on, a platform of steel, sometimes with the plate on the hoe bucket and the backhoe "feet" and the bucket down and curled back a little I was able to "paddle" my way across some bad areas. I've also used sheets of expanded metal (looks like heavy duty chain link fencing) cut in pieces and I drive over those then take the ones I've crossed and put them in the front (BY HAND, UGH, WHERE'S THAT SPIN-AROUND EXCAVATOR I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS?)

And the deep mud? You might as well get the fishing pants out or go barefoot, as once the mud "kisses" your rubber boots you'll never see them again.

And the other fellow was not kidding about waiting...be ready beforehand, as the goop starts setting up like concrete!

Have fun boys...

del

 

[Kelvin]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

Glenn,

I will reply to this post back in the "Digital Photography" section.

Kelvin

 

[Thomas]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

Getting stuck with a 2wd farm tractor isn't so bad,for a couple of little tugs and on your way. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Getting stuck with a 4wd tractor /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gifand I had my fair share of that /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif so thats why I purchase a 10 ton come along extra chain. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

When all 4 tires spin mud and not moving might as well take a break for its belly hung,and afterwards the pressure washer comes in handy. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[TomG]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

I found that my 1710 with turfs can burrow real fast in loose gravel. A couple times I needed an assist from the loader to get out, but that's about it. Of course, living on glacier deposit, as we do here, there are known bogs, but everything else drains fast. There just aren't any serious mires for very long.

Well, this spring an ATV did get stuck on a snow mobile trail. I should add that this is a well-known spring fed bog that freezes during the winter and doesn't cause problems for the snowmobiles. The ATVer wasn't so well known.

Anyway, a neighbour with a MF 2wd went to help the ATV, and got stuck. Another neighbour with a Case loader/hoe went to help the Massy, and got stuck. I suppose it's good that no more us were home, or we could have had an equipment chain clear down to the highway--all doing the bunny hop. I think the Case eventually got himself and everybody out by pulling with the hoe. Fortunately some solid ground was within reach. It might have been easier for some guys in gum boots to just lift up the ATV and carry it.

 

[Rowski]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

You really weren't stuck then. I have always said that if you can't get out by means of what you got on you rig, winches, loader, backhoe etc. Must be an ego thing for me. My wife says stuck is when you can't move.

I have not gotten the NH2120 stuck yet. My project this summer was in an area where it was wet but not muddy. I have been stuck MANY times plowing snow. As a kid dad let me use the CJ3B and go mud'in. Got stuck a lot too. Walk back to the house and get dad, we would go back. He would look and say "your not STUCK". He would hop in an just get that 289 motor just a screaming and mud flying, rocking back and forth. Next thing you know it was out. He never broke anything but I know if I did that it would break.

Derek

 

[scruffy]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

Derek, I know what you mean about getting stuck with a jeep. My previous post I mentioned getting stuck twice the same day with an old 42 Ford jeep (mil. surplus). The flat ground 'stuck' came by backing in between several trees on hard, virtually level ground, the problems started when I stopped and tried to go forward. The ground was solid, but covered with moss, which was so slick that NO traction was available, and it set there spinning all four wheels. Low rpm, or high rpm made no difference, a chain hooked to a tree and hooked in the spare tire split rim mounted on right front corner did the trick. The second was trying to bust through a snow drift to a high mountain lake. The snow built up under the frame, lifting all four wheels off the ground...no shovel, but a thick branch did the trick (scraping snow out). That was one fishing trip I gave up on and headed home!

 

[gordon]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

Ok Derek I wasn't stuck I was just parked in a location close to my work. Yea thats the ticket. Or I was just sightseeing instead of working. Or I was just taking a break from the action .
Gordon

 

[glennmac]

Re: Who else has Buried their tractor

Well, I just did it for the first time ... and big time. With a suit and tie on, no less.

Took my dogs out for a "tractor walk" on my new trails before going to work. One trail was cut through wet land and cattails. I drove on it just last night. Today I sank.

The front wheels are completely buried. The backs are about 8" in. Mud all around. The R4's are completely slick with mud and useless. Fooled with the bucket but that just slops mud around.

Decided to come home. Am about to go out, and do what, I don't know. I have no experience, no winch, no chains, no trees or solid ground nearby, no rugged vehicle, and hardly any tools. I do have a 6"x6" and some sheets of plywood and logs.

Wife's out of town. I think I will take the cell phone for the first time. Don't even have a camera; she took that.

Here I go ... incompetence tackles adversity.