I discovered a safety issue concerning parts being "rusted-in" pretending to actually be fastened in.
On my tractor, the pin that holds the drawbar in was lost at some unkown point, but the drawbar was rusted-in solidly enough to give the feel that it was securely attached.
I was using the tractor to move my boat around. At one point, I was backing it downhill down the driveway. Everything seemed fine and then all of a sudden, the drawbar came un-stuck and the boat lurched a couple of feet only to come up short courtesy of the safety chain. I had hooked it onto the 3-pt arm of the tractor just to keep it from dragging on the ground, never dreaming it would be an issue moving around the yard so slowly.
Never did find the pin, but now I check to make sure the pin and cotter is still in place every time I connect a trailer on either the truck or the tractor.
- Rick
