Close call with FEL

[Dave M7040]

Thought I should share this close call with others.
I have a new M7040 with cab and FEL. Rear tires are ballasted.
I was moving fill from my farm to my brother's home a short distance down a paved road.
I wanted to pile the fill on some tarps to make clean up easier.
The tarps are heavy. The first one was rolled up, a strap placed around the middle of it and connected to a hook on my bucket.
The tarp hung down so the bucket had to be high to prevent it dragging on the road.
When I realized I would need a second tarp, I had a bright idea to save one trip. I would fill the bucket with fill and then repeat the same procedure by attaching the second rolled up tarp via a strap to the hook on my bucket.
Again I had to have the bucket high to keep the tarp from dragging. However, now I had 2/3 of a cu yard of fill in the bucket.
As I reached my brother's home I deviated from my plan of leaving the paved road at right angles because I was focused on where I wanted to place the second tarp.
I left the road at an angle and the lawn is below the paved road. Remember the full bucket is about 7' high.
Suddenly the tractor was up on two wheels and about to roll. It did not roll but not because of any great skill on my part.
For years I had an old Nuffield 465 with a FEL. The tractor probably weighted twice what the kubota did and its center of gravity was low enough to tolerate stupid moves.
I feel foolish and very lucky!
Dave M7040

 

[kennyd]

Good story Dave, thanks sharing!

As you found out, luckily not the hard way that having ballasted tires is not sufficient for FEL use, great for traction and stability but not to transfer weight off of the front axle onto the rear.

 

[rekees4300]

Thanks for sharing that Dave. The only time I raise the FEL high is on level ground moving slowly with lite bucket weight contents. My tractor is only 3,000 lbs. so it wouldn't take much sideways high weight to act as a lever to roll it.

 

[Fawken]

Glad all is OK. About the only good thing from a roll over with the FEL up high is the FEL will prevent a a complete roll over, but it would still be painful.

 

[Wagtail]

Thank you for sharing, Mate. Blokes telling their experiences here on TBN are a reminder to us all.

 

[AaronS]

Glad it didn't turn out worse!

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Hopefully your heart rate has dropped back to normal! You would think these 4wd traxtors would have a little better setup for loader operations since so many of them are sold this way. Don't feel bad though, I have managed to get my loaded rears off the ground even with almost 2klbs of counterweight.

 

[k0ua]

I know of no better way to turn a tractor over than traveling at some speed with a loaded FEL up high. It is the perfect method. If you are going to have a loaded FEL up high you need to be creeping, not traveling. And turning needs to be like a snail.

 

[big bubba]

when doing fel work attach something on 3ph like box blade or heavier. having balasted rear tires is not enough.... no brainer. glad you made it through safely.

 

[rmk700]

Slamming that bucket down as fast as possible has saved me a couple of catastrophe's. My hand is on the bucket lever all the time when in them situations.