Counterweight

[Bird]

Wen, I don't disagree that if you are running fast and something hangs up, things do tend to go downhill in a hurry, but I do have my doubts that the tractor would rear up and go over (assuming your tow chain is properly connected at the drawbar). I know there are a lot of variables, but the B2710 only has a top speed of about 11.9 mph, and remember that when you're running at "top speed", even at full throttle, when you have the HST pedal all the way down, that's like being in the highest gear and I suspect (hope?) you'd stall the engine before it went all the way over backwards, especially since everything stops pretty quickly if your foot comes off that pedal.

I'd bet the poor fellow who got killed in New York was on a geared tractor, in a low gear, giving it plenty of throttle, and either tried to take off too fast, or failed to keep his foot on the clutch pedal when he let it out.
Bird

 

[W5FL]

Bird, I agree completely. Unfortunately you can't pull a pipe from the drawbar. You need two places to fasten it on and that sure sounds like the 3 point. The 3 point MUST be all the way down. If you snagged a pipe there, I wonder if the 3 point would raise up and get you in trouble? Guess I will go fabricate me a hitch for the drawbar that will also hold the pipe securely on both sides.

I thought the main use for the draw bar was to cut the pto shields into two pieces. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Bird]

Wen, why can't you pull a pipe from the drawbar? My neighbor just welded a piece of chain on each end of the pipe, brought the two ends together a ways in front of the pipe, then runs one chain from that to the tractor drawbar.

Bird

 

[W5FL]

It put the chain too close to the tires when you are turning. Just could see the chain caught on a tred and that pipe coming up to get on the tractor with me. But, there has to be a better way of doing it. The pipe drag works so slick and costs nothing. Now if we can just get it tied safely to the tractor.

 

[W5FL]

Now that I actually read what you wrote, I will try it. Thanks...

 

[Bird]

There's no doubt you would need to be very careful on turns. I wrapped a cable around the rear wheel and axle when I turned too short dragging a tree earlier this year. I guess the best thing would be if you had some kind of sleeve or extension you could put on the drawbar to put the pivot point farther behind you.

Bird

 

[ejb]

I think an easy solution for something like pulling a pipe to smooth dirt is to not use anything that won't break easily. Get a few lengths of chain that you would use to attach a dog to a run, real light duty stuff. If it get hung up on something, it breaks, and is also easy fixed with a pair of pliers...just my two cents.

 

[gerard]

Couldn't you also use a straight piece of pipe and run the single length of chain through it, then attach it to the drawbar? That way if you did turn too tight the pipe would hit the tire and it would just keep sliding past instead of the chain catching on the tread.

 

[Bird]

ejb, there's no doubt that would be the safest thing to do, but you might spend a lot of time repairing your chain. I just don't know how well that would work out; interesting thought though.

Bird

 

[Bird]

gerard, maybe I just don't understand your suggestion, but you know you want to drag the pipe crossways behind the tractor, so the chain would still be in front of the pipe and would still catch on the tire treads first. (I think).

Bird