Dumbest Thing you have done with your tractor

[michigander II]

My dad used to build or do finishing work on golf courses. So, we had a lot of time on tractors years ago. I remember when I was about 18 (35 years ago), I was just learning how to load a truck with the loader on front of a backhoe. I was getting pretty good at driving into pile. Lifting loader and backing up at same time, so could keep up with the truck's hauling it. This one time I had filled bucket completely, pulled back on lever to lift loader and started backing up and turning steering wheel to make a turn to allign up with truck when I would put it in forward. Well, I forgot to stop loader at right height and while backing up my one rear wheel drove over a 8 inch rock is all, but my loader was completely as high as it would go. It tipped ever so slowly over, when it was about a 45 degree angle I baled off of the high side and it plopped onto its side. It only bent the bracket on side of loader to tell if bucket was level. It was an experience.
My brother many years later was driving a tractor with a power driven rake behind on the 3pt hitch. It was a hydro tractor and had the tractor going slow with rake spinning behind him. Sometimes we worked on golf courses that had nine holes already and we would put nine more holes in. Well this day there were golf balls all over field the he was raking. And wanting to save the balls he would stop tractor , get out and pick up ball, get back in and again start raking. Well, he decided to make things faster he would step out onto ground while going slow and pick up ball and get back into cab without putting it in neutral. Well, he stepped out of tractor with one foot bent down and missed ball. Before he could grab it again and jump back in the back wheel caught his heel and pulled him out onto ground. The tractor slowly rolled up his leg toward his body. He heard his hip joint come out of socket and had the sense to turn his body so it wouldn't run him completely over. And enough strength to then roll out of the way so the power driven rake wouldn't get him. He was on crutches for about a year. This happened 20 years ago. He now still runs on a regular basis. It did no permanent damage. But could have turned out very BAD. Thank God!

 

[rooftrussman]

d borrowed a bobcat froma neighbor to spread some sand on a volleyball court. I had not used one of this type and was having a hard time coordinating the lift of the bucket. Seems like it was done with the pedals. I had a full bucket and was backing up to another area and forgot to take my foot off the pedal. The sand was soft and about a foot deep so it wasn't too stable.It was at full height and the reason I realized it, the sand started to fall on me. Just about then the machine started to go over but I managed to drop the bucket so it didn't go over. The biggest problem was sand all over the machine. Took a long time to clean it out of the machine. Some times we are luckier than we deserve.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I just took the bottom step off of my porch snowblowing.

Repairs will have to wait until spring.

 

[podagrower]

Rental backhoe, brand new. Had the extend-a-hoe. It leaked fluid from somewhere, so I called the rental yard. The tech came out and I told him it was leaking from inside the extend-a-hoe. He has me move it in every possible combination while he looks for a leak. I lift the bucket up past 90 degrees, the leak becomes apparent as I dump about a gallon of hydraulic fluid on this poor guys head.

 

[Northland]

Trying to drive into the garage with the rops up... twice.

I have done that three times. I have also clipped my garage door frame, my deck and steps with my FEL more then once when clearing snow.

I have wedged my B7800 up against a small maple tree when it slid off the driveway when clearing snow (I have chains on it now).

I recently backed it into a ditch when I missed driving over the culvert. My 4x4 truck couldn't pull it out but the tractor with front and rear chains made it out on their own with help from the FEL.

I have a few more but you get the idea. I use my tractor so things like this happen

 

[davitk]

only dumb thing I've done so far is backed over a soccer ball.... almost had to change my shorts over that one

 

[tomd999]

Hiya,

Hmmmm, the list so far in Dec:

1) Took out downspout from corner of house with the spiffy new snow blade.
2) Pealed about 150 feet of sod from along side of the driveway with the same spiffy blade.
3) Poured about a halfgallon of fuel all over the tractor when my new green funnel from TSC flopped out of the filler neck because the tank filled to the top. ("Dad, are you sure all thats gonna fit?" "Sure will, it's almost empty"....splash)
4) Took the siding off another corner of the house with the spiffy snow blade pushing piles back.
5) Bent the wheel of the broadcast spreader with the ballast box backing into the barn. Ballast box:1, spreader:0
6) Transfered the green paint from the bottom of the ballast box to my driveway when I forgot to raise it while going downhill, now it leaves brown marks.
7) Fell getting off the tractor because of slippery foot deck as a result of diesel residue mixed with snow.
8) Took out about 50 feet of sprinkler line with spiffy new snow blade.
9) Attempted to take out my 10"x10" granite mailbox post with ballast box while turning around, it was a draw but both have battle scars...
10) Moved the rear deck about 8" to the left pushing snow piles back so we could get to the wood shed easier.
11) Managed to move temp shelter also to the left while pushing yet another pile O' snow.

Stay tuned, Decembers not over yet, I still have another day to whip up some more "stupidity in action"

Tom

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Hiya,

Hmmmm, the list so far in Dec:

1) Took out downspout from corner of house with the spiffy new snow blade.
2) Pealed about 150 feet of sod from along side of the driveway with the same spiffy blade.
3) Poured about a halfgallon of fuel all over the tractor when my new green funnel from TSC flopped out of the filler neck because the tank filled to the top. ("Dad, are you sure all thats gonna fit?" "Sure will, it's almost empty"....splash)
4) Took the siding off another corner of the house with the spiffy snow blade pushing piles back.
5) Bent the wheel of the broadcast spreader with the ballast box backing into the barn. Ballast box:1, spreader:0
6) Transfered the green paint from the bottom of the ballast box to my driveway when I forgot to raise it while going downhill, now it leaves brown marks.
7) Fell getting off the tractor because of slippery foot deck as a result of diesel residue mixed with snow.
8) Took out about 50 feet of sprinkler line with spiffy new snow blade.
9) Attempted to take out my 10"x10" granite mailbox post with ballast box while turning around, it was a draw but both have battle scars...
10) Moved the rear deck about 8" to the left pushing snow piles back so we could get to the wood shed easier.
11) Managed to move temp shelter also to the left while pushing yet another pile O' snow.

Stay tuned, Decembers not over yet, I still have another day to whip up some more "stupidity in action"

Tom

I sounds like that spiffy new snow blade is out to get you.

 

[Northland]

Hiya,

Tom

thanks for sharing all that Tom-I don't feel so bad about my dumb moments anymore. Trying to do finesse work with implements seems to be a problem for most of us

 

[GinNB]

Hiya,

Hmmmm, the list so far in Dec:
.....
Stay tuned, Decembers not over yet, I still have another day to whip up some more "stupidity in action"

Tom

I think I'd be hiring someone to do my plowing for me. It'd be cheaper because _they_ would have to pay for all the damaged stuff.

But then no stories for us though... Keep plowing and keep a journal!