Ever Drive Your Tractor on 3 Wheels?

hobbyfarm · Nov 18, 2004

Today, on the way home, I think I saw firsthand the most ridiculus and unsafe act a I've seen in a long time.

I'm sitting here, just before 5:00pm, at a redlight. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif I'm in the right-hand lane traveling south, my wife goes "wow, look at that!" /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Here comes this guy on a city-owned Case 580 Loader-Backhoe [traveling east in the left turn lane, and made a left turn to travel north] in a hurry, as though he needed to get back to the city yard by 5:00.
Here's what was odd - the left front tire was flat and was apparently driven half off the wheel. Somehow they had blocked, chained, or locked the axle up so the left wheel was off the ground by about 6 inches or so. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif After the turn, soon as he could, there you go again, full throttle again! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You know, I've driven and operated a couple of TLB's over the years and on the road they just about always can be counted on to start the rocking back and forth occasionally. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gifWhen they do, they don't exactly  feel safe on four wheels. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Now, think about that going on while driving on 3 wheels, in traffic.
I know, I know, not quite as cool as the two forklifts, or the one driving off the dock with some type of bomb, or even those homemade scaffolds, but this wasn't bad.

Moral of the story: I looked at my wife and told her, "I've got to get a camera!"
phil

JimR · Nov 18, 2004

I drove my old Ford 8N down the road with a missing front wheel and spindle once. I had just moved a large boulder using the loader After dropping off the rock the left front wheel and lower part of the spindle just fell off. The spindle had broken in half. I had a backhoe on the tractor and it was very easy to drive it back home 300 yards where I could replace the spindle. Was it safe? As far as I was concerned it was at slow speed. You should try driving a snowmobile with one ski if you want to have some fun.

hobbyfarm · Nov 18, 2004

Sorry,
Never even seen a snowmobile.
phil

beenthere · Nov 19, 2004

Probably could chain the axle to the loader, and lift it up, then steer with the other wheel.
Gotta do what ya gotta do to git home before quittin' time. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I suspect it didn't shimmy much or the driver wouldn't have gotten up much speed with it on '3' wheels.
Maybe it even steered better with one front wheel. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

"rediculous and unsafe" ?
Maybe, or maybe not for him. But apparently something you wouldn't care to do. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

hobbyfarm · Nov 19, 2004

Howdy beenthere,
While I agree that you can "get by" on 3 wheels for a short distance at a reasonable speed. But this guy (a city employee on City-Owned, radio-equipped equipment) was driving it flat out on a busy 5 lane city street.
By the way, no chain, in fact, no visible means of support holding up axle. For all intents and purposes, it kind of reminded me of the old 60's Citroëns that you could pneumatically raise a flat tire.

These are the kinds of stunts that raise everyone's insurance.

And it just goes to show you: In the circus of life, you can find someone to do almost anything!

Junkman · Nov 19, 2004

Possibly he was a Graduate of the Joie Chitwood Driving School????? or are you too young to remember Joie??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

frank_f15 · Nov 19, 2004

( Possibly he was a Graduate of the Joie Chitwood Driving School????? or are you too young to remember Joie???
)
darn it JUNKMAN now u ruined my day /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif i do remember joe chitwood at our county fairs, have not thought of that in years. NOW I FEEL OLD /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

KennyV · Nov 19, 2004

Phil…
This is not as ‘unsafe’ as it looks. You can do it with almost any pivot front axle tractor.
Try it with yours… Lift the front end with your loafer, push the right wheel down, place a block between the axle pinch point and the tractor frame, lower the front end. With weight on the rear you could drive it almost anywhere without a problem…

only thing you can not do is turn hard at high speed into the direction of the wheel that is on the ground /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif.

From your description he did his turn just the way anyone could. A 580 with backhoe is NOT going to tip to the front.

I think the guy knew his machine and had the experience to realize what would work /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Before you get into a problem with your tractor … Try this and you will see it not only works but it is very stable. You just need a lot of weight on the rear of the tractor.

I know it looks odd, not what you ‘expect’ to see. It is a very functional way to transport your problem. You can carry the front of most tractors with a blocked pivot axle and a heavy mower on the 3pt /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif. KennyV.

beenthere · Nov 19, 2004

KennyV
Good accounting of the situation, IMO.

This guy did likely save the taxpayer some money. He (maybe) didn't call in with a breakdown, get overtime for coming in late, need a lift to get a ride back to the shop, require a shop truck to go out to the site to repair the rig, etc, etc.

I'd give him a pat on the back if he was in my municipality. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Glad Phil posted this, as it now gives me some ideas if I get stuck in a similar situation. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

gotrocks · Nov 20, 2004

I think it was Chitwood that performed in Atlanta about 50+ years ago.
He offered $500 ? to anyone that would ride with him in one of his stunts.
There was this guy than went down to accept the offer and his wife came running up with an umbrella and beat him over the head and took him back up into the stands. So Joe rode by himself for the stunt.
Anyone else remeber Joe, or how about Jack Kotchman? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif