FEL funny predicament

[ovrszd]

I decided to pull an unused electric pole. First used the 3pt to get it almost out of the ground. Then chained it to my FEL bucket at the top of the bucket and around the bottom of the bucket. Lifted it completely out of the ground. Then discovered the situation I had put myself into. Take a look at the picture. Can you see the upcoming problem???

 

[Diamondpilot]

Just put it back in the ground.

I think we have all been there done that one or something similar. time to get out the chain saw.

Chris

 

[bill in ny]

if there is a tall tree neerby, lean the pole against it. then you can get your loader off it. after that just put a chain around the butt and slowly pull it out of the tree.

 

[ovrszd]

Heheheh. I wanted to salvage the pole so didn't go for the chain saw method. I unchained it intact.

 

[ovrszd]

if there is a tall tree neerby, lean the pole against it. then you can get your loader off it. after that just put a chain around the butt and slowly pull it out of the tree.

Right on the money Bill. That's exactly what I did. The wife stood on the deck with her hands on her hips, shaking her head.

 

[Redneck in training]

Wow. That is precarious. How did you get out of it? I would just stand the pole straight up and balance it so it would have tendency to fall forward or a side. Then get behind the bucket and let the chain go to let it fall. Or I would put it back to the hole and found another way to get it out.

 

[jinman]

Do you mean you can't drive under the power line?

You might drop the end to the ground and then drive forward while turning left or right to get the butt end clear of the tractor, but setting the butt end back into the hole a foot deep or so will give you more positive control. Just be sure that top doesn't come back toward the tractor.

 

[ovrszd]

Do you mean you can't drive under the power line?

You might drop the end to the ground and then drive forward while turning left or right to get the butt end clear of the tractor, but setting the butt end back into the hole a foot deep or so will give you more positive control. Just be sure that top doesn't come back toward the tractor.

I couldn't drive under the power line. that's when I realized my problem was more serious. The picture doesn't quite clarify, but the pole is slightly at an angle on the bucket with the bottom end outside the front tire. When I would sit the bottom end of the pole on the ground the opposite rear tire would instantly come off the ground. I used Bill's solution and parked the pole in a tree, unchained and then dragged the pole out of the tree by the bottom end. The wife wasn't very proud right then because her prize flower garden was under that tree.

 

[MJPetersen]

since everything worked out it is a laughable matter, but it could have ended differently. Glad that you "figured it out."

Mike

 

[LBrown59]

I saw this problem as soon as I read these words in your first post ( Then chained it to my FEL bucket at the top of the bucket and around the bottom of the bucket. Lifted it completely out of the ground. ) and way before I ever saw the photo.

that's when I realized my problem was more serious. The picture doesn't quite clarify, but the pole is slightly at an angle on the bucket with the bottom end outside the front tire. When I would sit the bottom end of the pole on the ground the opposite rear tire would instantly come off the ground.

This is really scarry
This would make me FEEL Funny too. ever heard of ballast or counter balance?
If the pole had been much heavier or the rear of the tractor much lighter or some combination of both you would have instantly flipped the tractor when you did this Lifted it meaning the pole completely out of the ground.
You are one lucky dude dude.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Right on the money Bill. That's exactly what I did. The wife stood on the deck with her hands on her hips, shaking her head.

That brings back many memories. My wife said why do you want a tractor? Of course my response was so we could get a place with some land. She then said why do we need land? I said so I can get a tractor. Either way I won that fight. Just will never win the war!

Its a guy thing.

Chris

 

[ovrszd]

I saw this problem as soon as I read these words in your first post ( Then chained it to my FEL bucket at the top of the bucket and around the bottom of the bucket. Lifted it completely out of the ground. ) and way before I ever saw the photo.
This is really scarry
This would make me FEEL Funny too. ever heard of ballast or counter balance?
If the pole had been much heavier or the rear of the tractor much lighter or some combination of both you would have instantly have flipped the tractor when you did this Lifted it meaning the pole completely out of the ground.
You are one lucky dude dude.

Luck has nothing to do with it LB. Didn't need ballast because the pole wasn't that heavy. Problem was simply that I couldn't lay the pole on the ground.

 

[jimmyj]

Its a guy thing.

You said it! That was a very interesting "project" you did there. What are you going to do with the pole now?

 

[bill in ny]

if you have to do this again, try what i do. raise your bucket five or six feet. then go around the pole, hitting it with the loader enough to loosen the butt a little. then lower your bucket to about a foot off of the ground. put the chain in one of your hooks and the other end around the pole at ground level. slowly lift the pole a foot or two. then go forward a little. lower your bucket and the chain again, and repeat untill the pole is out.

 

[bcp]

Tractor jousting!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB4LIjit1fQ


YouTube - Lawn Tractor Jousting

Bruce

 

[SPYDERLK]

I decided to pull an unused electric pole. First used the 3pt to get it almost out of the ground. Then chained it to my FEL bucket at the top of the bucket and around the bottom of the bucket. Lifted it completely out of the ground. Then discovered the situation I had put myself into. Take a look at the picture. Can you see the upcoming problem???

Doesnt look too bad if no wind. Put afew hundred pounds on the back of the tractor so you can steer. Get away drom the power line. Set its end down and make small jockey movements to bring it near vertical and slacken chain hookup. Climb up and clamp visegrips to the bucket lip on each side of it and then unhook the slack chain. Very slowly push it away using bucket dump. Back up when it starts to fall.
larry

 

[RPW]

Another thing you can do "very carefully" is to reposistion pole to between the front wheels and as you're lowering it to the ground laying the pole straight ahead is to move slowly forward which puts the pole under the tractor. This is assuming you have enough counter weight of the tractor to not tip forward. This does work "ended up having to do this myself". The main problem is the butt of the pole being to big to slide under the tractor and if you get to fast or careless you can damage your tractor.

 

[jinman]

Well, once you get the pole on the ground and you need to carry it, this is how I'd do it. You can just smile and wave to your wife as you drive by.

 

[wedge40]

Well, once you get the pole on the ground and you need to carry it, this is how I'd do it. You can just smile and wave to your wife as you drive by.

I have a female co-worker who would say that's LPS.
(Little Pe*** Syndrome)
Wedge

 

[Redneck in training]

You said it! That was a very interesting "project" you did there. What are you going to do with the pole now?

Here is what I did. Local utility replaced all poles in my fence line. Because I didn't cause any trouble or had demands they gave me all the poles. Since they had the machines there I asked them to sink the tallest back in ground in squeare 9 ft on center. I will build wild life observation platform later on.