Fire, tractor

[ruffdog]

About as close as it get.

Scary...you dodged a bullet there. Crazy times with all the storms etc.

 

[MJZ]

Round 2. Fire 1/4 mile from us. Air tankers making runs. That's actually pretty cool...if the county wasn't on fire

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

So sorry to hear about your loss(es). Can be a scary time. Hopefully you can get fairly treated by Ins adjuster and they move quickly. Maybe the dealer can help you determine the cost at the 50ish hr mark so you will be well prepared for the adjusters review. And hopefully the dealer will give you a multiple tractor discount!

 

[mllud]

Your dodging Fires were Dodging Tornados, down south its Hurricanes.
Glad you missed worst damage but that was too close.
A 300' buffer of three-inch grass and fireproof exterior maybe.
Cave dwelling?
Stay safe

 

[MJZ]

Your dodging Fires were Dodging Tornados, down south its Hurricanes.
Glad you missed worst damage but that was too close.
A 300' buffer of three-inch grass and fireproof exterior maybe.
Cave dwelling?
Stay safe

Hang in. There. Tornadoes are serious. I'm thankful we cleared most of the cedars close to house. And thankful we could afford a tractor and mow late last fall.

 

[WinterDeere]

Glad you, your family, and your home all survived that mess. Here's what I'd do:

1. Call insurance company, make a report, ask for someone to call you. I agree, you're going to want to have such a low-hours basically new mahine gone over, to make sure nothing is wrong, esp. given it suddenly sounds different.

2. Pop open and replace air filters. Save the old in case insurance company wants to inpsect. Check all fluids, make sure all is good, but I can't imagine fluids were affected much if plastic bits on tractor survived the heat.

3. Get back to work, while you wait for the insurance company to get around to you. If many were affected worse than you, it might be awhile.

 

[mllud]

This thread has me more concerned about keeping my property trimmed up better. I'm slacking.
About 40 years ago my neighbors brush fire got away and burnt across my property. I watched the volunteer firemen turn and run as it came out of the woods and hit my open field. Three-foot-tall overgrown pasture. I had just bought my property.
How to meet your neighbor!

Even if you're careful with fire your neighbor may not be.

 

[ning]

This thread has me more concerned about keeping my property trimmed up better. I'm slacking.
About 40 years ago my neighbors brush fire got away and burnt across my property. I watched the volunteer firemen turn and run as it came out of the woods and hit my open field. Three-foot-tall overgrown pasture. I had just bought my property.
How to meet your neighbor!

Even if you're careful with fire your neighbor may not be.

My neighbor has near-misses about every other year. As in, sets a burn pile going, it gets away from him, and I'm faced with the dilemma - a, call FD now? or b) go help? or c) wait and see?
I've done (a) twice; once I was very close and already on the tractor so I went (b) and helped; a few weeks ago here it was (c) with me holding my phone and watching through the binoculars...

You know I'm on edge when I see him light something up.

 

[CoyPatton]

Glad you and your family are ok.
As for the tractor, I would assume that the metal throughout the tractor including the engine suffers from fatigue ad the properties would likely have changed from the intense heat you say was present. Get all you can for it from the insurance and buy a different tractor—new or slightly used.

 

[kenhar]

Don't do anything to clean or inspect anything. Leave everything as it is for the insurance adjustor to see the damage firsthand. Any "improvements" you make will cost you. The adjustors' job is to get the company off with as little payout as possible. Dealt with insurance 20 years. Some adjustors have a heart and most don't. The company has the last word. You're a star while paying the premiums on time but the enemy when it's their turn to pay. Been there.

 

[WinterDeere]

Don't do anything to clean or inspect anything. Leave everything as it is for the insurance adjustor to see the damage firsthand. Any "improvements" you make will cost you. The adjustors' job is to get the company off with as little payout as possible. Dealt with insurance 20 years. Some adjustors have a heart and most don't. The company has the last word. You're a star while paying the premiums on time but the enemy when it's their turn to pay. Been there.

Probably good advice, but what can a guy with a "possibly damaged" tractor do to get a reasonable response time out of an adjuster in a wildfire disaster zone? Is there any obligation on the part of the insurance company to actually get around to him, in a reasonable amount of time?

I can't even imagine how I'd get by without the use of my tractor, at this time of year... I'd probably have to rush out and buy or rent another.

I would assume that the metal throughout the tractor including the engine suffers from fatigue ad the properties would likely have changed from the intense heat you say was present.

??? He didn't even mention any plastic on the tractor melting, and in fact we know the wiring and primary electronics must still be okay if it started and ran.

Annealing temperatures for steel and iron are all up above 700°C, way beyond where things like wiring and plastics turn to puddles on the floor. There is no metal fatigue if the plastic bits aren't melted beyond recognition.

 

[Bentrim]

You have not posted pictures of the tractor or the condition of the tractor except you ave started it and it is covered with soot.
1. was any paint burned off?
2. were the tires burned off?
3. Was there any fire or heat damage to the wires, battery, seat, steering wheel, dash, etc.

Years ago when I worked for an ag dealer I had the job of repairing a few burned combines. They were damaged usually around the engine area and took wiring, alternator and sometimes an injection pump. One was so hot it melted a pin hole in an aluminum valve cover, it also heated a three inch shaft and with belts pulling on each end it bent it enough it needed to be pulled and straightened. Most were repaired and went back to work. Some that were "completely" burned had to be junked. They were the ones that burned the tires off, melted all the aluminum around the engine, destroyed the cab etc.
Now for insurance --- well just say they always found a way to not pay the total loss. Usually they would come up with the term betterment. That is the parts destroyed were 10 years old and the parts were replaced with new parts. Yeah right!

 

[Shenandoah MF1760]

If you've filed a claim I wouldn't touch anything involved in the claim.

In regards to the tractor, it's virtually new and there's no possible way to really know how damaged it might possibly be. There may be a seal that's weakened but still holding - for now. Only to fail within a week, a month, or whenever. Who knows what damage is lurking waiting to reveal itself. And I'll bet since you're reporting fire damage that the warranty is now null and void.

I'd insist that the tractor is a total write off and lawyer up if the adjuster/inspector gets his back up.

I've been through a fire and had friends suffer the same. You'll discover or remember things for years that didn't get claimed because you're focused on all the big stuff.

It's good that only things got damaged. Things can be replaced. But generally a fire always costs you and I wouldn't wish one on anyone.

 

[rcrcomputing]

Another voice from Oklahoma...
Total Loss, Barn, house, guest house, Commercial Zero turn, trailers, and the list goes on...
Kioti tractor (may be savable) Yes, there was no stopping that windy wildfire that day..
A reminder to all, get "replacement" insurance, which I had on the house, but not personal.. And likely, we are all "under-insured"...

 

[MJZ]

Update: insurance is coordinating delivery to dealer for inspection.

 

[MJZ]

Another voice from Oklahoma...
Total Loss, Barn, house, guest house, Commercial Zero turn, trailers, and the list goes on...
Kioti tractor (may be savable) Yes, there was no stopping that windy wildfire that day..
A reminder to all, get "replacement" insurance, which I had on the house, but not personal.. And likely, we are all "under-insured"...

Thoughts are with you. Whereabouts are you. We are in Logan Cty

 

[MJZ]

If you've filed a claim I wouldn't touch anything involved in the claim.

In regards to the tractor, it's virtually new and there's no possible way to really know how damaged it might possibly be. There may be a seal that's weakened but still holding - for now. Only to fail within a week, a month, or whenever. Who knows what damage is lurking waiting to reveal itself. And I'll bet since you're reporting fire damage that the warranty is now null and void.

I'd insist that the tractor is a total write off and lawyer up if the adjuster/inspector gets his back up.

I've been through a fire and had friends suffer the same. You'll discover or remember things for years that didn't get claimed because you're focused on all the big stuff.

It's good that only things got damaged. Things can be replaced. But generally a fire always costs you and I wouldn't wish one on anyone.

Great point in Warranty! For sure a question I'm getting answers to!

 

[dodge man]

Another voice from Oklahoma...
Total Loss, Barn, house, guest house, Commercial Zero turn, trailers, and the list goes on...
Kioti tractor (may be savable) Yes, there was no stopping that windy wildfire that day..
A reminder to all, get "replacement" insurance, which I had on the house, but not personal.. And likely, we are all "under-insured"...

Sorry to hear. If nobody was hurt you have that to be grateful for the rest is just stuff but is terrible none the less.

 

[aircommuter]

My brother lost his Kubota that way.

 

[MJZ]

My brother lost his Kubota that way.

So sorry. I trust he is well?