A number of years back, around 1990, I rented a small JD I believe it was a model 790 with a York rake and a loader. I was installing a lawn on a house I had just built. The yard sloped a little bit, but nothing to be nervous about. So I was working the topsoil out of a pile I had pushed up out of the way with an old Oliver Cletrac I used to have. I had been at it for a couple of hours when I pushed into the pile and lifted out a good bucket full. I started to back out of the pile as I had just done 50 times before. I cranked the wheel hard left to turn around as I was backing out. That put me parallel to the maximum angle of the slope, which again was not that much, maybe the equivalent of a 2 pitch. I wish I could describe it in percentage but I am not sure how that works. Just about then the right front tire blew because of low tire pressure, allowing it to break the bead at the rim. Well before I could say hot-dam. That machine was on its side and I was about 5 feet out past the top of where the ROPS ended. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gifAlong with some injured pride, I also lost some skin, as somehow my watch got caught on something and it had one of those expandable metal bands on it. Well it sure smarted with that band clear up by my elbow. But it healed OK, and I sustained no other injuries, sans pride. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif But the thing that amazed me is how well that diesel kept running on its side. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gifIt took me a couple of minutes to get organized and turn it off.
At the time I had a 10-ton crane on an old 58 Ford chassis that I picked up at a utility auction. So I fired it up and used a nylon sling to grab the ROPS. Picked it right up in the air and set it back down, the ROPS being a good balance point it went very easy. Dusted it off and could find absolutely nothing wrong with any of the body panels bucket or rake. I then used the bucket and a couple concrete blocks to jack up the front end. Used a piece of rope and a heavy stick to make a tightening band around the tire. I had a compressor we used for the nail gun and one of those kits with an air chuck in it, so I was able to blowup the tire. A little doctoring on me with some first aid cream and the whole adventure was over in half an hour. I finished the job, returned the tractor back to the rental outfit, where it past their inspection with flying colors, so off I went.
Now this tractor only went on its side, not completely over, but I was exceptionally pleased that I didn’t damage it and incur any financial injury as a result. I am sure the ROPS prevented it from continuing to roll, perhaps right onto ME! I did learn two lessons that serve me well to this day. I always use a billy club on all the tires before operation and I take it a little slower just in case. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Someday I will relate the story of when the right brake band broke on the Cletrac just when I need it most! I’ll save it for a special occasion!
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