Have you ever turned over a tractor?

[Defective]

Maybe it's my Northern Ontario upbringing...

The first thing that was driven into my head about using a tractor in the winter (or any time the tires could be stuck...) was to ALWAYS reverse the tractor out of it's parking spot.

 

[Ken]

My neighbor of 45 years borrowed my John Deere 40 to level a truck load of gravel in his driveway.then decided to level a area where a dozer had piled several small trees to be burned and this left a log buried in pile Upon turning and guessing looking to the right. A rear tire climbed up the log and tractor flipped. The steering wheel landed upon his chest killing him quickly.
He was and experanced with tractor use, after this every time I used the tractor would think of this loss and sold cheaply with request for it to be used for parts.
There is not time to decide if should check tilt meter or decide to fasten seat belt. its over.

Good topic most who tipped over unable to give report how it happened.

 

[tallyho8]

Maybe it's my Northern Ontario upbringing...
The first thing that was driven into my head about using a tractor in the winter (or any time the tires could be stuck...) was to ALWAYS reverse the tractor out of it's parking spot.

This is one I never would have thought of, but that might be because in southern Louisiana we have never had a freeze hard enough to freeze tractor tires in the ground.

 

[Defective]

This is one I never would have thought of, but that might be because in southern Louisiana we have never had a freeze hard enough to freeze tractor tires in the ground.

I never admit it's getting cold out until I have to break at least one vehicle out of the ice first thing in the morning.

 

[MJB]

I tipped over an old 1950's era Allis Chalmers WD about 20 years ago. It was a narrow front with an old manual trip manure bucket loader. The hydraulics for the bucket were really poor. It wouldn't stay at any set height, it would either be drifting up or down depending on where you put the control handle. There was no ROPS or seatbelt on the tractor of course. You also needed about four arms to run that tractor properly, one for steering, one for the hydraulics, one for the hand throttle, and one for the hand clutch. The tractor had a foot clutch also, but you needed to use the hand clutch if you wanted the hydraulics to keep working while the clutch was disengaged. I was driving it down a real muddy path through the woods while the bucket was on the upward part of the drifting cycle, when I hit a tree stump with the left rear wheel. Luckily with the soft ground, the tractor tipped very slowly, and I was able to kick it out of gear and get up and stand on top of the right rear wheel while the tractor was tipping. I just stepped off the wheel when it got close enough to the ground. Pretty gracefull if I do say so myself. The tractor only flopped on its side since the loader in the high position wouldn't allow it to roll all the way over. The engine stayed running even while the oil was running out of the filler onto the ground. I had to reach under the tractor to push the magneto stop switch before the engine siezed due to lack of oil. I just used a come-along and chain to a nearby tree to tip it upright again. No permanent damage to tractor or operator. Don't think I'd want to try my luck on that one again though.

 

[3RRL]

I did tip my 55 hp Kama over but not all the way.
A part of my road goes through a ravine. Where the sheer wall goes up one side at about a 45° angle, there was a huge rut forming between that wall and the road. While doing maintenance on the road with a full fel, got the front tire caught in the huge rut and started to go over. The ROPS hit the 45° wall and I was stuck...tipped over, but not completely.

What I learned:
It happened slow motion and surprisingly, the pucker factor was not much more, (at first) than other side slopes I'd been on.
1) That tells me how dangerous side slopes can be before it's too late. It would be hard for me to discern when that point is, so I keep it as level as possible now.

I didn't panic but also did not do anything to counter the tip over....I couldn't think of what to do while I was tipping.
2) Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to immediately lower the fel which hit the side wall on the way down. Forcing the fel lower caused the tractor to straighten slightly. I put on the differential lock and back out while still forcing the fel down.

That move got me backed out of the ditch and straightened out again.
3) Now, I always wear my seat belt even when just driving on the road to my work area. You never know when you're going to need it.

 

[pat32rf]

I haven't tipped the JD4300 but I have had one rear wheel lift off more than once. Each time I was on uneven ground with a load in the FEL and each time dropping the bucket stopped the action.
One day while I was in town my tennant decided to surprise me (back then I had a small Kubota) by moving some big rocks to create more parking space behind the barn (he wanted to store some of HIS vehicles out of sight). Picked up a big rock and backed up, turning sharply so the front wheel would clear a drop-off. But it didn't..Tractor slowly went over onto its side, no ROPS, and he jumped clear. He then ran to get his truck to anchor the tractor so it wouldn't go the rest of the way. When he returned 5 minutes later the little critter was sitting on the FEL bracket and FEL bucket, crushing the seat. Had he dropped the bucket first it might have crushed the hood, but then again if he had dropped the bucket the tractor probably would not have tipped.
Yes, I was surprised when I got home......

 

[zeuspaul]

I haven't tipped the JD4300 but I have had one rear wheel lift off more than once. Each time I was on uneven ground with a load in the FEL and each time dropping the bucket stopped the action.

That was me yesterday. She started to tip and I went flying, jumped and rolled and then looked back to see which way the tractor was rolling so I could quickly get out of the way. Luckily the tractor was still upright. The loaded bucket was about a foot off the ground before tipping and must have stabalized the tractor when it hit ground. I usually have the presence of mind to drop the bucket..this time I didn't. It was late in the day and I was not at my best.

It was a heavily loaded bucket on a a slope and a small depression that the front wheel went into that pushed it to the limit.

My ankle hurts a bit and my shoulder too.

I have gotten pretty good at loading the bucket. I think I'll put a little less dirt in it while working on the slope.

Zeuspaul.

 

[RoyJackson]

That was me yesterday. She started to tip and I went flying, jumped and rolled and then looked back to see which way the tractor was rolling so I could quickly get out of the way.
Zeuspaul.

Your Kubota is a relatively new model with a ROPS. Why on earth would you want to jump off (other then obviously not wearing the seat belt)?

Use that seat belt next time (and everytime).

 

[LoneCowboy]

does anybody out there use a tip meter?

yeah, it's attached to my seat of my pants.
when it puckers, i hit reverse.