How do you park your tractor?

MarcusCarr · Feb 8, 2006

I just parked my tractor in neutral, FEL in the float position and the backhoe retracted (like it is when driving around).

How should I park the tractor?
Is it ok that the backhoe is in the up position?

Now that I think about it, I park the cars in first gear...tractors are probably the same.

Thanks,
Marcus

thcri · Feb 8, 2006

Do you have a hydro or gear transmission. I have hydro, I am always park on level ground and I use my parking brake.

As far as your back hoe or loader I think they both would settle down after a while anyway. Another thing to think about is safety. I would not leave any implement up for some kid to come along and either play with the controls or get under the implement and have it leak down.

murph

Toolguy · Feb 8, 2006

It all depends on the grade level of the ground you are parking on. If there is no chance that the tractor will roll away, then neutral is OK. With a gear drive tractor on a light incline low gear should be OK. With a Hydro drive the parking brakes should be set as the hydro will not hold it. As far as the FEL and BH up or down, I would want them to be in a postion where, if kids were around and they could get on the tractor and move the levers, nothing would move if the control levers were moved.

hudr · Feb 8, 2006

The ground under my shed is sloped. I back the tractor in as far as I can (depending on what is hanging off the 3PH), lower the FEL to the ground, 3PH all the way down, set the brake and put all gear levers in neutral and yank the kill knob. I was brought up to never park anything in gear. This was I think mainly because we had a couple of tractors on the farm that had to be cranked w/ a screwdriver across the solenoid. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

QRTRHRS · Feb 8, 2006

Putting the tractor in gear is a good idea although on level ground and with the FEL down, it becomes a moot point. Perhaps though, nuetral is a better choice. Years ago, while a fire was consuming a building, the owner's JD track loader started up and proceded to drive out of the building after the fire shorted the wireing out /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Remember: Safety first! The backhoe or any attachment should be lowered to the ground. Way back when I was first taught how to operate equipment, it was always stressed to release any hydraulic pressure. IE; drop your loader, backhoe,etc. to the ground, shut off the machine then work your hydraulic controls back and forth to release any pressure.

SnoFalls · Feb 8, 2006

(
Remember: Safety first! The backhoe or any attachment should be lowered to the ground. Way back when I was first taught how to operate equipment, it was always stressed to release any hydraulic pressure. IE; drop your loader, backhoe,etc. to the ground, shut off the machine then work your hydraulic controls back and forth to release any pressure. )
this is very good advice if "kids" are around that *will* "play with the levers" ... sally may just drop that boom on johnny.

beenthere · Feb 8, 2006

Good habits are 'good' to develop and lowering all hyd equipment is a good habit. The manual will very likely point that out as well as say to always use the parking brake. Even for a car it is a good habit. Park or 'in gear' doesn't always do it.
Might even be your own 'toes' or body underneath when inadvertent on-looker (not even a kid) would get curious about the controls on the tractor and 'play' with the joy stick. Boom! down it goes. Whoops, didn't mean to do that! Ouch! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

DavesTractor · Feb 8, 2006

Here is how not to park one....

Cliff_Johns · Feb 8, 2006

( Is it ok that the backhoe is in the up position? )

I'd be suprised if your hoe didn't have a pin that is to be inserted when in transport mode so the hoe isn't hanging on the hydraulics. The pin should be in when the tractor is parked. This keeps the hoe from slowly droping to the ground.

If you have no such pin, and there is no place for one, then you should park the tractor with the bucket on the ground.

Cliff

3RRL · Feb 8, 2006

Mine is parked on level ground inside a temporay car port, dirt floor. I always lower the FEL and the 3pt attachment. Nuetral and parking brake. Shut of the gas valve. My backhoe is laid out "flat" when taken off the tractor, but when I leave it on for the next day's work, I don't lower it. I keep it raised and tucked and latch lock it into position with the hitch pins. They are plenty strong as I've tried to lower the boom having forgotten to take them out and it will not move.

RoyJackson · Feb 9, 2006

In gear, brake off, all implements down. My tractor is a manual transmission.

beenthere · Feb 9, 2006

My Uncle parked his that way (brake off, in gear) and my cousin was playing 'tractor' and popped it out of gear at age 4. Away he went, with the tractor. He rode it quite a ways before it ran into some bushes and 'all was well' with no-one hurt.
I usually only store mine on the level in the shed, so no brake on. But with hydro, get into the habit of pulling it whenever outside the shed.

RoyJackson · Feb 9, 2006

No kids here, and the tractor is normally in a garage, so this is safe.

I rarely stop or park on a slope, but if I do, I'll chock the tires

HGM · Feb 9, 2006

( Here is how not to park one.... )

Dave,
Just looks to me like they're doing a L/R axle seal..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

RalphVa · Feb 9, 2006

In the garage, it's in an HST gear with the FEL and 3 ph down. No parking brake, same as my truck or car in the garage.

Any other time that I stop it, I apply the parking brake, same as my truck or car here in hilly Virginia. The safest thing to do, if you can kill it is to stop it in gear. If you must have it running like for using the PTO for a shredder/chipper, I lower the FEL with the digging edge down but not straight down, at a going-forward-slope down.

Ralph

Youare · Feb 9, 2006

99.5% of the time the tractor is parked in the barn, the car or truck have to brave the elements. If there is anything connected to the 3PH that is lowered and most of the time the FEL is lowered with the bucket resting flat on the floor.

Being a gear drive whatever gear it was in it stays in. When parking it outside in between use the parking brake is engauged and the FEL and 3PH are lowered. Also the throttle is in the lowest RPM position and the PTO is dis-engauged.

Randy

Farmwithjunk · Feb 9, 2006

The Deere has a "park" built into the tranny. Won't start without being there, so it STOPS in park too.

Massey is gear too, but will roll if there's a 1/4" incline. Never seen any tractor roll so easy. It gets brakes locked, in gear, and some thought given to where it's parked. (No hills, no new car in front of it)

Little Deere (lawn mower) is hydrostat, and is almost impossible to move without engine running. No need for brakes OR park.

All three get parked in a shed with a LOCKING door. Kids will do things to tractors that adults don't expect. I don't like that sort of suprise.

PineRidge · Feb 9, 2006

Put the tractor in neutral if its a gear model, and set the parking brake. Don't do like me and leave the key in it.

If your BH has a boom and swing lock, then I would use them. If not set the boom on the ground or it's going to settle down regardless. I also recommend tying the stabilizers in the up position so you don't try to back out of the barn once they have settled overnight and acidentially end up modifing the door opening. Don't ask me how I found out about the latter issue. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

3RRL · Feb 9, 2006

PineRidge,
Good point about the stabilizers leaking down. I should install a pin & lock for them. I know what you're talking about...don't ask me how I knew that. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

flwiii · Feb 9, 2006

I park my 2305 on a concrete slab, FEL on the ground, not locked in float, box blade on ground, parking brake engaged, HST in Neutral. Oh and a breathable cover over the whole works.