Man killed in tractor accident

[CurlyDave]

Many/most tractors a) have more pull going forwards b) have more lift capacity on the 3pt than on the FEL.
It is a lot safer pulling from the drawbar than the FEL bucket.

A lot of this depends on what you are calling a "drawbar". A true drawbar attaches under the differential and has no lifting capability at all. It also is designed to help prevent overturns when making a hard pull.

The item which is attached to your 3-pt hitch with a tow ball on it is called a "towbar". While you have lifting capability with a towbar, you have no protection against rear overturns, and it is far more dangerous to attempt to pull a stump with a towbar than by pulling in reverse with the FEL.

If you keep the bucket low, I feel the only potential problems in pulling in reverse with the FEL is lower traction and damage to the FEL arms. If you have the bucket high, a forward tip over is a real possibility, but will end when the bucket hits the ground.

 

[Don87]

Many/most tractors a) have more pull going forwards b) have more lift capacity on the 3pt than on the FEL.
It is a lot safer pulling from the drawbar than the FEL bucket.

A lot of this depends on what you are calling a "drawbar". A true drawbar attaches under the differential and has no lifting capability at all. It also is designed to help prevent overturns when making a hard pull.

The item which is attached to your 3-pt hitch with a tow ball on it is called a "towbar". While you have lifting capability with a towbar, you have no protection against rear overturns, and it is far more dangerous to attempt to pull a stump with a towbar than by pulling in reverse with the FEL.

If you keep the bucket low, I feel the only potential problems in pulling in reverse with the FEL is lower traction and damage to the FEL arms. If you have the bucket high, a forward tip over is a real possibility, but will end when the bucket hits the ground.

That's what some of these guys probably thought also: YouTube - Tractor-Truck-Car CRASH VOL2

 

[Don87]

Thats what this thread was about: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/safety/183762-how-kill-yourself-without-knowing.html

 

[CurlyDave]

Don:

Exactly where in that YouTube slideshow is a picture of an overturn caused by pulling backwards with and FEL? I watched the first 3 minutes and did not see anything like that, but I did get bored with it. Can you please give me a timestamp where there is such an image?

Similarly, the thread referenced has a lot of argument about reaction times, but no pictures of an actual turnover caused by pulling from the FEL. Can you narrow this down a little for us by referring to a post number with the thread?

 

[TGF]

So far I haven't done anything other than remove a bit of paint from the bucket. I was going to have some clevis style hooks welded on the bucket for anchoring a chain I have. If I were to do some pulling going forwards I am guessing this would be what I would want?

DRAWBAR CLEVIS HOOK - Ford N Tractor Parts - Parts for Ford N Series Tractors, 8N, 2N, and 9N Series.

The primary reason I pull logs out with the FEL, is I like to keep the RC on the tractor and once we get the big stuff out we grind up all the sub 2 inch stuff and keep moving on. Makes a pretty nice path.

 

[Don87]

Don:

Exactly where in that YouTube slideshow is a picture of an overturn caused by pulling backwards with and FEL? I watched the first 3 minutes and did not see anything like that, but I did get bored with it. Can you please give me a timestamp where there is such an image?

Similarly, the thread referenced has a lot of argument about reaction times, but no pictures of an actual turnover caused by pulling from the FEL. Can you narrow this down a little for us by referring to a post number with the thread?

On that video, it was the dozer going over forward. The blade didn't stop it.
Pull any way you desire, just keep in mind 2 things.

1) It only takes 1 second to die from a flipover.

2) While you may be experienced in proper procedures, theres an awful lot of 'new' operators coming in here on a daily basis that have never operated equipment of any kind.


So to make a general statement of 'pulling with the bucket high', may not be in the best interest of all viewers of this forum.

 

[Boeing]

I'm one of those "new operators" that you mention and I thank each and every one of you who may help keep my dumb asp alive.
I am planning on pulling some small stumps and downed trees out of the woods and after reading that news article about the falling tree.....
With that in mind have any of you made or bought a "limb deflector" (my term) to attach or go over your cockpit. Kinda like a "bimini top" on a boat?
maybe 1" tubing with cross bars and a plywood cover.....or....a plexiglass top from a junked firebird or camaro....something to deflect falling branches and limbs. Most likely a falling TREE would cancel your ticket.:ashamed:
Thanks for the input. Rob

 

[TripleR]

I'm one of those "new operators" that you mention and I thank each and every one of you who may help keep my dumb asp alive.
I am planning on pulling some small stumps and downed trees out of the woods and after reading that news article about the falling tree.....
With that in mind have any of you made or bought a "limb deflector" (my term) to attach or go over your cockpit. Kinda like a "bimini top" on a boat?
maybe 1" tubing with cross bars and a plywood cover.....or....a plexiglass top from a junked firebird or camaro....something to deflect falling branches and limbs. Most likely a falling TREE would cancel your ticket.:ashamed:
Thanks for the input. Rob

Yep, we have one on our Massey Ferguson 375.

 

[Boeing]

How did you build that? Anyone have any building ideas or sites to get one? I can envision attaching to the top of the ROPS and an arm brace going up each side.....would that get in the way climbing on and off the tractor? photos? instructions?
thanks:thumbsup:

 

[TripleR]

How did you build that? Anyone have any building ideas or sites to get one? I can envision attaching to the top of the ROPS and an arm brace going up each side.....would that get in the way climbing on and off the tractor? photos? instructions?
thanks:thumbsup:

The one on our Massey Ferguson came off of an old Case belonging to a neighbor who didn't want it any more. They can be found in rural areas on old tractors or tractor salvage yards. We made a top for one of our Mules by taking a piece of sheet metal and bending it to fit. It doesn't look too good, but it keeps the limbs off your head.

 

[doall]

Cool pictures on that slide show Don. I don't want any part of that. How fast do they drive their tractors on the road over there? (head on two tractors) huh.

 

[greenyanmar]

One of the things to keep in mind when pulling with a chain is the point at which the chain is hooked to the tractor and also the stump or whatever is being pulled. Hook the chain/cable well below the center line of the rear axle.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I've been hooking the tree about a foot up, running the chain under the back blade, and hooking to the tow bar attached under the rear axle.

Haven't had any indication of it trying to flip, front tires are both staying firmly on the ground and digging in.

 

[beppington]

I've been hooking the tree about a foot up, running the chain under the back blade, and hooking to the tow bar attached under the rear axle.

Haven't had any indication of it trying to flip, front tires are both staying firmly on the ground and digging in.

Hmmm, I don't think that is the same as hooking below the rear axle, but I think the box blade should keep you from going over backwards anyway.

 

[tractchores]

I don't think pulling with the FEL is any safer. I've done some of that trying to maneuver logs out of tight spots and found that it is VERY easy to end up on 3 wheels if you're not really careful. The problem with the FEL is its easy to not be exactly inline with what you're pulling, so your risk isn't a front flip over, but a sideways flip. I always do any pulling in low range and at a crawl, so that when tires come off the ground I can stop and reverse the motion. For serious stuff I use the built in drawbar in the rear, though I have pulled some big things with the 3 pt drawbar (when I needed lift). In those cases I went incredibly slow, and stopped if the wheels came off the ground at all. You definitely need a ROPS and a healthy respect for the forces involved when operating this type of equipment. My biggest fear is of a chain breaking and whipping back.

 

[sparc]

My biggest fear is of a chain breaking and whipping back.

You are better off with a chain than a tow strap; synthetic sling; or wire rope, as all will stretch and they WILL whip back at you hard. Any energy pent up in a chain pretty much falls away when it breaks. There is not much stretch in a chain. You could try hanging a weight or short length of chain wrapped around the pull chain somewhere near halfway between the tractor/pulling vehicle and the load. If the chain (or strap) did break the weight will drop to the ground and slow or absorb any recoil.

 

[tractchores]

You are better off with a chain than a tow strap; synthetic sling; or wire rope, as all will stretch and they WILL whip back at you hard. Any energy pent up in a chain pretty much falls away when it breaks. There is not much stretch in a chain. You could try hanging a weight or short length of chain wrapped around the pull chain somewhere near halfway between the tractor/pulling vehicle and the load. If the chain (or strap) did break the weight will drop to the ground and slow or absorb any recoil.

Thats why i switched to chain, after a few broken straps. The chain i use now cold probably be used to lift the tractor, so hopefully isn't possible to break with it though i wouldn't bet on it.

 

[greenyanmar]

I can really appreciate everything you'uns are saying about safety. A little thought to physical forces, directions of pull, alignment, and center of gravity can avert trouble. Knew a young man who died many years ago when he turned a corner with a load lifted high in a FEL bucket. The tractor flipped over and he was crushed. Pushing orchard brush one time with forks on the FEL, I lifted the brush to deposit it on a burn pile. When the brush fork was raised high one of the forks broke off and came down point first and glanced sideways off the cowl of the MF 165 just ahead of the steering wheel. I just sat there for a while and thanked God that it hadn't hit just a little farther back. Those forks were made of heavy wall 2 by 2 steel tube.

 

[NHmitch]

ROPS are a very important safety feature, and I would always look at buying one before making one. There are a lot of people who are killed each year by making homemade ROPS. There are also a few programs out there depending on where you live that may help pay for them. Part of the reason that they should not be manufactured at home is because ROP have stress points that are tested and engineered to have give, and with out these stress points, or improper or to rigid of stress points, you can have catastrophic failure, and crush yourself. You ALWAYS need to wear a seatbelt when you area driving with the ROPS up, and always try to get an OSHA certified ROPS. This is a great article that may make you think twice about making your own. Hercules ROPS - FAQ

Anyways, please stay safe, and I hope that you can purchase ROPS for your tractor, or always air on the side of caution.

When the tractor above flipped backwards, this homemade ROPS tore away at the axle housing, instantly crushing the 14-year-old operator to death. The ROPS was undamaged.
A ROPS is not meant to be rigid and must be able to absorb energy, similar to the crumple zone of a car or a crash helmet. In the event of a roll over, this ability to absorb a discrete amount of energy, while maintaining a zone of clearance or protection, helps to prevent the tractor from pole-vaulting downhill. It also helps to prevent the energy generated from the roll over, from being transferred to the tractor itself. Not only does this lessen the likelihood of major damage to the tractor, more importantly, it reduces the likelihood of serious injury or death, as a consequence of the tractor's being torn apart. Many countries have stringent guidelines for the provision of ROPS, usually called a Standard.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

very . very sad... condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.