My first tractor operating scare

[Cityboyfarmer]

Had the new tractor for 9 days now. This is my first experience operating a loader. I was digging out a hill next to my basement for a retaining wall, learning to operate the loader. Well, I start getting it figured out how to scoop up a full bucket of dirt and begin gaining confidence, working a little faster and having a blast. I was dumping the dirt about 150 feet away, on a very slight hill. At one point as I approached the rapidly growing dirt pile with the loader raised to the top of the 4' high pile, my left front wheel rode slightly up the pile and the tractor tilts to the right, lifting the left rear wheel off the ground! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I clutched and braked immediately, the tractor rocked a couple of times and stablized. I dumped the dirt, lowerd the loader and slowly backed away. Scared the stew outta me! 'bout had to go change my drawers!

Newbie loader lesson #1: Slow and easy on even the slightest grade with a loaded bucket.

Anyone care to share one of their close calls with this very humbled newbie? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[firtol88]

Lotta them here

 

[DannyD]

slow, easy, and LOW with the bucket. You were fine till you moved the center of gravity with your bucket. glad you stayed on top of the situation

 

[MFL]

City,

Keep it slow and LOW. Hard won knowledge.

 

[DmansPadge]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( City,

Keep it slow and LOW. Hard won knowledge. )</font>

Oooouch! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[JDFANATIC]

Cityboy,

Semper Fi! Beware especially the newer generations of tractors; they are lighter (cheaper too) and ballast becomes even more of an issue (although previous generation tractors could be too). Load the tires, and keep that bucket as low as you possibly can. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[stevenf]

I got one for ya, I was replacing soil on the top of my Lake dam today and as I was backing back off the dam the last flood we had undermined the edge and the bank caved in the tractor lurched over towards the creek and thankfully some trees kept it upright long enough to spend the rest of the afternoon with a hand operated shovel /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif digging out the dam on the high side under the tractor wheels to get it back on 4 wheels solidly enough to move it. My honey came to help and she gave me the look more than once and eventually asked me if there was anything to be learned from this my only, granted weak response was Thank God for seatbelts because I'm sure I'da ended up in the creek first and probably wearing the tractor as a hat second. The tractor is a M9000 with urethane filled tires and a box blade mounted on the back for ballast plus a 84" loader bucket filled so I'm sure I weighed every bit of 15,000lbs when I road along that creek bank. I'm sure what she was really thinking was a more ranch like response like "Jack#**.
Steve

 

[skivt]

About day number 5 of owning my tractor, I volunteered to spread out a pile of fill for my neighbor. Up until now, I had only moved mulch so this load was far heavier. The grade was slightly downhill and there is a telephone pole I kept maneuvering around. As I creep down the hill to place a load, the right front tire drops in some soft fill I had just spread and the left rear tire started rising off the ground. I look right because I am sure I am going to roll over and what do I see....the darn telephone pole. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Not only am I going to roll, but this ROPS is useless here because my body is aimed at the pole next to me. As the tractor continues to tip, I panic and throw my right foot out to place against the telephone poll. I push with all my might and the tractor stops tipping. Quickly, I drop the bucket and roll it to empty some weight. Now, I slowly back up and all the while, keep staring at the pole. My neighbor was just as scared as I so we took a moment and had a frosty adult beverage. Not a fun story to tell my wife. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Note to Self and other TBN neophytes:
Do not go across a hill, down or up, with a load in the bucket. If you have to bring the dirt across a downhill, make a pile close by and push it the rest of the way with a rear blade.

I really like my GC2300 but it is probably too powerful for its small size and weight.

skivt

 

[gabby]

When you feel it starting to tip with a loaded bucket the best thing you can do is drop the bucket to the ground.
gabby

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Hey Gabby! Where in Georgia are you?

In the situation I was in, the bucket was over the dirt pile when I began to tip. I believe had I dropped the bucket onto the 4' high dirt pile, given the contour of the ground, and the position I was in, it would have tipped me on over.

I agree in most cases dropping the bucket would be the best course of action.