My Stupid Problem

[JoeL4330]

Safety first; help and cellphone standing by. I would try to stabilize the mower ...and/or perhaps use a long pole to snake some lifting straps under body of mower (for plan B). I would disconnect the PTO connection, breaking the u-joint(s) if need be. Mower (as I understand it) is still attached to drawbar and the 3ph is still available, no? It can lift more than the loader, I am guessing, so one could consider chains from mower to 3ph and top link ...need serious ballast in front (in bucket) I would think, but making the tractor-mower one unit, as it were, might make the (self-) extraction easier ...

If not, and the tractor could be separated and moved/retrieved to some solid footing, then perhaps a gin-pole set up will work to lift the mower and move it in the direction of the pull on the gin pole (reason for early attachment of lift-straps ...or use them for the excavator you bring in, which should be able to get to wherever your tractor got to, unlike a wrecker.)

Of course, this is all easier to type than to do. best wishes

 

[farmgirl19]

DT; Thanks for the pics and update. I look forward to hearing "the rest of the story"!

 

[stuckmotor]

All's well that ends well. Thanks for not making us wait till tomorrow for the ending.

 

[DT86]

It sounds to me like the OP knew what he was doing the entire time, he was just sharing his story more than anything.

That is correct. I was sharing pictures and a story, mostly because I thought it was a STUPID PROBLEM to have. I had a plan but did read all the different views, opinions and even judgements.

 

[geko]

I could tell you a story of soccer where the English centre forward used one in Woodhorn pit (where my father worked) only three hours before he was due to appear on the pitch, but it would be totally off-topic.

I'd love to hear that story as I live about 15 miles from Woodhorn!
Not sure if you know it, but it's called Forest Hall?

 

[DT86]

So here are some pictures of the field I mowed.

 

[murphy1244]

How much did you charge that guy?

 

[dave1949]

DT86

Good job, all's well that ends well.

From your last pics, I finally understood what you meant by "clay pit." They dug clay out of there for some use or other in the past it looks like.

 

[farmgirl19]

DT; Pastures look nice, mowed!

 

[dave1949]

Oh, some rock quarrying too!

 

[coobie]

Had I known 4 cell phone pictures and a little story would cause such a fuss.....

I had thought about hauling another M9540 up to where the incident occurred but hated the thought of adding another trip with the trailer up and back if it could be avoided. Then while thinking it over I remembered a friend that has a Dairy Farm not far from where I had been working, call him "BR". Monday night I call him, I explained how I was in need of a little help if he had the time to spare. BR was working on his silage trucks between rain showers and could leave any time I came by. Great news, I wouldn't need to call in the National Guard after all.



View attachment 332115
(BR riding in on his NH TN75)

I left around 3:30pm to head to his place and followed him down the road to the farm. After he looked it over he said the pictures didn't do the hole justice. BR thinks we can simply hook his tractor to mine and force the thing out using brute strength. I didn't think it would work but I was worth a quick try. Just about the time we decide to move on and try something else it begins to rain. Hard.



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View attachment 332120



Now we were on to what was my plan, Plan A.
Unhooking the mower carefully took some thinking. Would I be able get the weight off the hitch pin or will the mower want to keep sliding into the stupid hole? I backed up just enough that I felt the slack come in the hitch, unhooked the hydralics and PTO and pulled the pin with one finger.

Now for Plan A, BR would position his tractor on one side to lift the front end of the machine while on the other side I would lift the rear. As we lift the mower about 2' off the ground we pull backward at the same time about 45 degrees apart the mower will spin 90 degrees towards him. Brilliant.



View attachment 332121



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I reposition my tractor in front of the mower, pulling it by the loader up out of the mud pit and to the barn.



View attachment 332125


Nothing broke, bent or scratched any more than it already was. But I didn't think it would be.

We talked a while about my stupid hole, farming and bad investments. He mentioned his TN75 was the best tractor he'd ever had. We talked about the differences between sync shuttle and hydro shuttle, wet and dry brakes. When he said it was time for him to leave I offered him money. I had soaking wet bills in my hand (had them in my front pocket during the monsoon) but he wouldn't take a dime. "I might be stuck in a hole one day", he said with a smile. "That's fine, call me, I'll be there." I said.

Great story with a GREAT ending.coobie

 

[DT86]

Oh, some rock quarrying too!

Yes, anyone that travels I-81N through SWVA often will recognize the quarry. It has been inactive for a very long time and was most recently used for a party pad by college kids.

 

[scesnick]

I don't know what is worse, the owner who told you to mow it or the folks on here who've never actually retrieved a piece of equipment from a precarious situation telling you how to get it unstuck.

Uhh, People are chiming in on possible ways to retreive his equipement because he asked for the advice to begin with.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

You need to go to the senior center to play bingo or Mcdonalds senior corner and pi$$ off the old farts like yourself.LOL

I wasn't trying to Pi$$ off anyone , Just stating facts "A wrong decision is better than indecision " I believe it was recovered exactly as I suggested !

 

[DT86]

Uhh, People are chiming in on possible ways to retreive his equipement because he asked for the advice to begin with.

No, actually I didn't ask for advice.

 

[coobie]

I wasn't trying to Pi$$ off anyone , Just stating facts "A wrong decision is better than indecision " I believe it was recovered exactly as I suggested !

I got it now GOOD COP,BAD COP theory.LOL

 

[Depmandog]

Man, this thread is getting pruned faster than a rosé bush in November.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

I got it now GOOD COP,BAD COP theory.LOL

:stirthepot::shocked: Ha ha ha ha ha !

 

[coobie]

DT86 very gald that all turned out well for you and your equipment beside a few stupid comments by folks who just want to stir the pot because they are internet bullies with nothing better to do with there free time.cooibe

 

[farmgirl19]

Man, this thread is getting pruned faster than a rosé bush in November.

Yet, I don't think they got rid of the double post.