My wife bought me a Kubota

[40_acre_mule]

Howdy y'all

Mid-July, after I came in complaining about the old tractor, the dear wife said, "So sell it and buy a new one." She's the chief financial officer of the house, so I humbly obeyed. I sold my 1973 Ford 4000 with a Bushog FEL and a Big Bee 6ft rotary cutter for $7200, (She was pleasantly suprised I got that much). Then I bought a new Kubota L4400 4x4 with R4 tires and an LA703 FEL and aluminum canopy for $18,500. She wasn't as happy about what I spent, but I convinced her that it was what I needed.
The old Ford ran fine, but the 2wd and the ag tires just weren't getting the job done on my little piece of swamp. I can't count the number of times I've had that rig sunk to the frame in mud. The Kubota is 1000 lbs lighter and the wide industrial tires make all the difference in my soggy fields. I've only put 30 hours on it so far, but I'm really pleased with the results.
I finally got it stuck last Saturday, but was able to walk it out with a 2x6 chained to the rear tires.
P.S. How can I post a picture?

 

[ronjhall]

Congrat's on the tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I just did a post this morning on post a picture. Here is a link to it. Click Here
You can also post pictures in the photo section of TBN. Click Here. Size is not as much a problem there. Then link it to this thread.

 

[40_acre_mule]

Here's my new baby

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/2031

 

[surfran]

Congratulations on the new Tool! You better keep that wife of yours she's alright /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Berniep]

Could you explain how you chain a 2x6 to the tires to get you out.
This sounds like information that I might really need in the future. I am always getting into situations /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[theboman]

Can she be my wife for a day? I don't want a tractor as big as yours so look at all the money you two will save! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[40_acre_mule]

Bernie,

Its pretty simple. Take a 2x6 that is long enough to extend to the outside edges of both rear tires.
Take a piece of chain (about 5 ft long) and wrap a loop or two around one end of the board. Get the board up against the tire and hook the chain to the rim. Take a 2nd piece of chain and do the same thing to the other tire, (the board should be under the frame of the tractor if in front, or under any attachments if in back.
Now, SLOWLY drive the tractor up onto the board. The chains will drag the board under the tires.
Be very careful, because if the board strikes the frame or attachment too hard, it can damage your equipment or it can shatter and hit you.
It make take several attempt to get to solid ground, (connect, move, reposition the board, move again, etc.), but I have used this method in very mucky swamp with success.
It helps a lot if you have a FEL to lift the front of the tractor.
I reiterate, take it VERY SLOW.

 

[theboman]

Huh?? I can't visualise what you're doing.


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

Its pretty simple. Take a 2x6 that is long enough to extend to the outside edges of both rear tires.
Take a piece of chain (about 5 ft long) and wrap a loop or two around one end of the board. Get the board up against the tire and hook the chain to the rim. Take a 2nd piece of chain and do the same thing to the other tire, (the board should be under the frame of the tractor if in front, or under any attachments if in back.
Now, SLOWLY drive the tractor up onto the board. The chains will drag the board under the tires.
Be very careful, because if the board strikes the frame or attachment too hard, it can damage your equipment or it can shatter and hit you.
It make take several attempt to get to solid ground, (connect, move, reposition the board, move again, etc.), but I have used this method in very mucky swamp with success.
It helps a lot if you have a FEL to lift the front of the tractor.
I reiterate, take it VERY SLOW. )</font>

 

[40_acre_mule]

Okay, one end of the board is chained to one tire and the other end of the board is chained to the other tire. The set-up sort of looks like a rear-paddlewheel boat. As you drive, you spread the weight of the tractor over the entire board. If you are in soft mud, the board acts like a paddlewheel and pushes you through the mud. If your rear tires are just dug down into ruts with reasonably solid ground between the tires, then the board just lifts the rear tires up out of the ruts.
Did that help? If not, I'll try to take pictures this weekend demonstrating the procedure.

 

[Berniep]

OK I gotcha.
Thanks
I have used a short lenght of chain wrapped around one dual on each side of a semi tractor to get me out of some pretty deep ice and snow before and have learned to keep the chain away from the valve stem as much as possible