New TC40DA,,,2 mistakes so far!!

[Breakhart_Farm]

Well guys, I've had my new tractor for a little over a year now and I've made two mistakes that I'd like to pass along so maybe I can prevent them from happening to another member. The first one was finding out that the rear of the front bucket probably should be a bit higher or a guard should be installed. I found this out when I was moving something and as I raised the bucket up in a high positon, the item came right over the back of the bucket and landed on the engine hood. Didn't dent it, but put a mark there. I rubbed most of it out with rubbing compound, but I still hate it when I do stupid stuff like that. Then second one I made involved the grille guard. I had the tractor parked outside, and the bucket was in the raised position. A buddy happened by so I was giving him the 10 cent tour of the tractor. There is a pin on the guard that you pull that lets the guard pivot forward, so the hood can be lifted up. I moved the guard and opened the hood to show my friend the engine. After I finished, I closed the hood, but forgot to return the guard to its original position. Later on, after he left, I lowered the bucket and the guard caught the hydraulic lines that run along the bucket frame. It bent the bottom line pretty good. I can probably straighten it, but I was sick as I take special care to take care of my equipment. So, if you have the guard, try to get yourself in the habit of returning it to its original position as soon as you close the hood. Hope this is a help to another owner and operator. Pete

 

[Doc_Bob]

Well guys, I've had my new tractor for a little over a year now and I've made two mistakes that I'd like to pass along so maybe I can prevent them from happening to another member.

Only two mistakes? You are doing well. don't be so hard on yourself.
Bob

 

[IH3444]

Doc Bob is rightO! Start reading the posts in safety. Many revolve around about how I almost killed myself.

 

[PineRidge]

I'll add another. When you reattach your FEL be sure to collapse the parking stand before driving off. I almost forgot once.

Almost forgot is a lot like a little bit pregnant.

 

[chipsndust]

Pete:
I left the grille guard down on my JD2305. Fortunately, when I parked it in the shed, I was going slow. Took a couple of seconds to figure out how I was hitting the wall when I was so far away!

 

[whitetiger]

I sure hope you are not saying that you were standing under the loader with it raised up in the air!!!!!!!! A simple hose or cyclinder failure and that will be your last mistake.

 

[jinman]

I sure hope you are not saying that you were standing under the loader with it raised up in the air!!!!!!!! A simple hose or cyclinder failure and that will be your last mistake.

I agree there is some risk, but in doing so, I have to say that there are thousands of people each day taking similar risks going up and down in manlift buckets. Our tractors even have a lock you can rotate on the joystick to ensure it is not pushed forward to drop the bucket. With a new tractor with new hoses and hydraulics, I think the chances of a catastrophic hydraulic failure in a static condition is very slim. After all, the loader stand requires you to go under the loader to fold it out. A failure while you are doing that would also result in getting crunched.

 

[Dodgeram]

Welcome to the world of "why do I do these stupid things"
1st year:
1) Whacked truck bumper with FEL (Left nice scratch)
2) Whacked mail box w/Fel (straightened that out)
3) Broke shear pin on Bush Hog (wasn't paying attention to gully)
4) Lost another PTO cover (First one got chewed up by RFM, and I swear I don't know who left it on the fender)

I'm relatively sure these won't be the only mishaps in the coming years.
I figure as long as I don't do anything which can cause bodily harm to either myself or someone else, I can replace anything else I screw up.
I didn't say I'd be happy about it, but it's part of being human.

 

[jinman]

So, if you have the guard, try to get yourself in the habit of returning it to its original position as soon as you close the hood.

Do you have the NH guard? Mine has a handle that rotates to pull the pins on each side and release it, but when released it rotates completely down where nothing will hit it. Does your grill guard only go a little ways down? Did you have the FEL low enough that the guard just layed up against the crossmember?

I'm only asking this because one time I was doing some loader work and noticed my grill guard wasn't visible. When I walked to the front of the tractor I saw that I had left it completely folded down. I had been working with it that way for almost an hour. I felt pretty silly.

 

[jimmysisson]

Jim, while I agree the chances are very slight it's still a chance, and one swaged end of a hose done poorly could crunch you. Decades ago I used a loader to lift some barn bents (timber frames), guys crawling all around them to pin and brace. Worked great, got the job done, everyone happy. Very next day, farmer neighbor borrowed loader to spread a bit of gravel, hose blew, bucket dropped onto the road. No one hurt, of course. But quite an education all the same. I try not to go under backhoe boom, loader bucket, excavator stick, etc., and try to keep employees out of that area too. I guess seeing the actual thing happen is what sears it into your memory.
Jim

 

[jinman]

Very next day, farmer neighbor borrowed loader to spread a bit of gravel, hose blew, bucket dropped onto the road. No one hurt, of course.

Of course there is the remote possibility, but I'd bet that neighbor wasn't sitting still with a raised empty bucket. I'd bet the hose failed under load and while he was moving. Statistics would probably tell us it's more dangerous to drive your kids to the Dairy Queen than to stand under the unloaded bucket of a 1-year old tractor.

I guess my point is that danger is relative to risk. In my opinion there is more danger and risk taken by driving on a city street than what was done with the tractor. You have to do what you are comfortable with in any situation. If you want to take zero risk, then I can only applaud you.

 

[PineRidge]

I agree there is some risk, but in doing so, I have to say that there are thousands of people each day taking similar risks going up and down in manlift buckets. Our tractors even have a lock you can rotate on the joystick to ensure it is not pushed forward to drop the bucket. With a new tractor with new hoses and hydraulics, I think the chances of a catastrophic hydraulic failure in a static condition is very slim. After all, the loader stand requires you to go under the loader to fold it out. A failure while you are doing that would also result in getting crunched.

I've always thought about a hose popping while the bucket was raised. Maybe I'm overly sensitive, don't know, but I stand on one side of the loader or the other to remove or re-install parking stand pins & clips. I never get under the raised bucket. Everyone is always welcome to do what feels right in their own mind though.

 

[Breakhart_Farm]

Jim, I have the NH grille guard. I've never actually tried moving it with the bucket in the raised position. Mine has the lever that you pull and it releases two pins on either side of the unit. I unlocked it with the bucket in the down position. Then I raised the bucket and drove the tractor around a bit. I actually might have bent the line when I raised the bucket,,, now that I think of it, the the bottom line (there are two that run together) was bent down towards the ground, so it happened when I was raising the bucket. Some pretty good detective work here. We should get jobs working for the insurance companies. Now that I remember, I noticed the bent line when I had the FEL raised up high and was off the tractor.

 

[sandman2234]

Heck, I probably made two mistakes TODAY.
Yep, probably at least two.
David from jax

 

[whitetiger]

You must be living right, at our dealership we replace a few failed loader hoses under warranty every year. Luckly no one that I know of has been seriusly hurt yet.

Of course there is the remote possibility, but I'd bet that neighbor wasn't sitting still with a raised empty bucket. I'd bet the hose failed under load and while he was moving. Statistics would probably tell us it's more dangerous to drive your kids to the Dairy Queen than to stand under the unloaded bucket of a 1-year old tractor.

I guess my point is that danger is relative to risk. In my opinion there is more danger and risk taken by driving on a city street than what was done with the tractor. You have to do what you are comfortable with in any situation. If you want to take zero risk, then I can only applaud you.