Yeah Joplin is a lot flatter than around here, better tractor country for sure. Around here you gotta be thinking constantly about turning it over. I could tell a story about something that almost happened recently.. well I will go ahead and tell you, long as you don't spread it around
We were moving big rock last week, when the wifey says says it is time to move that ole big one I had tried once before and failed. Anyway I got under it finally with the forks, but could not lift it. So we removed some dirt and loose rock on top and one side slowly came up. I am at the limits of my lift ability, but managed to get it a little closer to the pivot pins and get some more lift on it. So anyway I was able swing it around and get ready for the final lift, but we decided it had a protrusion that had to be busted off to fit in the space. I shut off the tractor and by habit, I dropped the ballast to the ground, Mistake number 1. Then I got off of the tractor, Mistake number 2. The tractor was on a slight incline (everything is on an incline in Branson). The rock was still on the forks and about 8 inches above the ground.. Mistake number 3. So when I got off, as I was coming down the step the tractor started to roll toward me, when my foot hit the ground, I pushed the tractor back to keep it from tipping over. By keeping about 100 lbs of force pushing the tractor it was stablized..Some would say that was mistake number 4, but I kept the tractor from rolling over.. removing my fat behind from the seat and getting off was enough to start the roll. Anyway the wife went around to the other side and dropped the loader joystick down to let the forks/rock on the ground and problem solved. Whew
. I won't be doing that again..Whether it would have rolled completly or stabilized before it it went past the point of no return I don't know, but she said the offside rear tires was 6 inches off of the ground while I was holding it. Danger is around every corner.
James K0UA
