One more reason why one should NEVER attemp to start a tractor from the ground.

WTA · Dec 17, 2007

I've got a super C and a super M and even though I have optimas on both of them those old starters still suck when they are cold. Mine almost always turn over on the first or second crank with the hand crank though. As long as the timing and distributer is set correctly and not by some shade tree, they will start right up no matter how cold it gets on the hand crank. Right after I rebuilt my super C engine though I messed up and timed it to the wrong mark on the flywheel. That starter handle got a piece of my leg real bad. I thought it had broke my knee it hit me so hard but I got lucky. The thing coughed over backwards on me.

tinkertoys · Dec 17, 2007

I was hatched and raised in Nebraska, I have senn my daddy take the battery in the house, put a 60w light bulb on the engine, and cover the hood with an old quilt on the car. I've seen him cover the hood on a MM Z and fill a 1/3rd berrel with corn cobs and light it when the flames died down, he would then slide the barrel under the tarp wait about 20 minutes and it would normally fire up. I think about this today and all I can say is THS WAS A GAS BURNER.

rback33 · Dec 17, 2007

Dang that Prednisone. Late night TV is no good, so stock up on movies. They warned me of insomnia when taking that stuff and they were right. Fortunately it was in the spring so wandering around the yard at 3 a.m. was not too big a deal. Dogs thought I was a little crazy though....

TC29-dude · Dec 17, 2007

michigandon said:
Did something to my back when I went to swing my left leg over. I thought if I laid myself out straight that I would be able to stretch it back out after a moment. WRONG! Tried to stand back up, and I could stand but could NOT walk. Called my wife and tried to call 911. Sprint service sucks out here and the call to my wife sounded something like this:

...static..garble...pop..hiss..mumble...HELP!...mumble...mumble...

Had to get carried out of my shed by the paramedics. Only way I could tolerate the pain was to lay on my back with both my knees up in the air.

Been there and done that many times. One time I was away from the house and my back locked up...it took me 40 mins to crawl 20 yds to a cell phone to call for help. I have on going back issues, currently I have been getting steroids shots in the small of my back right next to the L5 disc that's bulging.
That stuff is like mana from Heaven but at $1,300 per shot it should be.

Long story short...if you have a good back do your very best to never injure it. Make sure to bend your knees, stretch etc. If not you will be sorry!!!!

rox · Dec 17, 2007

tc29,
You are right about protecting your back. I never ever had an issue bu last November during the harvest I lifted a case of olives that was jsut to heavy for me and I hurt my back bad. It took a good 10 months for it to come back. I had a big issue wiht the siatic nerve for a good 6 months. This harvest I was very careful and I continue to be careful. I still work but if things are to heavy I get my hsuband and we move it together. I am never going to go through that again.

Aquaman · Dec 22, 2007

I think the sticker on the side says "Do not operate machinery while taking this medication"
Sounds like they got the got the cart before the horse......or.....something like that.......

KICK · Dec 24, 2007

isn't that ironic.... the necessity of pushing in the clutch because of a safety switch caused the back injury

you can always disconnect those clutch safety switches, then you wouldn't have gotten hurt.

bigbull338 · Dec 25, 2007

you learned a valueable lesson the hard way.never ever crank a tractor from the ground.because you can get hurt bad or killed.i always start tractors from the tractor seat.an never ever get off them running.because as your getting off you could knock the gearshift in gear.tractors are dangerious.

turnkey4099 · Dec 25, 2007

michigandon said:
Hardy har. I may be a "young whippersnapper" (39?) but my Dad actually owned a Farmall A that was like that, way back in the '80s. It was actually easier to start it with the crank most of the time than it was to mess around with the persnickety 6 volt starting system.

"Young" for sure doesn't apply to me. My worst experience was back in 1951 on a TD6 - Start it on gas and switch over. Very routine operation until the day I hit the field in the morning, set the decompression lever, fuel lever, grabbed crank and....Why are my ankles now two feet deep in the ground? Felt like I came up against a block of iron. In effect that is exactly what happened. Mechanic from town found the decompression link laying he bottome of the oil pan and how it got down there is mystery.

jimmer2880 · Dec 25, 2007

bigbull338 said:
.......an never ever get off them running.because as your getting off you could knock the gearshift in gear.tractors are dangerious.

My Yanmar has a little leaver that flips over the gear shift to "lock" it in neutral. One of the things I love about it, since I've kicked our older MF into gear before while getting off of it.