OPERATIONAL TIPS FOR NEWBIES

The Haymaker · Aug 2, 2009

When disconnecting skidsteer type QA's, keep a tiny bit of lift on the attachment, release lever farthest from you first, then the one closest. The combination of both will ensure the boom doesn't drop when you release the second lever, and your (sneakered) foot won't be under the wear shoe of the boom tip if it does.

Oh yeah, keep super glue handy in a few weeks when your toenails start falling off.

vpnwiz · Aug 25, 2009

I just wanted to say thanks to all that have posted the safety tips and the unfortunate accident stories. I have a new tractor and have not appreciated the danger that comes along with it. I've already dented the hood with falling logs from the FEL, had the FEL smash some stuff when it was parked for a week in the barn (I had parked it with the FEL raised to fit it the tractor in instead of just moving the stuff in front and when I got back found the hydraulics lowered), almost flipped it with a full load in the bucket and no weight in the back. I also disabled the kill switch on the seat because it was a pain in the

Having never been around a real tractor before I just did not understand the danger. These stories will stick with me. I would rather not "darwinate" myself or anyone else around me

Time to un-disable the kill switch and regain some common sense.

Thanks all.

tugboat-2 · Aug 25, 2009

Nice to know our tips are being taken seriously and have the value that we each felt was worthy of note !!

vpnwiz: THANK YOU,....and WELCOME ABOARD !! I must tell you I'm proud of you for admitting these things,...and pleased that you learned from them. Makes "US ALL" feel good to know "somebody" may have been saved from disaster as a result of us taking time to post.

No doubt "you" too will eventually have a "tip" to add,..as you go along,....so please feel free to jump in again anytime. (Just having found value in our tips is in itself,...a good "tip"),.....THANKS.

CHEERS!
. . tug

The Haymaker · Aug 25, 2009

vpnwiz said:
I just wanted to say thanks to all that have posted the safety tips and the unfortunate accident stories. I have a new tractor and have not appreciated the danger that comes along with it. I've already dented the hood with falling logs from the FEL, had the FEL smash some stuff when it was parked for a week in the barn (I had parked it with the FEL raised to fit it the tractor in instead of just moving the stuff in front and when I got back found the hydraulics lowered), almost flipped it with a full load in the bucket and no weight in the back. I also disabled the kill switch on the seat because it was a pain in the

Dude, remind me to have you put your tractor key in a safebox and bury it in the ground before I come to visit.

Tractors are machines, and there's an easy way to remember the danger. Machines, all of them, crave human blood and will seek any opportunity, no matter how small, to get a big taste of the hands that feed them.

Here's a little machinery related safety video.

CurlyDave · Aug 26, 2009

Having never been around a real tractor before I just did not understand the danger. These stories will stick with me. I would rather not "darwinate" myself or anyone else around me Time to un-disable the kill switch and regain some common sense.

You are a remarkable man.

It takes courage to admit your mistakes in a public forum and wisdom to learn from the mistakes of others.

vpnwiz · Aug 26, 2009

CurlyDave, I'm sure my wife would disagree on me being remarkable!

Haymaker, that video was hilarious. Got the point though. We can bury the key to the tractor but there's still a bunch of other motorized toys to get into trouble with around here...

I race cars in my spare time (that's me in the avatar at Mid-Ohio last year) so I probably have a higher acceptance of "danger" than most. Doing 5 mph around the property doesn't seem like much compared to doing 130mph with other cars all around that want to get in front of you. Maybe that's why some of what I was doing just didn't even register - until I read the stories about people being killed from hooking up 3pt implements, hydraulics leaking down, and getting caught in the PTO. All things I've done or seen done, and I was kind of like - wow, the safety warnings in an operator's manual actually mean something! Not that I read it anyway

You folks that have been around tractors a long time already know all this, but for those brand new to tractors (like me!) it was an eye-opener. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and stories.

Patrick

Paul004 · Aug 26, 2009

Its been interesting following the discussion particularly on towing. I personally always pull from the drawbar and have never had any issues.
The operator manual for my kubota m7040 states:

Pull only from the drawbar. Never hitch to axle housing or any other point except drawbar, such arrangements will increase the risk of serious personal injury of death due to a tractor upset.

Another couple of things i thought would be worthy of discussing is leaving the two brake pedals locked. I know it may be tempting to remove the locks. I reckon only take them out if 100% necessary and replace immediately. The number of times I have had my foot slip on to the wrong pedal. So I leave them locked particularly when operating on a slope.

Soundguy · Aug 27, 2009

split pedals are good for turning.. but on slopes or roadway.. I'd agree.. leave em locked..

soundguy

ruralruss · Aug 27, 2009

The Haymaker said:
Dude, remind me to have you put your tractor key in a safebox and bury it in the ground before I come to visit.

Tractors are machines, and there's an easy way to remember the danger. Machines, all of them, crave human blood and will seek any opportunity, no matter how small, to get a big taste of the hands that feed them.

Here's a little machinery related safety video.

Now that video just ain't right!

Russ

DaleJR88Fan · Aug 28, 2009

yes that video was pretty gory, but maybe it will make someone realize the dangerous nature of machines.

LBrown59 · Aug 28, 2009

vpnwiz said:
CurlyDave, I'm sure my wife would disagree on me being remarkable!

Haymaker, that video was hilarious. Got the point though. We can bury the key to the tractor but there's still a bunch of other motorized toys to get into trouble with around here...

I race cars in my spare time (that's me in the avatar at Mid-Ohio last year) so I probably have a higher acceptance of "danger" than most. Doing 5 mph around the property doesn't seem like much compared to doing 130mph with other cars all around that want to get in front of you. Maybe that's why some of what I was doing just didn't even register - until I read the stories about people being killed from hooking up 3pt implements, hydraulics leaking down, and getting caught in the PTO. All things I've done or seen done, and I was kind of like - wow, the safety warnings in an operator's manual actually mean something! Not that I read it anyway

You folks that have been around tractors a long time already know all this, but for those brand new to tractors (like me!) it was an eye-opener. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and stories.

Patrick

Where is Sharon Center Ohio?

vpnwiz · Aug 28, 2009

LBrown59 said:
Where is Sharon Center Ohio?

Sharon Center, OH

ruralruss · Aug 29, 2009

vpnwiz said:
Sharon Center, OH

When I lived in Indiana I went to many races at Mid-Ohio. The most beautiful track I have ever seen. We always went for the CART races, sat in the same place, on the spectator hill along the back straight just before the down hill up hill down hill turn. I noticed that up against the fence by the hook the place to be. I also noticed that not many people sat beyond the apex of the hook hill turn. Looked like a great place to me so we got some chairs for the Sunday race and got there fairly early and got great seats. Of course it only took a few laps in the race to see why people did not sit there. Before the race was over we were covered with little bits of rubber. But it was worth it to be so close. I mean really close.

Russ

border collie · Aug 31, 2009

Make it a habit to periodically check your gauges, esp. your temperature. When you see the temp creeping up from its normal position, it's time to clean your radiator screen(you should also check during your pre-start inspection), also remember your engine is breathing the same air as your radiator receives, so it's a good idea to clean your air filter while you have the hood up .
I've found that the air filter for my tc30 fits nicely onto the nozzle for my backpack blower, and if tapped lightly a few times under pressure will clean up nicely-I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SAFETY GLASSES, AND ALSO SUGGEST CLOSING YOUR MOUTH.(don't ask...)

workinallthetime · Sep 1, 2009

border collie said:
Make it a habit to periodically check your gauges, esp. your temperature. When you see the temp creeping up from its normal position, it's time to clean your radiator screen(you should also check during your pre-start inspection), also remember your engine is breathing the same air as your radiator receives, so it's a good idea to clean your air filter while you have the hood up .
I've found that the air filter for my tc30 fits nicely onto the nozzle for my backpack blower, and if tapped lightly a few times under pressure will clean up nicely-I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SAFETY GLASSES, AND ALSO SUGGEST CLOSING YOUR MOUTH.(don't ask...)

I once had to put an engine in a truck that a company had leased, they never changed the air filter and since it was a bucket truck it ran all day long. The CDR valve drained the crankcase of oil, since the air filter was completly clogged. The cdr valve is like a pcv valve but on diesel engines, the engine was able to pull vapors through this easier then the air filter thus draining the engine of oil. So ya check them air filters and clean or replace as often as possible.

Farmwithjunk · Sep 3, 2009

I STARTED reading this thread. Then I got a headache. So fast forward to the last page.

I don't know if this has been touched upon or not, so forgive me if it has. This isn't an "operating tip" so much as it is an operatOR tip". I'm in the commercial mowing business. With tractors working in heavy grass and weeds almost constantly, we find clogged radiators a regular issue. Also, when we go to remove sheet metal for more serious repairs, it isn't uncommon to find large clumps of dried grass clippings, seed, chaff and dirt. So....I INSIST on each operator taking a few minutes before each days work to use a common, ordinary LEAF BLOWER to blow out any removeable grass, weeds, ect. Pay particular attention to things like the alternator, around fuel tanks, battery cases, and under all sheet metal. Hit them from various directions with the air. You'll be astounded at the volume of contaminates that you blow out. MIGHT even save a fire someday!

workinallthetime · Sep 3, 2009

Farmwithjunk said:
I STARTED reading this thread. Then I got a headache. So fast forward to the last page.

I don't know if this has been touched upon or not, so forgive me if it has. This isn't an "operating tip" so much as it is an operatOR tip". I'm in the commercial mowing business. With tractors working in heavy grass and weeds almost constantly, we find clogged radiators a regular issue. Also, when we go to remove sheet metal for more serious repairs, it isn't uncommon to find large clumps of dried grass clippings, seed, chaff and dirt. So....I INSIST on each operator taking a few minutes before each days work to use a common, ordinary LEAF BLOWER to blow out any removeable grass, weeds, ect. Pay particular attention to things like the alternator, around fuel tanks, battery cases, and under all sheet metal. Hit them from various directions with the air. You'll be astounded at the volume of contaminates that you blow out. MIGHT even save a fire someday!

good point, i do that everytime i put my zd up. I would rather it not sit there rusting away, with all those moist clippings tucked into all those places.
Another thing I do is clean the deck before I go back to my yard, Transplanted a bunch of weeds that way after mowing at my parents place.

IslandTractor · Sep 3, 2009

Farmwithjunk said:
..I INSIST on each operator taking a few minutes before each days work to use a common, ordinary LEAF BLOWER to blow out any removeable grass, weeds, ect. Pay particular attention to things like the alternator, around fuel tanks, battery cases, and under all sheet metal. Hit them from various directions with the air. You'll be astounded at the volume of contaminates that you blow out. MIGHT even save a fire someday!

I found a two foot long air blow nozzle at HF that does a very nice job too. It is easy to slip into nooks and crannies and delivers a surprising amount of air. Probably no more convenient to use the air compressor than setting up a leaf blower but it is a good alternative.

workinallthetime · Sep 4, 2009

IslandTractor said:
I found a two foot long air blow nozzle at HF that does a very nice job too. It is easy to slip into nooks and crannies and delivers a surprising amount of air. Probably no more convenient to use the air compressor than setting up a leaf blower but it is a good alternative.

careful with 120 psi around the radiator!!!! but I agree and have used this option myself also when its service time.
Its about time to put the zd in the shed for the winter. I will clean everything, fill the tanks full of diesel and additive, check the coolant, put fresh blades on, and lock her down.