Pucker factor to the 10th degree !

[bp fick]

I suspect MT was sliding down that hill in a heartbeat and had no time to find and then lift any levers. That's the problem. 90% of this kind of thing is forethought, preparedness and prevention.
In most of my accidents and close calls, my failure was foresight; as in the smart thinking had to be done ahead of time. Our friend has been schooled well today by experience. It's just that she's such a tough teacher.

 

[jimmyj]

Glad you are OK MT. A lesson learned I guess (the half full approach).

Nice looking new place.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

OMG, thank the Angels.!!! That is one scary ride.

I have bought 3 houses over my life span. First thing I look for....I want a flat landscape. Period.!! I will not buy a property that is laid out wilth a steep yard or worse...a steep driveway. I simply will not do it. I walk.

I look at some places and I can't believe where some people build a house, cliffs, long up hill drives, real steep grass sections, etc.

And, I can't believe how many properties are laid out this way.?? There are many.!!!!!

I don't get it.??

To the OP. Looking at the pictures.....just let that grass grow and it leave it to the crickets.!! THAT is an accident waiting to happen.

Anyone else think like I do.???

 

[missourithunder]

JDGreenGrass,
We don't have much of a choice when it comes to flat yards in the Ozark mountain range. I have yet to see a home in Pulaski County with flat yards on all four sides of the house.

jimmyj,
So good to hear from you and thanks for the kind words. How many hours on the great pumpkin now ? After yesterday's fiasco, I'm up to 48 hours and will get the 50 hour service next weekend. Do you still have/use the old Allis Chambers or are you having too much fun on the new one ?

bp,
You know me to well. Seems the entire incident took less than 5 seconds. My heart was pounding like the drum from AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" song. This will never happen again.

Runner & dcyrilc,
I like both of your techniques and will practice both to familarize myself but I think I'm a lot like a horse. Once I get spooked by something I tend to never "go back there" again. I don't see me going down that slope again. Up the slope no problem, just not down.

MT

 

[sweettractors]

Not the same as your experience, However about 20 years ago, I was brush hogging a real steep hill side and could only mow going downhill. There were 2 multifloral roses that were taller than my 65 hp JD tractor that just had to go. I got to the top of the hill and centered up on the last one and headed off down the hill, The tractor went into a slide and as the rose bush came closer to me, I could see a gigantic snake coiled up in the top sunning. He was headed right for me, I stood up and he came slithering down the hood, hit the steering wheel and down beside my left leg and over the back axle. The brush hog got him. I had to go to the house and check my underwear. Funny now, looking back on it. Ken Sweet

 

[woodlandfarms]

Because of our severe slopes, we bought a PT. One of the features on the PT is a Draft control. Basically, it acts like a float control but raises that mower about 3" off the ground to add weight to the wheels. As others have said, it might help with traction if you put let the mowers weight be more supported by the tractor. I am not sure if other tractors have this Draft Control feature (I am sure they do, but unsure how implemented).

Carl

 

[rekees4300]

By the way, the loader was barely off the ground so that had nothing to do with it.

Wrong! It was the reason you didn't have any brakes. Do yourself a favor and remove the FEL before doing any slope work. I had the same experience except I had a level field at the bottom of the slope to stop instead of a 10' drop like you! That was 10 years ago and I still have nightmares about that incident.

 

[TripleR]

Wrong! It was the reason you didn't have any brakes. Do yourself a favor and remove the FEL before doing any slope work. I had the same experience except I had a level field at the bottom of the slope to stop instead of a 10' drop like you! That was 10 years ago and I still have nightmares about that incident.

If I have learned anything in dealing with tractors many things do not fit into the "always/never" category. Depending on the conditions/tractor, I may or may not keep the FEL on working on slopes. In fifty years, I have never turned over; scared myself a few times, but a FEL had nothing to do with it; well not that I can remember, OK there was that one time.

 

[missourithunder]

rekees4300,
I have to agree with TripleR, I still don't believe the loader had anything to do with it. It was a mere few inches off the ground. The rear tires are loaded and the weight of the RFM helps so counter balance wasn't the issue. Dex and a few others mentioned that raising the RFM a bit to put more weight on the rear tires would have prevented this. Of course the real saftey violation was my complacency in not making sure I was in low range and in 4WD to begin with. I take pride in my saftey record and no one has beaten me up over this more than myself.

MT

 

[rekees4300]

missourithunder
So you think the lack of rear wheel traction (aka no brakes) was caused only by the damp topsoil? Why would the FEL being barely off the ground not contribute to lack of traction?