Roll over

[Max22TN]

Here's my story: I have a long steep driveway covered in leaves. I hung my backpack blower from the rollbar behind the seat so I didn't have to walk. Worked fine on the way down but on the way up it swung out and pushed the backhoe controls. That caused the backhoe to go to the side and then down and down and down. Before I knew what happened, the bucket was on the blacktop and pressing down flipping the tractor on its side. Somewhat of a ride! No damage to humans or tractors but from now on I'll put the pins in the backhoe! Learn from my mistake!

 

[Big Chief]

Wow glad your ok, did you bail out as it was going over?

 

[jeff9366]

I have had less serious similar experiences bush hogging through thick jungle in Florida. Vines grab the controls. Now I keep loppers on the tractor.

 

[Thomas]

Glad your okay tractor fine...as they say in blink of eye.

 

[newbury]

I'm surprised that more accidents like that don't happen.
Relieved to read no damage. Pictures of tractors on their side usually involve damage.
How long did it take to recover (the tractor, not your shorts)?

I was "fiddling" about with my backhoe early on. The seat flipped forward, jammed against the stabilizer controls and the stabilizers jacked up as high as possible very quickly.
And I have on occasion moved about with the backhoe extended uphill for balance on a short transverse across a steep slope. But then I was young and stupid.

 

[Max22TN]

Wow glad your ok, did you bail out as it was going over?

I found a "hole" to hide in on the way over. It all happened in slow motion. The tractor was still running so I had to shut it off and the leaf blower was also running.

Used my F150 to upright the tractor. Locked the brake down before flipping it back on the wheels so it didn't roll down the hill. Pulled it up to the barn and checked the oil. Got it started and it smoked a little for a second or two but that cleared up and it's fine. It was on its side about an hour.

 

[CobyRupert]

I found a "hole" to hide in on the way over. It all happened in slow motion. The tractor was still running so I had to shut it off and the leaf blower was also running.

Used my F150 to upright the tractor. Locked the brake down before flipping it back on the wheels so it didn't roll down the hill. Pulled it up to the barn and checked the oil. Got it started and it smoked a little for a second or two but that cleared up and it's fine. It was on its side about an hour.

Glad to hear all is okay.
Good idea on locking the brakes before righting, there's a lot of videos on youtube where people forget to do that. It doesn't turn out well. Vehicle either rolls down hill causing more damage to itself or something else; or it twists the pull vehicle sideways and rolls that over as it rolls downhill.

How long did you let it sit before attempting start?

Other's may chime in and I've never messed with injectors (knock on wood), but I think people sometimes pull or loosen them before turning motor over in case there's incompressible fluid on top of the piston to give it somewhere to go instead of bending a rod.

 

[plowhog]

Glad you are OK. These "oddity" accidents always cause continuing concern for me-- you never know what might be coming next to bite you.

I once used my bucket and chain to pull a fence post. Returning to the barn, I just piled the chain in the bucket. One end was fastened to the bucket hook, the rest was loose. Hit a small bump, and the other end of the chain fell out of the bucket. It played out and went under my front right tire. I did not (and could not) see it from the operator station. I was in low gear, going very slowly, when I noticed the right side of the bucket dropping while the left side was not. STOP. When I got off the tractor to examine I could almost not believe what had happened. It was so unlikely. And if I was traveling at a higher rate of speed ... it would not have turned out well. I backed up, the bucket returned to normal, and I removed and secured the chain.

I don't drive around with loose chain in the bucket anymore.

 

[Industrial Toys]

You would be surprised how many videos I have seen of people uprighting equipment (even pros) only to have it roll away! Often in catastrophic fashion.

 

[Jchonline]

I have a switch to turn off the hydraulic pump to my BH when it is not being used. Maybe I should start using it. I usually leave it on while the BH is on. I may rethink that.

 

[oosik]

When I first got my brand new Ford 1700( 1982 ) - lifting a bucket of wet sand - the rear tires lifted off and the tractor began to pivot on the front axel pivot pin. Dropped the bucket like I was holding a red hot chunk of metal. It was close - VERY close. After I calmed down, checked for "organic damage" - went home - had the rear tires loaded and a rear blade put on the 3-point. I was dumb on tractors - didn't understand the laws of physics - very fortunate. That has never happened again.

 

[Max22TN]

......How long did you let it sit before attempting start?......

About an hour. I also took the air filter off and had a 1x4 that I cut into a square so I could stick it over the intake and block off the air if it tried to run away but it didn't. It just smoked a bit.

 

[Max22TN]

You would be surprised how many videos I have seen of people uprighting equipment (even pros) only to have it roll away! Often in catastrophic fashion.

I've seen those videos too. The only real problem I had up-righting it was listening to my wife say "Can't you call a wrecker?" over and over during the process. I must have heard that 20 times! Sometimes she thinks I'm still as stupid as I was when I was 20 but I'm not

 

[Industrial Toys]

Yeah, the damage is bad enough. Why not add five hundred bucks as icing on the cake?

 

[Cataclysm]

Glad your OK! Crazy how some of that stuff happens in a blink of an eye.

I started using my hydraulic kill switches after hooking a jacket pocket on the forward/reverse lever of my backhoe. It kicked the backhoe into forward gear at 2200 rpm as I was getting off. By chance I had the stabilizers down enough that the back tires didn't have traction.

Lesson learned.

 

[RichM752]

The only real problem I had up-righting it was listening to my wife say "Can't you call a wrecker?" over and over during the process. I must have heard that 20 times! Sometimes she thinks I'm still as stupid as I was when I was 20 but I'm not

I can relate. Glad it all worked out for you.

 

[mguitas]

Glad your ok, I have a pto pump that I can turn off or on. I also have pins that will not let the backhoe move around. But most backhoes do.

 

[duffer]

So glad you're OK. It's events like this that should remind all of us to be EXTRA special careful around, and operating our equipment.
I had my 2538 just tip a little the other day with a full bucket of wet sand, and had my heart rate set a new record.

Having the tractor go all the way over on you, is frightening. I can't even imagine how I would feel.

I think you owe the "guy upstairs" a special thank you.

 

[FTG-05]

I've seen those videos too. The only real problem I had up-righting it was listening to my wife say "Can't you call a wrecker?" over and over during the process. I must have heard that 20 times! Sometimes she thinks I'm still as stupid as I was when I was 20 but I'm not

No offense, but are you sure about that? Who rolled it over: you or her?

 

[Deere Dude]

"Sometimes she thinks I'm still as stupid as I was when I was 20 but I'm not"

No offense, but are you sure about that? Who rolled it over: you or her?

I'm not 20, I'm 21.

Controls can be touchy. When I first got my tractor I had a very gnarly tooth bar on the bucket. Traveling on the highway from my neighbors farm to my house I was in high gear cruising about 12-13 MPH. I felt I should adjust the FEL up and roll the bucket up also. But I rolled the bucket down. i felt a huge jar and a what sounded like a shotgun going off. The toothbar stuck the blacktop with all the teeth and pulled about 4" of blacktop out about 1/2" deep.

I didn't hurt anything but it could have been a disaster it the FEL would have went under the tractor.