Safety Issues - Stability

[Wagtail]

Anyone who has done forklift safety training will be aware of this.

Years ago the Navy sent me on a commercial forklift operator course (got a civie 'operator ticket' out of it too!).

EVERYTHING that I learnt on that course I have been able to apply to the safe operation of my tractor and FEL.

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Side note: If you wear prescription sunglasses for vehicle driving, do not wear them whilst operating your tractor. They will warp your sense of angle/slope up close.

 

[tractorshopper]

Wagtail - I was forklift certified in the US Navy. Someone from the squadron had to run forklifts during onloading/offloading ops before/after each cruise to get all our gear back from Norfolk to Jacksonville. One winter while returning from a 45 day work-up cruise and heading toward port, I had to run that thing most of the night staging pallets of cruise-boxes on the flight deck and running loads up and down to/from the hanger bay level (where most of our shops were). What a rush. Pouring snow, rocking ship, sliding around on the greasy wet flight deck. Had some fun, but was too young to realize the danger. If I had to do that now, I'd have a whole different approach. ;-)

 

[N2DFire]

I just want to thank everyone in this forum and in particular Steve, David and Coby for the time invested in answering my concerns. Thank you so much! The one thing I didn't tell you out of shame is that the wife was grounding me from using the tractor unless I fixed the problem.. lol...

You are quite welcome sir. Just trying to pay it forward for all of the help & advice I get from here.

 

[Coyote machine]

My Husky all wheel drive mower, for instance states no more than 10 degree slopes are recommended.
20-30 degree slopes, IMHO are ASKING for serious trouble. And that mower is close to the ground, articulating, and all wheel drive. Rather than pushing the limits, whatever they may or may not be, it's way wiser to follow what's been outlined to make your ride as safe as possible in ALL conditions: to review: Ballast, ROPS fully upright at ALL times when using your tractor, filled tires, (part of ballast), seat belt on. Bucket low as possible, especially when carrying any load in it, 4wd engaged, braking applied slowly and evenly to both brakes, (if split system pedals). Stay off wet ground if possible, and go up or down, NOT sideways on slopes of any significant degree. 2 way radio, or cell phone, and people who are aware of where you are and what you're doing, and what time you expect to return home.

 

[JimR]

Find a heavy rear mower deck to hang off the back of your tractor for stability of make yourself some kind of heavy weight bucket for the 3PTH. Filling your rear tires works great but also adds weight if your are ever using your tractor on soft soil which will cause it to leave nice deep ruts in it. I only use heavy rear attachments to counter balance my loader when using the tractor for earth moving. I also use my tractor for mowing fields and do not want filled tires to add more unnecessary weight to the tractor.

 

[newbury]

I just want to thank everyone in this forum and in particular Steve, David and Coby for the time invested in answering my concerns. Thank you so much! The one thing I didn't tell you out of shame is that the wife was grounding me from using the tractor unless I fixed the problem.. lol...

Simple (but expensive) solution is to get a backhoe attachment and drive with the stabilizers partially deployed and the boom and bucket swung uphill.

Would she go for that?