Stepped off, and it almost tipped over (lifting a snowmobile) !

[k0ua]

I own a Case IH DX24E sub-compact. A couple of years ago I was trying to clear the community irrigation ditch so I could water. I was moving backwards and the left rear tire hit a bump of packed earth. Since the ditch was very narrow (just wider than the tractor) and my FEL was lifted, I ended up rolling onto the side of the ditch. My feet didn't stay on the deck, which meant my right leg went under the tractor. I was very lucky since the east side of the ditch was so close the tractor was sitting at a 45ｰ angle. The ground was soft enough where I could dig out by hand. My leg was scraped but not broken. I was out of site of everyone and the house was over 500 yards from where I was lying.

I was very lucky not to have been seriously injured. I use my box scraper as counter-balance but this ditch doesn't allow a whole lot of room. A couple of days ago I took the tractor back into the ditch, but this time I worked on widening it to six feet and trying to level it. It still has a slope, but since it runs behind the neighbors place I'm not that concerned. I get water this week (6"/acre) which is the only water I get for the year. Ten years with sub-par rain really hurts. My allowance is 36", but I haven't seen that in ten years.

Lesson: using the seat belt can save your life, keeping your feet on the deck is very good (if you can do it). The narrow width of this tractor means I have to be extra careful when working on any type of slope. Although I attempt to avoid crossing slopes, sometimes you have to do so.

Question: I am thinking I might want to add the weight to the tires so I can be balanced. However, what effect will that have when I pull a box blade or a disk-harrow?

Any weight you add to the tires will only help when you pull an implement. The traction will be increased, and you will be able to pull your box blade with more materiel in it and pull your disk easier.

 

[Code54]

Yep - James hit the nail right on the head. Weight is your friend for ground work

 

[hdvrod12]

I've got a New Holland Boomer 40 and made a rear ballast using a 55 gallon barrel . I took it to a concrete plant and when they had alittle extra in the truck they filled my barrel . They said it took about 1/2 yard of concrete . COST OF CONCRETE $ 25.00

 

[dragoneggs]

I've got a New Holland Boomer 40 and made a rear ballast using a 55 gallon barrel . I took it to a concrete plant and when they had alittle extra in the truck they filled my barrel . They said it took about 1/2 yard of concrete . COST OF CONCRETE $ 25.00

Good thinking... can you hook it up easily to your three point hitch?

 

[hdvrod12]

Yes ,very easy . Just back up to the barrel ,lower the 3 pt and mark where the hitch pins shoud go ( note ) lower all the way down and mark about 2 '' above then cut a hole just so the pins will go thru the barrel . Bolt pins in place , then weld a piece of angle iron from one pin to the other inside the barrel , after that you need to weld a piece of U channel for you adj. top link . make sure you angle it forward towards the back of the tractor and about 2" above the barrel .Then just fill w/ concrete. I will try to post some pics in a day or so

 

[dragoneggs]

Yes ,very easy . Just back up to the barrel ,lower the 3 pt and mark where the hitch pins shoud go ( note ) lower all the way down and mark about 2 '' above then cut a hole just so the pins will go thru the barrel . Bolt pins in place , then weld a piece of angle iron from one pin to the other inside the barrel , after that you need to weld a piece of U channel for you adj. top link . make sure you angle it forward towards the back of the tractor and about 2" above the barrel .Then just fill w/ concrete. I will try to post some pics in a day or so

Please do... I am thinking of a smaller version for my BX. A 55gal drum might flip me backward... :laughing: What is the weight of your drum?

 

[Sodo]

Sodo, thanks for the picture. <snip> I know that some have said you were crazy to get off and take the pic.

As I wrote, I determined it was stable before getting off (and getting off on the high side). It was perhaps more stable as shown in the pic, than during the lowering process.

2 things to think about here.

1) As the loader comes down, the load center moves FORWARD which makes a bad problem WORSE. I was very much afraid that upon lowering it, it would lift the other rear wheel. Then I'd have to lower QUICKLY and drop the snowmobile for certain. But I lowered it very slowly and it worked out.

2) While I was off the tractor, I should have attached weight to the rear of the tractor until it came down. There are many many easy ways. Just a 4X4 wedged in somewhere and hang a bag of chains on it, for example.

 

[hdvrod12]

Really don't know it's weight but you could use a 35 gallon barrel instead . Just guessing mine weighs about 750 - 1000 lbs

 

[jimpen]

From Yahoo answers:, the weight per cubic yard can vary from less than 2000 lbs to nearly 3500 lbs;

So figure his 1/2 cu yd is about 1375.

 

[bcp]

Concrete is about 18-20 pounds per gallon, and around 140-150 pounds per cubic foot.

Bruce