The Big Flip

[dfkrug]

My thoughts are that loading the tires doesn't place the tractor's frame under additional stress. For example, if you hook a 55 gal drum filled with concrete to the 3 point, the same net loading on the tractor is accomplished (more or less) but the lift arms, links and lower arms are under a lot more stress. Load the tires and the 3 point can relax and you don't have to wrestle with the counterweight any more.

My loader tractor won't even back up a wet hill completely empty...that's how light it is to start with. I am working on getting this resolved as above.

Loaded tires do help with stability, yes, but you must have ballast on the
3-pt to use a FEL safely. All the Owners Manuals I recall say this. One
Deere manual even goes so far to say that you should not even MOUNT the
FEL without 3-pt ballast.

One of the reasons that 3-pt ballast is superior to loaded rear tires is that
the additional weight actually removes weight from the front tires. Even
a moderately full FEL bkt will exceed the load limit of AG front tires if you
don't use 3-pt ballast.

 

[pat32rf]

This is an instance where a proper ballast box carried low to the ground would be MUCH better than a back blade or rotary mower carried in the raised position....

 

[Johndeere3720]

This is an instance where a proper ballast box carried low to the ground would be MUCH better than a back blade or rotary mower carried in the raised position....

I'll go with that.

 

[tugboat-2]

TTTTTT:...Dave,...thanks for the photos. Glad you are ok! Hopefully you learned a "few" valuable lessons from this! If so, you learned the hard way, ...from experience! One that "could" have "Injured-You-Severely", or worse! DON'T FORGET THAT !!

Even empty, always carry your bucket "LOW". Try and keep level. Get some rear ballast! Loaded tires or ballast box etc. With your bucket high and the rock sliding across to the low side,.... chances are good you would have tipped over anyway,..BUT, ballast "tends" to keep both rear wheels on the ground and would have made it more difficult to tip.

In Ontario you MUST wear seat belts in your road vehicle,....extend the habit to your tractor. If you have ever plowed snow or graded dirt and snagged a rock or root, the tractor stops dead! ...but "you" DON'T!! During the roll over, a belt would have held you on the seat till the tractor came to rest. Without the belt, the tractor "could" have come to rest "ON" you!

So glad you didn't get hurt (any worse)....tractors CAN be dangerous!
Be careful,....and have a safe, happy, tractoring summer!
CHEERS,
. . tug

 

[GreenLawnFarm]

lucky your not injured. I worry about this with my compact tractor and really want to widen the wheel base.

 

[tugboat-2]

Just a reminder: TRY to imbed in your mind,....dropping your bucket to the ground quickly,....can save you a roll-over in very many cases. It slaps the weight of the tractor back onto your rear wheels.

I say "Imbed the idea in your mind",...think of it often, till it becomes "instinct" then when a rear tire "starts" to lift, your "automatic" reaction will be to drop the bucket and likely save a roll-over.

It usually happens when you have weight in the bucket while turning or on a slope, hitting a bump or one rear wheel dropping into a depression, or backing up with bucket up then turn and hit brakes. THIS message is meant for "ALL" who "need" to know, not "just" the OP, although, ...it "would" have aborted the roll-over in this case. The secret is to be quick,..."automatic-instinct",....no time to "think" what to do!

CHEERS,
. . tug

 

[JoelD]

Tug, I hate to admit this as I'm one of the safety nuts on the forum. But.....

Last weekend, working on my motocross track in the backyard, got weight in the loader, loader raised a little over half way and rear tire hits a rock (no surprise as all I have are rocks), she starts to over to the right. I did not have my belt on (second strike against me), as she goes over I come out of the seat and am getting pitched off of the tractor in the same direction she is rolling towards. I instinctually grab the loader lever (frankly I think part of reason I grabbed was it was in my way as I was getting tossed off of the machine) and pushed forward, the machine rited it's self as quickly as the loader came down.

Valuable lesson learned, mostly luck I did not get pitched and then squashed. I'll be wearing my belt from now on always, and will be keeping loader lower.

Embarassed,

Joel

 

[tugboat-2]

Good Grief Joel!!!! WOW!..close call,...thanks for actually proving my point. Thank You indeed for helping me emphasize how such a simple, easy "habit" practiced often, ~(in your mind)~ can become "instinct" and save lives.

Great story! (glad you can "tell" it!) Deepening my Lake, (pond) (with my JD-3520-Cab, 73" HD bkt, summer of 2007), I hauled bucket loads of wet clay, (much heavier than even wet earth). Even with loaded tires and rear ballast, ...on many occasions I felt a rear tire getting airborn as I slowly maneuvered out of a tight, awkward spot with full bucket.

I "welded-my-hand" to the loader joystick. If I had to let go, I was ever cognizant it was NOT there,..and returned it ASAP! That,..the practice of carrying the bucket LOW and the instinct to "drop" it "QUICK", ...saved my bacon many times!

Embarrassing Joel? Sure, but you'll not forget it. (just don't ask me to tell of "my" embarrassments). But you learned, (or were reminded of) a valuable lesson (possibly a lifesaver), and thanks for telling "US" about it. You've "more-than-likely" saved many fellow TBNers serious injuries, possibly their lives!

Take good care,
. . tug

 

[TTTTTT]

Thanks for the wishes and comments Tug,

Joel, as I was reading your story, I had butterflies in my stomach. Glad you didn't go over. Did you check out after the flip

Starting After the Big Flip
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/chinese-tractors/145120-df354-starting-after-big-flip.html

and Canopy Repair
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/148389-canopy-mod-repair-reinforce.html

The more that read this the better. No ego for me!

Dave