Tipped the BX2200

[Mylesclark]

I did not have my seat belt on. We have a fairly long driveway and it's slightly uphill. The person who does out our driveway was laid up and his replacement was late. Due to the heavy rain which then turned to ice....then thick fresh powder on top of it....I couldn't get out of the driveway. My wife went to work in the Subaru....no problem...AWD....the Toyota Matrix...no AWD...little movement. So here I was, a little annoyed to be trying to get the car out...going a little too fast and careless.

I didn't have the seatbelt on /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

As I went over I hung on to the steering wheel but my right knee did get a bruise when it hit the icy snow. I was surprised to see no scratches at all on the bx....thanks to the snow and ice. I even used an old blanket between the rops and the bucket of the neighbors tractor, so no scratches there either.

This has been an unlucky winter...or lucky in a way that nobody has been hurt or killed as a result of my "good intentions"....

A few weeks back During a super cold snap, I went out at night to check the washer fluid in the Subaru (for the wife's commute). I used a flashlight and topped it up and felt proud of myself. I remember the hood release being really stiff....but never thought of it again. Apparently when I dropped the hood of the car...it didn't latch properly or was frozen....because it was so cold and dark....I didn't pause long to check. Next day my wife is driving to work in super gusty winds and suddenly the engine hood flies up over the windshield. She managed to pull off (trying to see between the dash and the upright hood). That ended up costing $900 (canadian) for a new engine hood (didn't hurt the windshield). Thankfully she wasn't hurt or I would have felt horrible.

Can't wait till summer!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Whew! Glad to here you're all right /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif!
DaveL

 

[markie61]

I was reading the maintenace section of my TC40D owner's manual today and found a section entitled:

POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO ROPS

"If the unit has rolled over or the ROPS has been in some other type of accident (such as hitting an overhead object during transport), the ROPS must be replaced to retain the best possible protection.

Following an accident, check the ROPS, the operator's seat, and the seat belt and seat belt mountings for possible damage. Before operating the maching, replace all damaged parts.

IMPORTANT: Do not attempt to weld or straighten the ROPS." It goes on to give hardware locations and torque specifications.

I guess they are trying to say, make sure the ROPS doesn't have any hidden damage or it may not protect you next time (which we all hope is NEVER!) The same thing happens with car bumpers - they take a hit at 5-7mph and look great, but there is hidden damage inside that won't protect the next impact.

I'm glad YOU are OK and here to tell us your story. Just got me thinking....

Mark

 

[Spencer]

markie61, good point on the ROPS. I know nobody would want to take the time to snap a picture in this situation but it might come in handy later if you need to make an insurance claim.

 

[Mylesclark]

I think the stuff (snow) I was trying to move ended up cushioning the tractor when it fell. Had it landed on concrete or the bare driveway...then things may have been different.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I might as well ad my "tip" story here, too. I had been working on reshaping about 300 yds of a ditch along the road by my property for a few days. I was nearly done, and using the FEL and rear blade to get a good contour. It had rained a bit a couple of days before my tip, and as I was working one section, the tractor began a slow slide sideways on the slick mud and dirt. The tractor came to a rest with its right side wheels in the air and sitting on about a 45 degree angle. I had my seat belt on, and dangled there for a couple of minutes checking my shorts. The FEL and rear blade had dug into the side of the ditch and kept it from going over completely. Once I gathered my wits, I went back to the garage, and got a couple of tow ropes, and a come-along, and was able to swing the rear around a couple of feet. Then, I cranked the 2910 back up, and using the bucket, and the differential lock, I got enough bite on the rear tires to ease it back out. The R4 tires had loaded up with so much mud that it was like driving on slicks. Once I cleaned the mud off the side, it looked like no damage..not even a paint scratch...the only damage was to my pride. Lessons learned...don't work in the mud unless its nearly flat, and ALWAYS use the seat belt especially when working a slope or bumpy terrain. Hopefully, I will remember this wake up call for a long time.