tipping when lifting

[KentP]

I have a question about how dangerous this is. Several times I have been moving rocks when a corner of my bucket catches a stuck rock or a root and one of the rear wheels comes off the ground. It feels like the tractor is going to tip so I immediately drop the bucket..

It seems like if the bucket is low to the ground and my counterweight in the back is low that actual chance to flip is low but I am NOT sure.

Is this a dangerous situation?

Thanks,
Kent

Deere 4310

 

[Egon]

Sure can be if the bucket slips and the rear wheel hits the ground with a bang. Hard on old backs and spills the hot drink in your cupholder all over you.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Defective]

That's why you should stick to cold drinks on the tractor...or at least spill-resistant cups.

To be serious tho Kent,

If it worries you, try my usual method of getting rocks off the ground. Use the bucket curl to start them up. This way, you can get a feel for what's happening while you still have the bucket on the ground.

 

[CurlyDave]

Part of the danger would depend on how evenly balanced the bucket was.

If you had a large rock in the right side, and when you lowered the bucket, it hit a rock/stump in the ground on the left side, I can see a danger.

Last weekend I was carrying a very large stump & rootball down a 15% grade. I was on a gravel road and traveling forward when I felt the tractor start to tip. I had the bucket raised because I had clamped the stump with the 4-n-1 bucket and had to lift until the rootball cleared the ground.

I lowered the bucket until the rootball hit the ground and stability immediately returned. I had been careful to clamp the stump with the center of the bucket, keeping the load centered, and to keep the bottom of the rootball only a few inches off the ground, so there was never any real danger of a tipover, but it sure got my attention. A very slow trip down the road with the joystick ready to instantly lower got me down, but it was a real attention-grabber.

 

[dubba]

Everything about tractors can be dangerous.. I always keep my handle on the loader control when under load as I do alot of uneven ground work. Just work on the "dump reflex". If she feels like she's gonna go, DUMP IT. Problem solved.

That said, I spend alot of time with one or two tires off the ground. You will get used to how much your machine can take after a while.

As a side note to curlydave, Have you taken your FEL lock off yet? I found that in an unbalanced to the right side of the tractor situation, my right leg will lock the FEL controls. Might be just me. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[CurlyDave]

Have you taken your FEL lock off yet? I found that in an unbalanced to the right side of the tractor situation, my right leg will lock the FEL controls.

I haven't experienced this. I will sometimes lock the FEL with my knee getting in & out of the seat, but this is OK since I have to unock it before I can do anything.

A more interesting question to me is what state do you keep the boom swing locking pin in?

My dealer showed me how stability can be increased significantly by swinging the boom to the uphill side of the tractor. Can't do this with the locking pin in place. But if I leave the pin out, touching the wrong lever can cause the boom to suddenly swing all the way to one side, posssibly trapping a person on the ground against the stabilizer.

The dealer also pointed out that dropping a stabilizer can prevent a tip over.

 

[dubba]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( possibly trapping a person on the ground against the stabilizer )</font>

hmm, how to be PC about this.

Nobody should be behind your tractor within reach of a stowed backhoe while you are using it. Even my dog knows to stay away from the rear of the tractor. You would be just as able to run them over with the rear tires as pinch them.

That said, my boom swing locking pin is in the third drawer down in my toolbox in the barn /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

My grandfather showed me long ago about the mechanics of using a backhoe as movable ballast. To make it more effective, put a large rock in it first. Need more?? if you don't have your thumb yet, chain the rock to the bucket & put the dipper out a little. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KentP]

Thanks for the feedback on my question. I am sorry that I wasn't clear in my original post. My concern was about when lifting with my FEL and the corner of the FEL bucket catches a tree, rock or root that doesn't want to move, one of my back wheels comes up VERY quickly. Its always more excitement than I want but I suspect because my center of gravity is so low my chances of flipping are not great BUT I don't want to assume. I am using a FEL bucket with an ATI grapple so sometimes I get a bit agressive on a root, etc.

Thanks,
Kent

 

[CurlyDave]

Nobody should be behind your tractor within reach of a stowed backhoe while you are using it.

I completely agree with this. And my wife knows not to come near the machine while it is running. I keep the dogs inside while on the tractor.

But, there are times when visitors come out to see me and I can't hear them approach from behind while the engine is running. Since I can't train them, I have to try to be safer myself.

 

[slowrev]

Oh you can train em to a certain degree. Just see em and act like you don't, and then act like you are going to run them over. They will be more careful next time.
Ben