Tippy and scary operation...

HuckBB62 · Jun 5, 2005

I loaded a pallet full of Hardie plank siding and then put on the fork attachments to take it to another part of the property. It felt tippy going off camber around the well house. I had the load as low as I could. I got off the low side of the tractor where the foot loop was to throw a few more things on the pallet for the trip. As soon as I stood up on the low side of the tractor out of the seat, the tractor's right side rear tire raised up off the ground until the bucket hit the dirt. It didn't roll, just surprised me how easy it is to do. The front wheels/axles provide no resistance at all to this type of force, simply a pivot point.

Next time I'll load the pallet lighter.

We used to use a fork truck to learn where our tip angle was on our Scouts after building them, I think it'd be useful to know for our tractors as well instead of guessing.

hhw · Jun 5, 2005

A few years back I had a similar experience. A nearby customer called and said he had a small pile of topsoil he needed to move to several locations for spreading and asked if I would move it. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif I agreed and jumped on a JD 4200 with FEL to do the job. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Enroute I realized I didn't have the counterweight attached. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I figured no problem, I'd move small amounts at a time and go slow. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

At the site all went well until I needed to traverse a left down-sloping grade. As I started slowly down the grade the only sign of trouble I felt was a slight perception that my "angle" felt "mushy" /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif(for lack of a better descriptor). As I looked to my right I could see the right rear tire rising rapidly. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I quickly dropped the bucket and held on. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Fortunately, that was all it took to stabilize everything. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Several factors contributed to this occurrence:

1. lack of rear ballast. I have since traversed the same grade with ballast and had no difficulties.

2. improper loading of the bucket. Actually, improper unloading, I had off-loaded at a location higher up the grade by shovel, and only from the right side of the bucket.

3. improper approach to the dump location overall.

Mith · Jun 5, 2005

I always find it interesting when youre on a slope and you feel uneasy to get off and try pushing the tractor over from the top side. Usually its impossible, the point being you are then reassured that its not gunna kill you there and then.

Although in this case i think you were better off not trying that /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

hhw, great use of the faces, it compliments your story /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

DannyD · Jun 5, 2005

Couple of weeks ago I was helping a friend move some of the decorative white gravel from his drive to his flower bed. The angle was not what I was prepared for, as it was a kind of steep grade along with not really being able to go straight up and down it. Long as the bucket was lowered, all was sort of OK. But when it came time to dump by raising the bucket some, it got real tippy. Luckily the fellow understood I could not get all the way up in the beds, and some shoveling was needed. At least he did not have to wheelbarrow it all up that hill. Think I am going to look for a balast for the tractor FEL combination

HuckBB62 · Jun 6, 2005

I think that ballast might really help! I've got the box on the back but I may just bend some steel and cast it into a 1000lb ballast box for the rear end when I'm doing bucket/fork work. I'll cast the concrete low and flat, that should help.

willfick · Jun 6, 2005

"The front wheels/axles provide no resistance at all to this type of force, simply a pivot point."
It's hard for most folks to picture, but this is why in most all situations a wide front tractor is no more stable than a "trike.'

Jagmandave · Jun 8, 2005

It only makes sense, that's why all the tractors you see mowing the grass along the highways have wide front ends, especialy at the angles they mow at........

Onthesauk · Jun 8, 2005

And even with those I saw one this last week tipped into the brush along the highway. No one hurt, he was standing out waiting for someone to pull him upright again.

LBrown59 · Jun 28, 2005

( I loaded a pallet full of Hardie plank siding and then put on the fork attachments to take it to another part of the property. It felt tippy going off camber around the well house. I had the load as low as I could. I got off the low side of the tractor where the foot loop was to throw a few more things on the pallet for the trip. As soon as I stood up on the low side of the tractor out of the seat, the tractor's right side rear tire raised up off the ground until the bucket hit the dirt. It didn't roll, just surprised me how easy it is to do. The front wheels/axles provide no resistance at all to this type of force, simply a pivot point.

)
===========
 Never get off on the low side.

LBrown59 · Jun 28, 2005

( A few years back I had a similar experience. A nearby customer called and said he had a small pile of topsoil he needed to move to several locations for spreading and asked if I would move it. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif I agreed and jumped on a JD 4200 with FEL to do the job. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Enroute I realized I didn't have the counterweight attached. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I figured no problem, I'd move small amounts at a time and go slow. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

At the site all went well until I needed to traverse a left down-sloping grade. As I started slowly down the grade the only sign of trouble I felt was a slight perception that my "angle" felt "mushy" /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif(for lack of a better descriptor). As I looked to my right I could see the right rear tire rising rapidly. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I quickly dropped the bucket and held on. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Fortunately, that was all it took to stabilize everything. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Several factors contributed to this occurrence:

1. lack of rear ballast. I have since traversed the same grade with ballast and had no difficulties.

 2. improper loading of the bucket. Actually, improper unloading, I had off-loaded at a location higher up the grade by shovel, and only from the right side of the bucket.

3. improper approach to the dump location overall. )
**********
2* I try to avoid lopsided bucket loading - I E one side heavier than the other side.
I always head straight into the pile with the loader to get a balanced load.
Oft times an angle approach results in a load that's heavier on one side than it is on the other side.
I've been known to dump such a load and re load the bucket especially if the load is to be transferred on a hill or over uneven ground.
 You should have shoveled evenly clear across the bucket to matain the proper balance.