nh1520
Member
This past Saturday was a beautiful day here in PA and I wanted to catch up on some final mowing on our lower property. I was brush hogging the area that has several black locust trees approximately 12" in diameter. I nicked one locust and it moved pretty good and was dying anyway, so I figured I'd push it over like I've done several times before (I hate mowing around lots of trees).
I have always raised the loader up head high and pushed against the tree and usually just push them over and then use the loader to lift the shallow root ball up and out of the ground. I pushed on the tree and got it to start moving in the direction I wanted, backed up and lowered the bucket for the final push. This time when I backed up the tree fell away from me on its own and was nice enough to hook the underneath of the tractor with the roots and pulled me right up on top of the root ball. A definite 10 on the pucker scale. I wasn't in great danger of tipping over, but I couldn't move off the roots and was too high for the loader to lift me off. I immediately shut the tractor down in case I damaged a filter or hydraulic line and couldn't see it leaking. I spent the next two hours with a hand saw and bar cutting the roots and knocking the dirt off so I could see where I was cutting. I finally managed to get enough roots and dirt off that I was able to back off the ball with aid of the bucket. I was more mad than anything. The only damage was that I busted the plastic housing on the front driveshaft and bent the hydraulic piston for the power steering (which I was able to straighten). One of those cases where you have done something a hundred time before and its the next time that will get you.
No major damage done, I got the tree and learned a good lesson or two. Lessons learned: Don't hit a tall, skinny half dead tree unless you have overhead protection (I have a steel canopy top) and when pushing on a little one - make sure you get the bucket down quick and get back away from it in a hurry. Even the little ones can snag you at the worst time. Sorry no pictures (I never thought until I got off) but I don't forget the experience anytime soon. I wanted to share this scary experience.
I have always raised the loader up head high and pushed against the tree and usually just push them over and then use the loader to lift the shallow root ball up and out of the ground. I pushed on the tree and got it to start moving in the direction I wanted, backed up and lowered the bucket for the final push. This time when I backed up the tree fell away from me on its own and was nice enough to hook the underneath of the tractor with the roots and pulled me right up on top of the root ball. A definite 10 on the pucker scale. I wasn't in great danger of tipping over, but I couldn't move off the roots and was too high for the loader to lift me off. I immediately shut the tractor down in case I damaged a filter or hydraulic line and couldn't see it leaking. I spent the next two hours with a hand saw and bar cutting the roots and knocking the dirt off so I could see where I was cutting. I finally managed to get enough roots and dirt off that I was able to back off the ball with aid of the bucket. I was more mad than anything. The only damage was that I busted the plastic housing on the front driveshaft and bent the hydraulic piston for the power steering (which I was able to straighten). One of those cases where you have done something a hundred time before and its the next time that will get you.
No major damage done, I got the tree and learned a good lesson or two. Lessons learned: Don't hit a tall, skinny half dead tree unless you have overhead protection (I have a steel canopy top) and when pushing on a little one - make sure you get the bucket down quick and get back away from it in a hurry. Even the little ones can snag you at the worst time. Sorry no pictures (I never thought until I got off) but I don't forget the experience anytime soon. I wanted to share this scary experience.
