Tractor tipping - how easy?

[Marlowe]

Now that's funny. I don't care who you are.

I've been on my little tractor many times when I just knew it was going over. So far, still upright.

I guess the best advice I can give is to expect the unexpected. My plot of land is mostly level, but there are parts of it with dips, holes, stumps, and other such surprises. It's not just the slopes that turn shiny side down. Be careful out there, and weight the tractor as best you can to keep it on the wheels.

Tom

 

[jimainiac]

I agree with the others that said fill both rear tires. Our dealer's policy is anything he sells with a loader gets the tires filled. One other thing that hasn't been mentioned here is to make sure the rear wheels are set out as wide as possible. Another great tip that I just learned recently in these forums is that you get better braking on hills when it's in 4WD.

 

[Ed_L295DT]

Use your seat belt! When the tractor rolls, you will be tempted to jump off, unfortunately in the direction of the roll!

You can get an approximate feel for how far your tractor will tip without rolling over (the OOPS! point) by chaining the ROPS to something secure, jacking up one side of the tractor, loosen the chain a little, jack some more, loosen the chain... etc. When this procedure is done on the flats, it will tell you where your STATIC safe zone is located. It will NOT prepare you for that gut-wrenching feeling when your silly little inclinometer says you are in your safe zone and you hit a rock or a hole...

 

[LBrown59]

One other thing always get off the tractor on the up hill side.

 

[jmc]

</font><font color="blueclass=small">(

Filled tires plus your Woods BH may add up to more weight than is recommended for your rear axle... )</font>

I think the beauty of filled tires is that they DON'T load the rear axle.

 

[daTeacha]

It's mostly been said, but here it is again. Keep the loader budket low whenever you're moving. Do not raise it as you approach the truck, dumpster, or pile you're going to dump into. Get there, stop, then raise the load and proceed S-L-O-W-L-Y.

Try hooking a stout rope or chain the empty bucket, raise it all the way up, get off, and go start putting a strain on the rope. Stop when you get a wheel off the ground and think about how easy that was. Then try it with a loaded bucket. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[EastTexFrank]

As others have said, it's very easy. It amazing how fast you get into the situation and how it seems to slow down once you are in it. When I almost rolled the MF275, it happened in an instant and it seemed to hang there on two wheels for ever before it came crashing back down on all four tires. I was just sitting there, absolutely helpless. There was nothing I could do except sit and await the outcome. I was lucky but to this day, I don't feel wholly comfortable on that tractor and I use it all the time, I'm just extra, extra careful.

 

[daTeacha]

A thing to really avoid doing is to suddenly stop when lowering the bucket. The momentum is enough to make things really exciting. Sidehills are treacherous, too. Whenever possible move things on tilted ground with the bucket uphill, not down. Picture the situation in your mind -- a downhill side loader already has the tractor started toward standing on its nose. The leverage changes as the loader moves up or down, or the rear goes up in relationship to the front, the lever arms change. Then think about all the weight on the front wheels, which have no brakes BTW.

 

[techman]

I had the misfortune of rolling my BX22 on it's side. I have had it a few years and knew the "feel" of it when using the loader. Now normally when I use the loader, I always have the BH mounted, since I usually an using both, and the BH is the perfect counterweight.

I was doing a lot of trench backfilling and the BH was causing me some problems digging in as I was climbing onto the pile of dirt, so I took the BH off.

I failed to realize how much the CG changed by removing the BH. I had a loader full, and kept it low as I usually do. As I drove around the pile of dirt, one rear tire climbed up a foot or so on the edge of the pile and that was enough. I dropped the loader but it was not quick enough. In slow motion it rolled on the side. ROPS and belt kept me safely along for the ride. Amazingly the tractor sat perfectly on the bucket and ROPS. Not a scratch or drop of fluids lost.

So now I always keep the BH on, and try to be doubly aware of the possible tip conditions.

paul

 

[Hermio]

In addition to the others' comments, I'd recommend you either fill both tires fully (which is about 20% air/80% filler) or not at all. Having them each 50% filled is not recommended, for at least a couple of reasons. 1) You can get a 1/2 full tire sloshing around in road gear enough to cause serious vibration or stability problems. 2) The interior of the rim will be partially exposed to air, adding to the chances for corrosion - depending on what the fill substance is, of course.

Filled tires plus your Woods BH may add up to more weight than is recommended for your rear axle, but lots of folks do it without problems. Removable wheel weights would be an alternative, but they aren't cheap.

Filled tires do not add to the weight the axle must carry. They transfer their weight directly to the ground. That is why they are better than "suitcase" weights.