Tree tips tractor

JayC · Nov 12, 2004

I was listening to the radio a little bit ago. They mentioned a Massey Ferguson tractor with FEL. This guy was trying to fell a tree with his tractor. Anyway, the tractor flipped up 10 feet and killed the guy. If he was pushing on a tree and it wouldn't budge, wouldn't he just spin the tires? I don't have much tractoring experience, so how could he flip the tractor while trying to push down a tree?

MossRoad · Nov 12, 2004

Several ways. I use to put the bucket of my IH about 8-10 feet up the trunk and push until the front tire came off the ground, then drive forward and push the tree over. Trouble with that is you now only have three points for stability... the two back tires and the point where the bucket is contacting the tree. If you had the front tires up high enough off the ground and the bucket slipped to one side or the other, or the center of gravity changed on the tractor, the tractor could become tippy to one side very easily.

Also, if the tree was large enough, and you were far enough up the trunk, the root system could come out of the ground and lift a tire off the ground. Think of the leverage a large tree falling could put on a tractor.

Tragic accident for the family, I'm sure. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

virgil · Nov 12, 2004

I have a heart surgon coustomer who purchased a 35 hp tractor with a loader...
He attempted to move a 40 foot sea contaner with 3 high-lift jacks, a hand full of cinder blocks and his tractor...
after he managed to get the contaner about 2 feet off the ground, the container sliped off the jacks and blocks with the loader bucket under one corner...
It tossed him and his machine across the yard, and caved in the loader...
He is lucky to be alive and unhurt

ducati996 · Nov 12, 2004

( I have a heart surgon coustomer who purchased a 35 hp tractor with a loader...
He attempted to move a 40 foot sea contaner with 3 high-lift jacks, a hand full of cinder blocks and his tractor...
after he managed to get the contaner about 2 feet off the ground, the container sliped off the jacks and blocks with the loader bucket under one corner...
It tossed him and his machine across the yard, and caved in the loader...
He is lucky to be alive and unhurt )

Too bad he wasnt a brain surgon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

couldnt resist

Ducati

F100Panel · Nov 13, 2004

Intersting Post. makes one think... I routinely push over live ( never dead trees where big limbs can easily break off & fall on ya.. Having a ROPS Cab makes it a little more safe..) trees with 2.5 yard 10 ton wheel loader... Walk up to the tree with bucket 6-8 feet high & between the lift & the push the tree usually goes over without much of a fight... Bucket teeth help... Using this method front wheels are under load.. Beats beating up a dozer trying to get stumps out... Have heard many stories over the years of BIG/high old farm tractors pulling on stumps... The rear tires REALLY dig in & the front end pops up & tractor falls over backwards. These stories common in 50's & 60's before ROPS..... This story albeit tragic serves a reminder to be thinking all the time while in the seat....

Varmintmist · Nov 15, 2004

Without the whole story and no pics, I would guess:

1. 4wd, locked diff kept traction
2. bucket sliding up trunk, he wanted to use the weight of the machine, or he just rammed the tree and figured it would give up.
3. he was going to fast to stop in time or....
4. paniced, either hit the throttle, or if hydro the speed pedal and kept climbing until it went over.

eee · Nov 15, 2004

( Also, if the tree was large enough, and you were far enough up the trunk, the root system could come out of the ground and lift a tire off the ground. Think of the leverage a large tree falling could put on a tractor. )

I would say thats what happened.

LBrown59 · Dec 24, 2004

( I was listening to the radio a little bit ago. They mentioned a Massey Ferguson tractor with FEL. This guy was trying to fell a tree with his tractor. Anyway, the tractor flipped up 10 feet and killed the guy. If he was pushing on a tree and it wouldn't budge, wouldn't he just spin the tires? I don't have much tractoring experience, so how could he flip the tractor while trying to push down a tree? )
Very easly.

A guy that worked at the plant with my brother was crushed to death while pushing over a tree with a dozer where the guy lived.

When the tree went down one track of the dozer was on the base of the tree trunk and the falling tree flipped the dozer over crushing the guy under it.