tricycle front end and safety

[Eagleview]

Probably goes without saying then that roll protection is critical on one .

 

[Soundguy]

ditto that... I like mowing with my narrow front.. good visibility and tight turns..

soundguy

Narrow front tractors are very handy. An experienced operator can do many jobs better on a narrow front. The ability to turn on a dime at the end of the field is a huge advantage when cultivating. This is done by applying light pressure to the inside brake while turning the wheel. I love my narrow front tractor in the woods where forward visibility is much better without the front tires and axle blocking the view of stumps, etc. and added manuverability is a big plus. Better weight distribution also reduces soil damage and ruts while dragging logs. They are also a lot better for operating pull-type discs (I hate 3-points) and other equipment in tight quarters due to much smaller turning radius (0"). Without question they are far more dangerous on hills or around ditches especially where gopher homes may be a problem. Drop a rear into one of them with a narrow-front and nothing stops you from laying her over. A wide front tractor will harmlessly drop a front in before the rear ever gets to it. I wouldnt have one if my farm were hilly or had lots of gopher holes. Luckily I have niether and therefore will run narrow fronts as long as I can find an old one that runs. You can also fit more of them into a barn than wide-fronts by alternating directions. The bottom line is, they are not as safe for an inexperienced operator but are ok for someone who knows what they are doing. The learning curve for safe operation is a lot steeper than for a wide front. You dont throw your kid the keys one day and put him to work on one with no training, as you can probably get away with on most modern tractors. If the kid survives the training though, there may come a day when he can do many jobs better than he could on a wide-front.

 

[blackie65]

Thanks for all the input! the land is quite flat here and I mainly will use it to pull a small trailer or splitter to the woods. Kinda like gettin the old girl out and listening to her work.
Another question : I have read quite a bit about flipping tractors that were pulling something that was attached at the wrong spot on the tractor. I intend to use the drawbar that is mounted below the axle and PTO shaft. Don't think this is dangerous other than the dangers that come from operating any equipment. .....thoughts??

 

[flyingcow]

Thats where it was designed to hitch. And as pointed out before, nice turning tractors, can go alot of places the typical wide ends don't.

Enjoy hearin' her run. Miss the old Farmall's: H's, Super H's, M's, Super M's, etc. **** good tractors! Pictures of your tractor?

 

[flusher]

Thanks for all the input! the land is quite flat here and I mainly will use it to pull a small trailer or splitter to the woods. Kinda like gettin the old girl out and listening to her work.
Another question : I have read quite a bit about flipping tractors that were pulling something that was attached at the wrong spot on the tractor. I intend to use the drawbar that is mounted below the axle and PTO shaft. Don't think this is dangerous other than the dangers that come from operating any equipment. .....thoughts??

Drawbar--generally not dangerous when pulling implements (discs, grain drills, etc). Trying to pull stumps--then you can get into trouble if you're not careful. Check out the TBN Safety forum to see what happens sometimes when pulling stumps with the drawbar.

My 10 acres is flat pasture, but each year before discing I have to check for new gopher holes. I've found some pretty big ones that I filled in before going over the field with the tractor.

 

[blackie65]

I will see what I can do for pics.
best take the camera with me from now on. I need pics of
1. a widow maker... tree leaning on another to post to another thread
2. Super M to post here.
3. thorny locust tree to post to another thread.
4. maybe capture a critter on camera to post to yet another thread.

I'll see what I can do.
This TBN sight is quite addictive::ashamed:

 

[sweettractors]

My Son bought a 460 Farmall (6cyl) and he changed the NF to a new Speeco wide front while he was restoring it. Those 6 cyl gassers sure have a distinctive, powerful sound. I can hear him coming a mile away. Ken Sweet

 

[Soundguy]

stumps aren't an approved 3pt implement..

soundguy

 

[flyingcow]

I will see what I can do for pics.
best take the camera with me from now on. I need pics of
1. a widow maker... tree leaning on another to post to another thread
2. Super M to post here.
3. thorny locust tree to post to another thread.
4. maybe capture a critter on camera to post to yet another thread.

I'll see what I can do.
This TBN sight is quite addictive::ashamed:

Also, widow maker.....dead or a semi-dead top on a tree.

What i would like to see for a pic is, Super M doing a wheelie.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Thanks for all the input! the land is quite flat here and I mainly will use it to pull a small trailer or splitter to the woods. Kinda like gettin the old girl out and listening to her work.
Another question : I have read quite a bit about flipping tractors that were pulling something that was attached at the wrong spot on the tractor. I intend to use the drawbar that is mounted below the axle and PTO shaft. Don't think this is dangerous other than the dangers that come from operating any equipment. .....thoughts??

Drawbar--generally not dangerous when pulling implements (discs, grain drills, etc). Trying to pull stumps--then you can get into trouble if you're not careful. Check out the TBN Safety forum to see what happens sometimes when pulling stumps with the drawbar.

You must be talking a 3pt drawbar. blackie65 isnt.
larry

 

[wolc123]

I know an old fella that took the wide front off a Farmall Super A with a belly-mower and replaced it with a trike. This gave him a "zero turn" 30 years before the current type was invented. The only thing he is lacking is the hydro trans, but he does real well with that old mower, even has a nice sun-canopy. To top it off, I dont think he has $1000 total in the machine. One things for sure, the new ones aint made like them old Farmalls and it wouldnt surprise me to see his great grandkids still running his 50 years from now. I salute the old fella today and all his WWII buddies who gave up a lot so that we could all speak English and live free today.

 

[flusher]

You must be talking a 3pt drawbar. blackie65 isnt.
larry

Nope--talking about the other kind of drawbar. I'd never try to pull a stump with a 3pt drawbar.

 

[SPYDERLK]

You must be talking a 3pt drawbar. blackie65 isnt.
larry

Nope--talking about the other kind of drawbar. I'd never try to pull a stump with a 3pt drawbar.

Then just keep it long and therell be no trouble.
larry

 

[Ken]

Had a "40" JD good tractor used for all the farm needs. Neighbor for over 50 years borrowed to level a couple loads of gravel with the box blade to fill in holes in driveway.
On turning around the rear tire ran up a log that had been placed in burn pile. Wife at dinner time stepped out to call him to come in tractor had rolled the steering wheel on chest how long unknown. Little damage to tractor but there after could not get on to use with out thinking of this accident. Sold to another with request to sell for parts rather than to reuse. Respect and use as designed. After 10 years hard to think of the loss of friend.
ken

 

[wolc123]

There have been numerous incedents like that one and many of them occurred similarly, to someone with limited experience on the type, who borrowed it or just bought one for the first time. Also, farming generaly requires long hours where operators are subject to mistakes resulting from fatigue, an environment not so suitable for a widow-maker like a narrow-front tractor. Like the 3-wheeled ATV, the modern production of both machines was halted years ago by lawyers looking out for our safety. While some lives and limbs were likely saved, we have also lost some significant capability with the passing of this type. Anyone who buys an old one should be aware that they are significantly more dangerous than a wide-front tractor. Folks also may want the think twice before posting here, as I have seen a time or two, that "they are just as stable or safe as wide-fronts".

 

[adjusterr]

Don't believe for a moment that a tricycle front end is as stable as a wide stance. They are at their worst when going downhill and making a turn, the tractor just simply tips over. Unfortunately, years ago a neighbor who leased some ground from me, was hauling some stones from my field in a home-made bucket on a tricycle tractor. He was crossing a slope and turned left, up the slope and the tractor rolled over resulting in his death. Stay away from tricycle tractors except for antique shows or very level ground.

 

[nebraskasparks]

I ran a trik for years and they are great tractors but be carefull on the hills, alittle unstable and tricky loading on trailers. Good luck:thumbsup:

Stability baseline for a trik shown on this site.

http://nasdonline.org/static_content/documents/1855/d001792.pdf

Old H I grew up on was light in the front and easier to get the front off the ground.

 

[nebraskasparks]

If one is still interested in putting an FEL on a trik type tractor please reference this fatal accident report:
NIOSH FACE Program: Iowa Case Report 05IA022| CDC/NIOSH

One of the main recommendations was as follows:

Recommendation #3 - Front-end loaders should not be installed on narrow-front (鍍ricycle? tractors that do not have a ROPS.

Discussion: Previous FACE cases have highlighted the particularly risky combination of a front-end loader mounted on a tractor that has a tricycle front axle. The popularity of tricycle front-end tractors began to decline about the time the tractor in this incident was manufactured. However, many tricycle front-end tractors are still in productive use today. They are more prone to overturns than wide front axle tractors and should not have front-end loaders or other attachments installed on them which can significantly and adversely change the center of gravity for the entire tractor-attachment combination. For example, a heavy load in a raised loader bucket shifts weight from the back wheels of the tractor to the front and at the same time raises the center of gravity of the tractor-loader combination adding to the risk of an overturn.

 

[Soundguy]

weak argument. I can find one-of examples of just about -ANY- object killing a person.. incluting plastic cutlery and toothpics.

as with anything... be safe.. and engage brain before doing anything else.

it's the single biggest/best piece of safety equipment we have to use... and it's built in and free.

soundguy

 

[wmonroe]

weak argument. I can find one-of examples of just about -ANY- object killing a person.. incluting plastic cutlery and toothpics.

as with anything... be safe.. and engage brain before doing anything else.

it's the single biggest/best piece of safety equipment we have to use... and it's built in and free.

soundguy

Well put, if only more people would actually do this.