Well that was pretty dumb!

[FTG-05]

As some of you may know, I live at the top of a hill. Well, this morning I decided to make a short trip down to the bottom of my hill in my tractor. Did my business down there and came back up, pretty much where went I down.

Got to the really steep part of the hill (there are stairsteps) and the tractor died right at the steepest part! I've been here before, it's a pretty scary scenarios since you don't have any hydraulics and not a whole lot of braking power. In other words, you could be traveling backwards at a pretty good clip with little or no control. Scary indeed. I call these my "2 inch rides". That's 'cause I suck up two inches of seat cushion before I get it back under control!

So I dropped the FEL and the box blade, get me some resistance to sliding down backwards. Once I got it stabilized, I tried starting the tractor. Started the first time, then stumbled, then quit. Tried again, barely stumbled before dying.

Oh crap, what could it be????

Fuel gauge. Yep, someone forgot the concept that quarter-full tractor fuel tanks and steep hills don't get along with each other. :mur:

Walk back, get fuel can, drive back in another vehicle, refuel and then try to start it again. No dice the first time, dies immediately. Try once again and stumbling here we go. Fortunately, this time, it smooths out and the first thing I do is slowly lift the BB and FEL and gingerly back my way down the hill to the next down stairstep. Let it idle a minute or so and then make another run at the hill. Success. Another walk back to get the other vehicle (anyone noticing a trend here????).

*Apparently* no long term damage (I guess that's a question), the tractor is back in my shop safe and sound and life is good again. Except that I feel like a dumbbum.

Anyone else have any good "dumb" stories to make me feel better?

 

[ovrszd]

My Brother was working on the back side of a pond dam 2 years ago with his L3240. I was hauling dirt with my 9540. He called me on the cell phone and said his tractor had died. I said it's probably out of fuel. He said no, it's got 3 bars. Long story short, it ran out of fuel when on pointed up the steep pond dam. In his case it was a nightmare getting it to crank again. Bled it as dictated by the manual. No go. Bled it again as dictated by the manual. No go. Get out the starting fluid. Ran it several seconds on starting fluid before it finally smoothed out. My Brother said "there must be something wrong with the fuel gauge". I just went back to my tractor and my project with no comment. If my fuel gauge is anywhere below half, I'm looking for fuel. Running out of fuel has got to be in the "top 10" list of stupid human tricks.

 

[s219]

If it makes you feel better, I have more dumb stories than this website has server space to store them all. Glad to hear there was no harm done!

 

[GManBart]

Anyone else have any good "dumb" stories to make me feel better?

I have lots! A few weeks ago I was putting fuel in my Massey and got it really, really full...like just enough room to get the cap on without spilling anything. It was pretty cold out, but I never thought about it. A week or so later I was pulling the steering cylinders off to take them to the hydraulic shop (both were leaking) and I found fuel running down the side of the engine, and drips all over the ground under the machine....everything was wet! I immediately started checking fuel lines, and trying to figure out where the fuel was coming from. I was thinking that there should be no way the tank had rusted through, but that I was going to have to take the hood, and side sheet metal off, etc, etc. Then I remembered fueling it and thought that maybe I had spilled some. Nope, I realized it was 25* warmer than when I had fueled it, and the fuel surged over the top of the neck, and poured all over the top of the tank, which is why it was leaking everywhere.

I know better, but wasn't thinking....luckily it was just some mess to clean up, and the machine is actually cleaner now after wiping up all that fuel! I felt really dumb, but at least nothing was damaged

 

[Thomas]

I have to admit done it only once bush hogging slope,amazing how quick the pucker factor kicks in.

 

[gnawbone]

As I was 'building' my ballast I caused myself some heartburn. The ballast is a 55 gal barrel with about 825 lbs of concrete plus some angle iron, draw bar, and, of course, the barrel - so maybe around 875 lbs. I was working about 6' out from the wall of the barn quietly going about my business - pouring in water and bags of concrete, stirring the mix ...... When I got it filled up I smoothed out the concrete and let it set for about a week.

When I was getting ready to put it on the tractor I realized I had put the draw bar and top link facing the wall (they are mounted only about 25% of the way towards the middle of the barrel from the edge) - in other words the side of the barrel I needed to back up to was facing the wall and my stabilizer arms aren't long enough to reach from the other side of the barrel . So, I hooked a chain on one side of the draw bar pins, then up over my front end loader, and finally down to the draw bar pin on the opposite side of the barrel. Lifted the barrel up about 10" and put a dolly underneath the barrel, lowered the barrel down, and 'spun' it around (it didn't really spin around that easily - small castor wheels on the dolly). I felt like an idiot ..... but it was easier to get the concrete bags out of my front end loader bucket and into the barrel!

 

[FTG-05]

I have lots! A few weeks ago I was putting fuel in my Massey and got it really, really full...like just enough room to get the cap on without spilling anything. It was pretty cold out, but I never thought about it. A week or so later I was pulling the steering cylinders off to take them to the hydraulic shop (both were leaking) and I found fuel running down the side of the engine, and drips all over the ground under the machine....everything was wet! I immediately started checking fuel lines, and trying to figure out where the fuel was coming from. I was thinking that there should be no way the tank had rusted through, but that I was going to have to take the hood, and side sheet metal off, etc, etc. Then I remembered fueling it and thought that maybe I had spilled some. Nope, I realized it was 25* warmer than when I had fueled it, and the fuel surged over the top of the neck, and poured all over the top of the tank, which is why it was leaking everywhere.

I know better, but wasn't thinking....luckily it was just some mess to clean up, and the machine is actually cleaner now after wiping up all that fuel! I felt really dumb, but at least nothing was damaged

Is this with diesel or gas as the fuel. I didn't think that would happen with diesel. I'll have to remember that in the future because when I refuel my tractor, I usually take it all the way to the top - and I also *usually* do it when I'm done so it's ready the next time (something I didn't do this time)

 

[Egon]

Back when the Model T backed up steep hills.

 

[puckgrinder85]

Is this with diesel or gas as the fuel. I didn't think that would happen with diesel. I'll have to remember that in the future because when I refuel my tractor, I usually take it all the way to the top - and I also *usually* do it when I'm done so it's ready the next time (something I didn't do this time)

Thermal expansion, all liquids, solids and gases. Fuel tanks are not meant to be filled 100%, you always leave a little bit of dead space for this very reason.

 

[Zebrafive]

The fuel gauge on my Kawasaki Mule is under the seat. I never remember to check it. I ALWAYS seem to run out of fuel at the far end of the farm. Several times I had chain saw mixed gas with me that saved the day. Other times I only had diesel at the barn and had to go buy fuel to retrieve the Mule.

 

[oosik]

I have a rather steep valley in my mile long gravel driveway and meltwater from a large field always runs out and down one side of the driveway. It freezes and makes a perfect skating rink out of the driveway - except its on a pretty steep pitch and not necessarily straight down the driveway. I fight this every year and ditch & ditch, etc etc. This icy stretch can easily be sanded and going up/down would be relatively safe. I've made many trips down this section, in 4WD, all tires sliding, heading for the ditch and then going the 30 feet to the bottom. I've always managed to save everything and not rocket into the bottom but you talk about biting holes in the seat, the knocking knees and the cold sweats. And I always tell myself - I'll make it this time and sand it tomorrow.

I've got a good ditch on this section of the driveway but the meltwater eventually fills the ditch with ice and will be running across/down this section.

 

[FTG-05]

Thermal expansion, all liquids, solids and gases. Fuel tanks are not meant to be filled 100%, you always leave a little bit of dead space for this very reason.

I was thinking of the old "harpoon" mod popular on diesel pickup trucks while reading this thread.

Seems the truck manufacturers use gas tanks for their diesel vehicles, including but not limited to the fuel inlet tube. On the gas engine, this extends pretty far down into the tank - to exactly prevent the overflow situation you and gnawbone discussed. The "harpoon" mod is a popular mod on diesel trucks to remove the tank and among other modes, snip the length of the inlet tube so you could fill the diesel tank fuller and quicker. Apparently, the idea being that overflow with diesel wasn't nearly a big a problem as with gas.

In any event, no more overfilling - especially after I run it out on a steep hill!

Back to more dumb stories!

 

[NewfieDan]

A few weeks ago I was moving some gravel to build a base for a greenhouse project using the FEL on the 2360. I didn't have the counterweight on. I had done this type of thing before with no issue. This time we had just had a decent rain so the gravel was wet. As I backed the tractor up to make the three point turn into where the gravel had to go I came close to flipping. Had to use myself as counterweight on the uphill side to keep it from going over. Lowered the bucket as low as possible since I was in the middle of the garden. VERY slowly inched forward to a place where I could dump the gravel.

Next move was to put on the counterweight and fill it with bricks.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Neighbor asked me to do her a favor by filling in a trash hole that one of her horses had gotten into. I was moving the piled up dirt that was around the hole to fill it in and got a little close with the front wheel (cab was a bit fogged up). When the one front wheel ran into the hole, it lifted the rear wheel off the ground and unfortunately that was the brake I hit so it just rolled in till the FEL hit the ground. It wasn't too bad for me as I knew what was happening and the narrow ditch was only about 2-3 feet deep. Scared my neighbor a bit though. I just dumped the load of dirt, used the FEL to lift the tractor level and then just backed it out. I put it in 4WD after that.

 

[k0ua]

Alright, I guess it is my turn, I hate to admit this, but here is something stupid I did about 2 1/2 years ago.

I was on the Kubota L3400hst with loaded tire and my ballast barrel on the back. On the front was a set of forks. The wife and I were building a stone wall. I pried up a very large rock, that took several minutes to get this rock up on the forks as it was at the extreme limits of my FEL's lift ability.
I only had the rock up about a foot or so off of the ground and the wife was moving some rocks already on the wall by hand to make a space for this new rock. She wanted me to get down off of the tractor and help her move some of these other rocks by hand.

I shut the tractor off but left the FEL holding my 1000+ pound rock still about 1 foot off of the ground. I had so much trouble getting the rock up I wanted to keep it off of the ground..I know, I know.. not good thinking. And to make matters worse I lowered my 3pt ballast barrel to the ground.. I know, I know what an idiot. So I get off of the tractor which is parked sideways on a very slight slope.

As I unseat my considerable bulk from the seat and start down the foot rung, the tractor starts a slow roll toward me. I stopped the roll by pushing back the tractor to keep it from rolling over. I screamed at the wife to go around to the other side of the tractor and push the FEL stick forward and drop the rock to the ground. Whew! disaster averted. I had lowered the ballast as a force of habit, you know, shut off the tractor, lower the 3pt, right.. yeah, and lower your front loads too.:confused2:

My weight in the seat was enough to keep the tractor rear wheels on the ground after I dropped the ballast to the ground, but when I got off the rears came up and the tractor rolled over towards me as the front axle is on a pivot pin.

Moral of story, I know all of these things, but I still did a stupid thing.

 

[FTG-05]

Scary! I don't think there is anything worse than feeling one of the rear tires start to lift up!

 

[paine]

This topic is a good read, and should help people think twice while running equipment!
I have not had my tractor very long but I did have a stupid already.

I am having some work done to my house after a big oak fell and did some damage. The aluminum facia above the garage was just replace along with the roof, gutter not installed yet. My garage is a classic two car with not very might height.
Tractor was outside and it started to rain (just the other day) so I jumped on and backed it in slow, the loader was up just high enough for the level indicator to hit the bran new facia that was just replaced! Plus side is I think the gutters will cover it!

 

[RoyJackson]

I had my old 790 mostly out of the garage and rigged the ballast box to the 3PH...then I was going to mount the loader.
As soon as I pulled the rockshaft lever...well, the 3PH with that 600-700 lb ballast box didn't raise a bit...the front end of the tractor sure did though!!
Lesson learned...mount the loader first, then the ballast box!
As I'm typing this....I dismount my loader for the mowing season (with the 790 and now with the 4400)...never had much trouble raising the 72" Woods mower with no front ballast and it weighs in the neighborhood of 700 lbs or a bit more. I guess that sand filled ballast box must go over 800 lbs.

Now, the reason I dismount the loader is due to all those minor hits when navigating in close quarters...the house, fence...once, one of my previous pickups.

So, two (or more when I add up those minor hits) dumb stunts in one post...

BTW, I use suitcase weights now when the loader is dismounted...found a nice set (4 weights) on the local Craigslist last year...

 

[RoyJackson]

I had my old 790 mostly out of the garage and rigged the ballast box to the 3PH...then I was going to mount the loader.
As soon as I pulled the rockshaft lever...well, the 3PH with that 600-700 lb ballast box didn't raise a bit...the front end of the tractor sure did though!!
Lesson learned...mount the loader first, then the ballast box!
As I'm typing this....I dismount my loader for the mowing season (with the 790 and now with the 4400)...never had much trouble raising the 72" Woods mower with no front ballast and it weighs in the neighborhood of 700 lbs or a bit more. I guess that sand filled ballast box must go over 800 lbs.

Now, the reason I dismount the loader is due to all those minor hits when navigating in close quarters...the house, fence...once, one of my previous pickups.

So, two (or more when I add up those minor hits) dumb stunts in one post...

BTW, I use suitcase weights now when the loader is dismounted...found a nice set (4 weights) on the local Craigslist last year...

 

[pat32rf]

Couple of years back I had buddies ATV die out on the ice and so I offered to tow it back to our walkout basement door, which is down by the lake. Since it was such a short distance we just hooked it to the FEL and I backed over to the shore. When I got to the pile of snow along the shoreline I lifted the FEL to reduce the drag of the ATV and gave it a touch of gas, just as the front wheels caught traction on the sandy shore. Being in 4wd I still had traction even after the rear wheels became AIRBOURNE, Times like that I am thankful that I just had to lift my toe, and instead of trying to find a clutch pedal.