What do you do when you get.....BOGGED????

[F350]

I was bushhogging 10 acres for my Dad last weekend and I forgot about a lowlying area and before I knew it I was sinking. I picked up the bushhog to no avail. I was stuck spinning the rear tires of my 2WD Yanmar YM 226.
I was in Mid range / high gear.
I question is what could I have done to help to get the tractor out? ( other than selling what I have and buying a 4WD ) Move to low range or high range? What are the useful tips when someone is in this situation?

 

[frank_f15]

depends on how bad you were stuck! if it was real muck 4wd may not even have helped, did u try lowering the bucket and curling it to push your self back ? BTW how did u finally get it out?

 

[F350]

The tractor doesn't have a loader. i had to get the nieghbor to pull me out with his 4wd kubota

 

[AndyMA]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( question is what could I have done to help to get the tractor out? ( other than selling what I have and buying a 4WD ) Move to low range or high range? What are the useful tips when someone is in this situation?
)</font>

I assume you locked up the rear differential if it has one. Before it dug in too deep I would have dropped the mower and tried to drive out with out it. Slow and low range usually works best. If I needed to I would have placed logs in front and behind tires to drive up on and pull under tires. Once out I would have chained the tractor to mower and pulled it out. Might have worked. Knock on wood, in over 40 years on tractors and lots of mud I've never had to be pulled out. Although never had a tractor without loader. Great asset to get out with. Also since my 8N- no more 2WD. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Chain link fence also usually works well.

Andy

 

[OverlyRun]

When you get that sinking feeling....my experience suggests the following sequence:

1. Lift up off seat in vain hope that this lightens the load and eases you right on out of the mud.
2. Teach any nearby children new vocabulary that you hope they won't repeat in Mom's presence.
3. Regret that you didn't locate bog closer to road and your pickup.
4. Relax and ponder what you did with the money you should have spent on FEL. If you spent it on cigarettes, now is time to smoke some.
5. Look carefully at scenery and memorize this location so you avoid it next time.
6. Also inventory any smirking neighbors who may have watched the whole sorry scene unfold, draft complex explanation of how bog could not be avoided.

Actually, when I've gotten stuck it has been the FEL that saved me...pushing backwards and lifting front axle above the muck. Locking the differential helped one time when one wheel had some purchase. Never (yet) had to get down and dig under wheels to put timbers, fencing etc underneath....at least not for the tractor. We used to get Dad's woods truck stuck all the time and logs, rocks etc all got called into service. Getting unstuck is purpose enough to have FEL in my view. Otherwise I think others have given you all the options.

Chas

 

[Jackrabbit_Slim]

I can tell you from experience that spinning tires is a mistake. I put a JD7810 in to the axles one day. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I find that if it looks like I'm digging in (at least in the soil conditions where I'm from originally-not much for rock or gravel) the best thing to do is to shut down and find something for traction.

Slim

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

As soon as you realize you're stuck, quit digging deeper. It happens to the best of us. Just get something biger to pull you out. I've had our combine stuck several times. You don't know what stuck is until you try to drag one of them out of the mud...

 

[dicker]

Hi

I scared myself yesterday. I got the left side of the 4310 too close to a 4 ft deep culvert while clearing snow and started sinking to the left. It finally came to rest with both right side tires off the ground and of course, those are the one's that are spinning.

After cursing how stupid I was to do that, seeing that it's my own driveway and that culvert has been here for the 15 years that we have, I was able to get the tractor out by engaging diif. lock and at the same time lifting the front end up and curling the bucket.

Sometimes, these things happen. And as others have said, if all else fails, get someone with a larger tractor.

Richard

 

[avclay]

One thing I found working in soft areas, don't lift whatever attachment you have on the ground up right away! Many times the surface area of whatever is on the ground is helping hold you up higher than just your tires would. Its not often, but I've been able to work a box scrapper up and down with FEL to get out of some deep holes.....

 

[beenthere]

Lots of help here (tongue in cheek). /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have a neighbor with a low lying area that he farms, and he built a Massey Harris tractor with a V-8 engine that he could begin wildly spinning the tires when he started to bog down. It would either spin him into the ground faster or get him moving through the wet area. He growled when it didn't work and smiled when it did.

I don't think there is much you can do, if the wheels bog down and the lugs fill with mud. Makes for one smooth wheel and it drops right down quickly. Not spinning if possible is best.

But don't feel bad if the mud gets to you, as it isn't something you can avoid unless not being there at all is an option. And that is no fun at all.