Confused by the manual of the L2501 HST

[Moose7060]

Again - - good to research.

There's a lot of ways to hurt the tractor or yourself when you get it.

Don't ever put either at risk.

I'd say use common sense. Unfortunately sometimes that’s difficult without some exposure/experience.

Modern tractors have a lot of safety mechanisms. Many say they go overboard, and I don't disagree.

I started out with tractors without any safety systems. I'm still here, but learned a lot at a very young age, starting at 6 years old or so

I still own one of them. If given the opportunity, that tractor can hurt you in an infinite number of ways.

What is innate to me is not to a lot of folks.

Stay safe and enjoy!

View attachment 142538

That MM is a beauty!

It's not just tractors that can get the operator injured, implements as well, even when the PTO is turned off or even when it is parked and shut down. I once saw a fellow disconnect a pull type post pounder from the draw bar that didn't have the pounder down and tilted forward enough, and it flipped backwards so fast that if he was leaning just a little bit more forward the tongue would have taken his head clean off! Caution around machinery isn't just a saying, its life saving at times. I guess the seatbelts are there for a reason.

 

[nerwin]

That MM is a beauty!

It's not just tractors that can get the operator injured, implements as well, even when the PTO is turned off or even when it is parked and shut down. I once saw a fellow disconnect a pull type post pounder from the draw bar that didn't have the pounder down and tilted forward enough, and it flipped backwards so fast that if he was leaning just a little bit more forward the tongue would have taken his head clean off! Caution around machinery isn't just a saying, its life saving at times. I guess the seatbelts are there for a reason.

That's scary. Well I don't intend to be doing any post pounding any time soon. But they don't seem like a piece of equipment you wanna screw with haha. I really really don't like PTO powered post augars. Not a fan.

 

[RCW]

That MM is a beauty!

Thanks!

Like I said to @nerwin , that old Moline can run you over a couple ways just starting it.

It can get tippy because it's a NFE (narrow front end).

As a tractor without power steering (and NFE), ALWAYS keep your thumbs outside of the steering wheel. Hit a big stone or woodchuck hole and that wheel will spin so fast you can hear it. Can break some bones in your hands or wrists......ask me how I know....even though warned 1,000 times by the time I was 7.... I still drive my Chevy Pickup with my thumbs outside of the wheel.

No 3PH, but has a PTO. You get on the tractor from the back, and your feet are right next to the PTO.

At 6 or 7, I could back it and a manure spreader down a barn floor with the cows in.

Probably couldn't do that now.......

 

[Moose7060]

Thanks!

Like I said to @nerwin , that old Moline can run you over a couple ways just starting it.

It can get tippy because it's a NFE (narrow front end).

As a tractor without power steering (and NFE), ALWAYS keep your thumbs outside of the steering wheel. Hit a big stone or woodchuck hole and that wheel will spin so fast you can hear it. Can break some bones in your hands or wrists......ask me how I know....even though warned 1,000 times by the time I was 7.... I still drive my Chevy Pickup with my thumbs outside of the wheel.

No 3PH, but has a PTO. You get on the tractor from the back, and your feet are right next to the PTO.

At 6 or 7, I could back it and a manure spreader down a barn floor with the cows in.

Probably couldn't do that now.......

I'll bite. Hand or wrist?

 

[RCW]

I'll bite. Hand or wrist?

Yes.

Didn’t break anything that I know of, but twisted enough that my wrist and thumb were real sore for a week or more. Was tough carrying hay bales and gripping pitch fork handles when you had to twist it around to bed cows down, etc.

Never said anything to anyone else I’d have other things pretty sore……

 

[NCL4701]

Reading the manual a couple times before first use… .

In addition… If buying from a dealer have them spend a little time with you going over basic functions: starting, 3 point (position control or whatever it has), loader function, basics of ballasting, generalities of which range and RPM to use for common chores, overview of PTO operation, and any other questions you have. If the dealer is worth anything, they’ll be glad to do that. The guy that delivered mine offered that service. I had experience running tractors but wasn’t too proud to ask him a few questions since I had zero experience with THAT tractor.

If you’re buying from a private party, they might or might not give you a tour and short tutorial. If I was the seller and the buyer told me they had same questions due to no experience with similar equipment, I’d be glad to show them around.

BTW, ROPs and seatbelts work together to keep you from being crushed in a rollover. You can run ROPs without a seatbelt but never wear a seatbelt if ROPs down. If it goes over with ROPs down your only chance is jump. I actually do wear the seatbelt and keep the ROPs up when operating on slopes, ditches, ravines, areas where hidden holes may be present, any time I’m roading it, and whenever the loader is very heavily loaded. So about 60% of the time.

I’ve been a part of the aftermath of enough tractor rollovers, PTO entanglements, and started in gear incidents to not permanently bypass any of the safeties even though they can be irritating at times. Can’t say I don’t temporarily bypass the seat switch when moving pallets with the loader so I can stand up to see the forks. YMMV.

These were my introduction to running equipment. Started on the little tractor 50 years ago when I was 8. Started mowing with the little green lawn tractor about the same time. Had to grow some more muscle before taking on the row crop H with loader. I’m reasonably sure safety was not a design parameter.

Always hated roading the H. For an old tractor, it will move. About 25mph, no fenders, nothing but gravity to keep you in the seat, nothing to hold onto but the steering wheel, sitting way up high. Felt like riding a bar stool on the back of a flatbed truck.

Anyway, starting out with virtually zero safeties, later dealing with farm and construction accidents as part of my profession; I kind of appreciate most of the safety stuff.