The dahhh moments... confessions

Blue2Orange

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Equipment
BX2380 with LA344S & QH05. SB1051. SG0554. BB1248. RB0560, Vassar dirt bucket
Apr 3, 2025
282
171
43
Bayview Township
Take extra care not to turn my snowblower into a gravel thrower. Skids set to max height. Box cutting edge set to orientate slightly upwards when in float position.

Blaming our schizo weather. Nothing new. It now rains almost every month of the year. Late Sunday's precipitation first arrived as gigantic snowflakes. The real pretty gentle dropping snowfall. Moments or hours later I heard the frizzle. 20's, but there must have been a warm layer of atmosphere turning the precipitation into frizzle, then drizzle, then eventually back to snow.. This is the NORTHwoods. Not south of 45degrees. I really dislike frizzle and rain in winter.

Monday midday fired up LOT(little orange tractor). All was fine. Just dealing with the relatively level parking areas to finish off the job. Chunk, chunk, chunk... Out the chute comes stray stones of blue rock. What the heck. I've got a solid and hard couple inches of packed snow/ice as a base over the driveway. Somehow a slab of that base broke loose with a few stones stuck to it.

Inspection of the box after task completed. Scuffs, scratches. But through the paint in the area around the impeller. Orange rustoleum time next spring. Dang. My shiny new SB1051 is dinged.

Could have been worse. Sucked up a baseball size rock in the old Loftness that bounced around in the impeller housing a few rotations. Or the time a stray chunk of firewood ended up in the blower resulting in multiple shear pins breaking and worse. Gear box shaft sheared where the driveshaft shear pin hole use to be.
 
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JonM

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Equipment
L6060,SA20,4in1,BH92,QH16,BS40,APS1572,RTR2570,HR2572,WC1504,FM2584,SBP1684
Nov 29, 2024
153
316
63
wisconsin
Take extra care not to turn my snowblower into a gravel thrower. Skids set to max height. Box cutting edge set to orientate slightly upwards when in float position.

Blaming our schizo weather. Nothing new. It now rains almost every month of the year. Late Sunday's precipitation first arrived as gigantic snowflakes. The real pretty gentle dropping snowfall. Moments or hours later I heard the frizzle. 20's, but there must have been a warm layer of atmosphere turning the precipitation into frizzle, then drizzle, then eventually back to snow.. This is the NORTHwoods. Not south of 45degrees. I really dislike frizzle and rain in winter.

Monday midday fired up LOT(little orange tractor). All was fine. Just dealing with the relatively level parking areas to finish off the job. Chunk, chunk, chunk... Out the chute comes stray stones of blue rock. What the heck. I've got a solid and hard couple inches of packed snow/ice as a base over the driveway. Somehow a slab of that base broke loose with a few stones stuck to it.

Inspection of the box after task completed. Scuffs, scratches. But through the paint in the area around the impeller. Orange rustoleum time next spring. Dang. My shiny new SB1051 is dinged.

Could have been worse. Sucked up a baseball size rock in the old Loftness that bounced around in the impeller housing a few rotations. Or the time a stray chunk of firewood ended up in the blower resulting in multiple shear pins breaking and worse. Gear box shaft sheared where the driveshaft shear pin hole use to be.
not as bad as hitting a 50lb salt block for the horses...

1000004712.jpg
 
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GreensvilleJay

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BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,
Apr 2, 2019
13,278
5,915
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
Years ago ,my riding snowblower 'found' a nice hardwood skid that I KNOW I'd relocated somewhere else.......
since then I try to 'clear the area' of all possible 'bad things that can ruin my day while snowblowing'...
 
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Blue2Orange

Active member

Equipment
BX2380 with LA344S & QH05. SB1051. SG0554. BB1248. RB0560, Vassar dirt bucket
Apr 3, 2025
282
171
43
Bayview Township
Probably should retitle the thread. The dahhh what the .... moments that you are willing to confess.

When it comes to tractor operation some of the experiences have been more than interesting.

Decades ago when grading the X/C ski trail on the property I decided to enhance the bank on a curve. To reduce the chance of flying off the curve. Outside of the curve was a steep drop for several feet. Trees would more or less stop your body from reaching bottom. Another reason. Hitting trees on skis is not a good thing. Using the loader I scooped up probably too heavy a load on the inside of the curve. In a moment the outside front wheel sunk rapidly lifting the rear inside the curve wheel off the ground. Sandy loose soil. Quickly dropped the bucket and took a few deep breaths. Didn't consider that the load would sink the front "uphill/outside" wheel tipping me basically uphill. And eventually pitching BabyBlue down the steep pitch.

Few other "interesting" events. Discovered that the FEL and bucket work as a nice "jack" to lift a front wheel out of depression and press the floating rear wheel onto the ground to get some drive traction to get out of the bad position. Learned when in doubt, best to back up a steep incline. On and on and.....
 
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JonM

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L6060,SA20,4in1,BH92,QH16,BS40,APS1572,RTR2570,HR2572,WC1504,FM2584,SBP1684
Nov 29, 2024
153
316
63
wisconsin
i also broke a front end part with grease not realizing i had to lift the front end off the ground so it would take grease....

so yeah ive done stupid sht
 
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Trustable

Active member

Equipment
l2501HST
Jul 5, 2022
252
191
43
Michigan
Second day of owning it… put a hole through the siding of my detached garage with the corner of the bucket trying to make a turn. Thank God the old owner of the place ordered way to much siding. I’ve had my share of sketchy incidents but over the past few years have become much more aware of the length and tippy factor. Siding is probably the only one that has caused damage to something beyond a tree.
 
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cliffboyer

Active member

Equipment
L3301 w/LA525 loader, G5200 mower w/RC48 deck, Kawasaki 610 Mule, DR mower
Nov 30, 2017
266
64
28
Southern IL
My first Holy Spicoli, sphincter clenching experience was on dad's B2400. I was relocating a giant stump/root ball. Much too heavy and ungainly to lift entirely with bucket. But could be rolled by lifting one end and pushing over. Rinse & repeat. Went smoothly on flat ground. When I got to a slight downhill slope, first 3 moves went fine. The fourth almost bit me. As I lifted the cut end and pushed it over, the ball caught backside of bucket toward one side. Loader was about 1/2 way up. Instead of rolling forward as anticipated, the ball rolled left and pulled bucket & arm with it. Right rear tire came up. It's momentum almost laid tractor over. I let off the hydro pedal and steered into it. Stomping on the brake probably would have laid me over. I had to ride it out with the stump. Total distance covered during this ride wasn't more than 8 feet before coming to a stop.....thankfully still upright.

And this happened moving slow and methodical in an open field. Proves how fast things can go wrong.
 
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KubotaHawg

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Lifetime Member

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L2800DT, LA463, Landpride ΒΒ1260, RCR1260, ZG222
Jan 9, 2022
98
143
33
NW Arkansas
. I was relocating a giant stump/root ball. Much too heavy and ungainly to lift entirely with bucket.

And this happened moving slow and methodical in an open field. Proves how fast things can go wrong.
Heavy stump moment here too.

Lifted very large stump/root ball with FEL to carry to burn pile, and moving very slowly with only ~6” ground clearance. Came to very gentle slope in yard and down went stump up went left rear tire.

All I needed to do was lower the loader quickly and mash the clutch (gear drive tractor), but I guess self preservation reflexes are faster than reason in me—bailed out uphill too fast to pucker a hole in the seat. Watched stump slowly lower 6” to ground and left rear stop about same off the ground.

Lowered the loader and rear tire settled gently. Never really any risk of tipping bc I was doing something right—low and slow, ballast on 3 pt—but valuable lesson in not overloading fel.

Edit: I was damn glad wife wasn’t out there to witness…
 

Blue2Orange

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Equipment
BX2380 with LA344S & QH05. SB1051. SG0554. BB1248. RB0560, Vassar dirt bucket
Apr 3, 2025
282
171
43
Bayview Township
Wake up you fool moment. A tractor is not a bulldozer. Not improper use of the BX. Learned almost the hard way with the NH. +30 years ago Clayton, a local bulldozer operator, magician when it comes to land clearing. Watched him push over and rip out stumps of +20" oak trees when clearing a site for the house and "improving" the Lake view. Recently a not so with my experience using BabyBlue, the NH to remove one measly (6-8") maple stump.

Hand dug ~3ft diameter area around the stump. Cut any major roots. Fire up BabyBlue. Gave the stump a nudge. It sort of wiggled. Got a good grip with edge of the bucket to try to rip up and away the stump. Proceeded to try flipping me and the tractor. Another up on x# of wheels tilting to? Another quick drop the bucket moment. Ended up using the bucket to dig a ~12-16 foot diameter ~3ft deep hole exposing more roots that I cut. Finally was able break the stump free. Then back and forth. Bucket by bucket from my "sand pit" to fill the hole. Couple hours and a poo moment job ended up to be more like half a day. At least I didn't roll over or leave a stain in the undies.
 

skeets

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Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
15,280
4,576
113
SW Pa
I shouldnt drop a dime on lil brother, but the Sunday paper is not very digestible in a snow blower. Of course I didnt laugh,, much
 
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JonM

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L6060,SA20,4in1,BH92,QH16,BS40,APS1572,RTR2570,HR2572,WC1504,FM2584,SBP1684
Nov 29, 2024
153
316
63
wisconsin
you win.... and I thought hitting frozen 10 pound chickens was bad :(
the shocking part was new auger 6700$ not counting labor. dealer in stevens point, service motor company, got a machine shop to rebuild the auger with three new blades total cost was 2800... had it back in about a week.
 
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MapleLeafFarmer

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Equipment
Lots incl. B and L kubotas
Dec 2, 2019
874
815
93
E.
the shocking part was new auger 6700$ not counting labor. dealer in stevens point, service motor company, got a machine shop to rebuild the auger with three new blades total cost was 2800... had it back in about a week.
that is a shocking price.... could 6,700$ not have bought a whole new blower? hope your not beating yourself up about it though.

anyways, I seem to use a sheer pin almost daily as I switched to a gr2 1/4*1.25 bolt.... i think less than my blower calls for but for a couple of pennies each I can buy handfuls from my local TSC farm store. Sure it take 30 seconds to put a new one in the shear sprocket but laughingly I know the damage will always be kept to a minimum and that the shear sprocket is not rusted or seized (haha). My document tube has a wrench and handful bolts just waiting for the next oops moment.

It sucks blowing around woodlots and working farmsteads as who knows what has died, crawled or been left under the snowpack. Just a cost of getting the job done when you live in an environment that's not pristine / controlled I guess.

Your salt block adventure is just a normal cost of living example in my books. The cost sucks but wouldn't beat myself up over it if I did it. Glad damage was repairable.

I'm hoping to add one of these to my shop later this week and total cost only 5,300$US for a 72"
1767989131018.png
 
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North Idaho Wolfman

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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Jun 9, 2013
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Sandpoint, ID
you win.... and I thought hitting frozen 10 pound chickens was bad :(
I know it gets really cold up north, but I'm really worried as to why you have 10 lb frozen chickens laying around where a snow blower could get to them. :unsure: o_O
 
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JonM

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Equipment
L6060,SA20,4in1,BH92,QH16,BS40,APS1572,RTR2570,HR2572,WC1504,FM2584,SBP1684
Nov 29, 2024
153
316
63
wisconsin
that is a shocking price.... could 6,700$ not have bought a whole new blower? hope your not beating yourself up about it though.

anyways, I seem to use a sheer pin almost daily as I switched to a gr2 1/4*1.25 bolt.... i think less than my blower calls for but for a couple of pennies each I can buy handfuls from my local TSC farm store. Sure it take 30 seconds to put a new one in the shear sprocket but laughingly I know the damage will always be kept to a minimum and that the shear sprocket is not rusted or seized (haha). My document tube has a wrench and handful bolts just waiting for the next oops moment.

It sucks blowing around woodlots and working farmsteads as who knows what has died, crawled or been left under the snowpack. Just a cost of getting the job done when you live in an environment that's not pristine / controlled I guess.

Your salt block adventure is just a normal cost of living example in my books. The cost sucks but wouldn't beat myself up over it if I did it. Glad damage was repairable.

I'm hoping to add one of these to my shop later this week and total cost only 5,300$US for a 72"
View attachment 168096
i call it a stupid tax and try to learn from it.
kinda makes me wish i had ktac but i dont want loans on equipment.

i will look into lighter grade sheer bolts
 

MapleLeafFarmer

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Equipment
Lots incl. B and L kubotas
Dec 2, 2019
874
815
93
E.
I know it gets really cold up north, but I'm really worried as to why you have 10 lb frozen chickens laying around where a snow blower could get to them. :unsure: o_O
Its part of the new "social contract" food producers are supposed to have with the city folk. Free run livestock tends to freeze when we get -30 for weekends on end.

On the plus side the bald eagles are thriving. here is a screenshot of a couple of people out and about walking where they counted 55 bald eagles in just a few trees. The media asked the question why so many in one place?? and were pleased to see them thriving.

The answer is simple. There is a chicken farm just behind that tree row.

1767995097700.png
 
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JonM

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L6060,SA20,4in1,BH92,QH16,BS40,APS1572,RTR2570,HR2572,WC1504,FM2584,SBP1684
Nov 29, 2024
153
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63
wisconsin
around here i see them on roadkill all the time. just another vulture
 
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