Tipped B2601. Ooops

[Hodag Kubota]

In desperate need of help. I was moving some sand yesterday and got into an off camber spot in my yard. Front left tire sunk in a divet, and the tractor did a slow roll to the left side. I was able to step off as it went over. I shut it off as it went over. It was on its side for less than 5 minutes. Got it upright and waited 15 minutes or so before the I tried to see if it would turn over. Waiting for the hydroseize. It started. Blew some smoke. Sounded good. Now I have oil blowing out at the muffler clamp where the exhaust pipe goes out the front. Would it be advisable to take it to the dealer, or just wait and see if it clears up?

 

[armylifer]

I don't think you are going to have a problem. I rolled mine once several years ago and I had smoke the way you describe and it cleared up in a few minutes of running.

Question, do you happen to have spacers on the front wheels?

 

[85Hokie]

I would have waited a bit longer after the tip -

After a good bit of time - fire it up and allow it to idle and see if smoke clears up

 

[Henro]

In desperate need of help. I was moving some sand yesterday and got into an off camber spot in my yard. Front left tire sunk in a divet, and the tractor did a slow roll to the left side. I was able to step off as it went over. I shut it off as it went over. It was on its side for less than 5 minutes. Got it upright and waited 15 minutes or so before the I tried to see if it would turn over. Waiting for the hydroseize. It started. Blew some smoke. Sounded good. Now I have oil blowing out at the muffler clamp where the exhaust pipe goes out the front. Would it be advisable to take it to the dealer, or just wait and see if it clears up?

You got lucky as I once did in the same situation.

Oil can find its way into a cylinder with an open valve through the PVC tubing.

IF I ever tip my tractor on its side again (hope not) I will not try to start it until I pull the glow plugs and verify there is no oil in the cylinders to bend a connecting rod.

5 minutes to get the tractor upright? You must be Superman!

Once oil is in a cylinder, waiting 5 minutes or five hours likely will make no difference. How would it drain out?

Glad you were as lucky as I was doing what we both did.

 

[jimh406]

I can’t help much with what to do, but glad you are ok. From what I understand, you should be ok once some oil burns off.

 

[JustinB60]

Glad you are ok! I agree that for anyone who tips in the future that waiting longer to start it, after righting it, is probably a good idea but hindsight is 20/20. Do you happen to have ballast in rear tires? Now might be a time to consider it if you do not, I’ve owned compact tractors with and without it and it is amazing how much more stable they feel with ballast in tires.

 

[Magicman]

You should be OK after it runs for a while.

Mine was and it was on it's side for at least 30 minutes. I did have to replace my battery.

 

[GeoHorn]

You must have been in a real-hurry.... Whenever I get in a hurry something breaks. You are extremely lucky in several ways:
Getting off/out of being seriously hurt or killed.
Your tractor only blowing smoke-and-oil instead of a hydrolocked/bent-connecting-rod.

I agree with Henro, if anyone rolls their machine... pull the plugs and turn it over (by hand if possible.). Any oil/water/fluid in a cylinder has to be removed before starting it to be safe.

Since you’ve got it running.... check your fluid levels ... Eventually it should clear up.

 

[Lil Foot]

It was on its side for less than 5 minutes. Got it upright

I'm interested in how you got it back right side up.

 

[GSD-Keegan]

So sorry to read this Hodag. I hope the best possible outcome for you. I'm a total newbie with a new 2601 as well. Please don't take this as criticizing. I'm just trying to learn and somewhat fearful of a rollover...which I think is a good thing. I also don't want to bend my tractor. In hindsight is there anything you would have done different to avoid this situation? How high was your bucket? Was the load balanced in the bucket?

 

[Hodag Kubota]

I don't think you are going to have a problem. I rolled mine once several years ago and I had smoke the way you describe and it cleared up in a few minutes of running.

Question, do you happen to have spacers on the front wheels?

No I don’t have wheel spacers. I‘ve only had the tractor about a year. There are so many things I’m still learning about.

 

[Hodag Kubota]

You got lucky as I once did in the same situation.

Oil can find its way into a cylinder with an open valve through the PVC tubing.

IF I ever tip my tractor on its side again (hope not) I will not try to start it until I pull the glow plugs and verify there is no oil in the cylinders to bend a connecting rod.

5 minutes to get the tractor upright? You must be Superman!

Once oil is in a cylinder, waiting 5 minutes or five hours likely will make no difference. How would it drain out?

Glad you were as lucky as I was doing what we both did.

Thanks. The tractor was only 50 ft from my garage. Ran up got the pickup and a strap, backed up to the tractor and 10 seconds later it’s upright

 

[Hodag Kubota]

Glad you are ok! I agree that for anyone who tips in the future that waiting longer to start it, after righting it, is probably a good idea but hindsight is 20/20. Do you happen to have ballast in rear tires? Now might be a time to consider it if you do not, I’ve owned compact tractors with and without it and it is amazing how much more stable they feel with ballast in tires.

Thanks. I’m definitely going to check into ballast in the tires

 

[Hodag Kubota]

You must have been in a real-hurry.... Whenever I get in a hurry something breaks. You are extremely lucky in several ways:
Getting off/out of being seriously hurt or killed.
Your tractor only blowing smoke-and-oil instead of a hydrolocked/bent-connecting-rod.

I agree with Henro, if anyone rolls their machine... pull the plugs and turn it over (by hand if possible.). Any oil/water/fluid in a cylinder has to be removed before starting it to be safe.

Since you’ve got it running.... check your fluid levels ... Eventually it should clear up.

I'm interested in how you got it back right side up.

 

[GeoHorn]

It can’t be over-emphasized the importance of carrying bucket loads LOW. If the center-of-gravity inside the bucket is above the front axle then the tractor will behave Top-heavy, and any momentum to roll can make it happen.... a wheel rolling into a hole or rut... even a sharp turn at walking-speed... or merely applying the brakes during a normal turn can do it if a load is carried high.
Keep it LOW.

 

[GSD-Keegan]

Thanks GeoHorn.

 

[Henro]

I can’t help much with what to do, but glad you are ok. From what I understand, you should be ok once some oil burns off.

This will ONLY be true if a very slight amount of oil gets into a cylinder.

There have been a number of reports of people trying to start their engines after a tip over, and a cylinder hydro locking due to oil finding its way into the cylinder, resulting in a bent connecting rod and big $$$ repairs.

Personally I got lucky once, due to misunderstanding the way this works. Oil can enter through the PCV route.

If this ever happens to me again (Hope not!) I will not try starting the tractor without first verifying the cylinders are free of significant oil. Too risky for my blood.

 

[jimh406]

This will ONLY be true if a very slight amount of oil gets into a cylinder.

Of course, OP had already started his engine and ran it. If was going to be damaged, it already was. He said it sounded ok which is not the same as one that was destroyed. Therefore, it would likely be ok.

That’s not the same as recommending that everyone hurry and start their engine after it’s on it’s side.

 

[Bmyers]

As others have pointed, keep the load as low as you can. You will see in many of my pictures that my bucket/grapple is higher up in the air in the picture, but I'm not moving, I'm outside taking a picture and then it either gets lowered or dumped on the pile.

The narrow width of these tractors can allow them to go over fairly easy, but ballast will help with this. Glad you are ok, equipment can always be fixed or replaced, people can't (although my wife keeps telling me she can find a replacement for me).

 

[Magicman]

But she would have to train the replacement!!