Think ‘As slow as possible and as fast as necessary.’ You can always make extra trips…If you ‘feel’ it going wrong you can always drop the load…better to push the loader stick all the way forward and drop it that the alternative.
Tipping over
- Thread starter Jday
- Start date
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Jday - - - What are you doing with the grapple to cause this?
Sounds like lifting/pulling/pushing some pretty heavy stuff...trees or logs?
Not only are you potentially causing injury to yourself, but the tractor's loader framework too.
Where I would start is (1) slowing down/less aggressive, and (2) be considerate of how the load in the grapple is "centered" in the grapple, and (3) increasing width and weight by spacers or adjusting tire mounting, loading tires and using a rear ballast.
What type tires/wheels do you have on the rear? Some R1's can be mounted different ways to adjust width without using spacers. Several different options may exist.
(3) Loading tires and using ballast will NOT fix side-tipping, but may make things happen slower. Following (1) and (2) will/should be the first things to concentrate on.
Sounds like lifting/pulling/pushing some pretty heavy stuff...trees or logs?
Not only are you potentially causing injury to yourself, but the tractor's loader framework too.
Where I would start is (1) slowing down/less aggressive, and (2) be considerate of how the load in the grapple is "centered" in the grapple, and (3) increasing width and weight by spacers or adjusting tire mounting, loading tires and using a rear ballast.
What type tires/wheels do you have on the rear? Some R1's can be mounted different ways to adjust width without using spacers. Several different options may exist.
(3) Loading tires and using ballast will NOT fix side-tipping, but may make things happen slower. Following (1) and (2) will/should be the first things to concentrate on.
thank you I think the back hoe may help due to the extra weight. I was worried that the backhoe would be mostly above the center of gravity and could make it more tippy
thank you the wheels are not adjustable and reading the manual wheel spacers are not to be used with the backhoe
ironically it was a fairly light load just spruce branches I think being in the hole is what caused the issue and I did drop the grapple and realigned. I do have R1 tires with studded chains loaded. and I had a back blade on the tractor for ballast. I was going pretty slow i keep it safe I am just concerned because much of my land is very uneven. I am not suppose to use wheel spacers with the back hoe.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
re: pulling small trees out by roots
not what I think a 'grapple' was designed for,though lots of videos that show them being used/abused for other purposes.
'grapple' would be for collecting 'piles of brush' and transporting it.
a special 'small tree' removal device is made, saw one on TV yesterday. Some kind of 'clamp with teeth' ,similar to a wooden skid puller.it only took seconds for him to yank 4" trees out of his bush.
not what I think a 'grapple' was designed for,though lots of videos that show them being used/abused for other purposes.
'grapple' would be for collecting 'piles of brush' and transporting it.
a special 'small tree' removal device is made, saw one on TV yesterday. Some kind of 'clamp with teeth' ,similar to a wooden skid puller.it only took seconds for him to yank 4" trees out of his bush.
NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Lots of good advice on stabilizing.
Proper ballasting is, I suppose, all science but there’s some art of experience in there as well. I have seen offerings for ag tractor ballasting classes but haven’t ever attended one. It’s a serious thing.
You have quite a few options with the L4701. You can add rear weight by loading the rear tires, add cast iron wheel weights to the rear, add weight on the 3 point with an implement or ballast box. With R1’s or R4’s the wheels are width adjustable. There are no brakes on the front wheels so the only way to have engine or pedal braking if the back wheels lose traction due to lifting is to have it in 4WD. The front axle is on a pivot so the rear axle is the only one that provides sideways stability.
I run mine with loaded R4’s and typically have a 535lb box scrape on the back with about 75lb of chain draped on the box scrape. Particularly if the front is downhill or pulling backward at all with the grapple, the rear lifting isn’t common but it can happen. Loader work is 4WD, at least it is for me.
Experimenting with it to figure out how to get it set up to do what you want safely may take a little bit of trial and error, but take it slow until you have it dialed in. Once you do have it dialed in and know better what it will do in specific situations, then you can speed up some, but if you’re pushing the limits go slowly. Pushing the limits at speed will land you on your head.
I don’t know exactly what kind of grapple you have. I know mine is designed to be used as a root rake as well as an object carrier, which is what the lower teeth are for, so popping out small trees is one of the things it was designed to do. I suppose there’s a right and wrong way to do that. Not really sure how you could totally mess that up without trying to mess it up.
Proper ballasting is, I suppose, all science but there’s some art of experience in there as well. I have seen offerings for ag tractor ballasting classes but haven’t ever attended one. It’s a serious thing.
You have quite a few options with the L4701. You can add rear weight by loading the rear tires, add cast iron wheel weights to the rear, add weight on the 3 point with an implement or ballast box. With R1’s or R4’s the wheels are width adjustable. There are no brakes on the front wheels so the only way to have engine or pedal braking if the back wheels lose traction due to lifting is to have it in 4WD. The front axle is on a pivot so the rear axle is the only one that provides sideways stability.
I run mine with loaded R4’s and typically have a 535lb box scrape on the back with about 75lb of chain draped on the box scrape. Particularly if the front is downhill or pulling backward at all with the grapple, the rear lifting isn’t common but it can happen. Loader work is 4WD, at least it is for me.
Experimenting with it to figure out how to get it set up to do what you want safely may take a little bit of trial and error, but take it slow until you have it dialed in. Once you do have it dialed in and know better what it will do in specific situations, then you can speed up some, but if you’re pushing the limits go slowly. Pushing the limits at speed will land you on your head.
I don’t know exactly what kind of grapple you have. I know mine is designed to be used as a root rake as well as an object carrier, which is what the lower teeth are for, so popping out small trees is one of the things it was designed to do. I suppose there’s a right and wrong way to do that. Not really sure how you could totally mess that up without trying to mess it up.
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Your BH, when attached, without extending, will provide you more than enough additional rear ballast.
bbxlr8
Active member
Equipment
L2501 w/R14s, LA525, BH77, SGC0660, CL 5' BB, CL PHD, WG24 + Ford 1210 60" mmm,
I am on a ridge and my property has 300' of elevation from bottom to top. I have BH77 as ballast & unfilled tires and have cleaned up a lot with the grapple it's been very stable by going "low & slow".
With the loader, I have had a few pucker moments going across with a full bucket of soil/rock. (I know - don't do that but sometimes you have no room...) I'm not talking about obvious "stupid" moves. This is where the slope is noticeable but not severe & you hit an unforeseen dip, rise or rock etc.
With the loader, I have had a few pucker moments going across with a full bucket of soil/rock. (I know - don't do that but sometimes you have no room...) I'm not talking about obvious "stupid" moves. This is where the slope is noticeable but not severe & you hit an unforeseen dip, rise or rock etc.
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I have the tires on my 4701 set as wide as possible. Helps a lot. The other thing is, slow down. Keep the load in the grapple as low to the ground as you can. And slow down.....
Also, I keep the rear blade attached most of the time as I live on steep terrain and the tractor needs that extra ballast anyway to remain stable. I do remove the blade if I am towing the wood splitter or etc. somewhere but then I am very conscious of taking care when turning the tractor. My situation is a more extreme than most as I live in the mountains. When I have had all weight removed from the rear of the tractor, it feels very different and much care must be taken. Friend's wife rolled my older Kubota a couple weeks after I sold it to them and she was moving a heavy 55-gal drum of horse feed or something with the bucket and turned the corner coming out of the barn. Wasn't hurt, but didn't do the tractor any good.
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In my former line of work, taking chances and doing things that are risky was considered "job security" by us....just say'n.
I've been to and seen things that no one on here wants to even think about when it comes to tractors and implements, and industrial events overall.....
Even if you don't mind taking the risk.....think about what ^^^ guy has to say to the loved ones that did care about you.
My guess is most here already slowed down. Glad you are joining us!
Your post inspired me to perhaps start a new thread related to tipping over experiences. I had one...ten years ago...it can happen in such an unexpected way...you just never know...even when you think you are being careful.
Take care and wear your seat belt if you have a ROPS that is UP.
Being a used tractor I don’t have a way to fold the rops up or down. The o Lu thing that came with it was a bolt and cotter pin, actually it’s a double bolt with cotter pins. Do they have a bolt or pin or something where you can easily fold the rops up and down instead of screwing it in and out?
Personally I do not know. BUT I think it is wise to keep the ROPS up and wear the seat belt.
I personally ALWAYS keep the ROPS up, but am guilty of not always using the seat belt.
We all make decisions and live with the results...or otherwise...
IF your ROPS is not in the UP position, be sure to figure out why. It is a major protective device.
Ballast down low on the back will help with sideways stability. To much of the backhoe is up high, which can actually make it worse.
that is what I was wondering I have a 6ft back blade on now so leaving that a foot off of the ground it may act a little as a stabilizer.