Tractor Disasters and Owner Abuse

GrizBota

Well-known member

Equipment
L3830HST/LA724, B2601/LA435/RCK54-32, RCR1872, CDI 66”grapple, pallet forks
Apr 26, 2023
1,153
736
113
Oregon
True offroaders have their winch on the back bumper NOT the front. Up fron ,it's for show. Out back it'll get you OUT of the mess you drove into.
Would like to know how the tractor laid down on the left in #13. Ground seems fairly stable. Looks real new too !
I suspect that 13 took a nap within the first handful of hours of operation.

Those R14s do load up with just about any moisture on the surface and they are pretty worthless after that. Same as my B.
 

fried1765

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Nov 14, 2019
7,847
5,070
113
Eastham, Ma
You figured it out. The tractor was transversing a swale and the angle got to be too much and the tires lost traction. I have a tilt meter in the cab of my BX23S and when the tilt meter gets to 5% I stop and reposition the tractor. At 10% I get really scared of going over, and at 15%, well I have never made it to that degree. The common denominator in all of these accidents is operator error.
I purchased my meter at www.tiltmeter.com and it is well worth the small cost.

View attachment 126290
I do not doubt the validity of your "tilt meter", but mine...... is in the right cheek of my ass!
If it even approaches being uncomfortable, I just don't do it!
 
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GSD-Keegan

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601 with Fel and Bh70 backhoe
Mar 6, 2021
611
808
93
Ontario, Canada
You figured it out. The tractor was transversing a swale and the angle got to be too much and the tires lost traction. I have a tilt meter in the cab of my BX23S and when the tilt meter gets to 5% I stop and reposition the tractor. At 10% I get really scared of going over, and at 15%, well I have never made it to that degree. The common denominator in all of these accidents is operator error.
I purchased my meter at www.tiltmeter.com and it is well worth the small cost.

View attachment 126290
Thanks for the reply and link Dusty. Checked out the webpage and considering ordering one.
 
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North Idaho Wolfman

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Staff member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Jun 9, 2013
30,537
6,594
113
Sandpoint, ID
You figured it out. The tractor was transversing a swale and the angle got to be too much and the tires lost traction. I have a tilt meter in the cab of my BX23S and when the tilt meter gets to 5% I stop and reposition the tractor. At 10% I get really scared of going over, and at 15%, well I have never made it to that degree. The common denominator in all of these accidents is operator error.
I purchased my meter at www.tiltmeter.com and it is well worth the small cost.

View attachment 126290
If you need to reposition at 5% and 10% you'd do a lot of tractor parking at my place! 🥴 ;)
 
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DustyRusty

Well-known member

Equipment
2020 BX23S, BX2822 Snowblower, Curtis Deluxe Cab,
Nov 8, 2015
6,291
4,870
113
North East CT
If you need to reposition at 5% and 10% you'd do a lot of tractor parking at my place! 🥴 ;)
When I was your age, I took a lot of chances that today I won't even consider. Today my body is a lot more fragile than it once was. When I was 20 I had no fear of walking across a steel I beam 4 stories high. Today I don't even climb up high ladders. Last year I took a spill and I still haven't fully recovered from it. As you get older the more that you want to make it to the next birthday, and I know that I am running out of them. I just want to make as many as I can with good health.
 
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Lil Foot

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,576
2,636
113
Peoria, AZ
You figured it out. The tractor was transversing a swale and the angle got to be too much and the tires lost traction. I have a tilt meter in the cab of my BX23S and when the tilt meter gets to 5% I stop and reposition the tractor. At 10% I get really scared of going over, and at 15%, well I have never made it to that degree. The common denominator in all of these accidents is operator error.
I purchased my meter at www.tiltmeter.com and it is well worth the small cost.

View attachment 126290
I think you will be pretty safe using your tilt meter that way.
Back in olden times when tilt meters first became popular for rock crawlers, we saw people tilt their rigs under controlled conditions (with flex ramps in a parking lot) and then use that tilt number as a hard & fast rule as the number they could safely tilt offroad.
Then when they got in the field, they promptly rolled over, usually at a higher rate than they did before they got tilt meters.
It became apparent that very minor differences in loading, tire pressure, fuel level, alcohol intake, and phases of the moon all had an effect on stability that often rendered that hard & fast number useless.
Most of us got rid of tilt meters, and went back to relying on the seat of the pants tilt meter.
 
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Trimley

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX23SLSB-R-1 plus additions
Jul 25, 2023
1,185
879
113
PNW-WA
I know when my left cheek is hanging off the seat, my BX23s and I should not be there. I've mowed (straining the "oh shit" meter) at near 30° up-to 35° maybe steeper side hilling ditches. ONCE. It's not a comfortable time!!

I decided to try it, because I did it every year with my JDX739, which is almost identical in overall size.
 
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Runs With Scissors

Well-known member

Equipment
L2501 TLB , Grappel, Brush Hog, Box Blade, Ballast box, Forks, Tiller, PH digger
Jan 25, 2023
2,511
2,912
113
Michigan
Since I have gotten so use to driving on flat land, I find that my "Ass-O-meter" goes off if I run over a piece of firewood....hahahahahh

I would need to wear "Depends" if I got to 10%.
 
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Trimley

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BX23SLSB-R-1 plus additions
Jul 25, 2023
1,185
879
113
PNW-WA
I know the feeling. It took a feat of will just facing the ditch, looking at where I was about to go!! If I decide to do it again, I'll try to take a video to show that I'm not BSing!
 
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NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,824
4,304
113
Central Piedmont, NC
IMG_2207.jpeg
Since some are talking % grade and some degree angle (which sometimes is challenging to my limited quantity of still functioning brain cells to translate to reality) I found this slope/degree thing.

I’m a little jealous. Some of y’all got ground about as undulating as a pool table. Must be nice. I can’t mow the back yard of any of the three houses without getting over 35% (or 20 degrees depending on how you look at it). Head over the end of the plateau into the creek bottom to do any actual work… not sure if I want to know what the tilt meter would have to say about some of that. I do know it’s hard to keep your lines straight and overlap efficient when the tractor insists on crab walking while you’re bush hogging a slope sideways. I try to keep steep work up/down but that doesn’t always work out perfectly.
 

chim

Well-known member

Equipment
L4240HSTC with FEL, Ford 1210
Jan 19, 2013
2,147
1,266
113
Near Lancaster, PA, USA
The most slope I have here is a part of the yard that's about 16° / 29%. The tractor feels stable while mowing sidehill. If the grass is wet, I usually approach it in a more up & down pattern.
 

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North Idaho Wolfman

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Jun 9, 2013
30,537
6,594
113
Sandpoint, ID
The most slope I have here is a part of the yard that's about 16° / 29%. The tractor feels stable while mowing sidehill. If the grass is wet, I usually approach it in a more up & down pattern.
The most slope I have at my place would be 60°.. yea I don't mow it, and no I don't drive the tractor on it. ;)

I do hit other parts of the yard that are 30° to 45° range and those places definitely require you to really pay attention to what your doing.
 

ajschnitzelbank

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
L4701, BH92, Frost Bite grapple, Logosol M8 mill, Stihl MS661
Aug 24, 2021
218
456
63
Rensselaer County NY
The most slope I have at my place would be 60°.. yea I don't mow it, and no I don't drive the tractor on it. ;)

I do hit other parts of the yard that are 30° to 45° range and those places definitely require you to really pay attention to what your doing.
You said something once (I think) about being across the slope/sideways at 45 degrees. And having a wheel lift. Is that right? I think about it from time to time. (Shudder when I do!)
 

Torinodan

Active member

Equipment
T1600, G4200, G5200, Ford 2810, 1974 Wheel Horse C100
Oct 14, 2021
199
94
28
Fayetteville GA
I cant imagine this one didnt get stuck. Posted on FB for tilling services.
Screenshot_20240415_133057_DuckDuckGo.jpg
 
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bbxlr8

Well-known member

Equipment
L2501 w/R14s, LA525, BH77, SGC0660, CL 5' BB, CL PHD, WG24 + Ford 1210 60" mmm,
Mar 29, 2021
391
251
63
Eastern PA
I do not doubt the validity of your "tilt meter", but mine...... is in the right cheek of my ass!
If it even approaches being uncomfortable, I just don't do it!
Was traveling and just catching up...

I have a similar one but mine is the pucker right in the center and never wanting to feel it again! 😬 fwiw - My entire property is sloped and on a ridge - a meter is not needed here.
 

DustyRusty

Well-known member

Equipment
2020 BX23S, BX2822 Snowblower, Curtis Deluxe Cab,
Nov 8, 2015
6,291
4,870
113
North East CT
Another one is on its side. You have to wonder how it would up so far down in the weeds.

Kubota roll over.jpg
 
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hagrid

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
K1600GTL, ZX-14R
Jun 11, 2018
944
1,245
93
Pittsburgh
Change the HST filter now before uprighting.
 
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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,
Apr 2, 2019
11,644
5,039
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
Too bad the operator didn't mow the weeds down first, then he'd have SEEN the dropoff.
Can't tell is that a tiler or box blade on the rear ?
Should have chained loader down to frame too !