Jaxs, your perspective is highly appreciated. Every coin has at least two sides for sure.
In my case, the improvement I expect is possible improvement in my life expectancy. After tipping my B2910 on its side once about 12 years ago, while doing something where I didn’t think that could happen, my eyes certainly opened with respect to possibilities.
There are a lot of tractors operating with wheel spacers without issues. Occasionally, we hear of one that has damaged that could have been caused by wheel spacers. Or it could’ve been the result of abuse as well, combined with extra stress caused by the spacers.
Wheel spacers certainly increase tractor stability and reduce the probability of a tip over to some extent. At the risk of increasing stress on some of the tractor components. I guess my conclusion is/was if I’m going to break something, I’d rather break my tractor than break my neck.
Not that wheel spacers provide any guarantee. But they do add something in the Operator’s favor.
Ever coin does indeed have at least two sides and coins we see at online forums have 20 faces for use by those professed as average plus 30 edges and 12 vertices for eccentrics ( icosahedron ). Most folks who've owned their tractor 10 years can suggest things to make ours safer but sadly many only do as they see others doing without weighing the consequences.
In addition to decades of owning tractors I've observed others operating tractors . Not counting dozens of small farms like I lived on,two farms operated dozens each ranging in size from 12 horse to over 300 horse. Swarms of tractors operated 12 hours a day,6 days per week for months on end. I know of 4 tractors capsized on those farms. One operator was drunk,two were inexperienced and the forth was a retired farmer.
To show even old farmers make mistakes,I'll tell you about it. The retired man was using mules and kept a pair for his few acres of truck farm when his son took over. The son gifted dad with a B Farmall and implements. If you've ever switched implements and hooked them to mules and a B you know what I mean by that tractor being their first mistake. Having never wasted any ground for turnrows the old guy plows right up to the ditch and said "WHOA". Before he finished " #@^%$ I SAID WH,,,,,,,,the tractor was on it's side in ditch.
In the past 20 years I've heard of hobby farmers capsizing more tractors than all those in proceeding 60 years. Considering # of tractors and hours of operation I'd feel safe in saying weekend warriors flip 1,000 tractors to farmers' 1. I attribute that difference to weekenders overburdening their tractors and carrying loads too high. The little tractors remind me of ducks waddling along hunting a place to squat.
Fels are handy but when not in use shouldn't be on tractor. I could have bought a pair of loaders for what I paid for my Bush Hog but I can take it off and on quicker than 2 men and a boy can some. Adding insult to injury (pardon pun) is "bucket forks" instead of ssqa. Moving load farther out with bucket forks not only invites damage by multiplying moment of inertia, it adds a level of danger.
I to want to extend my life and preserve well being but instead of trying with band-aids and compromises I invest in equipment designed for task. Tractors with adjustable width wheels are available and designed to withstand forces involved. IMO money invested in equipment up to the task is better spent than making repairs on equipment altered and pushed to preform beyond design.
