Dismounting a running tractor ?

[logan97]

whenever I dismount my tractor while engine is still running I, throttle down to idle,depress and engage brake lock and put the hydro in neutral. Do I need to put the hydro in neutral ? Also I usually put the bucket down and the implement down too.

 

[MoKelly]

I have a Bobcat CT235 hydro. I do exactly what you describe. However, I'll admit there are times I forget to switch to neutral. So far, I've never noticed the difference.

However, it just seems to me that neutral would be the safer choice.

MoKelly

 

[yooper1]

My NH will die if I do not shift into neutral and get off the seat.

I must idle down, shift to neutral and set the brake in order to get off the seat and then off the tractor

 

[Thomas]

I also do the same Logan for you never know hit of lever or step on the pedal might go for unwanted ride or thrown off.

 

[picker77]

When I'm box blading I often need to twist my body and lift my weight slightly from the seat to crane my neck far enough to see exactly what I'm doing with the blade. This, of course, kills the engine, and is a bit irritating. I'm going to look at the spring mechanism and see if something can be done to de-sensitize it's action a little, short of disabling it--which I won't do.

 

[RPW]

Interesting picker as my JD will start buzzing but it doesn't kill the engine.

 

[/pine]

I do the same as mentioned and the first habit I learned was to only mount/dismount on the left hand side...as to never inadvertantly bump (or catch a shirt tail on) the gear lever...

 

[logan97]

My NH will die if I do not shift into neutral and get off the seat.




I have a safety switch hot wired at the moment must control the hydro in neutral . Thanks for the replies.

 

[rjkobbeman]

I dismount my running tractor all of the time. It is a ROPS so I can only dismount from the left.

When I am going to dismount, I do the following:

• 
  I lower my bucket to the ground with my FEL in the float position (this keeps the FEL weight on the ground, regardless of terrain in the event of a "runaway")
  If I have something on the 3ph, I lower it to the ground
  I shift the shuttle into neutral
  I shift the main gear shift into neutral
  I apply the transmission brake
  I dismount from the left -- the only way on my ROPS tractor

If certain situations dictate, I will leave the FEL up or 3ph up... but those are not the norm.

When I turn the tractor off, I do the same as above.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Gosh, on my BX I just put on the brake. It also will drive when your not in the seat...:confused2:

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Assuming I'm on flat ground, I throttle down - depending on RPM's and just get off. On incline set Park Brake or lower bucket as needed.

On JD 3320 if not sitting on seat tractor will not move whether in gear or not, when HST pedal is depressed.

IIRC with PTO running getting off seat will kill engine.

 

[merrickvilleguy]

My 1635 will die if i don't go in neutral or kill the pto before getting off the seat ... i also try to put the 3pt and fel down if possible ... and the brakes are always on as habit (with my luck it would roll away)

 

[jlsmith]

well i guess im the unsafe one cuz i just drop the bucket and get off if im on one of the tractors that dont have a FEL i just make shure its not rolling as i get off. I know I know i should be alittle more safer. Thumbs up to all you guys who are safe.:thumbsup:

 

[beppington]

whenever I dismount my tractor while engine is still running I, throttle down to idle,depress and engage brake lock and put the hydro in neutral. Do I need to put the hydro in neutral ? Also I usually put the bucket down and the implement down too.

I would think not if it has a similar seat & hydro pedal safety switch setup as mine; If I'm not in my seat & the hydro pedal gets pressed, the engine dies.

Of course being a smarty pants I have jumpered the seat switch so the tractor thinks I'm sitting at all times. I don't recommend anybody else do that, though. Just me. Cause I'm special

 

[Qapla]

Our tractor does not have a seat switch. Since I am usually using the pedal, not the throttle, I don't have to "throttle down" when getting off. I do usually drop the FEL on the ground, if it is empty. I also place the shuttle shift in neutral.

I get on/off from the left for two reasons. That is what I learned to do on a horse and the loader controls are in the way of getting on/off from the right.

The biggest no-no I do is this ... when I first start the tractor after it has been sitting overnight or for an extended time, I check the shuttle shift to make sure it is not in forward or reverse. I turn the key on to start the glow plug timer. While they are warming up, I clean the seat off (our tractor lives outside). Then I press the clutch pedal with my hand and start it up standing on the ground next to the tractor.

Once started, I have to step to the back and lift the BH bucket from the ground and check the stabilizer feet are up. (they all leak down) Since the BH is a sub-frame, it is a pain to do this from the tractor seat, so I developed this way of starting it.

SAFE? You tell me?

 

[dfkrug]

Level ground is pretty rare around here, and one of the reasons I
prefer HST tractors is the extra safety they offer. I never put my
range shift in Neutral, especially when dismounting. The HST is
self-braking, and provides additional roll-away protection, in addition
to the parking brake. I usually have my forks on the loader, and a hoe
on the rear, which don't really offer any roll-away safety.

My later units had some annoying safety interlocks, and sometimes
they do not add to safety.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I havent really tried starting my LS without being in the seat, but it doesnt kill the engine if I get out of the seat with it running. Of course it is straight gear, so you have to shift to neutral before dismounting unless you kill the engine. It will start in gear if you depress the clutch which is the only safety feature that I have found so far. It wont start in neutral either without depressing the clutch, so I am happy with the one safety feature. Since I havent used anything on the PTO yet, I dont know if it has something on the PTO to prevent starting it with the pto engaged. It has a separate brake for parking, like a car, rather than depress the steering brakes and lock them. If works well too if I forget to release it, it stalls the tractor. Probably be next spring before I need the PTO for mowing so I guess I will find out a few more things about it then. I only got to use it about a week after I bought it before having to leave my baby in the shop shed and come back to work and the operators manual doesnt go into a lot of detail on safety interlocks.

 

[Qapla]

I haven't really tried starting my LS without being in the seat, but it doesn't kill the engine if I get out of the seat with it running ... Since I haven't used anything on the PTO yet, I dint know if it has something on the PTO to prevent starting it with the PTO engaged...

The FarmTrac is /was made by LS. On ours, if you engage the PTO, it will not start. In fact, it will not even try to start ... it acts as if it were dead. This can catch you by surprise as the PTO switch is mounted below the steering wheel on the center column and you can accidentally turn the PTO on with your knees when getting off the tractor.

 

[beenthere]

Have HST and the parking brake lever.
I stop, set the brake, and get off (either side but the step is on the left). Have ROPS too, but it doesn't restrict the right side.

If I were to go through the multiple steps some of you go through, I'd go nuts. .. or wouldn't get off the tractor. I often adjust the FEL height and curl when standing on the ground. That was recently when gutting a deer hanging off the bucket. All depends on the multiple uses I have for bucket and forks.

I have to stand up to see the tips of the forks on the FEL to line them up with a pallet or to pick up a log or rock. So having the safety switch in the seat wouldn't work well at all.

 

[beppington]

If I were to go through the multiple steps some of you go through, I'd go nuts. .. or wouldn't get off the tractor. I often adjust the FEL height and curl when standing on the ground.

I have to stand up to see the tips of the forks on the FEL to line them up with a pallet or to pick up a log or rock. So having the safety switch in the seat wouldn't work well at all.

All the same reasons I bypassed my seat's safety switch.