Close call 4720-or dumb move of day.

[Red Horse]

Doing a neighbor a favor this morning after her normal plow contractor gave up in trying to deal with the 20" heavy snow we had Thurs/Fri and went down to plow her drive. 2000 ft gravel drive is not well marked and just after crossing a little bridge I didn't realize stream bank was so close to road and dropped a wheel off edge.

Trying to use the loader to push myself out made it worse and with machine at 40/45 angle gave up and called a friend to come over with his 420 Cat. First attempt at pulling backwards, machine slid further down the bank and cab ended up against a tree. Finally cleared an area on other side of road and using hoe with bucket just off ground and chain hooked to clevis on drawbar, inched it sideways. Enough packed snow so it slid along. No damage-

Moral of story-as always, when you are not that familiar with terrain, check it out first!

 

[whistlepig]

Pretty scary. Looks like you stopped just in time. If the loader was raised it looks like she may have gone belly up at this angle. I'm sure your pucker meter has been severely stretched.

 

[rekees4300]

Scary ... looks like it was close to rolling over.

 

[AKfish]

That heavy, wet stuff packs down so nice... and it's just like grease! Can't stop, can't go forward, can't back up.. You're stuck! I don't go anywhere without chains all the way around, anymore. Never hardly have to use 4x4 -- but, when it's dicey I can usually creep outta there.

Thanks for the pics. Looks like your area has a good head start towards ending any dry conditions! :laughing:

AKfish

 

[tractchores]

Glad it ended well. The snow this time around was really slick, i found myself sliding sideways several times too.

 

[Zebrafive]

Glad no damage. I am sure the CAT driver will not let you forget this one. If you had rear chains, I think you might have got out on your own.

 

[jenkinsph]

Glad no damage. I am sure the CAT driver will not let you forget this one. If you had rear chains, I think you might have got out on your own.

Yeah I bet your friend will have a lot better memory, glad no one was hurt.

 

[LJH]

Scary ... looks like it was close to rolling over.

Boy, howdy - I'll bet it felt even closer! Sure glad that turned out well. BTW, I also have a good friend with a 420 CAT; comforting, isn't it?

 

[vtsnowedin]

Plowing snow with R4s and no chains on, Not a good plan.

 

[cobracnvt]

Wow, that doesn't look fun. Glad everything turned out Ok.

 

[Red Horse]

Boy, howdy - I'll bet it felt even closer! Sure glad that turned out well. BTW, I also have a good friend with a 420 CAT; comforting, isn't it?

YUK YUK-For sure-that's what I said to him.."Happiness is having a friend with a 420"

 

[Red Horse]

Plowing snow with R4s and no chains on, Not a good plan.

Well to add to Zebra5's comment, I'm sure chains would have helped. I had the 72" bucket on but I usually plow with a 7' fisher and have not had an issue-again in this case-stupidity on my part-I just put the right side too close to the edge and what I thought was solid ground was drifted in snow on the embankment.

Biggest reason for not getting chains (aside from 300 bucks) is the bay I keep this in has an overhead door and I have about an inch and a half of cab clearance.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Well to add to Zebra5's comment, I'm sure chains would have helped. I had the 72" bucket on but I usually plow with a 7' fisher and have not had an issue-again in this case-stupidity on my part-I just put the right side too close to the edge and what I thought was solid ground was drifted in snow on the embankment.

Biggest reason for not getting chains (aside from 300 bucks) is the bay I keep this in has an overhead door and I have about an inch and a half of cab clearance.

$300 bucks? try $1100 for a good set and then of course your $2500 job to adjust the door or lower the floor. But spend some time in your recent position with the snow still coming down and drifting and it will seem worth it.

 

[ccsial]

I did almost the same thing this year. I was blowing snow in front of my property for the mailman to drive by and I got too close to the edge and slid down the ditch. It was wet snow and just like grease as stated above. I was able to drive into my field and come up my trail back to my driveway. It was a bit scary thinking about rolling as I slid down. I was thanking the lord I didn't roll.

Glad you got by fairly easy too.

 

[BlackRaptor]

That almost happend to me the other day didn't realize how close I was to the ditch drop.

Glad you kept her rubber side down.

 

[chin]

That almost happend to me the other day didn't realize how close I was to the ditch drop.

Glad you kept her rubber side down.

sorry to go off topic but i have to ask you if that is the bigger 70 inch plus bucket on your tractor? Im getting a loader fro my cab 3720 and not sure if i want that size or next size down. can that bucket dig good and handle aa full load of wet top soil?

 

[Red Horse]

sorry to go off topic but i have to ask you if that is the bigger 70 inch plus bucket on your tractor? Im getting a loader fro my cab 3720 and not sure if i want that size or next size down. can that bucket dig good and handle aa full load of wet top soil?

10-4-its the larger HD 72" And I had a 3320 before this with exact same bucket. 3320 has no problem handling a 72" another adbantage is you are always covering your wheel spacing,

Only advantage of the narrow bucket would be if you spent a lot of time in the woods in terms of maneuvering around trees-and t that, I doand have never had an issue. IMO 72" is the way to go.

 

[Deere Dude]

sorry to go off topic but i have to ask you if that is the bigger 70 inch plus bucket on your tractor? Im getting a loader fro my cab 3720 and not sure if i want that size or next size down. can that bucket dig good and handle aa full load of wet top soil?

No doubt a bunch of different opinions here, but I have a 61" with my 3720. I can handle a heaping load wet gravel or wet dirt. It digs pretty well but I think for the time extra needed to fill a bigger bucket and to dig a little extra, you could be in and out and back again for another load. It is a coin toss for you and you don't want to regret what you buy, so maybe the dealer would have a used one around you could try for an hour or two.

Generally, I hear that 72" are more for mulch and cow duty and maybe looser dirt.

I have dug a lot of tree root-balls from 4-10" diameter with my 61" and it still took a long time in some cases. Oaks and Hickory's take forever it seems.

I would get the 61" again.