Lucky to be ALIVE!!!

[DarkBlack]

This was touched on in another topic, but thought I needed its own. I beg of everyone not to mess with a starter on tractor with battery hooked up. I accidentally shorted a starter in tractor while in gear four days ago. After being airlifted to a trama 1 hospital and total hip replacement, I'm lucky to be alive !

Gary, hope you're healing well. Curious, was it the Farm Pro 2425?

 

[bumperm]

Gary,

You of course know her better than any of us. Part of her distrust may be born of insecurity, perhaps a previous failed relationship? I'd have a talk with her, something like:

I'm really saddened. I know for a relationship to last, it must have a solid foundation of both love and trust. When a man cheats on his wife (partner), no question that has a devastating and lasting effect on the very foundation of their relationship (or marriage). I want you to know that I value what we have together far too much to ever do that to you. It's not in my nature, not who I am. I believe in you, love and trust you, and hope you still feel the same about me. Sharing a loving trust in each other is the proof of that commitment. I want to always be there for you, and right now I need you more than ever.

Yeah, mushy, but "they" like that that sort of stuff . . . and of course you *do* have to mean it! Going on 45 years, have never so much as lied to her (haven't always told her "everything") but have never cheated or lied.

BTW, if she doesn't truly believe in and trust you, sadly, you really are better off parting ways, 'cause that lack of trust and insecurity on her part will likely remain and come back to visit you again.

bumper

 

[PhysAssist]

Thanks bumpy. I try to walk 3 or 4 times a day but only a short distance. And ofcourse up & down for the urinal and potty chair. Yuk! Luckily I have good care and a adjustable tempurpedic bed. Thanks for all the encouragement and well wishes.

Hi Gary,

Yes there will have been muscle, tendon, ligament and other tissues you have probably never heard of damage, which makes continuing to use ice, anti-inflammatories (when they let you off the anticoagulants so it's safe) and if you can eventually get to PT and/or massage therapist, they can help work out the knots you will inevitably emd up with. In the meantime, slow and easy making little gains and avoiding setbacks is the way to go.
T

 

[troutsqueezer]

Accidents happen. I'll probably continue to take short cuts. I've lived this long so if I die tomorrow because of some "short cut" I took, it aint that big of a deal. Ebola will probably get me anyway...

 

[Garycw]

I do it every year. I know it's not the safest thing to do, but I still do it.

I'm also guilty of getting off the old ford 841 while running. ( NO MORE). When bushoging above a pasture there's a woods with clearing I keep mowed. I have to go through two gates. The first one is fairly level ground. While conserving battery & starter I drop bushog as a brake and gingerly step off the tractor trying not to touch the shifter and kick In gear. Same procedure once on the other side to close back. The top gate is too steep and I have to turn engine off and leave in first. Emergency brake probly hasn't worked in 30 years. Again I have to be careful NOT to hit shifter to not kick Out of gear.
Since I've had this accident ALOT of things are going to change.
Please be safe-- don't take chances. Even if you've done it 100 times before.

 

[Garycw]

Gary, hope you're healing well. Curious, was it the Farm Pro 2425?

Yes it Was the Farm Pro 2425. A compact tractor but still weighing in around 3500lb I think. If it had made a quick pass over me would have been bad enough, but it creeped inch by inch over me. From the time I was pinned it seemed like it took almost 4-5 min to totally clear off me.

 

[Garycw]

Accidents happen. I'll probably continue to take short cuts. I've lived this long so if I die tomorrow because of some "short cut" I took, it aint that big of a deal. Ebola will probably get me anyway...

Ha ha .. Hope not.
Really Not a good idea. It also hurts like heck, cost like the dickens, and affects everyone close to you. Especially if you're dead. Take care & be careful.

 

[Garycw]

Thanks PhysAsstnt,
The new aches just keep appearing.I'm on the anticoagulant blood thinning shots for 30 days. I have to give myself two shots a day in stomach. 60 shots total. Starting to look like a black & blue pin cushion.
Just moving my legs in bed now and short walks a few times a day for now. I have high hopes my hip will be better than before the accident. I had trouble with that one sometimes anyway. We shall see sometime in the future.

 

[DarkBlack]

Yes it Was the Farm Pro 2425. A compact tractor but still weighing in around 3500lb I think. If it had made a quick pass over me would have been bad enough, but it creeped inch by inch over me. From the time I was pinned it seemed like it took almost 4-5 min to totally clear off me.

I'm wondering if there might be some sort of safety design flaw in the starter circuit of that machine, either electrical or mechanical. The starter should have halted the moment the short was removed. I tried looking on the web for diagrams but found none. I assume that's a Chinese tractor, and may very well have a flaw. I can't explain otherwise why it kept going.

 

[Garycw]

Yes DarkBlack. It is a Chinese tractor. It was a very unusal event. Imedeitly after the wrench shorted the solenoid, the wrench fell clear to the ground. It stayed latched in though. After the tractor finally cleared me, I pulled myself up and got it neutral. As soon as it went into neutral the soleniid went into a high pitch whine it continued to do so till I hit soleniod a second time ( while in neutral) and it stopped. It was something like out of the old movie " Cristine" were the car was possessed. I'm still undecided to keep or sell this tractor that I'd only had two weeks? ... Or burry it.

 

[TomSeller]

I'm wondering if there might be some sort of safety design flaw in the starter circuit of that machine, either electrical or mechanical. The starter should have halted the moment the short was removed. I tried looking on the web for diagrams but found none. I assume that's a Chinese tractor, and may very well have a flaw. I can't explain otherwise why it kept going.

I agree, there is something odd here. CM had a theory, but I don't know that even as experienced as he is if he was confident. It beats me as to why it creeped over him and paused for seconds at a time.

 

[Coyote machine]

I agree, there is something odd here. CM had a theory, but I don't know that even as experienced as he is if he was confident. It beats me as to why it creeped over him and paused for seconds at a time.

I'd say that the combination of the starter/solenoid having an issue with their function(s) prior to the accident happening, and the wrench creating a ground long enough to engage the solenoid and consequently the starter could have allowed the engine to move long enough to hit the fence and 'bounce back' toward the OP. The solenoid noise might be an internal short that was activated when the wrench shorted to ground, then remained energized by the forward movement it created via the starter, then since the starter's Bendix gear likely did not release, (since the tractor never actually started), the process began again once the fence pushed the tractor back toward where the accident originated.
I can't think of any other plausible explanation. Regardless of what the cause and effect are the result is most unfortunate for the OP. No matter how much we kick this around we'll never likely know for sure what went down.:confused3:

 

[Garycw]

CM, your theory seems to make the most explainable sense. As the tractor learched forward my legs, hips & latched & pinned fence was trying to push it back. If the fence wasn't there, I believe it would have continued to a steady crank over me and most likely started. I'm new to diesel , but think it would have started even though the key was not in. When it would be running I could turn key off and all gushes would go dead, but engine would keep running fine.
It may have been trying to Fire in gear, but gate was stopping it ?? Whatever it was it was the strangest thing I'd ever experienced. It's like a nightmare every time I think about it.
I'm not usally superstitious, but between this accident ( which was avoidable) and the other personal problem arising from being there working in it, in leaning more toward selling it with a disclaimer to new owner.
It's a shame, seemed like a versatile little tractor and was looking forward to finding a used FEL & possably a BH. I may have to sell it anyway to help pay hospital & helicopter ride.

 

[Garycw]

CM, your theory seems to make the most explainable sense. As the tractor learched forward my legs, hips & latched & pinned fence was trying to push it back. If the fence wasn't there, I believe it would have continued to a steady crank over me and most likely started. I'm new to diesel , but think it would have started even though the key was not in. When it would be running I could turn key off and all gauges would go dead, but engine would keep running fine.
It may have been trying to Fire in gear, but gate was stopping it ?? Whatever it was it was the strangest thing I'd ever experienced. It's like a nightmare every time I think about it.
I'm not usally superstitious, but between this accident ( which was avoidable) and the other personal problem arising from being there working in it, in leaning more toward selling it with a disclaimer to new owner.
It's a shame, seemed like a versatile little tractor and was looking forward to finding a used FEL & possably a BH. I may have to sell it anyway to help pay hospital & helicopter ride.

 

[skyhook]

When it would be running I could turn key off and all gushes would go dead, but engine would keep running fine.
It may have been trying to Fire in gear, but gate was stopping it ?? Whatever it was it was the strangest thing I'd ever experienced.

From what I've read here, you most likely had to pull a lever to shut it down, since the key would not do it.
If it was "pulled" out in the "kill engine postilion", it would not have started.
Mine did this also until I found that a fuse was oxidized, was preventing it from shutting down.
In my case, (until I found the problem) I would pull the "kill" lever, let it shut down and return it to the "run" position, had you done this, she definitely would have started, even with the key off.
Get rid of "both" of them, too many bad memories, turn the page and begin a new.
Hang in there Gary, there's most likely a rainbow at the end for you.

On another note, did you have homeowners insurance, etc....

 

[Garycw]

It does have a pull kill switch. It is connected to a fuel shut off cable. It does not stay in the kill position when you release it is springs back to run. To stop engine you have to pull and hold till it dies. Then it releases to normal run. This was a very easy starting tractor too. Fired right up easy.
As for homeowners insurance there is, but the farm is not in my fiance's name. She put it in her sons name for other reasons and not really sure if he even knows it.
... That Rainbiw will be a welcome sight All I see now is dark clouds.
I am walking a little better every day though

 

[DarkBlack]

I'm not so sure about the wrench shorting to ground explanation, as all starters I have ever known, are switched positive. But then again I don't know anything about the Chinese tractors.

 

[Coyote machine]

I'm not so sure about the wrench shorting to ground explanation, as all starters I have ever known, are switched positive. But then again I don't know anything about the Chinese tractors.

You don't have to be sure about the wrench shorting, the OP said it did; and how else would the starter be engaged, other than the solenoid being activated?
The OP said it bothers him to keep rehashing the details, so let's stop this unnecessary rewinding, OK people?

 

[Garycw]

I'm not so sure about the wrench shorting to ground explanation, as all starters I have ever known, are switched positive. But then again I don't know anything about the Chinese tractors.

Thanks CM. It may infact shorted to positive. Either way it shorted and engaged.