Idiot award for the week

[PhysAssist]

My favorite: Drove into the pond, FYI tractors don't float.

You'd think there'd be at least a chance with those big 'ole flotation tires, no?

 

[3930dave]

You'd think there'd be at least a chance with those big 'ole flotation tires, no?

Any chance you have Russian ancestors ?

From what I see of their heavy equipment videos, their language lacks the work "impassable".....

Rgds, D.

 

[PhysAssist]

Stupidity (mine) both classic and obscure.

BX was using it like a pogo stick. Bent it badly but ran over it with the truck a few times and straightened.
TLDR: Too soon old, too late smart. Don't mess with these things when tired, frustrated, or stupid.

Funny how [reasonably] often driving over stuff that got bent will make it serviceable again...

I'm thinking of the 14 foot welded pipe gate we bought from TSC, and which SWMBO slid sideways into while plowing with the F-350- the gate was in its open position extending along the driveway between its cemented-in 6x6 mounting post and the [probably] 24" diameter rock maple we chain it to, to hold it open.

We were able to straighten the bend out of the gate pretty easily- can't really say the same about the side of the truck- good thing it's just our designated farm truck...

Speaking of trying to make swings around obstacles with loaders or implements on the 3-pt- she also clipped one of the upright trim pieces on the left side of our roll-up barn door before the builders were even finished building the darn thing...

That actually had the benefit of only costing about $49 for a like-new repair, since they were on-site and had both the extra metal, and their brake with them.

But I got pictures of it before they fixed it- good thing too, because I needed to remind her about it not more than 1-2 months later.

Because as I backed along the side of the barn while plowing, in addition to catching the doorknob of the man-door with some part of the body work, the right rear tire creased the metal flashing along the door.

By this point the barn was long finished, so it was too late for a "cheap" quick-fix by the builders- instead I put a new knob on it- with the explanation that it was to have matching keys with the front door of the house [which is actually why I had the spare].

Then I used 2 HF dead-blow hammers to clean up the crease as much as possible otherwise- but it's still there...

Don't even ask how many right rear tail light lens assembly units that truck has had on it...

 

[PhysAssist]

Any chance you have Russian ancestors ?

From what I see of their heavy equipment videos, their language lacks the work "impassable".....

Rgds, D.

Hey Big Dave,

Nope- just a bunch of squareheads- we're German 7-ways from Sunday, but I know what you mean- we watch a lot of those viday-ohs just for the shock and awe of them- the dash cam ones are pretty scary too!

...or maybe inconceivable?

Stay rubber-side down, and metal side up, oh and stay dry too!
PA

 

[3930dave]

Hey Big Dave,

Nope- just a bunch of squareheads- we're German 7-ways from Sunday, but I know what you mean- we watch a lot of those viday-ohs just for the shock and awe of them- the dash cam ones are pretty scary too!

...or maybe inconceivable?

Stay rubber-side down, and metal side up, oh and stay dry too!
PA

Crazy, or talented.... hard to decide the ratio.... when I first saw their water related heavy off-road vids, I thought they were testing submarines......

So long as humans are completely intact after, it just takes time/money to fix our "Dooohhh" moments !

Rgds, D.

 

[oldballs]

My favorite: Drove into the pond, FYI tractors don't float.

Yeah, but there is no warning sticker that says so.:confused3:

 

[Fuddy1952]

Here's a couple good ones.
Yesterday I was using chainsaw (since it was only 95 degrees ) when I spotted a large dead oak tree limb way up high...no problem...the tractor was facing downhill but 900# in rear tires so I climb in FEL bucket, saw running and I can reach lever...up I go...close then down again as I see back end go up!!!!! It's physics/leverage at work, so I ease it back. All was ok, but exciting.
Then years ago as a kid my brother removes radiator cap from the Farmall "is this where you put the gas?". "Sure" I reply...so he did. To this day he hates anything mechanical.

 

[PhysAssist]

Yeah, but there is no warning sticker that says so.:confused3:

Besides, when we bought our 'Bota [see it's in the name- "Boata"], they told us that if it went into the pond and they couldn't get it running "good as new", they'd replace it under our K-Tac buyers' protection plan. [or whatev it's called]- don't know because ours is 7 y/o this month, and we let the buyers' protection lapse 2 years ago, in favor of our homeowners' insurance [after calling to verify adequate coverage].

 

[bunyip]

Forgot about the bucket and have also done some panelbeating on the roller door surround, one tree in the driveway also has a large battle scar and a big chunk of bark missing from a 'u' turn 'I can make this'.
Bogged in a pile of sand that was wetter than I thought and the diff lock didn't help, just took me down deeper and more evenly.
Haven't tried floating yet.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Here's another stupid I did, actually amazed me. Weeks ago I was using an Danuser auger I just put new teeth and tip on, I was drilling in hard clay not far from some big trees. It was slow going, but I usually go a foot then pull up, back in. It was getting dark so I put pressure on it by lowering loader bucket. Still slow going...so I way looking forward, when I looked back it was put of sight! It took me 2-3 hours, a lot of tools to get it out, unhooked pto, wrenching it backwards, jacks, etc.

 

[orezok]

Years ago I was restoring an old Austin Healy 3000. The thing was rode hard and put up wet one too many times. To get the thing started you had to crank and crank and it would eventually start.

I was going to paint it and backed it into the garage and started masking it. After I got it all masked, I realized that it was a couple of inches short of closing the garage door.

I couldn’t open the door and get in due to the masking but I was able to squeeze in, put in in reverse and figured I would just tap the starter and move it an inch or two. Yup, it must have caught on the first cylinder that came up and it crushed my wife’s dryer.

Couch wasn’t very comfortable that night.

 

[Greenfield Dave]

I had a culvert put in across my yard and was grading it out. I have mowed around the gas main for 20+ years and promptly backed into it with the grader box. amazing how fast you can run when you think you may die!!

 

[PhysAssist]

Here's another stupid I did, actually amazed me. Weeks ago I was using an Danuser auger I just put new teeth and tip on, I was drilling in hard clay not far from some big trees. It was slow going, but I usually go a foot then pull up, back in. It was getting dark so I put pressure on it by lowering loader bucket. Still slow going...so I way looking forward, when I looked back it was put of sight! It took me 2-3 hours, a lot of tools to get it out, unhooked pto, wrenching it backwards, jacks, etc.

So- do you think it was caught on a tree root? or on rocks?

Also please explain highlighted area above- how does bucket pressure affect [presumed] 3-pt hitch mounted auger?

We rented a 1-man, 2-wheeled hydraulic auger from our local 'Bota dealer specifically because it had reverse, rather than rent the 3-pt PTO-driven version both because of the reversibility of it, and because the tight clearances between trees and rocks we needed to run the fence through would've made getting even our little tractor in there really difficult- if not impossible...

Even so, it was an ordeal and several times, we thought we'd have to unhook it to back the auger out- reversing it didn't seem to have the same torque available as going forward...

 

[lakeside]

Nothing really dumb, yet but I'm sure it's coming. Well I did forget to raise the outriggers on more than one occasion, boy they sure do leave a nice trench.

I installed a 1" x 4" from the ceiling that would touch the top of the ROPS when I'd driven far enough in to let the garage door down One day I drove too far in and backed up. The 1 X 4 caught on the ROPS and was driven into my garage door opener spearing the mother board. I now have a piece of rope and an empty bottle hanging from the ceiling instead of the 1 x 4.

I did forget to lower the B/H one day and tried to drive into the garage. I managed to bang the top of the door frame but a bit a aluminium and white paint and you can hardly see a thing. I wimped out and told SWMBO before she found. Took it pretty good, asked if I was hurt then when I said no, called me dumb and walked away.

 

[Fuddy1952]

It most likely was caught on tree roots. What amazed me was slow going then all at once drilling in like that. The loader bucket lowering was since I was on a grade I thought it would put extra pressure on auger. I know what you're saying about hitch mounted auger, but raising front is bound to put more down pressure even if it's not much.

 

[Fallon]

It most likely was caught on tree roots. What amazed me was slow going then all at once drilling in like that. The loader bucket lowering was since I was on a grade I thought it would put extra pressure on auger. I know what you're saying about hitch mounted auger, but raising front is bound to put more down pressure even if it's not much.

Not really. The 3pt hitch can't provide downpressure. If you rotate the machine backwards, the 3pt will just lift. If there are side load pressures on it & it can't lift, you are possibly going to break things.

To make a PHD work better you need to make sure you have the right teeth on the auger & they aren't worn out. Adding weight (not a person) to the end of the boom will help too.

I rebuilt my former 3pt PHD to fit on a Quick Hitch. You need a hydraulic toplink to make that work, but as a side benefit, you get downpressure for the first 1-2' of the hole. Unfortunately you generally need the extra downpressure at the bottom of the hole, not the top.

You can get some hydraulic downpressure kits for some 3pt PHDs. They only provide a few hundred lbs of downpressure though. They push down on the boom levering off the lift arms.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Yes I have new teeth and tip I put on afterwards. I hardly use it...just maybe 1-2/month. Thanks!

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I got so tired of driving arround with the parking break set I wired in relay and LED flasher on my dash. That little tiny red warning light now has a obnoxious big brother that I never miss. :drink:

 

[Deleted member 314313]

Cut 3 miles of trails with a brand new bush hog after backing into a massive oak tree crunching it, cut fields with the parking brake on all the while wondering where the power went, drove into the barn hay stall with the ROPS up, pushed dead trees over on to equipment, got stuck in the mud knowing it was to darn deep in the first place, backed over some devil privet hedges which promptly poked a hole in the fuel tank. Could go on, however my ignorance is apparent enough.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Stupidest thing SO FAR.....I wanted to level the surface of my fallow garden with my new Piranha Bar and move the dirt/compost to the compost pile. Was a very uneven surface, with lots of random piles of compost. First few feet looked okay, then suddenly the right wheels sunk into a soft spot, tilted the whole rig to the right, causing the FEL to gouge out a big hole on the right, which the right front wheel promptly fell into.

Might have been a first; tipping a tractor by dropping into a hole you just dug yourself. :laughing:

Thank God for filled tires (and 4WD to get out). Decided it was Happy Hour.