Can all tractors flip over easy?

[Yander]

If I were to venture a guess as to what happened, the man driving the tractor may have turned around to check the trailer while driving down the road. It is really easy to lose control of a tractor if you turn around to look behind you. I've almost done it with a tractor running down the road in high range full speed and turned around to look at my bush hog. Started to go toward the ditch.

 

[Yander]

8n has a pretty wide stance and low center, I would think they wouldn't be a threat to tip at all compared to other tractors. They are also wide front end.

 

[Ernie-32]

I've had a dozen or more 8n tractors. Never even came close to flipping any tractor ever.

Be glad, it's your worst nightmare. I barely survived a sideways roll over before I had a ROPS cause I did not see a large pot hole in the grass. When I woke up, I looked up at the gearbox bottom of my Iseki ... The second slip in the mountains was when I entered wet grass that was hiding an edge, I slid downward front first, for 20M of height, banged into a fallen tree, jumped 3M through the air tractor and all. Was lucky that I got out undamaged, but I had enough of the mountains and sold our property. No more wood cutting and works on the mountain sides for me!

 

[JasperFrank]

How you are configured and what you are doing is the question. I have lately begun to think that my 7106 FEL is ill suited for my 1220 Ford. It puts too much mass, too high, to be safe on anything but flat ground. I've had it on two wheels so often now, that I'm a bit paranoid. I'm also realizing that my vision isn't what it once was. Sometimes I'll walk a section with and with out my glasses. With the glasses, everything looks good. But then walking without the glasses, I can see and feel that the terrain is much more steep than I thought.

 

[Gord Baker]

1- twinwheels really help,
2- realise counter weights on the front compensate for instability when lifting stuff on the rear and moving about on slopes,
3- most importantly when towing : attachementpoint should horizontally lay below the rear axel !

Those Roll bars are 3' too high and will upend you when they catch any overhang. They also need diagonal bracing.

 

[Bentrim]

In the good ole days tractors were built as tricycle (narrow front end) because too many implements mounted on a tractor such as a corn picker, cultivator, and more. These tractor and the danger of roll over was just an accepted fact. Most who operated those tractors knew this and practiced safe operator but yet accidents did happen. The problem came when a part timer or a newbie. or even someone that did not understand the danger operated a tractor carelessly.
Harry Ferguson studied the problem of tractor pulling plows, hitting objects and flipping back over, often killing the operator. So he invented the three point hitch. Experimented with some tractors in England (Black and David Brown) before coming to America and allowing Henry Ford to use them on his new 9N tractor. In the late 40's or early fifties Harry asked Henry to stop using the hitch on the Ford tractors. Went to court Harry won, and Ford came with their own system in 1953 with the Jubilee. The patent soon ran out and every manufacturer used the three point hitch instead of their own hitch.
John Deere was concerned with safety and roll overs in the late 50's or early 60's and "invented" the Roll Guard. In the interest of safety the allowed other manufacturers to use the design for their tractors. Early cabs were no more than tin and glass boxes and were no protection in a rollover, so manufacturers and aftermarket cab makers soon integrated a roll bar in the cabs.
Dangers of roll overs are higher on the old row crop tricycle tractors were a lot higher, until the adjustable front wide frontend became popular.
Utility tractors are safer due to their lower center of gravity. Even then roll bars are recommended.
Back in the 70's I believe roll bars were mandated on all new tractors over 20 horsepower. Interesting John Deere rated the 400 at 19.9 HP so the did not need a roll bar.
If you purchase a tractor and want to use a roll bar there are folks who make them for just about any tractor. These have been tested and are usually tagged with the allowable weight of the tractor and the maker. It is not recommended that someone grabs some steel and weld his own together. That is unless you know your steel and understand the forces involved.
So if you purchase that old N series Ford and want a roll bar here is a place you can get one. Not cheap but what is your life worth? There may be more, just search the web.
And don't forget the seat belt!! It doesn't help if you fall out of the seat and still wind up under the tractor.

Bare Co USA - Roll Over Protection Frames

Iron Bull Mfg - Tractor ROPS, Canopies, & Trash Hoppers

Iron Bull manufactures both Tractor ROPS & Canopies for your protection, as well as quality Trash Hoppers for commercial applications.

ibullmfg.com

 

[Jerry/MT]

I thought about buying an older tractor like an 8N, but then I started reading about them flipping over. I'm sure you can use common sense be pretty safe, but I got to thinking that maybe all tractors could flip? Was looking for advice on safety. I was thinking I probably need a sub compact now because they look safer, but I could be fooling myself.

It for plowing new ground with stumps and roots, mostly the leftover roots.

Edit: I have no experience with tractors, if you couldn't tell.

You bet they can. If you park on muddy ground and then get an overnight freeze, putting the tractor in a forward gear can cause you to flip over when you let out the clutch. The rear wheels can freeze to the ground and the torque reaction can flip the tractor over. It can happen to any tractor not just those early models.

 

[Bentrim]

A N series Ford or similar tractor are usually safer than the new scuts or cuts as the wheels are wider and can be set wider. Most of the new small tractor have a very limited width adjustment if they have any.
As I stated above The old Fords have a very low center of gravity so the are hard to roll sideways, especially when the wheels are set wide. As for rolling back over that is why the three point hitch was invented. For drawn (pull type) implements Hitch ONLY to an approved drawbar. Do NOT hook to the axle housings or the top link mount. Follow these cautions even if the tractor is equipped with a roll bar.
Consider one thing, there are millions of old tractors that were never rolled over and have been operated for many hours on hills, rough ground, etc. But remember too accident can happen especially if you are careless. Think and act safely no matter what you do.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Be glad, it's your worst nightmare. I barely survived a sideways roll over before I had a ROPS cause I did not see a large pot hole in the grass. When I woke up, I looked up at the gearbox bottom of my Iseki ... The second slip in the mountains was when I entered wet grass that was hiding an edge, I slid downward front first, for 20M of height, banged into a fallen tree, jumped 3M through the air tractor and all. Was lucky that I got out undamaged, but I had enough of the mountains and sold our property. No more wood cutting and works on the mountain sides for me!

That Rover...

Glad you're alright, that's not a game you want to play twice.

 

[Ernie-32]

That Rover...

Glad you're alright, that's not a game you want to play twice.

Yeah she's become a beauty indeed, after 3 years of restoring. She nearly took my toe off when the new chassis fell during rebuild, but hey life's a ***** ;-)