Another FEL Related Roll

[OkieG]

This is a picture I've hoped never to have the opportunity to post.

My neighbor wanted some scattered brush piled for burning. I was glad to oblige. The brush was not thick, but it was tangled. With loader raised, on fairly level ground, the forks had some bush caught, so I backed slowly to break it loose. The left rear wheel fell into a hole (didn't know it was there) and I felt the tractor start to tip. I knew to lower the loader, and even though the roll was slow, I couldn't get the loader down fast enough.

My seatbelt was snug, and really did it's job. I had no injuries. My pick-up had no trouble righting the tractor. After topping off the fluids, I drove my tractor home and gave it a bath. I needed a bath, too.

As with Steel Wheels, the left side ROPS light popped out, but popped back in and works fine. The canopy wasn't damaged (amazingly), but the brackets that hold it were bent. They straightened without too much trouble and the canopy is now reinstalled.

I've always been a bit on the high maintenance side for my guardian angel, but once again he came through.

OkieG

 

[OkieG]

Another picture.

You can see from this shot that the FEL is raised some, but only about even with the hood of the tractor.

OkieG

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color="blue">...for my guardian angel, but once again he came through... </font>

Amen... George...

In slow motion, maybe you can go step by step and recreate the happenings... maybe explain the "many" things that occur "at once" but though it feels slow motion explain how it takes but only a few seconds and it's over...

For some of the "non-believers", maybe explain to them about staying with the unit as scary as it may be and not bailing out... versus trying to "beat the system" and jump off during the roll with the odds truly against them...

(and explain if you could have stayed with the machine if your seat belt was off...)

George... you are another truly fortunate and blessed man...

 

[RobS]

Yikes Okie, glad you are OK! That's a pretty scary looking predicament that I hope I'll never have to go through. Thanks for giving us all a not-so-gentle reminder of tractor safety /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Egon]

That's a new way to check out the bottom side of the equipment . Most people just crawl underneath with a light.

Glad your safe and sound and do put in some statements on the seat belt and rops.

Egon

 

[MikePA]

Yikes, George! Glad you're OK!!

Didn't having that box blade pushed over to one side damage one of the lower 3ph arms?

I look forward to learning from your answers to John's questions.

 

[Soundguy]

Glad you are ok!

We ought to establish a 'replacement underwear fund' to send to the victoms that post here.. could have the TBN logo on them or something....

If we were doing this.. I'd already have mine... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Soundguy

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Kind of hard to tell from the photos but it looks like not enough rear ballast for the FEL and forks. Those long forks put the load center way ahead of the design so you have a much lower rating on the FEL. How deep was this "hole" you backed into ???? I can see wheel weights, are the tires loaded ???? Most tractors I have run with a light load in the bucket that close to the ground will take a pretty good dip at low speed. I had a 43hp Case with a boom on the bucket, loaded tires, weights AND a 1200# weight on the 3PH to handle 300# safely.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I am glad you are ok,and you tractor came through with minimal damage. It definately is a learning experience and worth sharing on this forum.I had no intention of releasing my seatbelt although the seatbelt did flash through my mine,when my tractor went over, I felt the seatbelt tighten on me and I thought good,I knew it was there to help protect me me.

 

[froggy]

Speaking of a tractor rolling, check out the picture that RaT posted under the Buying & Pricing forum: "Kubota doesn't honor warranty" about an individual trying to go down a steep hill with a loaded FEL.