Congratulations on the new tractor, all that fun of deciding what to get is over and now you can turn all those hours spent reading brochures about tractor models and features into more hours of what other implements you will need, although I must say you already started off with a great list.
The advice about seatbelts is certainly wise, and I am not advocating you not wear one, but the story I have about a man who just happened not to wear his belt that day is in all likelyhood why he lived. Remember it is by far the exception. The incident this man went through convinced him to START WEARING HIS SEATBELT!!!
The Kubota 4850 is a reasonably heavy tractor for being in the compact class. This one was equipped with the LA 950 loader and Gannon 72" hyd. ripper box/ scrapper. The owner is a heart surgeon who loves to work in his yard as therapy. I showed him lots of things. Take the tractor out of 4 WD when on hard surfaces like your exposed rock laquered driveway or you'll burn tire imprints into it not to mention the twist it puts on the drive train as those front tires try to slip. So he did. I told him to dump his load in as level a position as possible which he normally does but he happened to be watching me on it one day and decided he liked how I got the load of rock and other debris down the hill (steep) hill. Thats what he wanted, get that stuff down there where it quickly disappears from view. I leave and days later get a call. It goes like this....
Well, the tractors GONE, its gone.
I wondering what the heck does that mean, someone stole it, what?
Its down the hill slammed up against a huge digger pine on its side, engines still going.
My response is "go turn the motor off" it needs oil, oh man you might have wrecked the motor are my thoughts. I ask how did it happen?
He responds, yeah I'm fine, I'll do that , turn the motor off. He continues, you know how you get those loads of rock down the hill, thats what I wanted so I filled the loader up with rocks and made sure 4WD was off because of the driveway thing and when I started to go down the hill, the brakes hardlly worked at all, the rear wheels just slid, going faster and faster I sort of jumped off the right side of the tractor, well actually the right rear tire hit me in the butt as I was panicing throwing me clear. I watched as the Kubota's front loader dug in (he carried it low like I told him) and did a complete flip, twice, I mean head over heels. It continued rolling 2 more times over its side before slamming into the pine stopping it from another 500' descent. Down the hill about 250' on its side, engine running still, stuff bent, roll bar did a complete 90 degree bend backwards (which Kubota anxiously wanted for testing). The rear wheels bent very badly, box scraper was doing a 45 degree offset, dents everywhere, loader OK.
Next day and 2 tow trucks, 4 hours and the Kubotas on a flat bed to the local Kubota dealer. New 's spread quickly that this famous heart surgeon flipped his tractor and people would go down just to look at the tractor and its present state. For about 2 months they had their chance while new parts were on order. $28,000 was the repair bill, cost of pride, alot. A little more damage and they would have called it a total loss. Insurance took care of it. Even though he feels the seat belt might have killed him, he wears it, insists others do the same and biggest lesson he learned, I'm never getting near a hill again, 4WD or not. Drive Safe, Mark, the other Mark
P.S. I got pictures, man are they funny to look at now.
