General Operating Questions

[extrakt0r]

I have recently purchased a L3400 for my 10 acres. We are going to be building a house on in starting in March. It is an old X-Mas tree farm, so there are alot of trees (small) I need to clear out.

I have never owned a tractor before, and would consider myself a city guy. Although I don't mind manual labor after a long day of sitting behind a desk, I am not afraid of hard work.

I have already used the loader to push down a tree to see how easy it was, and it was very easy.

I have looked on the forums for what I would call a "tractors guide for noobs" but didn't find one - or missed it.

Basically I dont want to go out there and kill myself on this thing, so when I go to hook up a chain to drag a tree, there are alot of threads on different ways to do it, but which way is right?

Basically if you were teaching your kid to drive a tractor, much in the same way you teach them to drive a car, what are the top things you would teach a noob?

Also, all these tools, and chains i need to carry with me in the field - this tractor doesnt have a glove box - do people just toss it in the loader, or am I missing something obvious.

Thanks again TBN.

 

[jbrumberg]

Congratulations on your new tractor aquisition! IMHO chains for dragging any kind of load should be attached to the drawbar only.

 

[grsthegreat]

well.... i agree and disagree about the drawbar being the only way to drag stuff.

I have had a few items grab into the ground while dragging with a drawbar, and try to flip over. Personally, when ever i drag a large item, i like to lift the part that can dig into the ground right behind the chain a little off the ground. If the trees are small, then its not a big deal. I have to move large 50' tall pine trees at my place, so i hook a chain around the tree and hook to a clevis hook on my bucket. I KEEP the bucket as low to the ground as possible but lift the tree so the root ball or cut end doesnt engage the ground and i drive backwards real slow till i move the tree to wheres its needed. If i can i place the large cut end into the tractor bucket and chain it in, then i only need to lift 4-6" up to clear obstructions.

NEVER... i repeat NEVER move a heavy object with your bucket raised high up, as you can easily flip the tractor.


If you have lots and lots of small trees to move, a set of loader forks is real handy too.

I used to LOVE all the hard work i had to do on my 20 treed acres.....not so much love anymore.....more like tolerate hehe :laughing:

 

[JoeL4330]

A good place to start, google: tractor safety ...almost every state has pubs on the topic, e.g.,

Tractor Safety: Stay on Top of It!
http://www.hicahs.colostate.edu/Documents/Factsheets/farmtractorsafety.pdf
Tractor Safety Tips
http://www.nsc.org/news_resources/Resources/Documents/Tractor_Safety.pdf
http://safetyandhealth.ext.wvu.edu/r/download/22005
Tractor Safety
National Ag Safety Database - A Guide To Safe Farm Tractor Operation
G1960 Safe Tractor Operation | University of Missouri Extension

 

[Bird]

Just go slow and easy for awhile, because sooner or later, you'll do something that gets one or more wheels off the ground and just scares the bejabbers out of you. Tractors are more fun than a barrel of monkeys, get more work done than a crew of laborers, and are more dangerous than you can imagine. But complacency and over confidence are probably the only really dangerous thing. Tractors probably kill more very experienced operators than they do novices.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Work slow, keep all loads as low as possible, using you FEL keep the load centered as much as possible. If a back wheel come up - drop the bucket. Work on side hills very carefully -start with small slopes and work up as your confidence and experience grows. If in trouble turn down hill. It is the unseen soft spots or holes or rocks that will get you so always keep a big margin of safty on side hills. Pay attention to your gut or pucker factor if it doesn't feel OK best not do it. There are lots of opinions on pulling as you already know. You will have to make your own. There are so many varibles that one set of rules becomes to restrictive. IMO if you start light, pay attention, and go slow there is little chance you will get in trouble when pulling from the draw bar or 3PH. Get to know how the tractor feels and reacts you will come to love it. And finally, go slow and easy.

 

[woodchuckie]

Also, all these tools, and chains i need to carry with me in the field - this tractor doesnt have a glove box - do people just toss it in the loader, or am I missing something obvious.

Thanks again TBN.

Small tool boxes can be added with little trouble. The FEL frame can be used to store chains and some tools by using pipe plugs etc. Do a search for tool boxes or tool storage.

 

[SPYDERLK]

You will never get agreement on which way is right. Some of this is that all situations vary and its very difficult to find someone that is addressing your situation specifically. Best to try reading some past posts and asking questions with reference to the ones that seem most close to addressing your situation.
larry

 

[ccdck20hst]

A nice book about TLB basics is title "Operating Techniques for the Tractor -Loader-Backhoe Revised" by Gary J. Ober. I got my copy from Equipment Training Resources web site is listed in the book as HEAVY EQUIPMENT TRAINING MATERIALS: Equipment Training Resources - Backhoes, Loaders, Excavators, Trenchers, Hydraulics Training Books & Videos. This book is geared more for the use of full size commercial type loader backhoes. It does describe theory on center of gravity and keeping objects low to the ground in the loader. Also gives many handy illustrations about how to use the loader and backhoe with written explanations. The book has questions at the end of each chapter. It is about 300 pages and as I recall was a little pricy - but is worthwhile. Great read at least for me. Tractor on!

 

[extrakt0r]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

One simple question I have.

How do you know if you overload your FEL, other than the rear tires going up? I drove a fork lift back in the day and it would tell (approx) how much weight I am picking up.

Is it possible to attach a gauge to the FEL to get an idea of weight, or PSI to the hydro fluids to see how hard you are working them?

Something simple to see if you are overloading the FEL?