Lesson Learned on being nice

[zzvyb6]

Well I'm from Buffalo originally, and Rochester isn't far from there. This is Upstate NY, not N.Y. City, so there are some brains still around. Find a tree or a fence post or pound a steel stake into the ground. Run a steel cable or chain between the stake/post/tree and the machine. Run another cable from the center of the 1st one to your car. The stuck tractors will walk right out. The second cable has a huge mechanical force advantage, so as long as the Upstate brain gets the post into the ground sufficiently, the N.Y. City dead brain cells won't interfere with anything or or have anything to whine about. A new Upstate NY tractor is a fair trade balance for a horse arena. Get rid of the N.Y. City tractor(s) or bury them where they are.

 

[patrick_g]

If you can get your hands on a large Danforth anchor you will have something to pull against. A Danforth anchor is pretty light for its size but has the best straight line holding of just about any anchor type known to man.

With a snatch block the winch on my 1 ton Dodge will pull up to 24,000 lbs but typically results in pulling the truck towards the distressed equipment not vice versa. There is not always a tree to back up to for securing the truck. Chocks don't do squat against 24,000 lbs. A Danforth anchor will git 'er done.

There is a version of the Danforth anchor sold for extreme off-roaders for self rescue. Buying or borrowing a nautical Danforth (often available used/cheap) is a reasonable investment where there is a possibility of needing it again. Some folks weld up their own.

In use it will try to bury itself into the ground. It will hold in sand or soil. Smart users (when working with loose soil) will put a tag line on the anchor to use to recover it after use. You pull up on it vertically to break it free. In soft ground with a heavy pull the anchor is likely to bury out of sight.

Pat

 

[GPintheMitten]

Similar things have happened to me. Here's what I suggest:

Clear snow away from the tractor and maybe a path about 8 foot behind the tractor so you can back it out. Maybe shovel a few feet in front too in case you need to drive forward some. Get some timbers and jack the the tractor up one wheel at a time and place firewood or planks under each of the 4 wheels so it is fairly level with the ground/mud.

Then let it set for 24 hours or 48 hours to allow the surrounding ground to freeze. Even if it freezes only 1 inch down, it should support your tractor if you eaze it out.

Go out first thing in the morning if it is sunny so it is as frozen as possible and take advantage of the colder temps at night.

Depending on how bad the other tractor is stuck, do the same and possible pull it out with the big tractor after you get it moving.

I think this will work. I've done similar in the past.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Actually, your friend at 6 miles away probably wouldn't mind helping you. I would help a friend out like that...probably even a stranger. If you can get enough chain and tow strap together to bridge the distance from good earth to where your tractors are, that could be easiest way to solve the problem. Then all you have to do is think of a really good way to pay him back.

 

[SuperDuty335]

Eric : YouTube - Fordson tractor stuck in the mud

 

[20 20]

too bad your so far from me, I'd get you out for free. Hate to see you leave your machines there all winter. I'd check around with some local boys, seems someone with chain and 4x4 truck could do the job???

 

[Eric_Phillips]

Well the 4 wheel tractor is now in the barn. A shovel and some persistence and it came out. Mind you we got about another foot of snow between the time it was stuck and tonight. So even when I got it to more solid ground it would go for a while then it would stop. I backed up and the wife shoveled the mound of snow in front so I could go again. Getting up the rise to the barn was a bit iffy but got it done.

Now the 2-wheeler is unstuck but still in the pasture. That took a come-along an iffy fence post and all the pull my wife had. Then some rebar and a sledge to break the frozen mud off the tires so they would turn again. The tires will turn now with no weight on them but the snow blower still has too much hanging off of it for the tires to pull it out. It is too dark to see out there now but I should be able to get it out tomorrow. I just hope I can get it to move on its own since I don't have anything that has enough traction even on the solid ground that will drag it back. A good snow cat would be great about now.

To keep the good day going this morning I also fought with my HPLC and computer all morning trying to get them to talk after turning them off for Christmas break. After fighting with them for about 3 hrs a friend came over and got them working in about 5 minutes doing the same thing I did. Hopefully after getting the tractors unstuck my luck is changing.

 

[rox]

Well ya got horsepower there right? Got any kind of harness you can put on the horses?

 

[patrick_g]

I sure love to hear success stories where perseverance and motivation and teamwork overcomes diversity.

GOOD JOB

Patrick

 

[jake98]

I backed up and the wife shoveled the mound of snow in front so I could go again.

Sing to the tune of 'Frosty the Snowman', "He holds the lantern while his mother chops the wood... He holds the lantern just like any good boy would..."