Traction Near death experience!

[SPYDERLK]

I once had to jamb the brakes and throw it into 4wd.

This should sure break something. Altho it is near impossible to make yourself do it, catching it quick and flooring it while jamming it into 4wd and then letting off and braking would be effective and least abusive.:confused3:
larry

 

[Jnasystems]

Still the fastest and safest thing is to drop the uphill attachment. Let it be like an anchor - it will lower your center of gravity, keep you pointed up and down, and give breaking power. Getting it into 4 wheel drive should always be second. Sliding down a hill is scary and dangerous - every send counts, so start with the best way to slow yourself first.

 

[Redneck in training]

Needed to take out my TN 65D(4 wheel drive) yesterday to do some field work and had to go down a grassy slope behind the house. I didn't think to put it in 4 WD since I was going downhill. As soon as I started, my tractor started to accelerate! I pushed on my brakes which are very good and it started to go sideways but I was able to straighten it out after a few seconds. ! The tractor continued to accelerate down the hill! I have a front loader on and an HD 8 foot rear blade so the tractor weights over 10,000 LBS! For about 10 seconds(it seemed like much longer) I was out of control! The warm weather we had been having had softened up the top couple of inches of sod and soil but under neath was frozen solid! It was like I was sliding on 2 inches of grease! Fortunately for me, my backblade was low enough that it caught on the ground when the slope changed. I never keep the loader or blade any higher than needed for clearance when on any kind of a slope or hill. This saved me! A good friend of mine had his dad killed on a slope when he had his loader too high and his tractor rolled over. I was able to put my tractor in 4wd when I was done working in the lower field and backed up the hill without slipping a wheel! Lessons learned- 1) use 4 wd drive if you have it when going down a hill- its likely to hold you back much better than 2 wheel braking! 2) be very carefull going down a hill during warm weather in winter. Keep your backblade low and ready to lower more if you lose traction!

Welcome to the club. This happened to many people me included. The good thing is you are unhurt, tractor is not damaged and you are here to tell us about it.

 

[tractchores]

Wish i read this 2 days ago. I did the same thing yesterday. Thought it was in 4wd but didnt check, went down a steep slope with a lake at the bottom. Lost all traction and steering and thought i was going in lake, but by some miracle the fel caught some brush and the tractor did a 180. Ended up facing uphill at the end i thought for sure i wad going over when it turned sideways!

 

[k0ua]

Wish i read this 2 days ago. I did the same thing yesterday. Thought it was in 4wd but didnt check, went down a steep slope with a lake at the bottom. Lost all traction and steering and thought i was going in lake, but by some miracle the fel caught some brush and the tractor did a 180. Ended up facing uphill at the end i thought for sure i wad going over when it turned sideways!

Well, glad you and the tractor are all OK, but I bet you check that 4wd lever next time huh? I know I do..

James K0UA

 

[tractchores]

Well, glad you and the tractor are all OK, but I bet you check that 4wd lever next time huh? I know I do..

James K0UA

Yep, check and double check now. Thank god I had removed the backhoe just a few minutes before, I think it could have ended differently with more weight up high. That was only hour #2 on this new tractor, I was thinking of how I was going to explain to my wife that I had wrecked the new tractor already and possibly myself. I can guarantee I'll be MUCH more careful on slick hills and will continue to keep the implements as low as possible... had the FEL not caught I would have definitely ended up testing if the ice would hold the tractor or possibly upside down at the base of the hill. Also I think I might have fallen off when the FEL caught had I not had the seat belt on, a good wake up call to double check that too.

 

[k0ua]

Holy cow!, man, ice on the lake? you could have fallen through the ice and been killed. Keep that thing in 4wd, and put up with some tire scrubbing at times, as the consequences of your action of putting it in 2wd could have easily led to your death. At that is a hard thing to explain to a wife. In my little "wake up call" I was headed down the road at a frightening accelerating pace, and the drop off at the bottom of the hill is about 20 foot onto some really nasty looking rocks.. I guess I could have been killed too There have been a few rollovers reported here from losing traction like this and the operators turned the steering wheel to avoid hitting something, and then rolled over on their side. Fortunately the ROPS have prevented a complete rollover and smashing of the operator.

James K0UA

 

[s219]

Speaking of 4WD, is the only consequence of 4WD on pavement some tire wear? I have been switching between 2WD and 4WD a lot, mainly using 2WD for short stretches on pavement (totalling 100-200 feet at the most). But I use 4WD everywhere else, such as driving onto my trailer, driving on the yard/woods, and certainly on hills.

I know one of these days I might forget to put it in 4WD and get in trouble, so I guess I am wondering if I should just be skipping the short stints in 2WD when on pavement. If the only penalty is some minor tire wear, it would seem like a good way to go.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Some tire wear and drivetrain wear, yes. More real tho is less maneuverability in level areas/scuffing when turning. -- Due to the fronts being pushed to rotate faster than they are driven. Essentially the fronts are sliding a bit.
larry

 

[roadhawk]

So does i.

And I as well after a story my brother told me about his experience early on.

And I also learned early that you need to chock the front wheels of your truck (and your trailer) if you're loading the tractor onto a trailer - it's not much fun rolling down the driveway when the tractor is half on the back of the trailer and the back end of the truck has risen enough to not have enough traction left to do any good.