Old tractor, no ROPS

[Sysop]

Never done it, but I've often wondered... The big tie down loops that are mounted about halfway between the front and rear axles under many tractors; hook the ends of a 15' logging chain to them with the loop of slack hanging out the rear between the tires, hook that up low on a stump and pull. In theory it should pull weight down on all four tires rather than levering weight off the front letting the tractor rotate on the rears and flip. Something would have to break (hopefully what you're pulling on), you could never flip in such a manner.

 

[Soundguy]

I would be willing to bet this us a true statement for the vast majority of deaths caused by roll over. I would be willing to bet that the operator was pushing the design limits of the machine in most cases.

i doubt he was pushing the limits. I BET he was just using the machine incorrectly!

 

[Soundguy]

... which is why you pull from UNDER the centerline of the rear axle....

 

[buickanddeere]

I think ROPS is one of the dumbest looking parts of a tractor. Perch for birds to rest and leave presents in the seat. Folded down they look even more stupid, especially when being operated while down (although I've never considered the "why", it may just be the combined stupidity of the operator and the stupid looking ROPS bar in it's stupid looking folded position).

That being said I'd never own or operate a tractor on my land without one nor did I buy my tractor for looks. Living in the mountains you're quick to appreciate such things even if you think they're stupid looking. Also I'm not calling anyone stupid for not using ROPS or whatever unless you happen to have a tractor rolled over on top of you, then it may fit. There are many cases were such safety devices are silly. Folk out in Kansas probably cuss us mountain folk for tipping tractors and making it so ALL tractors had to have ROPS.

Glad to know there will never be a set of unknowns, a surprise or a factor you missed that will roll a tractor.

 

[Soundguy]

Glad to know there will never be a set of unknowns, a surprise or a factor you missed that will roll a tractor.

i don't believe that was the point for the post...

 

[buickanddeere]

i don't believe that was the point for the post...

What was the point? He is too smart to have a tractor roll ?

 

[TomSeller]

What was the point? He is too smart to have a tractor roll ?

No one is too smart to have a tractor roll ( to the side or whatever ). But everyone should hitch lower than the axle such that a backwards flip is nearly impossible.

 

[rider0]

Did anyone read the article?

"RCMP Sgt. Andrew Blackadar says Wagner was working in the backyard with his vintage tractor. He said it appears he was attempting to pull a stump out of the ground.

That痴 when he hit the gas, causing the front of the tractor to lift up off the ground and overturn landing on top of the elderly man pinning him.

典his was just a terrible accident, Blackadar said, in an interview."

That's not an accident - it's stupidity!

I see all this hand wringing about how "antique" (actually vintage) tractors have somehow morphed into dangerous monsters and need to be safety-ized with ROPS and who knows what else.

I see very little discussion about using ones head while operating the tractors.

Over the years I've seen plenty of careless farmers take their lives or maim themselves- but those who know their equipment, know their abilities, and work safely seem to have miraculously eked out eight or nine decades of life working with "dangerous" tractors and other implements.

 

[Soundguy]

yep it was a sad error on the part of the operator.

it's not like a sinkhole opened up and made him flip.. he hitched it wrong....

Did anyone read the article?



That's not an accident - it's stupidity!

I see all this hand wringing about how "antique" (actually vintage) tractors have somehow morphed into dangerous monsters and need to be safety-ized with ROPS and who knows what else.

I see very little discussion about using ones head while operating the tractors.

Over the years I've seen plenty of careless farmers take their lives or maim themselves- but those who know their equipment, know their abilities, and work safely seem to have miraculously eked out eight or nine decades of life working with "dangerous" tractors and other implements.

 

[Bill Hoffman]

Any time you use a tool that "makes you stronger or faster", you need to
stop for a moment and think of what can go wrong, and then do whatever
is necessary to minimize the risk. From power tools to tractors, machinery
doesn't have a conscience and will bite back if given half a chance.

Think and minimize the possibility of a "bite".:thumbsup:

Bill

 

[rrrkkk]

Back in those days most farmers has a quality that lacks now days, they weren't college educated and they had common sense!

 

[buickanddeere]

Back in those days most farmers has a quality that lacks now days, they weren't college educated and they had common sense!

That is a two edged sword. Without a sound education in math, physics, English and Biology. It's too expensive , time consuming and dangerous to learn by experience.

 

[aczlan]

Back in those days most farmers has a quality that lacks now days, they weren't college educated and they had common sense!

I'll have to disagree. What amount of schooling one has has no bearing on how much (or little) common sense one has.

Aaron Z

 

[Sysop]

I've grown to the conclusion, that the educational systems of the world truly do educate the common sense right out of the average person... As changes are made to the educational system, common sense becomes less and less common in the graduates turned out...

That being said, all the "old time farmers" I know are among some of the smartest people I've ever met. Able to calculate fractions and percentages in their heads when doing measurements, proper understandings of levers and pumps and fluid dynamics and many other math and science related items. They might not have full grasp of grammar and their biology might not go beyond gutting a hog or cow, but they know all they care to know and their brilliance shows in what they know.

 

[buickanddeere]

Common sense doesn't help you if don't know or understand what you are dealing with?
If somebody here trying to feel better by stating their common sense is better than going to school? It takes both common sense and knowledge.
Try any skilled trade or profession on common sense alone and see how far you get.

 

[buickanddeere]

Common sense doesn't help you if don't know or understand what you are dealing with?
If somebody here trying to feel better by stating their common sense is better than going to school? It takes both common sense and knowledge.
Try any skilled trade or profession on common sense alone and see how far you get.

 

[Grandad4]

The old fellow was probably doing something he had done dozens of times before when it all went wrong.

But there's a lesson for all of us here... those with common sense, those with education and those with both: As we get older, we can't do the same things we did when we were young. The reflexes slow down, the eye-hand coordination slips a little, the strength isn't the same, etc. Believe me, I know from personal experience.

Part of getting older is having enough judgement to find a better way to get things done that doesn't rely on a combination of youthful exuberance and dumb luck. I figure my youthful exuberance is long gone and whatever dumb luck I had got used up a long time ago.

 

[rd_macgregor]

My original note was really indirectly expressing gratitude for how much safer (inherently) new tractors are than their ancestors were. A lot of tractor users today, myself included, didn't grow up around farm machinery and might not have an appreciation of how wrong things can go (and how quickly!). If the safety equipment gives somebody a feeling of invincibility, then there's an accident just waiting to happen. No safety feature is so foolproof it can't be defeated by a sufficiently ingenious fool.

 

[Soundguy]

for a bit of hair raising feeling. look up 'belted equipment'

definately not OSHA rated!

 

[JESSE1]

Go to an antique tractor show and watch the tractor pulls. You'll see how to safely pull a load with a vintage tractor ( or modern tractor)and none of them have a ROPS. The load is always hooked to the drawbar and even if the tractor lifts it's front wheels off the ground it can't go over backwards because the drawbar is below the center line of the rear axle.