Charolais
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2004
- Messages
- 594
- Location
- south/central Va.
- Tractor
- Deutz Fahr Agrofarm 100, Stoll loader, bucket, forks & root grapple
Started cutting hay a week ago here. Had 92 rolls on the ground that needed to be stacked in the sheds. Sat. my son was here to help me so we got the IH truck hooked up to a Knowles 4 wheel wagon and busy we got.
Loaded 8 rolls on the truck and 8 on the wagon. These are 1,000 pound rolls. Got back to the hay shed and was turning to get the truck and wagon lined up to unload. When I made the turn I heard my son yell "Dad LOOK!!!!" As I opened the door on the truck I could see the wagon going by the rear of the truck. All I or he could do was watch it. There's a hill about 400 feet down to the bottom. Near the bottom there's an old terrace or what's left of it. Mind you this hill was the sledding hill for everyone around when we were kids and for my kids also. I'm gonna guess that wagon got up to about 40mph. Went straight as an arrow with the tongue sliding on the ground. When it got to the old terrace at the bottom it made a beautiful long jump into the air. That's when the tongue went under the wagon. Just folded it back. Well there's more. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif It went across the flat and started up the other side. Now rolls of hay started flying off in all directions because there's a bunch of deep cow paths all on that hill and a washout to boot. One roll hit the HT fence and broke the middle strand. The others landed on the uphill side of the wagon.
I spent the better part of an hour just getting the rolls of hay out of that bottom. Had to be very careful not to turn the tractor over or break the front end out from under it.
We kept hauling with the truck till we got it all in the shed. Then went to see what happened to cause the wagon to get away. It was the two pieces of flat steel on the end of the tongue that broke off. We found the pin still in those pieces. They just snapped. I think that wagon was purchased in 1977 or 78. It;s hauled a lot of hay and guess the stress finally got to the metal.
I took the tongue to my work place and straightened it back out. Will add some plate where the bend was and weld it all back together. Still have some steering brackets to take off and rework but think I can get it back in shape to use safely again. I won't go back with the same type hitch. I have a pintle ring that will be welded back to the tongue and will add SAFETY CHAINS to it also. If I'd had safety chains it would have saved me a lot of work and down time with the wagon.
I'm so thankful my son didn't try and stop the wagon when it went by him. I've preached this to him in the past. If it starts rolling let it go. It isn't worth your life and limbs. He listened. I'm also thankful I locked the cows and calves in a lot while we were moving the hay. If the herd had been in that bottom there's no telling how many would have gotten hit by the wagon.
I use the safety chain that came with my round baler. Always have. I'll buy one for my conditioner now and weld some on the tongue of that wagon. No more pulling anything without safety chains for me.
Y'all be safe out there. I'll do better at it too. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Loaded 8 rolls on the truck and 8 on the wagon. These are 1,000 pound rolls. Got back to the hay shed and was turning to get the truck and wagon lined up to unload. When I made the turn I heard my son yell "Dad LOOK!!!!" As I opened the door on the truck I could see the wagon going by the rear of the truck. All I or he could do was watch it. There's a hill about 400 feet down to the bottom. Near the bottom there's an old terrace or what's left of it. Mind you this hill was the sledding hill for everyone around when we were kids and for my kids also. I'm gonna guess that wagon got up to about 40mph. Went straight as an arrow with the tongue sliding on the ground. When it got to the old terrace at the bottom it made a beautiful long jump into the air. That's when the tongue went under the wagon. Just folded it back. Well there's more. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif It went across the flat and started up the other side. Now rolls of hay started flying off in all directions because there's a bunch of deep cow paths all on that hill and a washout to boot. One roll hit the HT fence and broke the middle strand. The others landed on the uphill side of the wagon.
I spent the better part of an hour just getting the rolls of hay out of that bottom. Had to be very careful not to turn the tractor over or break the front end out from under it.
We kept hauling with the truck till we got it all in the shed. Then went to see what happened to cause the wagon to get away. It was the two pieces of flat steel on the end of the tongue that broke off. We found the pin still in those pieces. They just snapped. I think that wagon was purchased in 1977 or 78. It;s hauled a lot of hay and guess the stress finally got to the metal.
I took the tongue to my work place and straightened it back out. Will add some plate where the bend was and weld it all back together. Still have some steering brackets to take off and rework but think I can get it back in shape to use safely again. I won't go back with the same type hitch. I have a pintle ring that will be welded back to the tongue and will add SAFETY CHAINS to it also. If I'd had safety chains it would have saved me a lot of work and down time with the wagon.
I'm so thankful my son didn't try and stop the wagon when it went by him. I've preached this to him in the past. If it starts rolling let it go. It isn't worth your life and limbs. He listened. I'm also thankful I locked the cows and calves in a lot while we were moving the hay. If the herd had been in that bottom there's no telling how many would have gotten hit by the wagon.
I use the safety chain that came with my round baler. Always have. I'll buy one for my conditioner now and weld some on the tongue of that wagon. No more pulling anything without safety chains for me.
Y'all be safe out there. I'll do better at it too. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
