Sometimes it all doesn't work out!

[rambler]

I enjoy these messages, and sympathize.

On the other hand, living in Minnesota on a farm where that really wasn't much of a snow - I have to admit I chuckle a lot when I see the TV or something like this thread. A little experience - like we get 5 months out of the year up here - and you learn what really stuck is.

I dug my big 2wd tractor out of a snowbank with a shovel in 20 minutes the other day - it was much more stuck than that loader tractor, and I didn't have a loader.

Thew problem is they high-center, so you have to dig a little snow out from under the rear axle so the wheels do something. That only takes 10-15 minutes - including getting the shovel.

Then clean out the snow from behind all 4 tires - only the wheel path. Only need a couple feet.

Then the bucket will walk it out of the icy spot it's spun on, and the diff lock will keep you moving backwards on the new footing & back onto the driveway.

The dually pickup was just a bad idea, they stay in the shed when it snows. Worst vehicle there is in winter.

Not trying to make light of the situation, I realize they are in a sistuation they are not familiar with & most don't have the equipment to deal with. Not luaghing about the hardships being faced.

Just - how that is just a common snowfall around here - and the snow doesn't go away, it just keeps piling up. We get to gain lots of experience & understanding on how to deal with snow.

As of 6:00pm tonite, we ar ein a winter storm warning through Tuesday noon. This is the 6th storm/ blizzard we've had, and darn sick of it. But, doesn't make the news - it's just how it is, typical. In town, can't see a car parked out on the curb - snow is piled up so high on the bulavards.

During the superbowl, they were flashing the early school closings for Monday morning.

Just another week.

--->Paul

--->Paul

 

[RoyJackson]

He may very well be correct, but you should be able to get it out with the bucket, even without putting it in gear. I guess it's possible the back end is bottoming out.

Not necessarily...
You need a fairly solid surface for the bucket to curl against...doesn't look like he's got a solid surface to work with. Also, if those rear tires (or tire) is dig in deep, it might be too much for the loader curl function.
Like buckeyefarmer, I got my 790 stuck on fairly level ground. I had to dig behind both front and rear right tires to get the tractor moving again...even using the loader to help push.

 

[ray66v]

Not necessarily...
You need a fairly solid surface for the bucket to curl against...doesn't look like he's got a solid surface to work with.

I don't know about the middle of the winter in Connecticut, but I know when the ground freezes down here, it is more than fairly solid.

I do understand what it takes to do this, I have do it all the time. My smaller tractor, with low ground clearance, is very susceptible to getting stuck when I leave the drive, to push piles of snow, or drifts.

In the photo, the snow in front of the tractor appears to not be disturbed. If one were trying to use the fel to push the tractor out, you would expect to see at least a depression of packed snow from doing so. That's why I asked.

 

[ovrszd]

I do that all the time pushing drifts back.

Curl the bucket down, put it on the ground, uncurl it, and repeat, until your out.

Yep, as long as he could stay out of the fence.

 

[ovrszd]

I run a grader on rural gravel roads. Every big snow I will find myself on the verge of getting stuck. I usually push at night and will lose track of where exactly the roadbed stops and the ditch starts. Last time I pushed my big "stuck" was that I backed into an unfrozen gateway and found myself sitting crossways in the road, buried to the top of the rear tires with the moldboard jammed into the roadbed in the raised position. Worst possible situation for a grader. Took me twenty minutes to get myself out. I never spun my tires more than one revolution in the entire process. Patience, patience, patience.

Once in a situation I STOP AND DO NOTHING until I've analyzed every step of the extraction.

For example, okay, first I'm gonna get the blade curled and firmly stuck into the ground and ready to push, then I'm gonna set the direction of my front tires, then I'm gonna make sure I've got the diff locked and 4wd engaged. Then I'm gonna very carefully start reverse wheel movement in time with blade push with the goal being to not spin. If I start to spin while curling with no tractor movement I immediately stop!!!! Don't want to spin a hole. Now, I reanalyze and pick a different method. I continue this process until I'm out.

Sometimes I might choose two or three methods before I get one that works. NEVER, NEVER do I just throw it in reverse and watch the wheels spin!!! All that does is make things worse. There is absolutely nothing gained by spinning tires and no vehicle movement.

I've pushed snow for 21 years and never have been pulled/stuck. I've always got myself out. Been in situations where the snow was piled higher than the grader roof around me and couldn't see any of the drive tires, still got myself out. It takes a lot of patience and careful methodical thought with each action. Makes a difference when you're not 100 yards from the warm house too. I'm usually in situations where the nearest help is a mile or more away. I've never made tracks in the snow walking for help. Now I've jinxed myself and will get stuck the next snow!!!

 

[Diamondpilot]

I've pushed snow for 21 years and never have been pulled/stuck. I've always got myself out. Been in situations where the snow was piled higher than the grader roof around me and couldn't see any of the drive tires, still got myself out. It takes a lot of patience and careful methodical thought with each action. Makes a difference when you're not 100 yards from the warm house too. I'm usually in situations where the nearest help is a mile or more away. I've never made tracks in the snow walking for help. Now I've jinxed myself and will get stuck the next snow!!!

You are not trying hard enough....

Chris

 

[bill in ny]

when plowing, if i have a choice, i always try to plow going up hill. if you go to far off of the driveway, it's a lot easier backing downhill.

 

[RoyJackson]

I don't know about the middle of the winter in Connecticut, but I know when the ground freezes down here, it is more than fairly solid.

I do understand what it takes to do this, I have do it all the time. My smaller tractor, with low ground clearance, is very susceptible to getting stuck when I leave the drive, to push piles of snow, or drifts.

Yes, when the ground is solid...might not have been in southern MD.
Anyway, when I got stuck last Saturday, I did push with the FEL (lots of experience doing that!!). But it's not going to help much until the rear tires are dug out (if they're buried). And, it took a while to get to that solid ground.
And, in the picture, it appears the ground slopes pretty severely in front of the tractor. His loader may be hitting the stops before the bucket is hitting solid ground.
One of the posts mentioned handling a tractor in crappy conditions is 60% operator. Yeah, I'd go with that...but learning to deal with being stuck and digging your way out is part of the learning curve. Ray has learned this, I've learned..and now ctgoldwing's son is learning.

 

[NuBota]

CT, wish I read this sooner - I pass through Upper Marlboro every day on my way to work (from Charles Co to Annapolis) - could have stopped by today to help pull stuff out

PG county did a terrible job on their roads - doesn't look like any were plowed Sunday - both lanes of Rt 301 were still 3-4" packed snow/ice this morning. Still untouched this afternoon so slush will freeze tonight and they're calling for another 4-8 inches tomorrow

Hopefully your son has had better luck since you posted last.....

 

[wedge40]

I enjoy these messages, and sympathize.

On the other hand, living in Minnesota on a farm where that really wasn't much of a snow - I have to admit I chuckle a lot when I see the TV or something like this thread. A little experience - like we get 5 months out of the year up here - and you learn what really stuck is.

I dug my big 2wd tractor out of a snowbank with a shovel in 20 minutes the other day - it was much more stuck than that loader tractor, and I didn't have a loader.

Thew problem is they high-center, so you have to dig a little snow out from under the rear axle so the wheels do something. That only takes 10-15 minutes - including getting the shovel.

Then clean out the snow from behind all 4 tires - only the wheel path. Only need a couple feet.

Then the bucket will walk it out of the icy spot it's spun on, and the diff lock will keep you moving backwards on the new footing & back onto the driveway.

The dually pickup was just a bad idea, they stay in the shed when it snows. Worst vehicle there is in winter.

Not trying to make light of the situation, I realize they are in a sistuation they are not familiar with & most don't have the equipment to deal with. Not luaghing about the hardships being faced.

Just - how that is just a common snowfall around here - and the snow doesn't go away, it just keeps piling up. We get to gain lots of experience & understanding on how to deal with snow.

As of 6:00pm tonite, we ar ein a winter storm warning through Tuesday noon. This is the 6th storm/ blizzard we've had, and darn sick of it. But, doesn't make the news - it's just how it is, typical. In town, can't see a car parked out on the curb - snow is piled up so high on the bulavards.

During the superbowl, they were flashing the early school closings for Monday morning.

Just another week.

--->Pa

I remember those days and now live in South Central Indiana. They forecast 2" of snow and all the bead and milk disappear from the shelves. I went to College in the UP and if they were predicting a heavy storm, 12" or more the only thing missing from the store shelves was beer. LOL
I'm still amazed at how easy it was to get around up there. But then again you never really drove on pavement, mainly a slurry of ice and sand.

As for the op. Best thing for snow is tall narrow tires.. Thats what they used in the UP. Forget the duallys they just ride up on the snow. Also a cheap thing to have around is a wench on the front of the truck and a bunch of chains. There are a couple of things a home owner can never have enough of chains and 2"x4".

Let us know how your son does with the extraction. You have another blizzard bearing down on you and it should be there tomorrow or Thursday.

I blame it all on Puxatony Phil.
Wedge

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I blame it all on Puxatony Phil.
Wedge

Someone needs to shoot that critter!

They did a great jobs clearing roads in my area. I think it's because people stayed home last fri and sat during the big snow, and the roads could get cleared before they were packed solid. I saw other areas of VA and MD today where the roads were just packed ice, this happens because of the thousands of people who just had to go out. It's amazing to watch the TV weather men out on the streets, with the people coming up and complaining that their side streets weren't being plowed. duh, until the main roads are fit, there's no sense in driving out of your side street. Then there's the couple that got stuck sat. trying to get gas for their car. Park it, stay home. Everyone had plenty of warning to be prepared. I heard the lady in charge of PG county snow plowing on the radio today. She was very frustrated over the amount of traffic on the roads that prevented them from doing a good plow job.
It's also amazing to see the people that don't clean off their cars, and then the snow slides down onto their windshield. Or the ones driving 50 MPH on bumpy ice coated streets and pull up to stopped traffic at a red light as if the road was dry. so many near misses, fortunately I didn't witness any accidents.

Drive Safe!

 

[NuBota]

Buckeye

I agree with most of what you said - but I can't defend PG county on this one. I live in Charles and work in Annapolis. My co-worker live's in St. Mary's. We both went to work Monday morning

Rt 301 in Waldorf was clear on Sunday when I went out. St. Mary's, Rt 5 and 235 were clear. Rt 4 and 2 in Calvert were clear. Rt 301 in PG was a mess, and it is less populated than Waldorf. Anne Arrundel wasn't great, but much better than PG and they had plows out all day Monday and were clean by the afternoon. I never saw a plow in PG on my trip in or home on Monday. Traffic was basically in one lane anyway, so plows could have cleaned it up nice once the sun was out. I have heard they are out of money, so maybe that's why - otherwise I can't figure it out.

What are you seeing so far today in terms of accumulation? Not much here yet....

 

[amolaver]

just a follow up from the stuckee.. i'm the son with the stuck machines

both are free as a bird (or were as of yesterday). the bucket trick just dug some earth - the ground is still quite soft as we've had TONS of rain the last couple months. the ground also slopes sharply away, so even before i dug the hole, i was only able to bite an inch or so of earth at full extension. i did make things worse by locking the diff and letting that right rear tire dig a hole. eventually, some chains and ratchet straps were able to pretension the tractor enough so i could rock it backwards, retension, drive forward/left, retension, repeat 15 or so times. as the MN gentleman said, clearing the wheel tracks and the snow from under the low points of the chassis was the key for both vehicles.

lots of shoveling, some chains between the 3pt lift arms and the tow hooks on the front of the truck got it free.

while i'd disagree the dually sucks in the snow, it surely isn't great. the on-road tires certainly don't help. that said, it lives in my driveway to tow a ~15K lb trailer down the road. i don't pretend its an offroad vehicle. it does beautiful in that respect - quiet, comfortable, and reliable.

and now i'm watching another 10+ inches being blown around at 40mph...

ahm

 

[montelatici]

I am in Croom, Maryland within the Upper Marlboro area. I don't think the folks in the other (western) regions understand what warm atlantic ocean fed snow is like and how heavy it is. The snow your son got stuck in was the really heavy stuff, I got my tractor stuck as well.

Today's (the third big storm of the season) snow is more similar to the dry light snow you get in interior portions of the country. It crunches under the wheels and you get good traction, very little chance of getting a tractor stuck in it.

 

[rambler]

just a follow up from the stuckee.. i'm the son with the stuck machines

Thanks for the update. Glad you got things back to 'normal' without damage. That's always a win.

I won't talk about the times I got the tractor or combine stuck in the mud.... Or the afternono I got the combine stuck, pulled it out alone with a tractor, basically your ratchet, reset trick up & down each vehicle 15 times. Only to drive down the other side of the field, and it burried itself again. Walk the field, get the tractor, repeat.... I was tired that day!

--->Paul - the gent from MN