Stepped off, and it almost tipped over (lifting a snowmobile) !

[4570Man]

 

[Sodo]

For some reason, when the tractor is up on 3 wheels overloaded with a high suspended load, my first instinct isn't to get off the tractor and take pictures to post on the internet. Am I a victim of the generation gap?

The other 99+ times my first instinct was like yours (might be) ......just continue with the job.
But here, end of the day going home, I see a photo-op to communicate with my TBN brethren (and some who decline to post.. )
It's not a dangerous situation and certainly some can see that.
If I would have left it and gone home, it would still be sitting there today (loader might leak down though).


Thought the pic might lead to some interesting discussion of counterweighting etc .... but there was a little..... very little, but thanks for that little.:thumbsup:
It's not safety be damned, it's knowing your machine.
Do you fellers even remember back when you used to get things done?

I suspect there's not much action here anymore, not a lot of members doin' stuff.
Too bad, there's a lot that can be learned on an "active" forum.
Maybe it's all gone to Facebook which is a terrible place to discuss this kind of thing
Are TBN fellers are just too old anymore?
Or the few who are doing stuff just know about the flack when posting about certain things, they decline to enter a conversation with genuine knowledge / experience.

Understood there are others who can only think "HEY tractors can go on 3 wheels pretty much all the time."
There's that.....

I'll try to remember that and post a pic of my tractor just sitting in the barn next time (lots to learn!)

You fellas are getting too old!
Dang.....maybe me too.

 

[bigtiller]

I thought they were interesting pictures Sodo. I'm glad you spent the effort to stage, snap and post them.

 

[MossRoad]

What you really need is a video of you standing at that back tire lifting and lowering the thing by hand to show just how close it is to perfect balance.

 

[MossRoad]

My little PT425 is articulated. It's kinda strange feeling to scoop up a bucket of rock, or a large log on the forks, lift it a few inches off the ground and start backing away, then, as you turn the wheel, the bucket or forks drops slowly to the ground and the rear corner tire lifts off the ground. Straighten the steering wheel and the rear tire goes back down the ground. The center of gravity changes as you turn the steering wheel as the machine gets shorter as you turn the wheel, and longer as you straighten it out. It's an interesting characteristic of an articulated machine, and a good thing to know about.

 

[Sodo]

Thanks BigT, MossR

True turning the front wheels, one wheel patch moves forward, the other patch moves rearward, which can change things when near the balance point. Different on an articulated loader. I suppose turning with an articulated loader brings your "rear counterbalance" closer to the CG, increasing tipping?

And the higher you lift, the load center moves rearward too.
Increasing the risk due to “height” but can create a dilemma in going down.
The load moving down AND forward is something you gotta take into consideration. You have to go down slower, and if you stop abruptly while it's still high...
Not a big deal quick-dumping a bucket of dirt, but you can’t dump a snowmobile.

Lots happening, and the point might be.... learning this stuff under controlled conditions is worthwhile.
For example, on level ground, under conditions where its so safe, that you can take the time to compose a photo for discussion with your tractor brethren.