The "straw" that breaks the camel's back, or.....

[markie61]

The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

....tips your tractor over on its nose.

The most used implement on my tractor is the front-end loader with pallet forks. The other day, I was moving square bales of hay from the second story of the barn onto a pallet. If I stack them right, I can get a load of about 18-20 bales. I have a very vivid imagination got to thinking that if the weight got too great, the tractor may nose over into the wall or tip over. Or, that the relief valve bypasses and the arms fall.

I guess it is technically possible, but has anyone ever had a "real-life" experience like this?

I also stack firewood one log at a time onto framed pallets (capacity: about 1/2 cord) sometimes a foot or two in the air, depending on the terrain. I am sure this load approaches my loader's one-ton capacity.

Mark

 

[MossRoad]

Re: The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

On a much smaller scale, I can tip my little tractor on its nose with too much load on the loader arms. Very easy to do with the articulated vehicle.

 

[theonlybull]

Re: The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

i've seen it done a few times, usually, the pucker factor increase higher then you can stand, b4 the tractor will nose over. usually, you'll lift one hind tire, and set the load down, although, if you load it to it's limit, then drive down a hill, you'll be taking a chance.

normally the relief valve, only relieves the pressure that's trying to lift, you won't trip it with the loader at a standstill, it just simply won't let you lift. any that i've worked on, won't "drop" if you pile too much on them

 

[boustany]

Re: The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

Tipping foreward is probably hard to do - if you've properly counterbalanced with a backhoe, weights, whatever, because the hydraulics wouldn't let you lift the load.

I sort of tipped forward when I picked up a big rock without the backhoe on, but I only moved a bit before I realized what was happening.

Its a lot easier to tip backwards. My first machine was a Case 580C TLB with extendahoe. After delivery I was fiddling with the controls for the hoe (there was no operators manual) and fully extended the backhoe WITHOUT setting the stabilizers. I kind of rotated around the rear wheels and the machine stopped moving with me horizontal, facing the ground. That'll get your jucies flowing, I tell yah! :shocked:

 

[slowrev]

Re: The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

Nose tipping can be done. I have a 1 ton counterweight on my 3 point and this eliminates tip forward problems with normal loader operation. however I have lifted the backend off the ground pulling small trees and posts with the FEL. Not a good feeling, just eased her back down. Of course with a heavy load in the bucket, always treat it like it might fall. You never know if a hose might burst. Also be very wary of going downhill with a loaded bucket as the center of gravity shifts and they can fall on their nose or side easially.
Happy and safe tractoring to ya

 

[frank_f15]

Re: The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

don't beleive the fel would lift enough weigh to nose it forward, now it might hapen if u had the fel raise and handloaded enough wieght, i suppose it could nose forward, only other time it might happen is if u were loaded and giong downhill, trying to pull stumps or dig to much off center will cause the rear to lft, that gets your attention quick :crazy:

 

[SPIKER]

Re: The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

Hi All:

If I was al my system I could attach photos of a tractor on it's side from just this situation. I sold the tractor to a guy who was using it to pull fence posts along his drive which had a small roll for water drainage. he lifted the post and was backing up and it nosed right over and landed on it's side. It didn't do any damage luckly he had the seat belt on. (something I neglect to do most of the time) Anyhow if you are working the FEL good it is actually pretty easy to roll over front wise, and with tractyor roll overs most of the time it is FEL related and opperator error. I've had mine teetering more than once up on front end bucket and one or more rear wheels off the grond. usually when working in tight confines where I can not have the box blade or some other form of counter ballance on the 3 pt...

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[JeffRey30747]

Re: The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

The most unstable situation I have encountered is the combination of a fully loaded bucket and uneven terrain. A large rock or tree stump can easily throw things out of equilibrium enough to drastically increase the pucker factor and possibly cause injury or damage. Keep loads low and look out for anything on the ground that could cause the tractor to be unstable.

Jeff

 

[markie61]

Re: The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

Thanks for the replies so far.

I've lifted a tire while moving a load and when picking stuff up with the loader, too. I guess I didn't state the question too well:

While the tractor wasn't moving (engine off/loader raised), have you ever added weight to the loader enough to change the balance and have it tip forward?

Mark

 

[Currmudgeon]

Re: The \"straw\" that breaks the camel\'s back, or.....

My very first experience with a crawler loader involved me tipping it onto its nose. Fortunately, I had my seatbelt on, or I would have landed in the bucket. I was able to dump the load and right it. That's how I learned about carrying low.