webbmeister
Gold Member
Tuition - Jim\'s first real day with Thor
Today I learned that the price for a lesson on where to *not* till is $55, payable to Whitey's towing service. In addition to the fee, there was some good-natured kidding.
Early this morning, I drove out to Valhalla to finish setting up the tiller from Sweet, and promptly began tilling the area that SWMBO had designated. All was going well, and I was pleased not only with the magnificent performance of the tiller, but with the pretty good looking long, graceful arcs I was making around the edge of the area being tilled. Downright artful, if I do say so myself. Each new pass was taking me closer and closer to the pond, but I wasn't worried - the ground all looked the same color, and I had walked near the water before starting, just to be sure. Well, here's something I bet just about everyone on TBN would have though about ... the tractor weights a lot more than the driver! Well, I drove right into the muck, sunk right down to the rims, and started spinning all four wheels with the differential lock engaged. I stopped that quickly, and then - with a certain smugness - I began using the FEL to push myself backwards. Only one problem - I was pushing myself right toward the water, and I couldn't steer. After an hour or so of pulling myself forward and backward with the FEL and getting closer to the water with each pass, I gave in and called my dealer. To his credit, he did not laugh, or even snicker! The wrecker arrived, I endured some ribbing, and 5 minutes later, Thor was on Terra Firma.
Not to be defeated, I finished tilling the part of the designated area I thought was safe, and then pulled the pins on the MMM and mowed Valhalla for the first time. Valhalla looks good! I did run into a problem along the way, though. With just a few passes to go, the MMM threw one of its three blades. That was a shocker - and, I suppose, more evidence of the niggling QC problems at New Holland. I retrieved the blade, the bolt, and the two washers, moved to a flat area, turned off the tractor and put the keys in my pocket. Got the ratchet set out of the nifty toolbox behind Thor's seat, and put the blade back on.
The sun began to get low in the sky, I finished the last of the mowing, and put Thor in his temporary digs for the night. I now have 13 hours of seat time, and I can't wait for the grass to get long again. This in spite of being dog-tired, $55 poorer (but richer by a little wisdom), *filthy*, and chagrined.
Tractoritis. Wow.
Jim
Today I learned that the price for a lesson on where to *not* till is $55, payable to Whitey's towing service. In addition to the fee, there was some good-natured kidding.
Early this morning, I drove out to Valhalla to finish setting up the tiller from Sweet, and promptly began tilling the area that SWMBO had designated. All was going well, and I was pleased not only with the magnificent performance of the tiller, but with the pretty good looking long, graceful arcs I was making around the edge of the area being tilled. Downright artful, if I do say so myself. Each new pass was taking me closer and closer to the pond, but I wasn't worried - the ground all looked the same color, and I had walked near the water before starting, just to be sure. Well, here's something I bet just about everyone on TBN would have though about ... the tractor weights a lot more than the driver! Well, I drove right into the muck, sunk right down to the rims, and started spinning all four wheels with the differential lock engaged. I stopped that quickly, and then - with a certain smugness - I began using the FEL to push myself backwards. Only one problem - I was pushing myself right toward the water, and I couldn't steer. After an hour or so of pulling myself forward and backward with the FEL and getting closer to the water with each pass, I gave in and called my dealer. To his credit, he did not laugh, or even snicker! The wrecker arrived, I endured some ribbing, and 5 minutes later, Thor was on Terra Firma.
Not to be defeated, I finished tilling the part of the designated area I thought was safe, and then pulled the pins on the MMM and mowed Valhalla for the first time. Valhalla looks good! I did run into a problem along the way, though. With just a few passes to go, the MMM threw one of its three blades. That was a shocker - and, I suppose, more evidence of the niggling QC problems at New Holland. I retrieved the blade, the bolt, and the two washers, moved to a flat area, turned off the tractor and put the keys in my pocket. Got the ratchet set out of the nifty toolbox behind Thor's seat, and put the blade back on.
The sun began to get low in the sky, I finished the last of the mowing, and put Thor in his temporary digs for the night. I now have 13 hours of seat time, and I can't wait for the grass to get long again. This in spite of being dog-tired, $55 poorer (but richer by a little wisdom), *filthy*, and chagrined.
Tractoritis. Wow.
Jim
