Walking under a FEL

[Mosey]

Do any of you ever walk under your FEL, even if it's empty? Just what are the dangers? It seems to me that if a line broke or something, it still wouldn't drop instantly. I don't own a FEL (yet), but I don't think I would walk under one.

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

No, I do not walk under my raised FEL, nor would I ever let anyone. Might not be a problem but I sure don't want to find out!

 

[Thomas]

Not wise..you never know. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gifIf fel needs attendion I raise the fel than place a strong board or metal pipe under the bucket,than release the pressure also make sure the parking brake engage and the motor off.

 

[rocky2]

Many a person is squished under loader booms, or raised dump bodies that they thought they could get out from under, or they "wouldn't drop instantly". For gawd knows whatever reason you have to go under a raised boom, secure at least one cylinder with a sleeve that prevents the cylinder from compressing.

 

[hazmat]

<font color=blue>It seems to me that if a line broke or something, it still wouldn't drop instantly</font color=blue>

Not instantly, but pretty darn fast!

 

[HalseyGreen]

Several years ago someone ran a story of a mechanic being crusched between a FEL and the front of the tractor he was working on. Kind of made me rethink some of the things I had done around my FEL. Never again unless its blocked up.

 

[Mosey]

One of the reasons I asked is because my neighbor walks under his all the time. I didn't think it was wise, but he's my elder and didn't think it was my place to tell him what to do.

I remember when I was growing up, a local junk yard owner used to get under cars all the time after lifting them with the wrecker boom! He never used jack stands or anything. It was an old wrecker too, kind of a home built deal that he welded together himself. That old rusty cable could have snapped at any moment! Nothing ever happened to him, though.

 

[beenthere]

I guess the point being is that just because it didn't happen, doesn't mean that it can't happen. I don't 'work' under mine, but I on occasion have ducked under it quickly. Really it is very seldom I am off the tractor with the loader in the air high enough to get under it. But if one can walk around, it is best to get into that habit rather than take the slight chance that something will fail.

Much more dangerous whenever we get into our car and on the road. But we don't give that danger much thought, do we.

 

[rdbrumfield]

For working on my loader, or around the front of the tractor, I have cut a piece of 2" angle iron that will lay on the extended lift cylinder. I lay it then let the loader down till it stops. Works well.

 

[boustany]

No. Never.
I was working the backhoe on my old Case 580C one day when a hydraulic hose went. The hoe was fully 'up'. It dropped pretty much the same as if you had cut the stings on a puppet. There was no warning, just 'boom' and it hit the ground. If anybody would have been underneath they would have been squished.

I think propping up the loader is the only way. In fact, working under the loader was the only way you could get to open the engine compartment on the 580C, so they had a special gizmo to reduce the number of squishees.

 

[beenthere]

A bigger fear with the loader up in the air is someone, or something, touching the loader controls and catching someone under or too close to the bucket or loader arms. Still, the FEL should be on the ground when not being used. Extra concern should be given when man-lift platforms are made for the FEL and used "up in the air". Some CUT's have a lock-out on the loader control, but it doesn't prevent a hose breaking (which must be pretty rare when that happens) and the FEL dropping quickly. Avoid the risk if possible. (But some would just sue if they take the risk and lose, which I think is wrong).

 

[Gfranklin]

I also had a hose on my backhoe fail. It was up in the air about 6 feet when it failed and it coming down was the very definition of instant. Nothing slow about it at all. Later I determined it had been pinched due to improper assembly a year earlier. I never walked under my bucket again.

Greg