Near-Tragedy Today

[N. TX Tim]

On my way home today, I passed my new neighbors down the road and noticed his 8N Ford UPSIDE DOWN in his driveway. I quickly backed up to see if someone was trapped underneath...and then I saw him walk around the side of his truck.

I pulled in the drive to introduce myself and to tell him I was not a nosey neighbor...but just wanted to make sure he was not still underneath the tractor.

He was trying to drive the tractor up the ramps of his tractor-trailer lo-boy and they were too steep and the tractor went over backwards. He said it threw him off the back of the seat to the ground and he immediately tried to roll out of the way of the tractor. He almost made it...but his shoulder was temporarily pinned under the fender...but he was able to get free.

He was covered in mud and his shoulder was pretty badly scrapped up. He said he was really sore as well...and it had only been about 20 minutes since the accident. I recommended that he go to the hospital and get checked out...just to be on the safe side.

Sorry, no pics. That is one lucky guy...a good reminder to take it slow and keep safety in mind. Bad things can happen real fast.

Tim

 

[Anonymous-0]

I wonder if he realizes that today was his Lucky Day? Steep ramps and tractors are not a good mix. Safety, Safety Safety

 

[Davis In SC]

Glad his Guardian Angel was on duty today.. A friend has an 8N with a bent steering wheel, the owner of it was not quite that lucky... it sort of gives me the chills every time I look at the bent steering wheel..

 

[vitzarus]

This post has increased safety concerns in me and many. We all see everybody can load a tractor and take some basic things for granted like the slant. Sometimes the weight is taken on one outside ball or hitch at some point over the fulcrum or something heavy gets goosed at the wrong time. I am so glad this wasn't another tragedy.You are a good neighbor.

 

[Anonymous-0]

We were always taught in 4-H tractor club to load a tractor by backing it up the ramps, we even watched movies of demonstrations about tractor tipping all the time , the leaders were a great bunch of old local boys that cared about us kids, I am glad that your neighbor survived his accident, but I have heard of many tragic ones that didn't work out, even one that caught fire after it pinned the young man wanting to go to a show...just got ours home from the county fair, we were having "some fun", maybe I should try to hunt down some of those movies and use them next year in the club....Thanks for your post,Texas Tim we must be more aware....

 

[JV3CII]

Good on you for stopping. That was exactly the right thing to do.
I was always taught to reverse tractors onto ramps as well. There was a guy killed at the neighbouring clubs rally a couple of months ago when he tried to drive a Field Marshall (tippy buggers at the best of times) onto a low loading truck and she flipped on him. Kinda reinforces the safety "first message" doesn't it?
Accident article

 

[Katharine]

WOW, thanks for posting this. Can you please give us anymore tips for loading and un-loading a tractor or are they on here somewhere, as I should be picking my 3400 up anytime now and don't want the same things happening to us! What's the best way with a bush-hog attached?
Glad your neighbor is ok and that there are still GOOD neighbors like you left in the world!

 

[Anonymous-0]

IF YOUR GOING IO LOAD TRACTORS UP RAMPS PLEASE LOOK INTO LITE WINCH. THEY ARE CHEAP COMPARD TO INJURY OR DEATH

 

[Allan in NE]

Whew!

Jim, ya sent the hairs on the back of my neck to standing on end!

Never did like the idea of running tractors up those ramps; just makes me nervous. :>(

Allan

 

[Anonymous-0]

Did he have an implement hanging off his three point hitch?

 

[R. John Johnson]

We had a near tragedy here a few weeks ago. The neighbor's wife was pulling a stuck packer out of the mud using a tow strap. The tow strap came undone and came through the back window of the cab and shattered the front window. She was looking over her right shoulder and never saw it coming, it happened so fast. Hit her right temple and cut her to the skull. Six stitches and she's just fine. An inch or two over and she would have been killed. We tend to forget in this farming game just how close a serious accident can be at any time.

John

 

[Anonymous-0]

Sir... i freak out everytime I load my 2 cylinder putt putts up on a quite steep gooseneck. I tell ya, front end weights are needed badly on two cylinder tractors.

I've always been taught to run half throttle, first gear. I've been told to aim the tractor right where you know its going up the ramp, then put the clutch in and go at it straight. When you get up on the trailer, you idle it down first and stop it.

I don't carry implements on the back of any two cylinder up on a trailer. They will have to be lifted on it.

I hope everyone has a safe hauling season.

 

[buickanddeere]

Then front end keeps lifting every time your load a two cylinder? And you you don't change anything/do anything about it? You continue loading the same way again & again & again?

 

[keh]

Like the other post said, I always back the tractor on the trailer.

KEH

 

[Anonymous-0]

I thought you were supposed to allways back a tractor onto a trailer. Is that not common knowledge or is it just my understanding?

 

[Dick L]

I have been loading tractors for years and years without a problem. It is something that is learned and you always have to keep in mind when loading that the (clutch) is your worst enemy. (There are mental rules that you have to follow.) If something seems wrong when starting up the ramps you have to have in your mind that you must stop and back all the way down the ramp before starting forward again. Never Never start forward after stopping part way up the ramps.

 

[Dick L]

 

[Dick L]

I always drive on with my bush hog mower. One of the reasons (I never hook the third link.) I can drive on without stopping.

 

[Leland]

this happens bacause this guy's head was in his butt ,I have been a witness to many stuoid ideas for loading tractors on trailers and walked away from some

 

[L.C.Gray]

After quite a few uncomfortable situations loading/unloading tractors I have given up ramps completely. I just recently went to a trailer company and had a brand new 22 ft rollback bed trailer custom built.

The entire bed slides back 4 1/2 feet and lowers to the ground giving a gentle 5 degree angle to climb. I can drive up, set the brake, roll the bed back forward and chain up with much greater safety and convenience. I wish I'd done it years ago.

Best part... the bed is powered by your tow vehicle alone. No batteries, motors, wiches or hydraulics to have problems with.

To add even more veratility I have also added a 8,000 lb winch to pull non powered equipment or dead tractors on and off with.

 

[Anonymous-0]

i have a mustang 330 skid loader when i need to go up ramp into hay mow i always back it up.
it seems to be front end heavy to me to go up the ramp.

 

[RodinNS]

He's a lucky guy.
Sounds like he needs a winch on the trailer and haul it on backwards since it probably won't back up anyway.
Personally I've never backed one on. I have backed dozers on to floats, and that's scarier than driving one on...
My skid steer is also driven on, but I do pick my spots, and there's always an attachemnt on the front unless I'm loading facing downhill. I'd say skid steers are one of the worst things to load....

Rod