[machineryman]

I would just consider it a learning experience...over the past 65 plus years I've had to learn how to run tractors by the seat of your pants....I can advise you that you need to keep your center of gravity low...that weight box cranked up in the air is a receipe for a mishap...you don't have much traction down hill especially with the turf tires....

 

[scooterman]

Upset - glad you’re okay. I appreciate you posting, I’ve seen people get angry over safety recommendations before. Having an honest anecdote about what went wrong helps others stay safe. Thank you for posting this, honestly, just reading it triggered pucker factor - level 5.

 

[BWTX]

Thanks for posting! I think a good tip for everyone is to rehearse in your head what you will do in various situations. Whenever I am using the loader i try to keep telling myself if it gets tippy slam that loader down fast. I know some people have naturally good reactions but for me telling myself what to do in a situation really helps (like pilot/copilit going over what they will do in an emergency during takeoff,etc...).

 

[Treefarmer]

I should have had the ROPS up. I always wear my seatbelt.

The ROPS is a pain in the ass, especially with a bad shoulder. On the left side I actually rest it on my head to get the pin it. Right side I can manage. And my tractor won't fit in my shed with it up. But yes, it should have been up.

Why doesn't somebody invent a hydraulic ROPS actuator?

Hmm- wouldn't be hydraulic but some smart entrepreneur, perhaps with a name like Kenny might be able to make it spring loaded or use something like gas cylinders. If there was such a person, you know.

 

[Elect 1]

Yesterday I had a load of screened fill delivered and this morning I set out to fill in the first of several low spots, this one being on a short steep bank. As I grabbed each bucket full from the pile and backed out onto the paved driveway I could feel the four wheel drive fighting my steering. Eventually I shifted to two wheel drive. Now you know where this story is going. I went over to the top of the hill to dump and slowly pulled forward and all of the sudden, off we go no brakes. Fortunately there was a nice little maple tree right in the middle that stopped me. I couldn't back out so I left the tractor with bucket still full in neutral, parking brake off, and got my pickup truck and tow strap and pulled it out.

A while later, thinking about what had happened I decided to test the braking in two wheel drive. With a bucket full and in two wheel drive on level ground I moved forward hit the brakes and stopped. Next I tried it a little faster and slid a ways with the rear wheels locked. That's when it came back to me and it's the point of this message. IN TWO WHEEL DRIVE THERE ARE NO FRONT BRAKES. DEPENDING ON WEIGHT, SLOPE, SPEED, AND TRACTION THE REAR WHEELS ARE PRONE TO LOSING TRACTION, which is the same as having no brakes.

I'm posting this as a reminder to others. I've gone through all the should haves twenty times, so I really don't need to hear them again. It was a short exciting ride that could have been much worse.

Signed,
Four Wheel Drive Forever


View attachment 846812

Been there and almost done the same! Moving loads of dirt down a hill had it in 2-wheel drive it was no fun! I got it stopped but don't know how I was too shaken up to remember!

 

[John Deere 1025R TLB]

Depends how you define "Entertaining".

Unfortunately, the one who really needs to come back to tell the story, not for entertainment, by the way, will be dead and burried and no one would be the wiser.

 

[Rule292]

Time to change your handle to DidnUpset1025!

I'm gonna resurrect the "bypass neutral safety switch" thread. Had a pants pooing moment for the 2nd time the other night with the tractor running away in neutral with me on it. Don't want to pollute this thread.

 

[Arsenix2001]

If you had time or distance, you could have dropped the Ballast Box and bucket to slow down or stop. Again time and distance are the determining factor if it will stop in time. Also, I would keep the bucket a lot lower when traveling, I normally keep it about 6-12 inches above the ground.

This. I'm in commercial and residential construction and you would not believe how many people love to run a skid steer with the bucket all the way up in the air for god only knows why. I'm with you, I keep my bucket as close to the ground as feasibly possible in case of something like what happened to the OP or tipping.

 

[Manz7]

Yesterday I had a load of screened fill delivered and this morning I set out to fill in the first of several low spots, this one being on a short steep bank. As I grabbed each bucket full from the pile and backed out onto the paved driveway I could feel the four wheel drive fighting my steering. Eventually I shifted to two wheel drive. Now you know where this story is going. I went over to the top of the hill to dump and slowly pulled forward and all of the sudden, off we go no brakes. Fortunately there was a nice little maple tree right in the middle that stopped me. I couldn't back out so I left the tractor with bucket still full in neutral, parking brake off, and got my pickup truck and tow strap and pulled it out.

A while later, thinking about what had happened I decided to test the braking in two wheel drive. With a bucket full and in two wheel drive on level ground I moved forward hit the brakes and stopped. Next I tried it a little faster and slid a ways with the rear wheels locked. That's when it came back to me and it's the point of this message. IN TWO WHEEL DRIVE THERE ARE NO FRONT BRAKES. DEPENDING ON WEIGHT, SLOPE, SPEED, AND TRACTION THE REAR WHEELS ARE PRONE TO LOSING TRACTION, which is the same as having no brakes.

I'm posting this as a reminder to others. I've gone through all the should haves twenty times, so I really don't need to hear them again. It was a short exciting ride that could have been much worse.

Signed,
Four Wheel Drive Forever


View attachment 846812

Scary !! Very scary ! It does feel weird - just like when the BRAKE part breaks off - by the time you react - it is all done. It is good to know that the brakes are only on the rear axle and when in 2 WD there is no brake in front - and worse when the FEL is loaded and going downhill !!!

Thank you for sharing ! I have had my brakes broken at 314 hours and again at 700 hours. I now have a spare part (personally paid by me) and I have over 750 hours on my JD 1025R (2018). I use my Balllast Box a lot where I can to reduce the wear on the brake lever part that keeps breaking apart.