Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations BG With One Bulging Eye

I think you made a good choice Todd. Mahindra makes a good machine, and being that close to a dealer carries a lot of weight.

My only concern at this point has nothing to do with the equipment, but rather the well being of the operator. Are you experienced with tractors and their various implements? Be careful out there, the learning curve is sometimes unforgiving.

Man you gotta have a tractor! Now you will find yourself going to estate auctions to pick up all the goodies that go behind it. Congrats!

Amen to that Sprkplug !! It is easy to die on a tractor. Do everything slowly.

It's also easy to drown in a skidloader [if you're a careless, wreckless, inexperienced city boy]. No, really - it is.

Thanks, Spark and Eric. I don't have any real experience to speak of, but have a decent head on my shoulders and know enough to go slow and have a lot of respect for the machine. I've heard a lot of tragic accounts of people dying on a tractor and have no intention of being one of those statistics. Slow and easy is definitely the way to go.

It's funny, but running it for about five hours on Sunday showed me that there are very simple things that can be missed easily and also led me to some good discoveries of the capabilities of the tractor. As a pilot, I got to thinking that everything in an airplane happens through use of checklists and what we refer to as "flows." These are simply memory based processes that we use to accomplish a specific tasks and they are always backed up by a checklist. We have flows for just about every scenario that a pilot can get into. It made me think that I need to approach operating the tractor in much the same fashion - sit and jot down some basic steps for the various functions and then just study them so I am familiar and can mentally run through each flow when on the tractor. That is sure to help me develop the familiarity - and safety mindset - I need to operate the right way.

Sorry to ramble, but I know you guys are right on about this - safety first. That's also why I like how heavy this particular tractor is versus all the others I looked at closely (Kubota, Deere, Kioti/Bobcat, McCormick, LS, New Holland, Yanmar, and probably a couple others). It was easily 900 pounds more than the equivalent machine from each manufacturer and I just simply liked that because it's going to plant me more firmly on the ground, right side up!

Hey, never thought about that angle, Spinner! Great idea!

I'm guessing there's an entertaining (since you're still alive) story behind that post!

Todd:

One thing to remember with the FEL. Anytime you have a load in the bucket, it changes the center of gravity. Turning with the bucket up (empty or loaded), side hilling, etc. If you don't already, either get the rear tires filled, or get a rear counterweight. Even with a seatbelt on, it's amazing how much suction force your butt has when one rear wheel starts to lift.........

Good point, Scott. And yes, the rear tires are filled. It added somewhere between 300 and 400 pounds per side, so that was pretty good ballast.

Plenty of good free advice!

The ROPS on the tractor is going to be minimally effective if you roll the tractor over.

For an attorney city-boy; I suggest a full roll cage, six point harness, full faced helmet and formal tractor operations training class.

If you don't have a sixer before you start tractor work and are careful maybe common sense will be enough.

If the tractor "fights" back you are are doing something wrong or something the tractor wasn't built to do. Don't try again.....

They never told me about those options!



I guess this means I can never invite Sunil (or you!) over if the tractor is coming out, then!



Good point.

A word about seat belts and ROPS.

If a piece of equipment is ROPS equipped, then wear the seatbelt. If there is no ROPS, DO NOT wear a belt. Your biggest chance of survival in a rollover on a non-ROPS equipped tractor is to jump clear before it lands on top of you. A well engineered ROPS will hopefully keep it off you, hence the need to remain in the seat.

That all sounds good in theory, but you would be absolutely shocked at how fast a tractor can upset, or even worse, come over backwards. there's not a whole lot of time to plan your escape and jump clear. I've been there and walked away by the sheer grace of God.

If you're on a tractor and have to convince yourself that what you're about to do will "probably be all right", don't do it. Get off and rethink the situation.

And we haven't even discussed the other factor that maims or kills people every year: PTO driveline safety. Not trying to make you paranoid, just aware.

All good input and all appreciated. I seem to carry a healthy fear/appreciation of such incidents to keep me thinking clearly when working around machines. These reminders are certainly welcome!

Front end loader buckets are perfect to fill with ice, and corona to have on hand on those long days of bushhogging!

Dang! Now that's a good idea! Of course, one better would be to fill it up with ice and Corona then just build a campfire and pull the tractor up to within easy reach and sit by the fire and imbibe! Heck with the working part!

Spent many a day sipping a cold corona using a finish mower, and bush hog, never thought about using it at the campfire,hmmmm!

Somewhere, several years ago, I think I made a post about all the great things you can do with a front-end loader. As mentioned, I've used mine as a beverage cooler. It has been a butchering station, a fillet table ... it just goes on and on.

I just hope Todd drives his new toy up to Sunil's this coming weekend for our Regional Pond Boss gathering in southwestern PA. We'll find lots of uses for it.

Isn't the free flow of information here just the greatest thing??!!

I could see us taking turns chasing Sunil around with it. Of course, with the FEL loaded with ice and beer, he may not be hard to catch!

I can picture him running JUUSSTT fast enough to stay ahead of the tractor, but close enough so all he has to do is reach back and grab a cold one as he's running.

Now I am wondering -- should next weekend's regional Pond Boss gathering be moved a few miles south?

I know the main reason, besides fun, is to get a bunch of bullheads out of Sunil's lake.

I'm now thinking we need to get our seines out, get a bunch of the bullheads from Sunil's place, and meet at Todd's tractor barn and pond for a big fish fry!

Sunil and I are management. None of this safe and sane stuff applies to us.

Ah, yes, I've heard about the OSHA exemptions for management level personnel! Now it's all coming together for me!

Sounds like a good plan to me! Perhaps we'll set that one up in the not too distant future!

There's an image! And if I keep it in low range, he shouldn't have to actually work too hard at all!