Stuck

WDH · August 21, 2012, 09:38:33 PM

You tend to get stuck worser with 4 wheel drive because you go into places that you should not. Maybe the 4 wheel capability makes you stupid, sometimes. Then you say, "Why did I do that?"

Okrafarmer · August 21, 2012, 09:50:22 PM

I had a '78 Power Wagon 8) and I only got it stuck twice. Both times it was in very deep snow, because I went off the shoulder of the road into the plow-pack and sank to the body. Other than that, I drove it in some fairly stupid places and never got it stuck. Tires were new but only street treads, barely what I would call aggressive.

gspren · August 21, 2012, 09:55:15 PM

I have had 4 wd trucks or Jeeps for over 40 years and sometimes was amazed at how nasty of a spot I made it through and then was equally amazed at how I got stuck in a spot that looked easy to get through. Sometimes nice smooth grassy areas like pastures will let you drive across one time when it's wet but if you stop or try it twice the sod breaks and your done. Been there, done that!

sandhills · August 21, 2012, 10:04:00 PM

Paul that combine story sounds like something my bil did. My neighbor topped him though, I was across the fence combining east and west he was running north and south, they have the biggest (I think) that JD makes with a 12 row head and we pretty well were meeting at the fenceline every round. I turned around at the opposite end of the field about 3/4 of a mile from him and couldn't figure out what looked so funny until I got back to the other end, he'd hit a hole and all you could see was the very back of the combine sticking up over the corn

. Luckily he didn't go through the windshield but he did break one of the cylinders under the head and it took one of their big 4 wheel drives a LONG time to drag/dig him back out.

Magicman · August 21, 2012, 10:09:07 PM

My best all time mud truck was a 1968 Bronco, that had limited slip, front and rear. I cut the fenders out and installed fiberglas flairs so larger "mudder" tires would fit. Yes, I did use the 4K Warn winch a few times, but mostly to pull someone else out.

tyb525 · August 21, 2012, 10:26:01 PM

Worst stuck for me was driving my tricycle front IH 656 farm tractor down into a swampy area in the winter, thinking it would be frozen. It was frozen enough for me to drive into it, but once I got turned around and was about to head out with a log, that's when I broke through. I was almost up to the axles. We didn't have anything to unstick a tractor ???

I took 2 heavy cables and fastened them to the outside of the wheel., and wrapped a few turns around the axle. I tied them to two trees directly in front on the tractor. Drove forward...it pulled itself out as the tires spun! I wouldn't try that often, but desperate times call for desperate measures!

Magicman · August 21, 2012, 10:37:43 PM

I have chained a 6" X 8' log to the rear tractor tires. You then ride up and over the log which has to be moved back to the front and re-chained. It is not a pretty sight doing it, but you will get un-stuck. I hope that I do not ever have to do it again, but I do still have those two short chains.

Okrafarmer · August 22, 2012, 12:05:11 AM

Quote from: tyb525 on August 21, 2012, 10:26:01 PM
Worst stuck for me was driving my tricycle front IH 656 farm tractor down into a swampy area in the winter, thinking it would be frozen. It was frozen enough for me to drive into it, but once I got turned around and was about to head out with a log, that's when I broke through. I was almost up to the axles. We didn't have anything to unstick a tractor ???

I took 2 heavy cables and fastened them to the outside of the wheel., and wrapped a few turns around the axle. I tied them to two trees directly in front on the tractor. Drove forward...it pulled itself out as the tires spun! I wouldn't try that often, but desperate times call for desperate measures!

I did the same thing with Dad's John Deere B. It works pretty good. To clarify, I think you meant the axle on the outside side of the rear wheel, correct? That is what I did. On most of those row crop tractors, the bar axle sticks out beyond the wheel (unless you have the wheels spread out wide). Thus you use that axle end sticking out as a windlass. I had to do that to keep the old B from freezing back into the ice. It was getting dark, Dad was gone to work 2nd shift, and I did not want to have to come back and chip it out of the ice the next day. As you said, desperate times, desperate measures. The nearest tree in a straight line was too far away, and I only had two chains that together were too short. So I thought about it a while ??? :

and then realized I need a force multiplier for the chains. So I cut a length of a pulp log and chained both the chains to the pulp log, one chain to the tree, one chain to the tractor wheel. That got me the length I needed, and I got out. Okrafarmer has learned a number of tricks over the years. Living in Maine and South Carolina will do that to you-- if you pay attention, and use your head for more than just a hat rack. ;D I have an idea I would learn even more about it if I moved to Mississippi or Louisiana. :-\

Okrafarmer · August 22, 2012, 12:06:47 AM

Quote from: Magicman on August 21, 2012, 10:37:43 PM
I have chained a 6" X 8' log to the rear tractor tires. You then ride up and over the log which has to be moved back to the front and re-chained. It is not a pretty sight doing it, but you will get un-stuck. I hope that I do not ever have to do it again, but I do still have those two short chains.

That does indeed work. Care must be taken if you don't have a rops or heavy set of fenders-- if I tried that on the JD B, for instance, and didn't stop in time, it could clean my clock.

Brucer · August 22, 2012, 12:18:27 AM

The good thing about a 4WD articulated loader is that you can often get out of a tight situation by cranking the steering wheel around to one side or the other. That puts all the wheels up against some undisturbed soil/dirt/mud. You can get some extra help by curling the the bucket down and driving it into the ground, then curling it back up as you gently back out.

The bad thing is that if you try all that and it doesn't work, you are really stuck.

Sorry, no picture. Imagine a Cat 910 loader sitting on it's axles in the mud.

Migal · August 22, 2012, 12:25:03 AM

Nice thing is your not stuck your just slowed down to old timers chain a post to the tire's and roll front to back a few feet at a time

Okrafarmer · August 22, 2012, 12:45:51 AM

"No, I didn't get the tractor stuck! Are you crazy? Haven't you ever seen anyone harvesting mud pies before?"

"No I didn't get this truck stuck under the bridge! Are you crazy? I was delivering this bridge to someone, and I ran out of fuel!"

"I'm not stuck, I'm doing a viscosity test!"

"I'm not stuck, I'm digging a well with my tractor!"

"The tractor's not stuck. I'm burying it so no one will steal it."

"To you, this may look like the top of a bulldozer sticking out of the mud, but I'm telling you, it's just some playground equipment I'm installing for my kids."

"No, it's not a skidder stuck in the mud. What you are looking at is a genuine stationary winch."

"What? You think this is the engine end of a tractor sticking up out of the ground? You dummy, this is my stationary engine. It's a power unit I sometimes use to run my sawmill."

"Y'all city folks don't know nothin."

Migal · August 22, 2012, 12:48:53 AM

sweet okra! Im not stuck I like playing in the mud 8) beats work!!!

Magicman · August 22, 2012, 08:21:44 AM

Thankfully the old Oliver backhoe has enough hydraulics to get itself out.

Even with one broken stabilizer cylinder.

Okrafarmer · August 22, 2012, 08:26:25 AM

That's a real classic, MM. What model is it? Looks like an industrial version of an 1850, 1855.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · August 22, 2012, 08:40:36 AM

Quote from: Okrafarmer on August 22, 2012, 08:26:25 AM
That's a real classic, MM. What model is it? Looks like an industrial version of an 1850, 1855.

Okra.....they didn't make backhoes back in 1850 and 1855.......duhhhhhh!!!!! :D :D :D :D

Magicman · August 22, 2012, 08:41:15 AM

1968, 1650.

I do not do much digging with it, but it is a log handling fool.

Okrafarmer · August 22, 2012, 08:45:50 AM

They;re a good machine. I always liked the Olivers. Would love to have one some day.

Migal · August 22, 2012, 11:51:34 PM

I too as well have always liked the Oliver's had a 55 Super that I bought at a action as my first tractor since I left the farm. Then I found out it was a Collector's item So I sold it and got my Massy they just wanted to much for parts and heck in one of my life's I was a Mechanic at heart and I wanted a working tractor. It did sell for 4x the Action price might have had a little to do with how I got my Massey. 8)