Freak happening

Elmo

Member
I was using my boom to hold up a v6 Chevy engine while I put the engine stand on it. The 8N wouldn't hold the engine up unless the pump was running. I had it in neutral with 6x6 blocks in front of the rear tires. Somehow the shifter went into 1st. Gear and it hopped over the blocks and headed down the hill with a 30 foot gully at the bottom. I took off after it and when I caught up with it sanity returned. It was moving pretty fast and I didn't see how I could get on without getting run over. Anyway it hit a bump and turned into a tree which stopped it with authority. The bolts holding the engine to the chain sheared but no damage to the engine except some dirt. It bent the left radius rod and the original grill guard pretty good. I still don't know how it got into gear.
 
(quoted from post at 23:50:03 05/10/16) I was using my boom to hold up a v6 Chevy engine while I put the engine stand on it. The 8N wouldn't hold the engine up unless the pump was running. I had it in neutral with 6x6 blocks in front of the rear tires. Somehow the shifter went into 1st. Gear and it hopped over the blocks and headed down the hill with a 30 foot gully at the bottom. I took off after it and when I caught up with it sanity returned. It was moving pretty fast and I didn't see how I could get on without getting run over. Anyway it hit a bump and turned into a tree which stopped it with authority. The bolts holding the engine to the chain sheared but no damage to the engine except some dirt. It bent the left radius rod and the original grill guard pretty good. I still don't know how it got into gear.
somehow". Makes me want to know Paul Harvey's, "the rest of the story"! :roll:
 
(quoted from post at 23:54:06 05/10/16) "somehow". Makes me want to know Paul Harvey's, "the rest of the story"! :roll:

I had a similar event with one of my Thunderbirds. Down the hill, into the stone fence which launched it into the air a' la the General Lee, where it came to rest about 10' up in a grove of pine trees. Once he quit laughing the tow truck operator asked the same thing.

The "rest of that story":

It was parked in the drive idling with the brake set when some dumb a$$ reaching through the driver side window for the hood release inadvertently pulled the parking brake release. Even at a spry 41 years of age I couldn't catch up with it.....

TOH

PS> I now use wheel chocks religiously
 
I had about the same thing happen to me once. I was brush hogging when I had to answer the call of nature.
Thought I set my brake, but don't guess I did. I was standing there taking care of business when I looked over
my shoulder and there goes my tractor. I might could had caught up with it. But had I missed that step it would mean a
trip to the Hospital for serious work. It was headed for some trees so I decided to just let it go.
Had to replace the radius arm and the center axle cross beam. Both of which I already had laying around.
 
I have a similar story. The salesman at the tree company I worked for went to do an estimate. The
customer was out working in the yard when he arrived. The customer walks over to the truck on a
steep driveway. They chat awhile with the salesman sitting in the truck. Now the automatic
transmission is holding the truck in place since it's still in drive. The salesman gets out to look
over the job. The truck just sitting there. After about 10 minutes the salesman goes over to the
truck and reached through the window and shuts off the truck. It takes off down the hill backwards
and hits a tree. Dead smack on the trailer hitch. Crushed it in good but no damage to the bumper
or truck. The spare tire was smashed real good. That night at the shop we cringed taking off the
hitch from the frame just waiting for the tire to explode!
 
(quoted from post at 04:54:06 05/11/16)
(quoted from post. I still don't know how it got into gear.
somehow". Makes me want to know Paul Harvey's, "the rest of the story"! :roll:

Well bud there ain't no rest of the story. There was nobody or anything anywhere around to do the rest of the story. It happened just as I said it did!
Elmo
 
(quoted from post at 08:50:35 05/11/16)
(quoted from post at 04:54:06 05/11/16)
(quoted from post. I still don't know how it got into gear.
somehow". Makes me want to know Paul Harvey's, "the rest of the story"! :roll:

Well bud there ain't no rest of the story. There was nobody or anything anywhere around to do the rest of the story. It happened just as I said it did!
Elmo
K, I wasn't there and am not clairvoyant, so your story it is! But, if I were writing the ending, it would involve gravity taking it over the block and impact with authority being what knocked it into first gear.
 
(quoted from post at 14:37:36 05/11/16)
(quoted from post at 08:50:35 05/11/16)
(quoted from post at 04:54:06 05/11/16)
(quoted from post. I still don't know how it got into gear.
somehow". Makes me want to know Paul Harvey's, "the rest of the story"! :roll:

Well bud there ain't no rest of the story. There was nobody or anything anywhere around to do the rest of the story. It happened just as I said it did!
Elmo
K, I wasn't there and am not clairvoyant, so your story it is! But, if I were writing the ending, it would involve gravity taking it over the block and impact with authority being what knocked it into first gear.

Gravity didn't take it over the blocks. Somehow the transmission shifted itself into low gear and the engine was running so it took off. I have no clue how it happened!
 
Elmo,

Well until you find out the wherefore and the why, I guess I'll stop putting the tractor in neutral while standing beside to turn the key so I can alter the 3 point position.

Always imaging something like this, however unrealistic, I always plant my feet outside the back tires so I can push myself backwards if it happened to start in gear.

Are you planning to take the top off the transmission to have a look?

T
 
And lawyers seem to think there is no "accidents" anymore - always want to prove someone is responsible. Let them stand behind or in front of one of these accidents and they would think other.
 
I agree with Flatheadpete.


I'm always fearful of something like this happening when I am getting off of the N to adjust the back blade for a different angle when grading. Sure hope it never happens to me. Again, I'm glad you are safe. Thanks for sharing your story.
 

I have knocked them in gear with my foot getting off it did not grind no noise nuttin it popped into gear and took off... :shock:

I got into the habit of rolling my leg across the steering wheel..
 
Shouldnt we all be in the habit of shutting the engine down before we get off the tractor? Its a pain in the butt but thats what I do. I am a new N owner too. Too many stories on here and elsewhere to chsnce it.
 
stuff happens
With worn components, ya never know.
One of my NAA's before I fixed it...good pump, thin UTF that responds fast, leaky cylinder. Sitting there running with a good load on the 3-point it would bounce the front tires on a 'correction'.
With a worn trans, I could see it happening.

Ya did the right thing...step back and let it go.
Mechanical things are pretty tough and will win most hand to hand combat situations.
Even the little ones are pretty tough. A 1959 mid-engine Wheel Horse dumped me once, got up on the hitch and kept motoring away on the rear tires..nose straight up...right at my truck. I got up, gave chase and flying tackled it (literally) just before it hit...great fun
 
If you can reach it, shutting the key off usually helps on one that's in gear.
Especially a low gear.
Probably would have worked Ok on all those "run away" Toyotas too.
Glad to hear no one got hurt. Machines can be fixed or replaced.
 
Turning the engine off could be a good idea. But with these old tractors you can't always do that.
Like adjusting a back blade. Some 3 points won't hold it up long enough. Or you might also find you need to raise it just a little more.
Same goes for hooking up implements. With my loader tractor I often have to work it while standing to the side.
And O'course the more cranking you do, the more wear and tear. Not to mention they might not start back at all.
 
As a child I watched my grandfather chase down our 2N as it rolled down a hill. He tried to climb on from in front of the left rear tire, failed, and the tire ran over him. He was face down and the tire went over his rib cage. I'm sure he at least cracked some ribs, although he never went to the doctor.

I think the tire was filled.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top