Finally, I know why!

JustahobbyMn · Jan 15, 2022

Ive followed this site for the better part of 15 years now, and been around tractors most of my life. I now know why old timers call the steering wheel knob a wrist buster, hand breaker, etc. Doing chores this morning I was backing out from loading straw in the bucket, and the narrow front must have gotten caught up in the deep snow. From sitting, I backed up about two feet and the wheel spun so fast I couldnt even see it, much less react. No broken bones but man that hurt! Never had it happen before.

I may be taking that knob off in the near future.

We all need a laugh once in a while, keep it safe out there.

sms · Jan 15, 2022

I have a 71 GMC 4x4 pickup without power steering. You did NOT keep your thumbs in the wheel off road.

JMOR · Jan 15, 2022

(quoted from post at 15:23:08 01/15/22) Ive followed this site for the better part of 15 years now, and been around tractors most of my life. I now know why old timers call the steering wheel knob a wrist buster, hand breaker, etc. Doing chores this morning I was backing out from loading straw in the bucket, and the narrow front must have gotten caught up in the deep snow. From sitting, I backed up about two feet and the wheel spun so fast I couldnt even see it, much less react. No broken bones but man that hurt! Never had it happen before.

I may be taking that knob off in the near future.

We all need a laugh once in a while, keep it safe out there.

trashed the knob over 30 years ago. The damage to thumb remains today & the pain reminds me daily.

504 · Jan 15, 2022

Tractors with hydraulic power steering I have spinners on them. Power assisted or manual steering no way.

redforlife · Jan 15, 2022

Well, I wouldn't take my knobs off for nothing. I don't know, over time I guess you learn how to drive with them. Hold knobs or steering wheel in ways that won't hurt if it gets away from ya. And get good at just getting your hands out of the way and just let it go if it gets away from ya. That, and over time, you kind of get educated as to when that might happen.
A great uncle of mine use to get the back of his hand wacked. Get MAD. Take it off and throw it as hard as he could. A couple days later, he'd go walking around to see if he could find it, and put it back on his tractor. Wouldn't take him long to decide he'd rather have it back on.

Steve@Advance · Jan 15, 2022

Dad had a 69 C10 2x4 without power steering.

It must have had too much castor, it was terribly hard to steer, even moving!

One thing I quickly discovered, when coming out of a turn, you didn't let go of the wheel and let it self correct!

The wheel would spin so fast, then over correct and be spinning back and forth, it would burn you hands trying to stop it and you sure didn't stick your fingers down in the spokes!

timcasbolt · Jan 15, 2022

(quoted from post at 18:23:08 01/15/22) Ive followed this site for the better part of 15 years now, and been around tractors most of my life. I now know why old timers call the steering wheel knob a wrist buster, hand breaker, etc. Doing chores this morning I was backing out from loading straw in the bucket, and the narrow front must have gotten caught up in the deep snow. From sitting, I backed up about two feet and the wheel spun so fast I couldnt even see it, much less react. No broken bones but man that hurt! Never had it happen before.

I may be taking that knob off in the near future.

We all need a laugh once in a while, keep it safe out there.

Dad always called that a suicide knob. Never heard it called anything else.

Steve@Advance · Jan 15, 2022

I've driven tractors and forklifts with a knob, never really had a problem.

The only road vehicle I remember driving belonged to a customer. Older man, only had one arm, so he needed it.

I do remember the few times I drove it, keep a firm grip, because if it got away it would hit your hand, and the bracket was sharp!

fixerupper · Jan 15, 2022

Every tractor on this farm for as long as I have been alive has had a knob on the steering wheel. The ones least likely to maim someone is the Deeres with Roll o matic. The worst is the B Farmall while backing up. The Oliver 88 is second worst, gotta grip the knob real well when backing up or it will get away from you. Sometimes it will still get away from me but I have never been hurt.

sotxbill · Jan 15, 2022

down here they are Suicide Knobs.

the tractor vet · Jan 15, 2022

It was not that long ago when i could crank the steering wheel on my S/Mta with the KNOB from lock to lock one handed with out a problem even in rough field conditions with no power steering . Well not so any more , darn that thing is getting hard to steer two handed anymore . BUT they can and will get ya big time .

DoubleO7 · Jan 15, 2022

(quoted from post at 17:33:50 01/15/22) down here they are Suicide Knobs.

Necker knob when in a vehicle with a front bench seat.

37 chief · Jan 15, 2022

Glad you didn't break anything. You must mean a Brodie Knob. I have one on my tractors, and don't take my hand off it, only to give it a spin now and then, for something to do, going down the field row. When I get to the end of a row mowing I stomp the brake, and give the wheel a spin, with the brodie knob. I can turn on a dime as the saying goes. Stan

Leroy · Jan 15, 2022

I have had them on tractors and cars about all my life and never had that problem.

Vito · Jan 15, 2022

Never liked those things couldnt stand my hand being in a claw all the time.

Vito

DIM · Jan 15, 2022

We always had steering knobs On our MM model R's With no problem But the R's had a worm gear in the steering box. Hard to run power through worm gear backward.

wolfman · Jan 15, 2022

Back in the day I probably mowed a thousand acres of hay with a Super C and mounted mower- with a steering wheel knob. All square corners, could make a good square corner with my eyes shut, cranked the knob 3 complete turns right, 4 turns left and one turn right. All at wide open 3rd gear. The old 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 over and over. One day the knob broke and I headed straight to the shop. Had to fix it to finish the field.

Bruce from Can. · Jan 15, 2022

We called them thumb busters. I dont have a narrow front tractor, but I do know they are much more likely to spin around and cause you a hurt on a narrow front than on a wide front. I have spinners on my old tractors and love them. The new tractors with hydrostatic steering no.

CKain(MI) · Jan 15, 2022

ya, and remember the 'flip down' ones for you car....

Mark-Ia · Jan 16, 2022

Necker Knobs

Copperhead don't play · Jan 16, 2022

I loved them as a young boy because of the pictures in them.

Texasmark · Jan 16, 2022

That did sell them didn't it. The ball point pens that you turn upside down did too. Life was good.

Leroy · Jan 17, 2022

Not true, no more chances on narrow front than wide front. And I never had any problems on either narrow or wide front.

Leroy · Jan 17, 2022

You did not hold them all the time, only when you got to where you needed to make a quick turn did you take a hold of them., straight driving you did not use it.

Finally, I know why!

New User

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads