experience saved me today

i was doing some rough country brush hogging today for fire control purposes,[ ford jubilee with a 5 footer and orc] by rough i mean steep hills very steep, with nice softball size rocks, nice and loose for that bump-slip- grab effect, with the tractor, not a problem as ive done this area many times, i can do some of it uphill, until the front end becomes too light, then its go around, and cut downhill in 2nd gear, throttle down to just maintain cutting ability, [1st might result in a skip and slide due to too much gear reduction] anyway for the first time in the 25 years ive run and owned this jubilee it pickes this time right as i start down the hill to jump out of gear, this is very bad, lol steep downhill and lean to the right at the same time, most guys i know would have stomped the brakes, and made the morning paper obituaries due to the rollover, i feathered the brakes, steered it down the hill at what felt like 250 mph but was probably 25 to 30 and gathered it up on the flat at the bottom, didn't even have to change drawers afterword, sometimes 35 years of driving farm tractors pays off, sometimes the man upstairs is on the job when ya need him to be

How are ya on roller coasters?

Funny...well, not really...that you posted about tractor jumping outta gear at the wrong time/place. Just yesterday I was coming straight down a "farm road" hill with my '63 4000 Ford pulling a trailer load of wood. Was in 4th gear...no added throttle...and enjoying the sound of the motor "popping and crackling" and NOT going fast. About midway down the hill, she jumped outta gear and suddenly picked up speed. Brakes are just about totally non-functioning and were "useless". At the bottom of the hill, had to make a turn...and was seriously debating whether to bail off or what. Luck was with me and NO jack knife...only threw off a couple chunks of wood. Did the same size load today, but kept my hand on the stick...NO PROBLEM at all. WHY did it jump outta 4th gear (5spd up/down trans. shifter) which is seldom used??

Glad your years of experience kept you outta trouble also.

Rick

Maybe you should get a 4wd.

i think these qualify for worst tractors, as noted above.

lol 4wd would not make any difference with the main transmission out of gear,

no telling, why it jumped out, just like mine, which has never jumped out of gear and ive been around it for 25 years, maybe a little wear on the forks and just the right conditions, ive had old trucks that did that but never had a tractor that did it until today , i'll be holding the stick now too

Mine's prone to jump out of first too so I drive downhill with my hand on the shifter

One day approaching an interstate interchange I noticed two 4wd Kubotas on roadside mowing coming down a steep slope. I pulled over to watch and to be there to call for rescue. This slope is next to a very deep ledge cut and approaches a 1:1 pitch. As I watched the second driver headed towards the steepest part. Then I saw him speed up, and I thought OH NO! he's pushed the clutch in! but then as he flew down a little further I saw bare ground, tire tracks behind him. The slope was so steep that he lost traction and slid. He came very close to going onto the ledge, but they both made it safely down. Subsequent trips by the spot showed no additional passes down this slope.

One day approaching an interstate interchange I noticed two 4wd Kubotas on roadside mowing coming down a steep slope. I pulled over to watch and to be there to call for rescue. This slope is next to a very deep ledge cut and approaches a 1:1 pitch. As I watched the second driver headed towards the steepest part. Then I saw him speed up, and I thought OH NO! he's pushed the clutch in! but then as he flew down a little further I saw bare ground, tire tracks behind him. The slope was so steep that he lost traction and slid. He came very close to going onto the ledge, but they both made it safely down. Subsequent trips by the spot showed no additional passes down this slope.

Recently, we got a 12.5 hp 38" cut mower from SIL/daughter who were moving out of state. I had a falling out with it last week. Mowing out in the back next to the hill. Put it in 2nd gear, let out the clutch and it started going...backwards! I wheeled it hard to keep from going down that steep hill and six foot ditch...but, had so much speed by then that me and the tractor/mower rolled over and I landed in old stubbly apple tree branches...and I was pinned under it. My only fear was it catching on fire. The engine quit and I finally worked my way out from under it...without saying a cussword! But I thanked HIM! ohfred

Years ago i was helping my BIL with his corn crop,I took 2 gravity wagons,the old Hill Bros to town loaded with corn using his WD.We have a steep hill and I always put it in low gear idled back,its tarmac, and go down the hill,this time it started slidding,of course we were rolling along faster then low gear should oughta go.The tractor started going sideways so I pushed in the clutch and flew the rest of the way down the hill, I remember thinking how glad I was that he kept his wagons in top shape and went down the road straight because I was going at a good clip by the time I got to the bottom