Butch 194 #1 Posted April 19, 2015 We live in a development in the woods so we have tons of trees and leaves. I was helping my wife with the leaves. She would either blow the leaves or rake them onto our lawn where I take over from there with my C-85 with the mid mount grader attached. This is by far the fastest way to move 100s of bushels of leaves. I move the leaves into a clearing over our drain field where I eventually mow them with the C-85 and plow them under with a moldboard plow and my C-175. I've done this for years. I use the C-85 and mid mount plow and make a large pile that I will slowly bite off a little with the mower deck. The tractor has always raised the front tires no more than a foot off the ground while making the pile larger. The tractor stops it's ability to push at that point. Well this time I hit that pile and those front tires kept on a going higher and higher until the tractor came over on top of me. It happened quick. I couldn't react fast enough. Thank God my wife was outside. I yelled for her. I was going nowhere. I was pinned under the tractor. I was now getting drenched with a full tank of gas. I was in pain. My left leg was hurting and I was stuck. I told me wife to call our son a couple miles away. It seemed like for ever for him to get there. My wife then ran to a neighbors house to see if they were home which they were. He lifted by the steering wheel just enough to free me and my wife and his wife were able to pull me out. With all of the gas that spilled I was really worried about a fire. Those gas gauge caps don't seat well on my tank. Something in the tank makes them cross thread. My shirt and pants were pretty soaked by the time I got out. Next nice day I'll be doing it again WITH the knowledge of knowing the tractor has the capability to flip over on it's back! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 43,780 #2 Posted April 19, 2015 WOW glad your ok Butch! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chex313 123 #3 Posted April 19, 2015 Glad your OK!! Stay inside tomorrow! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 59,899 #4 Posted April 19, 2015 Butch, glad you are OK, guess you need to invest in wheelie bars like the pullers use. Be safe and be sure to take the neighbors out for a nice dinner! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,196 #5 Posted April 19, 2015 Good to hear... you're climbing back on that . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MalMac 1,332 #6 Posted April 19, 2015 This reminds us that just because it's a garden tractor does not mean it can't flip just like a big farm tractor. Few years back we were out in the field doing some disking when both my cousin and I witness are nieghbors son flip a big farm tractor while plowing. Guess he hit some tough stuff and instead of backing off he just poured more throttle to it. Flip in a instant. He's now parylized from the waste down. Glad you escaped with just the bajeezus scared out of you. I found out the hard way myself several years ago. Not all the way over but enough to have to change my britches. A tractor is a tractor no matter what size. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,498 #7 Posted April 19, 2015 Holy smokes Butch, glad your ok. Man o man, just the story scared me. Glenn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
312Hydro 474 #8 Posted April 19, 2015 Glad to read that you are alright. Had something similar happen to me a few years ago only my tractor rolled sideways. It's so true about things happening in an instant. Were you able to neutralize the gas? I''m sure that wasn't a good feeling either. Best thing is that you are ok. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
papaglide 542 #9 Posted April 20, 2015 Jeezus, that's freakin scary. Glad to hear that you are in good health. Years ago a fella out this way lost his life when his big tractor flipped on him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brandonozz 168 #10 Posted April 20, 2015 Scary stuff! Glad only your pride got hurt. I bet that short few minutes trapped under the tractor seemed like hours covered in gas with a hot tractor on top of you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butch 194 #11 Posted April 20, 2015 The body is starting to stiffen up a little and I'm feeling some aches now. I guess that happens much easier when you get older. Thanks for the replies. Now you know they can flip over on you. With as much plowing that I've done with that mid mount grader blade I sure was surprised when it came over and it came over quick. Never had it come close to that. Like I said before, once the front wheels were off the ground maybe a foot, it lost it's power to keep going and I'd back away. Not anymore! But I still have many more leaves to push. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WH nut 553 #12 Posted April 20, 2015 Get yourself a snow blower. Rake the leaves into windrows then use the blower to blow them into a trailer. works like a charm 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,189 #13 Posted April 20, 2015 Glad too hear you are still with us Butch! A tractor flipped on top of you and gas getting on your privates.. Not good! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimt1971 237 #14 Posted April 20, 2015 Butch good to hear you are ok. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 16,293 #15 Posted April 20, 2015 (edited) Did you break the skin anywhere, or do damage enough that you thought you should go to the ER? If so, you my friend are a candidate for this: I got to tell you though, when I saw the title, "harrowing experience" I thought you put it in the wrong section. I thought this was going to be story about pulling a harrow with your horse. Glad you are okay. Edited April 20, 2015 by rmaynard 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 23,276 #16 Posted April 20, 2015 Scary stuff Butch...glad you are OK. It is excellent that you are able to share this with all of us. Bob Maynard beat me to the Hard Hat thingy...as I was reading this thread, I was thinking about that Hat Award. You are indeed lucky my friend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeff lary 173 #17 Posted April 20, 2015 scary but glad it all worked out for you, glad your ok Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimD 3,347 #18 Posted April 20, 2015 (edited) Thanks for sharing your experience with us Butch. I'm glad it was no worse than it was. Funny how it takes longer to heal as we get older. Happy you're ok. Edited April 20, 2015 by JimD Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ericj 1,579 #19 Posted April 21, 2015 get a snow plow so you won't have to worry about it flippen on you or like said above get a snow blower and blow them. glad to here you are okay eric j Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wheel-N-It 2,976 #20 Posted April 21, 2015 I'm happy to hear you are ok too Butch. I operate alot of equipment here at home by myself. Rarely is there anyone here to check on me. I do alot of praying even while strapped in the cage of my Bobcat 773. Don't forget to give all your rescue folks a hug and tell them you love them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
buckrancher 2,694 #21 Posted April 21, 2015 Glad your ok Butch better keep her on all fours Brian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites