Flopped Iron Mule, Broke my neck

[old-iron-habit]

Friday, while out playing in the woods I did a stupid move. I had loaded a cord or so of big oak on my antique Iron Mule forwarder and then stupidly tied another tree on the back. I was on a side hill, not to bad but noticeable for sure. I had loaded from the downhill side with no issues so I should have been OK. But the tree I chained to the back was slightly downhill from the machine and when I crawled ahead turning to the right the high side of the machine came right up and over it went, faster that you could say "crap". I knew better, laying in the hospital bed in the neuro unit with a broken neck at three in the morning it dawned on me what I done. I was real lucky, I broke the C2 vertabre into 4 pieces on the left side. Fortunately the pieces are all in place and no surgery is required. I have to keep a neck brace on for 24/7 for 8 weeks but I am not complaining. I spent the night in the hospital and after 3 CT scans and 2 MRIs I got released by noon Saturday. I was truly blessed. Here's some pictures we took today when we went ot look at it to figure out the extraction plan.

 

[CatToy]

Wow, I am glad you are ok (relatively speaking). Had a cousin who rolled a skidder over on Sunday afternoon bringing logs to the loader deck to get ahead for Monday morning. He broke his back and lay there overnight before someone missed him, when the crew found him the next morning, he had crawled about 100 yards to the road and was conscious but died on route to the hospital.

 

[Moonlite]

Glad you are still around to tell about it

 

[Blueboy]

It's amazing how something can go very bad in a blink of an eye.
Doesn't matter how old we get, we are always learning and sometimes the hard way.
With your C2 in four pieces I'm surprised they didn't put you in a "halo".
Our Father in heave has definitely kept you from a more serious injury. If you haven't thought about a relationship with our Savior perhaps now is the time.
God bless you old-iron-habit!
I will continue to pray for you.
Blue

 

[kshansen]

Glad that thing had a ROPS, or we would have never known what happened to you. Take care and follow Doc's orders. I"m sure you have friends who can get that mule back on it's feet for you. If I was closer I'd lend a hand.

 

[John C.]

Happy that you are able to be vertical and we can still enjoy your posts.

Sad to see the iron that you put so much into on its side like a tired elephant.

Move slow and try not to sneeze or laugh real hard for awhile.

 

[Oxbow]

Friday, while out playing in the woods I did a stupid move. I had loaded a cord or so of big oak on my antique Iron Mule forwarder and then stupidly tied another tree on the back. I was on a side hill, not to bad but noticeable for sure. I had loaded from the downhill side with no issues so I should have been OK. But the tree I chained to the back was slightly downhill from the machine and when I crawled ahead turning to the right the high side of the machine came right up and over it went, faster that you could say "crap". I knew better, laying in the hospital bed in the neuro unit with a broken neck at three in the morning it dawned on me what I done. I was real lucky, I broke the C2 vertabre into 4 pieces on the left side. Fortunately the pieces are all in place and no surgery is required. I have to keep a neck brace on for 24/7 for 8 weeks but I am not complaining. I spent the night in the hospital and after 3 CT scans and 2 MRIs I got released by noon Saturday. I was truly blessed. Here's some pictures we took today when we went ot look at it to figure out the extraction plan.

Glad it was no worse than it was, take it easy for a bit now and let it heal.

Wow, I am glad you are ok (relatively speaking). Had a cousin who rolled a skidder over on Sunday afternoon bringing logs to the loader deck to get ahead for Monday morning. He broke his back and lay there overnight before someone missed him, when the crew found him the next morning, he had crawled about 100 yards to the road and was conscious but died on route to the hospital.

Cat Toy, I don't know what to say, our thoughts are with you though. I lost a friend a number of years ago who was skidding logs in the winter in Northern Idaho with a D5 or D4, can't remember which. He got to sliding sideways and hit a stump and over it went - on him.

 

[td25c]

Take care old -iron and let time and the healing process work .

Hauling fire wood with the Mule ?


On the bright side you could send these guy's a job resume to have on file for after you heal up .

http://stuntsunlimited.com/contact/

 

[old-iron-habit]

It's amazing how something can go very bad in a blink of an eye.
Doesn't matter how old we get, we are always learning and sometimes the hard way.
With your C2 in four pieces I'm surprised they didn't put you in a "halo".
Our Father in heave has definitely kept you from a more serious injury. If you haven't thought about a relationship with our Savior perhaps now is the time.
God bless you old-iron-habit!
I will continue to pray for you.

Blue

Blue Boy, I am grateful that this is all that happened. My wife, a retired Navy coresman, is also a Chaplain and volunteers to work with hospice and also goes with the police when they have to inform loved ones of a death. It lets the police move on while she unattached to the details, stays with the family until others arrive, or as long as they want her. Its not something I could do. When I was in the emergency room she had already talked to 3 of our local pastors whom are also friends. With power like that praying for me it had to come out good.

 

[old-iron-habit]

Hauling fire wood with the Mule ?


Yes. Three years ago we had a big windstorm that took down thousands of acres of pine and a few oak ridges. There was a logger working next to this oak when it blew down so it was added it to the sale and he had too cut it. He bunched it all but there was no market for it is stress cracked and everyone was giving firewood away so he left it. Now well seasoned and his contract long expired I bought it for a pittance as the state wants it gone and have been hauling it out with the Iron Mule loading directly to the truck. I have a big top loading outdoor wood boiler and heat 100% with wood. Now that I will be taking my 666 Ranger down to help with the recovery I will have a friend skid the rest of the bunches to one good spot closer to the road in case we get a lot of snow. Then it will be easy to grab when I get healed.
edit: I think I will hold off filling out the stunt inquiry, probably for quite some time. LOL

 

[Blueboy]

People underestimate the power of prayer. I'm glad to hear you and your wife have friends like that. And your wife sounds like an awesome woman.

Like kshansen said I would be there to help out if it wasn't for the distance.

BTW, I ordered a .070 fitting. So take it easy and get better.
Blue

P.S. What kind of Ranger is that?

 

[old-iron-habit]

People underestimate the power of prayer. I'm glad to hear you and your wife have friends like that. And your wife sounds like an awesome woman.

Like kshansen said I would be there to help out if it wasn't for the distance.

BTW, I ordered a .070 fitting. So take it easy and get better.
Blue

P.S. What kind of Ranger is that?

It is a Clark Ranger 666D grapple skidder that I rebuilt about ten years ago. Another Detroit 453. I will put some pictures up when my Mule recovery team is on the job.

My wife is awesome. I had to take my wedding ring off in the hospital. It had not been off my finger since we got married. The next day when she stuck it back on she said, I remarry you, but no more putting me thru through this crap.

 

[lantraxco]

It is a Clark Ranger 666D grapple skidder that I rebuilt about ten years ago. Another Detroit 453. I will put some pictures up when my Mule recovery team is on the job.

My wife is awesome. I had to take my wedding ring off in the hospital. It had not been off my finger since we got married. The next day when she stuck it back on she said, I remarry you, but no more putting me thru through this crap.

That sounds like a wise and wonderful woman, methinks you may want to say "Yes dear" and mean it!

 

[Nige]

I'm glad to hear that you got out of it more or less in one piece and are on the mend.

 

[RonG]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune and I want you to know like you don't already that my lord runs my life and has for many years and just about all I do every night is thank him for what he has done as he knows what I need much better than I do.It seems as though everything happens for a reason.
One would not think that I could come back from hospice with three months to live five years ago to where I am today.I did not do it by myself.
I am fortunate that I have not had more serious injuries over the years considering what I have done but it makes us thing that we are "good" I guess until time runs out and we end up injured and find ourselves looking back as you are if we are lucky.The best to you,we will be thinking of you and looking forward to future posts and pics from you.Ron G

 

[td25c]

Hauling fire wood with the Mule ?


Yes. Three years ago we had a big windstorm that took down thousands of acres of pine and a few oak ridges. There was a logger working next to this oak when it blew down so it was added it to the sale and he had too cut it. He bunched it all but there was no market for it is stress cracked and everyone was giving firewood away so he left it. Now well seasoned and his contract long expired I bought it for a pittance as the state wants it gone and have been hauling it out with the Iron Mule loading directly to the truck. I have a big top loading outdoor wood boiler and heat 100% with wood.

We do about the same for firewood . Generally just cut damaged trees & such . This summer I went in the woods & marked ash trees that did not leaf out at all due to ash borer . We direct cut & split up the wood and it seems to burn fine as they never drew any sap this spring .

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...0px-Green_ash_killed_by_Emerald_Ash_Borer.jpg

About the Mule , looks like it possibly has farm tractor differentials . Similar to a Ford tractor ?

 

[old-iron-habit]

We do about the same for firewood . Generally just cut damaged trees & such . This summer I went in the woods & marked ash trees that did not leaf out at all due to ash borer . We direct cut & split up the wood and it seems to burn fine as they never drew any sap this spring .

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...0px-Green_ash_killed_by_Emerald_Ash_Borer.jpg

About the Mule , looks like it possibly has farm tractor differentials . Similar to a Ford tractor ?

This one is built on a Ford Chassis, It has a 4 cylinder Ford Diesel, 192 CI I think. It has a 4 speed transmission with high and low range in all gears and reverse. It uses a floor pedal to step on for locking the rear ends. Irom Mule used both Ford and Massey Furgerson drive trains over the years.

 

[Blueboy]

It is a Clark Ranger 666D grapple skidder that I rebuilt about ten years ago. Another Detroit 453. I will put some pictures up when my Mule recovery team is on the job.

I looked up that machine on the innerweb. Looks like a good machine, I just don’t care for the number they gave it. But I suppose with God on your side (Romans 8:31), a number like that is just a number.

I hope when your Mule recovery team is on the job all you will be doing is taking pictures.

 

[old-iron-habit]

I will not be dragging rigging, etc, when we right it. My friends would probably damage me worse than I would myself if I tried. They want me to owe them. LOL

 

[Buckethead]

OIH, best wishes for a fast recovery.