Wheel loader Operators: Please be careful!

[RocksnRoses]

This happened at a quarry a few days ago. I believe the operator had the bucket up in the air and turned. Fortunately he was OK. I see so many operators travelling and turning with the bucket way to high, when the machine is least stable.

Rn'R.

 

[RonG]

I almost rolled a 175 Michigan one day stockpiling sand from under the belt on a crusher.
We had two of them but no matter,this one had no brakes which is easily dealt with but the transmission seal on the prop shaft leaked terribly and when it would get low on fluid such as climbing up the stockpile you lost all drive to the wheels effectively placing it in neutral so the combination of no brakes and no power to the wheels makes for a nice ride backwards off of the sand pile.Ron G

 

[RocksnRoses]

I almost rolled a 175 Michigan one day stockpiling sand from under the belt on a crusher.
We had two of them but no matter,this one had no brakes which is easily dealt with but the transmission seal on the prop shaft leaked terribly and when it would get low on fluid such as climbing up the stockpile you lost all drive to the wheels effectively placing it in neutral so the combination of no brakes and no power to the wheels makes for a nice ride backwards off of the sand pile.Ron G

Sounds like you were very lucky, Ron. I have had my share of frights over the years, in one instance we had to put another loader bucket against the wheels of a loader to stop it going over, but the scariest ride I had, was down a steep track on an old Case backhoe (TLB I think you call them) with no brakes. I slowed to put it in a low gear and missed and a way she went. Being clever, I dropped the bucket and it just happened to land on an old steel 3" water main running down the side of the track on the ground and this acted as a perfect skid rail. Of course then, it just picked up speed and really got wound up. My mate, the owner of the backhoe was in front of me in a truck, he stops to see what the racket was, as I go sailing past, just missing the corner of the truck tray and finally coming to rest at the bottom, still the right way up. He reckoned it was the funniest thing he had seen in years, while I am dusting myself off and fortunately did not go over the ten foot drop at the side of the track.

The one in the picture belonged to a contractor at a quarry, owned by a friend of mine and I think a bit of inexperience was involved.

Rn'R.

 

[alco]

I guess that's one way to test a ROPS. I think I'd probably try a different method though, that one has to be pretty hard on the nerves.

Brian