Go BottomRollover thoughts
 | kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon 
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2003-11-02 67836
After my recent rollover event I thought I'd encapsulate some thoughts and put them where they can be found.
The best way to avoid a rollover is to not get in that kind of situation. If you find yourself in a position where you are feeling unsafe, STOP and think about what you're doing. There is no shame to getting off the tractor and figuring the safest way out. Maybe it's best if you hook up a tow chain and pull it out of a bad position before you get deeper into it. If you have to work in slick conditions like mud, wet clay, etc. be safe and install chains so you will have the best chance of not sliding into a bad spot.
To prevent personal injury be sure that your tractor has a ROPS and it is folded upright (if foldable) and that you have your seatbelt on at all times. Don't fall into the trap of saying you aren't going up or down the hills that day so you don't have to worry about a rollover. I had no intention of going down the hill that caused my rollover, yet there I was when traction was lost. Others have reported situations where one tire fell into a hole and the tractor rolled. Be safe at all times.
Think about what you will do in case of a rollover. Mostly with a ROPS and seatbelt this means keep your hands on the steering wheel and riding it out. Fight the instinct that will have you putting your arms out to stop the roll - you have no chance against a 3000+ lb tractor. If your tractor rolls you have to shut the engine off ASAP to prevent oil starvation. I didn't think about this, but luckily my tractor was equipped with a safety switch that shut the engine off right away. A good thing, too, because I probably would have destroyed the engine by not shutting it off in time.
To prevent damage I think it's a good idea to have your loader on at all times. In my case the loader arm prevented the engine compartment from hitting the ground and the rollover didn't damage a thing. Be sure your battery caps are tight to minimize battery electrolyte leakage. I had a cap fall off and one cell lost a lot of electrolyte.
Lastly, if you do roll your tractor, don't start the engine until you can be sure no oil leaked into the engine cylinders. Starting the engine with oil in the cylinders can do major engine damage. I was stupid and started it before thinking about it. I was lucky that the engine started right up and sounded normal, but that was probably due to the fact that the tractor was on it's side for a relatively short period of time (less than an hour). If it was on it's side for a longer time more oil could have seeped past the rings and into the cylinders, causing a very expensive repair . Inspect the rest of the engine compartment carefully as well - soft metals in the radiator or oil cooler could easily be bent up.
Be safe out there!
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 | Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-11-02 67838
Well said Ken, glad it all came out in the wash with no damage. ....
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 | harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY 
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2003-11-02 67839
Any time you can crawl out from under something with just soiled shorts it's a good thing.
There were 2 down Binghamton way. One slid down an embankment sideways stopping at bottom upside down, GRAVEYARDDEAD! The other some how or other managed to fall off and go under a brushhog... NEED I SAY MORE? The papers called it a major trauma, how polite. ....
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