Guess who got stuck today.

To start off today the server crashed. It had to do a fsck (file system check, where it checks every file on the server), this takes over an hour to complete but eliminates the likelihood that I'll have corrupted files to deal with after the reboot.
Anyway the weather was nice here this morning so I figured I'd get some seat time while I was waiting.
All went well until I tried to pack down what dirt I had pushed into the trench. This was the trench I dug for running electric to my pole barn.

(Side note: Jerry's suggestion to use a plastic bag with twine tied to it and suck it through the conduit with a shop vac worked like a charm. Thanks Jerry (aka TC18)

So I was pushing dirt into the trench which was halfway filled with rain water from earlier in the week. I thought I had enough dirt in and could pack it down. I was dealing with more water than I thought, as when I got to the widest section of the trench I sank fast.

First time I've ever had the Kubota stuck where I could not get out of it with my own power.
Using the differential lock and my boy driving our chevy 4x4 (in low 4wd) we were able to get it out without to much trouble.

And, I even thought of you all. I did take a few pics before pulling her out. kind of embarrassing ... but that's how it goes.

So then after finishing my seat time I had to power wash the tractor, which led to power washing the side of the house the wife had been nagging me about......

Glad you got it out Doc w/o much trouble. Unfortunately for me, I've been there and done that more times than I care to admit. I can't bush hog w/o getting stuck at least twice. I've turned it into a bit of a game and love to freak people out by doing it (I don't get stuck on purpose, but if I do it isn't a big deal). Last time the sister-in-law was there. She said no way that Silverado was going to pull that tractor out. I was on the tractor and Monica was in the truck. Low-range and up out of the ditch the tractor came w/o much issue. She said she would never doubt the power of a Chevy again.

Funniest time was when Monica's cousin was at the house. He was acting all big and bad and was going to help me got it out (he drives semi for a living). Once he saw how bad the tractor was stuck he chickened out and made Monica drive the truck . He said he didn't believe it. I just said he was chicken shit and wasn't used to real power.

So it is a pain, but I make the most of it and have fun and "prove" how tough my Chevy is.

Hey Doc, there is a trick to getting unstuck using the FEL. Use the FEL to take the weight off the front wheels and reverse out at the same time. Have also used the FEL on a tractor to pull myself out before. Dont know if you have tried that trick before or not.

goldchaser said:

Hey Doc, there is a trick to getting unstuck using the FEL. Use the FEL to take the weight off the front wheels and reverse out at the same time. Have also used the FEL on a tractor to pull myself out before. Dont know if you have tried that trick before or not.

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A tractor isn't really stuck until it is sitting in mud over the floorboards and all 4 wheels are spinning in their holes.

goldchaser said:

Hey Doc, there is a trick to getting unstuck using the FEL. Use the FEL to take the weight off the front wheels and reverse out at the same time. Have also used the FEL on a tractor to pull myself out before. Dont know if you have tried that trick before or not.

Click to expand...

I had heard that before but never was stuck enough to try it. I had the opportunity today and didn't even think of it.

Doc said:

(Side note: Jerry's suggestion to use a plastic bag with twine tied to it and suck it through the conduit with a shop vac worked like a charm. Thanks Jerry (aka TC18)



And, I even thought of you all. I did take a few pics before pulling her out. kind of embarrassing ... but that's how it goes.

Click to expand...

I kinda thought the bag trick would work

Glad you got the tractor out, I've been stuck in few situations and there's nothing to be embarrassed about that, we've all done it

jwstewar said:

Glad you got it out Doc w/o much trouble. Unfortunately for me, I've been there and done that more times than I care to admit. I can't bush hog w/o getting stuck at least twice. I've turned it into a bit of a game and love to freak people out by doing it (I don't get stuck on purpose, but if I do it isn't a big deal). Last time the sister-in-law was there. She said no way that Silverado was going to pull that tractor out. I was on the tractor and Monica was in the truck. Low-range and up out of the ditch the tractor came w/o much issue. She said she would never doubt the power of a Chevy again.

Funniest time was when Monica's cousin was at the house. He was acting all big and bad and was going to help me got it out (he drives semi for a living). Once he saw how bad the tractor was stuck he chickened out and made Monica drive the truck . He said he didn't believe it. I just said he was chicken shit and wasn't used to real power.

So it is a pain, but I make the most of it and have fun and "prove" how tough my Chevy is.

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Jim,
She might appear to be shy and demure when I'm around around, and I have no idea why, but she is one to hang on to

Dennis already said it, but I'll give you my 2 cents anyway.

With the nose down that far, that front wheel is like a boat anchor. The front axle may even be anchoring the tractor. You can push the loader all the way down to lift that wheel. Then toboggan backward with the weight on the bucket instead of on the stuck wheel. If that won't do it, set the bucket edge in the ground then curl it to force the tractor backward.

I haven't stuck my 2wd (yet!) to where I couldn't work it out with this technique. But it I have it set up with more of its weight on the rear than yours.

You aren't really stuck until the rear implement is firmly anchored on the ground!

Stuck just means you're working your rig. Part of everyday tractorin' IMO.

Yeah....around here people call using the FEL to get unstuck... crabbing. And yeah, I've crabbed quite a few times in my life LOL.

Doc,

I have been known to use the FEL to push the bucket all the way down and roll the bucket down and then up to pry myself backwards. Once I rented a bobcat out in oregon and let a neighbor "help" he promptly got it stuck with those damn industrial tires in a tight spot where we couldn't pull it with another vehicle. we scratched our heads a bit and then I resorted to rolling the bucket up and running a chain to a tree behind the machine. By rolling the bucket down and repositioning the chain a few times I was able to spin the machine enough to get it out.

THe good news for you is that since you have saturated soil in you trench you shouldn't have too much settling in the future.

No comment on power washing your rig.

California said:

Dennis already said it, but I'll give you my 2 cents anyway.

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That was 3 cents worth.!

I got that old 2wd Oliver of mine stuck so often I got to be an expert almost getting myself out with the FEL. Course....I guess you could say I wasnt stuck since I got myself out. Most of the time!!

Mark777 said:

Stuck just means you're working your rig. Part of everyday tractorin' IMO.

Yeah....around here people call using the FEL to get unstuck... crabbing. And yeah, I've crabbed quite a few times in my life LOL.

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Thats the word i was trying to think of. Crabbing. With my old Oliver, it was a regular accurance when the ground was wet. And as heavy as that old piece of steel was, there was no way I was going to pull it out with anything less than another tractor.

I've tried the "crabbing" technique more times than....well a bunch of times. Since I'm usually either backing into brush or down a ditch I have to try to "pull" my self out with the FEL. Along with that and usually the loader just ends up scraping a bunch of muck up under the front of the tractor thus burying it deeper, I don't work at it too long before I get the Chevy. I've only been stuck once where the truck wouldn't get it out. Ended up having to have the neighbor with his 36 HP long w/ R1s. He was still spinning all 4 tires pulling me out. Of course, to return the favor I've pull him out a time or 2 as well with my littler tractor and R4s. It was kind of funny watching my little tractor with the less agressive tires pulling out the bigger tractor with the aggressive farm tires. Just goes to show, no matter what tire you have, you are gonna get stuck. BTW, he was stuck in the same ditch - just on his property.

OhioTC18 said:

Jim,
She might appear to be shy and demure when I'm around around, and I have no idea why, but she is one to hang on to

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She is usually pretty quiet/shy around about everybody - even around most of my family (she has finally opened up around my parents after 8 years), but when she gets talking she is really very nice. Just takes her awhile. A lot of people take it like she is snobby or something, but she is just shy. But when it comes working time she'll get down with the best of them. When we built the garage, she help me set a lot of the poles. She also put a lot of the siding on the back and the one side while I would up on the ladders putting the pieces at the top.

You are right Jerry, she is a keeper. Of course, I think you've done pretty well yourself. Seems like she takes pretty good care of you too.