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Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors?

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Lynn Kasdorf

12-24-2003 07:23:42

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As I consider buying my neighbor's John Deere B, my wife is terrified that if I get this thing, it is going to tip over on me and kill me. I am interested in this tractor because I have always wanted a JD 2 cyl, and this is a fine specimen at a great price, and will be a great restoration project.

I have never driven a tricycle tractor, so I don't have a feel for how stable they are.

Can you tell me what the dangerous maneuvers are? For example, is it possible to tip it on level ground if you are going at a moderate speed and rapidly turn the wheel?

I can certainly see how if you were going downhill and turned quickly, especially downhill diagonally.

I plan to use this tractor on level ground for moderate lifting and hauling and trailer pulling.

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Mark in AB

12-29-2003 08:30:45

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

Ever see a honda atc? See any new ones made anymore? Thousands got hurt, but I am sure millions operated them fine. Not the best. I would definatley not dream of putting a loader on a row crop.

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john d

12-24-2003 14:24:37

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

I'm not a big fan of a JD B, but I don't think you or your wife needs to be too concerned about that narrow front. I've spent over 50 years on narrow-front Farmalls, and have never even come close to tipping one. If you know the area where you are working well, you can usually avoid holes, stumps, rocks, creek banks, etc, that can make a tractor roll more easily. Keep the speed at a reasonable level, and you should be safe. If you are using a loader, go slowly and keep it as low as possible when turning. This debate about wide-fronts vs. narrow-fronts comes up occasionally, and you'll find strong opinions on both sides of the issue. It's pretty certain, however, that a wide-front DOES instill a false sense of security in some folks!

As Hugh MacKay said in a post below, fluid in the tires makes a tractor much less prone to rolling over.

Don't let inexperienced folks operate your tractor, always hitch to the drawbar, and enjoy it!

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Dave2N

12-24-2003 11:32:35

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

Lyn--
I have lived all 60 years of my life in and on the hills of the NY/PA border. I grew up on a Farmall M and a Massey Harris 44, both narrow fronts and never had a problem. When I got my own piece of hilly ground, I bought a JD B and used it for many years with no problems. All of the farmers in this area used NF tractors back in the 40's, 50's and 60's with no problems. It all comes down to the need for common sense and smarts on the part of the operator. Any situation not safe for a NF tractor will not be safe for a WF tractor either.
I'm not a farmer buy use my tractors for bush hogging, plow days, parades shows, and pulling. By choice (influenced by my "formative years," I guess), I have a Farmall Super C, Farmall Super H, JD A and JD 70 with a JD B waiting for some restoration work. All of these tractors are NF's and they are just so handy and maneuverable. I also have a Ford 2N that is a handy, useful tractor but really no safer than the others, in fact maybe less so especially when coming down hill becasue of its lighter weight. Not my place to tell you what to do but I sure wouldn't be afraid of the JD B; they are one of the all-time greatest tractors, easy to use, fun to use, cheap to fix and as safe as any other tractor if the driver uses his/her head!
Have a Merry Christmas.

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Minn. Norske

12-24-2003 11:03:13

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

The most dangerous thing on a narrow or wide front tractor is the nut behind the wheel

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Brian

12-24-2003 18:26:39

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Re: Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front trac in reply to Minn. Norske, 12-24-2003 11:03:13

maybe it would be safer if you remove that nut behind the wheel. Then all you have to worry about is the wheel falling off. I will let someone else try it

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Eldon (WA)

12-24-2003 10:27:19

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

Over rough terrain I'll take the wide front.....and I've never seen a "smooth" farm yet! If you drop a NF into a 1 foot deep hole. the front of the tractor drops 1 foot. If you drop one wheel of a WF in a 1 foot deep hole, the front end drops 6 inches or half as far. That little bit can cause a tip-over on a hillside or loss of control. Also with a WF it is easier to watch for holes and obstacles that the front wheels might hit.

We had a B JD and 2 WF WD45 ACs when I was a kid. The B was the only tractor that had been tipped over. The B was downright scary to drive compared to the WD45. The B was good for cultivating and mowing, tho.

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HTR

12-24-2003 20:14:47

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Re: Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front trac in reply to Eldon (WA), 12-24-2003 10:27:19

WD 45s were famous for flipping over backward.

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Eldon (WA)

12-24-2003 20:20:15

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Re: Re: Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front in reply to HTR, 12-24-2003 20:14:47

Give me some stats and I might believe you! Tractor pullers have to weight the rears to get the fronts off the ground for weight transfer..... Of course ours were diesels so they had a bit more weight up front.

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12-25-2003 17:51:16

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Just how danergous are tricycle fr in reply to Eldon (WA), 12-24-2003 20:20:15

I can see how this could be true...a guy's been running JDs for awhile and then gets on a WD-45 and endos....he just wasn't used to all that power!

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rustyfarmall

12-24-2003 09:59:27

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

You, and your wife really don't have anything to worry about. Operate that tractor in a safe and sane manner and it will not upset, start getting crazy and try to see just how fast it will go, or how short it will turn, and you are asking for trouble.
I did some research a while back on this very same subject, and guess what? The only studies I could find relating to tractor rollovers involved tractors that were equipped with wide front ends, and most of these rollovers were the direct result of excess speed and carelessness.

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Ron

12-24-2003 09:32:18

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

I would more concerned with the post refering to the front wheels hardly touching the ground going UP a hill...!!

NEVER-EVER--hook a chain to anything but a long clevis, hooked to a LONG Drawbar, set LOW--

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Ray

12-24-2003 09:14:06

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

That's just an old wives tale,more wide front tractors are involved in roll over accidents than
narrow front.Wide front tractors are more stable
if your going to use a loader.

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T.J.-N.J.

12-24-2003 08:54:04

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

I have had a lot more concern about rearing up than going over. Most wide front end tractors have quite a lot of pivot built into the front axle mounting, and will lean way over any way. I have been a volunteer fireman for 19 years in farm country most of my experience with rollovers have almost all been involving loader tractors with the loader being to high while loaded. I think I have been on more accidents involving people getting run over than anything else, a lot of people get down to drop a pin in the hitch and forget to set the brake or it doesn't even work in the first place and back them selves over. Probably followed by getting tangled up in pto driven implements or shafts especially when the guards are off. Probably followed by ATV's and chainsaws. T.J.

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Nolan

12-24-2003 08:52:37

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

Yes, a tricycle is more tippy then a wide front end utility design. That said, what are you like, what is your land like, and what are your planned uses?

If you've got a lot of slopes that you're going to be going across, doing a lot of loader work, and are a bit of a reckless hot rod, a narrow front end would not be a good choice.

If on the other hand you're a flat lander and reasonably cautious, you'll have no problems with a tricycle.

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Hugh MacKay

12-24-2003 08:39:00

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

Lynn: There is no such thing as a dangerous tractor, just dangerous people running them. All tractors can be made more safe by the use of ballast thus lowering the center of graviety. Of course the very best way to lower the center of graviety was the use of calcium chloride solutions in rear tires. Wider wheel treads will have the same effect. I would try jobs with a narrow front, rear tires on 72" centers and chloride, that I wouldn't try with a wide front on 66" rear tire centers and no chloride. Same tractor model. I have also loaded thousands of loads with Farmalls H and 300 narrow fronts. Before the days of power steering, the narrow front was by far the best loader tractor.

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42FarmallH

12-24-2003 08:34:55

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

Dad had an H and later an M with narrow front and F-10 Farmhand loader and the only time they ever tipped them over was with a bale on the loader and raised up over 6 feet in the air. Hit frozen cow turn while turn and over they would go - nobody ever got hurt though.

ANY tractor, narrow or wide front, needs an operator with COMMON SENSE and a good sense of SAFETY! I've seen plenty of wide front end tractors rolled due to just plain stupidity.

Be safe and think about what you are doing and you won't have any problems.

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Ron

12-24-2003 08:26:46

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

We have had a loader on our narrow front JD"B" since it was NEW..!! Just have the rear wheels set out for plowing, and have the rear wheels loaded, and there won't be any reason to feel thay are unstable at all... You must be careful with ANY piece of equipment, so--...!!!

Ron..

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R.I.P.?

12-24-2003 08:14:45

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

They are only as dangerous as the person on the operator's seat. You would need to be in 4th or 5th gear, nearly wide open throttle, to tip one on level ground(with the rear tires set out appropriately). The front tires aren't that good for sharp turns on hard surfaces. Running across a groundhog/gopher hole would much more "exciting". Know your limits.

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CRUSADER

12-24-2003 08:12:40

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

First I must say that due to my current employment with the military for the last 18 years; my experience with operating tractors has been limited. But I have operated both wide front and narrow front tractors and haven't had any problems that the type of front end would've had a part in. I think a lot depends on how a person plans to use the equipment. I wouldn't recomend putting a front end loader on a tricycle front end tractor. But you can beat them when it comes to planting and cultivating.

later days mate, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Jim

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Scott Green

12-24-2003 07:48:02

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Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front tractors in reply to Lynn Kasdorf, 12-24-2003 07:23:42

I use to have a John Deere "B" tractor with tricycle front end. Very stable little tractor. I've drawn a lot of firewood , up and down hills , on all kinds of angles. Never any sign of tipping. Use to draw very heavy loads up steep hill , comming out of woods. Front wheels hardly touching the ground. Had to steer with brakes. Had hand on the clutch at all times , while going up that hill. Never a problem. As a matter of fact , other than a tractor with a loader , I would take a narrow front end over wide front any day.

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Jimmy King

12-24-2003 15:16:17

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Re: Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front trac in reply to Scott Green, 12-24-2003 07:48:02

A tractor can flip over backwards much faster than you can react on the clutch even with your hand or foot on it, this is almost always fatal.

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12-25-2003 17:35:03

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Re: Re: Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front in reply to Jimmy King, 12-24-2003 15:16:17

Not if you're paying attention to what you're doing...just like riding a dirtbike off road....you always keep two fingers on the clutch lever. I had my Oliver 60s' front wheels (narrow front) 5 feet or so in the air and set her back down easy but I didn't even think...just reacted. Trouble is, unless you you've trained yourself to 'clutch it' when the front end lofts the time it takes to think of what to do will hurt you or worse...Roger?

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Scott Green

12-25-2003 05:45:38

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Re: Re: Re: Just how danergous are tricycle front in reply to Jimmy King, 12-24-2003 15:16:17

Yes I know Jim. I didn't say that I was daydreaming with my hand on the clutch. This was a very dangerous stretch , which had to be traveled , in order to get out of the woods. I was always ready for the front to come up. The front wheels were touching the ground , but barely. Could not steer tractor. Every now and then , the front would come up maybe an inch or two , then go back down to barely touching. Believe me , when I say I was ready , I was ready.

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