Daddy rolled my Farmall M

Brent Zappe · Mar 16, 2016

This last weekend I had just got the new clutch in the farmall M plus we got done puting the power steering in. I pulled it off the car trailer and I said to him (please keep this tractor in low gear and drive slow) we need to bleed the steering system pump but we need to first ride it around and steer the front wheel around in like U truns and left and right. then we can check the syetem and put more in if needed that is way you take it slow. What does this 86 year old man do (well he starts out in low then shifts in to third gear and throttles up the engine. The tractor rolled two times but threw him away from it as it landed on one side. My dad is sore and some little scraps you might say he is very lucky. The tractor is a 1951 farmall three wheel, model is a cotton picker, and you might say it does sit up there in hieght. I get to go back to parents this weekend and put this tractor back in to his shop to fix it up again. I might be looking for parts for this farmall M .

Dopp Creek · Mar 16, 2016

Sorry that he got dinged up; I'm grateful the report was not worse. I bet it scared him good. As my Dad got older driving machinery always brightened his day and made him feel younger (and useful), but it put him in harms way. I felt like a real schmuck telling him it wasn't safe for him to operate machinery anymore.
Give him a hug and start hunting for tractor parts. God bless you all!

Roger Tomfohrde · Mar 16, 2016

Sorry that that happened and he is very lucky to be still alive. My grandfather rolled an M plowing at a head land but did not survive. This happened before I was born, my dad kept the drawbar as a reminder by using it to prop the blacksmith shop open until the 80s.

fixerupper · Mar 16, 2016

I am so glad he isn't hurt bad. A tractor feels no pain and has no emotions. Good luck fixing her back up.

DGinVT · Mar 16, 2016

You are a VERY lucky son that he came out of it OK. You might consider going to two front wheels or a wide front end if he is going to operate. In my opinion, those crop row jobs belong in the flat country. I have seen more than on accident involving them.

Dave H (MI) · Mar 16, 2016

Wow. Despite what some folks think, it is not that easy to roll a tricycle tractor. Single front and dished in rears would make it less stable for sure. They are built to turn sharp, but mostly on a pivoting rear with a brake applied, not a 3rd gear circle. Dad is one lucky guy and I am sure you feel lucky as well. Glad it turned out ok.

Ken Macfarlane · Mar 16, 2016

Maybe not in flatland areas, they sure tip off easy here on the hill sides.

JOCCO · Mar 16, 2016

I don't understand how he rolled it?? Coming off trailer or turning?? What caused it to roll if not on steep rough ground?

D Slater · Mar 16, 2016

Maybe the picture is deceiving but are the axles cut off? If cut wheels dished out and fluid or wheel weights would help. If not cut weight would also help.

notjustair · Mar 16, 2016

When dad comes to the farm he loves to be able to drive a tractor. Anymore I just put him on the 8N to do yard work. He's run one of those for many years so it feels automatic to him. The last thing I need is him in a 200 horse tractor with a disk attached. I think it's harder to get a farmer out of the tractor than off the road.

Dave H (MI) · Mar 16, 2016

Yes, I saw the lay of the land in his pictures. Wondered if he was off in that country or on the street in front of the house there? I turned the SMTA on a slope a couple years ago with the mid-mount sickle raised and on the downhill side. Wasn't going fast by any means, but I felt her get a little light on the uphill side and resolved never to do a bone head move like that again. Only takes a short lapse in judgement...

ztrmower · Mar 16, 2016

sure looks to me like you need to reverse the rears that dish in makes it way to narrow

D beatty · Mar 16, 2016

He said that he unloaded it from a car trailer and dished out it might not go between fender wells of trailer.

Bob Bancroft · Mar 16, 2016

And people question why I have three wheel weights on the left rear of my mowing tractor. (Side mounted sickle bar, and NO weights on the right side).

495man · Mar 16, 2016

Glad he is ok, still don't understand how he rolled it?

Sounds like he shouldn't have been on it if he couldn't follow directions.

Dave H (MI) · Mar 16, 2016

That's a good idea! I should have added...only takes a short lapse in judgement and you don't have to be 86 years old to have a lapse.

GeneMO · Mar 16, 2016

So you are needing steering wheel, and the mounting posts, maybe headlights, possibly hood, and the front grill. did it miss the radiator?

Just be glad he is OK. Danged kids!!

Gene

Weldon K · Mar 16, 2016

Wheels that close together are a widow maker. Swap sides with those rear wheels to widen the rear tread spacing to as wide as it will go before someone gets killed on that tractor.

CDN 400 · Mar 16, 2016

I don't understand why you didn't work the air out of the system sitting still, jack the front up and take some weight off it and work it back and fourth all day. Lucky he wasn't killed or kill someone else.

GordoSD · Mar 16, 2016

NO ONE should be driving that tractor with those rear wheels set like that. It should go from the trailer to the shop!

Brent Zappe · Mar 17, 2016

This is how it came about. We went to smith valley to pick it up in the case dealer ship. It was there for three weeks being worked on. We had the clutch replaced and the power steering checked , bleed and serviced. When we got back home to Bishop I took it off the trailer left it running and he said to me I want to take it for a drive. I said okay but please keep it in 1 or 2 in gears and take it slow ( not third gear and give it gas). Yes he is very lucky I feel and yes I am a very lucky person too. I do not have to listen to my older brother and older sister yelling at me ( I now they feel I can not do any thiing right). Yes Mr Dave I need to find parts that are broken. I have not really made a list yet but instead trying to be that son who tries to listen to his father. I am going back to the house this weekend to try to put this tractor in his garage so I can start on it again. The reason for slow speed was because the way the land is ( but dad did not do what I wanted him to do). thanks every body for your replies I enjoyed reading them.

caterpillar guy · Mar 17, 2016

I don't understand the hollering about the rear wheel setting. We have both an H and MD both set like that never tipped on over. We run on some fairly hilly places with it. It is not like being in the mountains or such but hilly.
Sorry to hear about things happening like this. Glad they have turned out not terrible.
As for the tire setting I would like to know hoe you would plan to fit in 30 inch rows set like everybody is telling him to change to. They also take up a lot more space on a trailer to haul with them out. I load several H's and M's with wheels set like those in picture with no problems up ramps.

ss55 · Mar 17, 2016

I'm glad your dad didn't get hurt worse! The tractor is much easier and much less expensive to repair/replace than your dad. Please watch him closely, he may be too embarrassed to admit he has some greater injuries. With age we don't heal nearly as well as we did when we were younger.

W_B · Mar 17, 2016

My Dad was visiting from FL and jumped on my 9N with a Bush Hog (yes, Bush Hog brand) mower to "help" with mowing at our new place many years ago. He was only in his 70s then and hadn't been on a tractor since he sold the farm about 15 yrs earlier. He hadn't gone far and proceeded to mow over the plastic well casing hidden in the grass. Only cost me $80 and half a day to get the parts, dig it up and fix it. Luckily he didn't sever the wire, it's a 220 volt feed. I guess you have to watch these old guys!

oldtanker · Mar 17, 2016

Now had that been my father he's of got up, dusted himself off and said either "I did that to show you what not to do" or "I told you those narrow fronts were dangerous"!

Glad he's OK.

Rick

oldtanker · Mar 17, 2016

(quoted from post at 04:03:38 03/17/16) I don't understand the hollering about the rear wheel setting. We have both an H and MD both set like that never tipped on over. We run on some fairly hilly places with it. It is not like being in the mountains or such but hilly.
Sorry to hear about things happening like this. Glad they have turned out not terrible.
As for the tire setting I would like to know hoe you would plan to fit in 30 inch rows set like everybody is telling him to change to. They also take up a lot more space on a trailer to haul with them out. I load several H's and M's with wheels set like those in picture with no problems up ramps.

People are yelling about it because it is indeed more dangerous. Just because you have done it for years doesn't make it safe, it makes you lucky. You can't always count on everyone driving something the same way. Know why they don't make narrow front tractors anymore? Product liability. While pulling a loaded trailer of wagon, going down hill the narrow front is more prone to tipping. For most operations they have no more of a chance to tipping than a wide front. The OP also stated that speed was a factor while cranking the steering wheel from side to side. I have a nephew who rolled a 560D IH on dry pavement going to fast while turning.

Rick

Daddy rolled my Farmall M

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