So, a couple weeks ago i found out that bulldozers do not jump very well. ointhead I was packing corn silage in a silage pit, and had a bit of a mishaps. I came up to the edge of the pit, and came to a stop. I thought I put it in reverse, turned around to look behind me while backing up, let off the brake, and released the deaccelartor, and the next thing I know the dozer is going down hill rapidly. I tried to throw it into 3rd gear reverse, but by that time it was way to late. This is something I've done thousands of time before, and paid a price for not paying attention for a brief second. The wall in the photo is 8ft, and the silage was stacked about another 4ft higher at the time of the accident. You can't see it, but under the dozer is a 4" tubing that kept the dozer from falling more vertically. Thankfully, I've always worn a seat belt, and it saved me from eating the back side of the blade with my face. Unfortunately I ended up eating the the grab handle on the dash. Shattered one tooth, broke and chipped 3 others, knocked a couple others loose, and put a hole an inch long clean through my lower lip, requiring 7 stitches. After a quick run to the ER, I was back to work in a couple days. Moral of the story is, please wear your seat belt, and there is no ordinary moment while running equipment. The view from above. My dozer, on level ground when it was "new to me" a couple years ago. Edit: Guess, I can't do the IMG yet.
wow hope you are ok after that. i know exactly what you are talking about shifting with dozers. things can go wrong real quik. a few years ago i took a ride down a hill sideways in my case 850h. ever since i wear my seat belt to push flat ground. don''t know what it is. feel better
Going into that blade head first is enough to get anyone to put on that seat belt. I wish there was something that would stabilize the upper body during a event like this. I think about that also when using my tractor. If you turn over, your head is going to take some serious punishment. Did it damage any of the blade connections? Cylinders, trunnion, etc.
You must have gotten quite a jolt and thankfully it was not more serious. It only takes a fraction of a second for things to go bad. I just bought a small dozer to use in my woodlot. The last words the previous owner had for me were " Stay in the seat now". Didn't mean much at the time and being new to dozers I didn't even notice there was no seat belt while testing it out on his flat ground. During my first run down one of my rough woods roads I figured out real quick what he ment. First thing I did when I got back was order a seat belt.
i used to run a D8N with the differential steer pushing dirt into large narrow stock piles, only as wide as the machines tracks. i'd start to zone out sometimes and pull back on the tiller bar when at the very top of the pile to reverse, instead of twisting the handle back. that would make the dozer turn, almost sent me over the side a few times. Does cat still use that setup? or is it a joystick on the diff steers now? allways though that was a dangerous design I didn't used to wear a seatbelt back then either, i do now though
I ended up running it another 25ish hours, and didn't see any leaks. The machine operated just as it did before the jump. But this winter, I'm going to a closer inspection of the machine. As for stabilizing, I was thinking about putting a 4 point harness, like the ones that are used in auto racing. Only downside would be going underwater upside down...something I'm going to do my best to avoid. What do you guys think, is this a good idea or bad one?
WOW, NOT a good scenario!!! As all the others, I'm VERY glad you had the presence of mind to wear your seat belt, and that you were not injured more severely, though, I'm sure that was plenty from your viewpoint! I hope you get healed up quickly, and thank you for sharing this! I'm a farmer as well, and I certainly know just how fast things can go "VERY bad", my crushed legs and lower back are "living proof" of that! I'm in the process of procuring my first dozer, though I have operated them before, but like so many others, I always considered myself "in-destructable", and therefore I never wore a seat belt, well I can assure you that is NOT the case any longer!!! Especially considering I'm already disabled, I certainly don't need to get "beat up" any further to "get the hint"! Take care everyone, and please be safe!!! I also believe you're idea of the "racing harness" is a VERY good one! I believe the "pros" FAR outweigh any "cons", unless maybe you are working in, or around, a lot of water, IMHO. JD
Egads...what exactly happened JDDozerman?
As others have said, seat belts save lives. But in this situation I believe that the core problem is how the bunker is being constructed and filled. Basically your creating highwallls and then intentionally running right on the edge, not very bright. If the bunkers were created more as pits, so that when they are full they are level with surrounding ground on three sides that would be prefered. Also it would be safer to stick to putting 10 pounds in a 10 pound box.... Glad your still kicking...
I don't know if you noticed or not....but I live in Oregon. If you dig a hole out here, you end up with a pond. If you where to build up dirt around the walls, it just wouldn't be feasible both economically, and physically due to the surrounding property. I know its not the safest thing to be up on the edge, but we all do things that aren't the safest. Just like driving a car, its all a calculated risk unfortunately . This year, I managed to fit close to 25lbs into a 10lb box. Lol.
Ahh yes the old always wear your seatbelt advice, fantastic advice if you are sitting in a fully enclosed ROPS cabin, however what happens if the machine rolls onto a stump or big rock? A seatbelt does not give you superhuman ability to avoid death, all it does is strap you to the machine. Personally I think you would have better off to abandon ship. There could have been a pile of scrap metal below the silage pit and the dozer could have gone sideways onto it........... Anyway I hope this is a wake up call for you, take a break at least every 2 hours to refresh and focus, do your risk assessments and treat the equipment with the respect they deserve.
ooooo. I'm still wincing from thinking about the damage done to your teeth. I hope your health insurance covers the dental work!
Most people would pay a fee for a ride like that.
I lost a very good friend of mine to that very attitude, and flawed way of thinking, he DID try to "abandon ship", as you so callously put it, and the tractor landed on it's side, right on top of him, crushing him to death! It so happens that, HAD he been wearing a seat belt, and stayed in the seat, he would be alive today, as that area of the tractor was untouched! So much for that way of thinking! The only point people are trying to make here is that obviously everyone has to use their own best judgement in each situation, whether they have a full ROPS, or not, and what ever other factors are involved! However, it IS a fact, that in MANY, if not MOST, cases, people have been saved, or escaped serious injury, because of wearing a seat belt, we all just have to use some common sense, and weigh out the consequences of each individual scenario! Any one can have a "momentary lapse of reason", or judgement, regardless of whether they are "well rested" and just started working for the day, as well as, regardless of whether they have years of experience and give the machine it's "due respect"! That's why they call it an "accident", if you operate any equipment long enough, something is bound to happen at some point, that's why we have to think in advance and try to protect ourselves the best way possible, in CASE it does! I don't mean to start a "fire storm", but I for one have very little respect, or regard, for your flippant, and arrogant, demeanor! This "group" of people on this web site, are VERY knowledgeable, and extremely capable, operators, where as, you seem think you are talking to a bunch of "children" who have no clue! For instance I don't recall ANY ONE even remotely suggesting that wearing a seat belt gives them "superhuman ability", what's with that? I believe your attitude is very uncalled for, I would expect better especially from a "Senior Member", a little "tact" goes a LONG way, that's just my opinion! JD
Be careful with a 4-point harness, especially if you will operate around heavy brush or around water. I have had to dodge errant limbs before that came in the cab after me, some on fully screened OROPS cabs. You also have to be able to turn in the seat to view the direction of travel if you are moving in reverse, as well as blind spots for close obstacles. Might lead you to slipping out of the harness every now and then, followed by not wearing it because it is too restrictive. After all, we are creatures of habit. I would stick with a lap belt, but that is just my preference.
From what I see in the photo,it is just a matter of time before you go off that wall sideways. You say it isn't feasible economically to put dirt around the walls. Dirt placed around the walls at 3/1 slope or 4/1 slope is not going to extend out very far from the top of the existing concrete wall. It would be money well spent. As far as economy,think about how much it will cost to repair the motor in the dozer after it goes over the wall sideways. I doubt you would be able to shut it off fast enough in that situation to prevent major damage to it.
Glad you didn't get hurt any worse. No need to slope off the sides you just have to use caution and take your time on the edges. I use to build 11/2:1 and 2:1 slopes above retaining walls sometimes 30' high and don't know of anyone that took a ride of one and some of our dozers didn't have brakes even.
Dozerboy, I am curious why you say no need to slope the sides . But then you say that you have built slopes ABOVE retaining walls. Maybe you have never seen professional operators go off a retaining wall. I hope you or I never do. But when giving advise that is crucial to the safety of someone, I'm sorry but I do not buy into the idea of just be careful when working next to a straight up and down retaining wall.
I was working on friends "Deuce and a half" army surplus truck that he purchased for farm use. It needed the Allison automatic and Rockwell transfer case rebuilt, so I told him I would do it to save him some money, since he is a very good friend, and was just getting started in farming and didn't have a lot of money. Well, I wasn't charging him anything for labor, so he insisted on having his 16 year old boy help me, which I really didn't want to do, but I could see it made him feel better about not paying any labor, so I finally agreed to let his boy assist me. Anyway, I was underneath the truck dropping the tranny and transfer case, and I had a special roll-a-round jack I built for these large units, that I was going to drop them on. His boy was just supposed to pull the jack out, when I told him to, however, he got listening to the radio and wasn't paying attention, ....recipe for disaster!!! As it turns out, his boy thought I said to "go", or "pull it out", but I hadn't, the last thing I remember is seeing the tranny hit the corner of the jack! It flipped onto my legs and lower torso, and that was it! CRUNCH!!! The Sheriff, Doctor, EMT's, and Flight for Life, people said I was "awake" but "nobody was home", they say I was in "shock", I don't recall anything further until I woke up in the hospital, after having surgery. They were going to amputate my right leg, since my knee was "blown out all over the shop floor", but they opted to try and "reconstruct it" instead, and after MANY surgeries (I quit counting after the 42nd surgery), both legs are still attached, and I do have "limited" use of them, but I also can't stand up straight because of the damage to my back, which also required a few surgeries, and my legs give out without notice, so I have to be very careful if I do any walking! On top of that, because of all the nerve damage, I now have a nasty nerve disease called R.S.D. (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) which for one thing, causes my nerves to send, or "fire", "pain signals" constantly, 24/7, so I'm NEVER "out of pain", in addition it causes severe swelling, and some other "issues" as well, which also hinders my activity! I'm kind of "living proof", that things can go VERY wrong in a "split second", when people don't "pay attention", however, I hold no "ill will" or "grudge" against my friends boy, as he was just a "kid", and that's why I was hesitant to let him help me in the first place, although I was more afraid he would hurt himself, NOT me, that was MY error! Anyhow, it's water under the bridge now, I just have to go on and deal with it, which is just part of life, I figure there is ALWAYS some one who is worse off, so I'm not going to complain! Some kids never have a healthy day in their whole LIFE, I at least had many years of good health, so I don't feel I have any business feeling sorry for myself, or complaining, because now I'm disabled too, big deal! I AM more "cautious", and "vigilant", now but I'm also not going to "live in fear" of something else happening, life is too short as it is, and I don't want to miss out on anything just because I was too afraid of getting hurt again, that's not "living", imho. I have also lost good friends to "needless accidents", so if anything I just have a much better appreciation for life, and for being more "pro-active" when it comes to safety! I don't want to see anyone else get hurt, or worse, especially when it is something that could have been avoided! Well, that's "my story", but I don't want to bore anyone further, I'm really only telling it on the chance, and with the hope, that maybe it will keep something like it from happening to someone else! I just hope everyone is careful, and thinks things through, BEFORE it's too late! Please stay safe everyone, and have a great day! JD
Thanks for the story JDDozerman. I have been fortunate to avoid crippling injury (52 years old now) in no small part from people that relayed stories of disasters like yours. Young people especially need to hear how quickly things can go wrong. That way they have it in the back of their minds when they begin to do things that have potential to kill or maim for life. Does not mean everyone will listen, but those that do are better off.
Hey Matt, I'm glad to hear that you have managed to avoid any serious injuries, we are the same age, and I too had staved off "fate" for many years until this episode. I guess if ANY "good" can come out of my misfortune, I would hope that it could help others avoid becoming a "victim" to the same circumstances! I have actually had people who THINK they are so "impervious", or "indestructible", tell me that they would not "allow" themselves to become disabled!!! I guess they know something the rest of us don't, or they have some kind of "super power(s)", that us "normal" people don't possess! This kind of behavior is what "tempts fate" to the extreme, IMHO anyway, and is definitely a "recipe for disaster"! Since becoming disabled myself, in addition to seeing all the kids in the hospitals where I have stayed who have been disabled since birth, it has really given me a MUCH better appreciation for safety, health, and life in general, and the worst thing is seeing people become disabled, due to something that could have been avoided! I don't want to sound like I'm "preaching", but I do hope people will slow down a little, and put more thought into their own "mortality" before putting themselves in "harms way", because being able to speak from/with "first hand knowledge", I can assure you, living with a disability is EXTREMELY difficult, and unpleasant !!! In my case, I have to cope, and deal, with CONSTANT pain every minute of every day that even the Morphine, and Dilauded I take will not subdue, plus there are the constant "hurdles" of dealing with legs, and a back, that don't work properly, as well as, coping with situations in public, such as non-handicap accessible places, and even dealing with unpleasant "attitudes" I have gotten from "healthy" people, believe me, this DOES happen, and more than you might think! Anyway, being disabled affects you finances (unless you are wealthy), "social life", jobs, traveling, recreation, basically it puts "limitations", and "obstacles", on virtually every aspect of the persons life! I just hope no one has to become "disabled" to find that out for themselves, though I know too many people who are so arrogant, that this may be the only way to "open their eyes", and see it! Well, I digress, I didn't realize how long this is, sorry about that, I didn't mean to "hijack" this thread. Just be safe people, and stay healthy, I really don't want to see this happen to anyone else, especially good people like yourselves! Have a safe a wonderful day all! Jeff (JDDozerman)