I was putting down 3/4 crush and run on a couple of driveways at my multi family house. I was almost done getting ready to back drag when I heard a pop....looked behind me and my leaky hydraulics had caused my out-rigger to dip down and I hit one of the power meters and ripped it of the box. No sparks, just one pissed off landlord. I had the power company come out and install a new meter but have to get an electrician out here to bend stuff back into place. So that's my story, now whats yours?
I had a boulder that was 2 cubic yards in size, right in front of the house. I swung the boom all the way to the right to make the hoe short enough so I could get in between the house and the boulder. Start pushing it, moved it about 75 feet. THEN I turned around to backup, saw the boom still cranked to the right, and my company car sitting right where the bucket had traveled. Jumped off the hoe, there was an inch long scratch, just barely through the clear coat and into the color coat on the right rear fender. Bucket must have been .005" into the paint. I could have caved in the whole side of the car and not know it. I was in first gear with it wide open to move that nugget, never would have heard or felt the bucket mashing the car...
I was parking my 420 in a section of the shop that I normally don't park equipment in, talking on the phone not paying attention that the boom was in the upright position and not remembering the height of the 2x12 beam that spans the space... Fired up ol' blue (gradall lift) and put the man basket on to repair the broken beam, to make matters worse it was full of carpenter/bumble bees so we had to dodge those has we were hammering the beam back together - hammering on wood where carpenter bees are living really pisses them off. Next incident I was bedding a pipe extension on a residential lot that was had a very steep drop off. I was on the edge basement pad which was filled 12-14'. As I was bucketing dirt to cover the back of the headwall, the slope gave way and off the hill the tractor went. It happened so fast that all I could think of doing was getting my feet against the right side of the cab in order to keep the trees and glass from puncturing the vital organs. When the tractor stopped sliding, I was standing vertical in the cab with my feet on the door glass. Once I realized the tractor had stopped, the carnage I expected to happen thankfully didn't. A tree had stopped the machine between the front tire and front bucket. Luckily there was no damage to the machine, just my underpants.
There's not enough monitor ink here to list them all. Probably the tops is when a few years ago as I was fighting darkness and just loaded up the hoe on my trailer and as I was climbing down the steps thinking where all my tools were scattered I um kind of forgot the rig was on the trailer,so my last step was a doozy,landed app. 4' down straight on my back,broke a rib,a miracle my head didn't hit the pavement.
Probably the stupidest I ever did was while trying to load a 580SK with wet clay on the tires on a trailer with a short steep steel beavertail and ramps while on a very steep driveway that led down to the river (in the dark). This was a narrow residential drive with a 90 degree turn in it that there was no way a truck and trailer could make. I backed the truck to the corner, which was at the top of a steep grass slope. When I tried to load the hoe, she'd get to the transition at the top of the beavertail and no further. After trying a few times, I set the outriggers on the beavertail to hold it at the point it would start to spin and got off and hooked a chain from the top of the loader bucket to the front of the trailer. I knew if I could get it a foot further it would be on the deck which was much flatter. I got back on and curled the loader bucket. WHAM! The brace I had hooked the chain to broke off! The hoe immediately stood on her hind legs until the rear bucket hit the ground between the ramps, standing the tractor nearly straight up. I was in the seat, (no seatbelt:Banghead), laying flat on my back, staring straight up at the stars like an astronaut ready for launch. The thing shot backwards down the ramps so the angle improved somewhat when the back wheels hit the ground, but it was still on it's hind legs and bucket. I still couldn't see anything over the hood but stars. It rolled about 100' down that steep (wet grass) slope like that. I was scared to hit the brakes for fear one would grab more than the other and we'd turn cross slope and roll over. At the bottom of the slope the front wheels hit the ground and it stopped. When I started breathing again, I drove it back to the top of the hill and parked it with both buckets and the outriggers down, got in the truck and drove the 25 miles home and came back for it the next day.
Mitch that would suck. I've only had me front wheels off the ground a few inches on a steep slope.
Trailers are one dangerous piece of equipment. Guy nearby had a 5 yard dump truck and a trailer for his D5. It was on a hill, truck uphill, he got the D5 onto the back half of the trailer. The trailer pivoted around the axles and lifted the back of the truck off the ground. Those were the park brake wheels, so it just rolled down the hill. Went 100 feet or so, rolled it, ROPS cut off most of his left arm when it got pinched between the ground and structure. Any time I get on a slope, I just hate it...
. Plowing snow uphill on a steep driveway. I dont have chains on my backhoe. Its my cousins driveway and I was just doing him a favour. I got almost to the top and spun out. I started sliding backwards and the machine spun around sideways because the hoe acted as a big counterwieght and made the front end light. I found myself sideways on the steep hill. I tramped the gas pedal and rammed it up into the trees, then tramped it backwards full throttle and got pointed down hill. Now if I plow that driveway or any other steep road, I back up the hill and plow down. No exceptions. With all that weight behind you, the machine can get front end light real fast.
Was moving dirt up the hill above my barn/apartment. I have an old 580C with "typical" brakes (pedals kinda work, emergency does not). Stopping for lunch. I buried the bucket in a pile of dirt and went down the hill for lunch. Sitting at the table, I heard that scraping, back-dragging noise! Jumped up, just in time to have a sheet of drywall ceiling crash down in front of me. I realize I am staring at the boom in the middle of my living room. Going outside, I follow the trail the backhoe followed - headed directly for a 500 gallon propane tank (just filled), it had hit a noggin sized rock, bounced sideways, and missed the propane. It made one more turn, missing the steel beams supporting the barn (and the window I was sitting in front of) crashed thru the wall, tearing out the electrical lines and water line. Bounced over the propane line without touching it! Several 2x12 ceiling joist were relocated 12' into the barn, my wife's recliner was pushed out the front door. (She was at work - someone needs to! ) Broke every drywall tape joint in the place, but did noreal steel structural damage to the barn.
I actually loaned mine out to a friend..... only once!!!!
What did the hoe look like when it finally came to a stop? Probably not a scratch. I wouldn't even know how to explain that to my wife. Sounds like a really bad day.
All of my friends keep on asking me to use it / drive it. But I have a really hard time letting them. Between the liability and all the stuff that could break on the 580c.
I didn't realize how many friends I had until they found out I owned a backhoe.
aint it the truth
Being a repairer, I have heard of lots of stories over the years. They are worth sharing, cause we can learn from the mistakes of others. One particular story goes like this - Construction site, backhoe with a parkbrake that does not hold, but who needs a parkbrake when you have stabilizers & a bucket that will hold the machine, right? Operator is told to get a couple of vibrating plates out of the back of a ute & take them to an area of the job. So with the tailgate down, operator positions the front bucket so he can get out & slide the plates from the ute tray straight into the loader bucket. Of course he is pointing the hoe sightly downhill, no problem, apply the parkbrake, one stabilizer is lowered. Off he gets, & begins the sliding of the plates onto the loader bucket. After placing the first one on the bucket, he turns to get the second one, meanwhile, the little bit of weight in the front of the machine is enough to lift the stabilizer off the ground ....... operator is gets pinned between bucket & tailgate.....ouch! Such a simple mistake ...... Live & Learn or should we say - Learn & Live???
I just learned last week that a hoe will decide to roll off on it's own. I got off mine in the center of what I thought was a level pasture. I was off just long enough to throw some limbs onto the top of the burn pile. I looked up and the thing was creeping backwards toward the fence. I did not set the brake but it had been sitting there for 2 minutes before it decided to leave... I had to run and mount the thing from the right side which ended OK, but afterwards I realized that I could have easily been killed. I now set that brake if I even think about getting off; I don't care if I'm in a hole...