SSQA- Watch your toes

dirtydeed

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B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
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Wind Gap, PA
While working up at my mom's place last night, I did something really stupid that I hope ya'll don't repeat. I was dropping the SSQA bucket and had the loader in it's float position (I was in a hurry). While I was reaching for the SSQA handle on the right side of the loader, my left foot was under the loader arm on the left side of the tractor. When I released the right side SSQA, the loader arms dropped (bucket was already on the ground) and pinned my left foor under the loader arm. I was stuck. :(

I couldn't lift the loader by hand and couldn't move at all (no way to reach the loader valve as It was on the opposite side as my pinned foot). Fortunately, my mom was there and I yelled for her to come help me. I told her exactly what I wanted her to do, but in her panic, she moved the loader valve into a lift and curl position. Well the curl started first putting more pressure on my toes. Stop, I yelled. Then had her pull the loader control straight back for lift.

Anyway, all is fine. I just have some bruised toes, they still wiggle so, I don't think anything is broken. Luckily, I had work boots on. Not steel toed, but I think the heavy leather saved my toes. If I had been wearing sneakers, It'd be a different story.


3 lessons I learned:

1) don't be in a hurry
2) don't leave the loader in float, only unlock the bucket while standing in front of the bucket
3) wear boots, steel toe preferred
 

Bmyers

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Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
May 27, 2019
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Southern Illinois
Great lesson, thank you for sharing so hopefully the rest of us are smart enough to learn from your mistake.
 

Lil Foot

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1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
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Thanks for the warning, always helps to reinforce the need for caution around machinery.

When my neighbor first got his B2150, he complained that the 3 point hitch took forever to drop. I explained the knob under the seat controlled the rate the hitch dropped, and could be adjusted. He argued and said it had no effect. He then went to the tractor (the 6ft rear blade was at the top of travel) and spun the knob. The blade dropped to the ground, and landed on his wife's foot. Thankfully, it only got the tip of her shoe, not her toes. Close call.
 

rjcorazza

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L4060 HSTC Loader, ZD326, ZD1211
Mar 9, 2016
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18
Hyattstown, MD
Glad you are ok. I can easily see that happing, although my routine is to keep the loader a foot or so off the ground so it's easier to release the levers.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 

GreensvilleJay

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Apr 2, 2019
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Only had mine for a year but I always have loader raised 2-3 ' off ground, unlock leavers, remount onto tractor, then remove bucket or forks from SSQA.
Why so high ? Well, get old and stiff like me and you'll understand ! getting down to ground is a chore, getting back up.....takes a lot longer !

Jay
 

D2Cat

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Dirtydeed, there's actually 4 lessons. #4. If you overlook the first 3 lessons, be sure to have someone nearby to help!

What would you have done if she was not there? It like being on the roof when the ladder blows off, and you have no phone or folks outside!
 

mdhughes

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Dec 10, 2014
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Ste Geneveive county, MO
Glad to hear you are okay!

I always for steel toed boots on when I'm working around equipment or cutting firewood. Like you said, you never know what is going to happen.

Thanks for sharing and hopefully it will keep someone else from having the same thing happen to them.
 

dirtydeed

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B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
2,854
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113
Wind Gap, PA
Dirtydeed, there's actually 4 lessons. #4. If you overlook the first 3 lessons, be sure to have someone nearby to help!

What would you have done if she was not there? It like being on the roof when the ladder blows off, and you have no phone or folks outside!
I would have been in real trouble...likely would have had to rip my foot/boot out from under the loader arm. Honestly, I was pretty worried that she would move the loader control in the wrong direction.

Funny about the ladder scenario. I fell off mine (again up at my moms house to clean her gutters...go figure) last winter and get pretty messed up with bruised ribs. I landed on the side of the aluminum ladder and bent the crap out of the ladder with my rib cage.

2 weeks ago I was up on my roof (2 story) log cape with about a 10/12 pitch. As I was going up I started to get real worried on just how I would get down. I honestly was thinking about maybe having my wife call the fire company...then I though...no way.

As I shimmied back down the roof slowly between a dormer and the main roof..the roof had heated up and was starting to burn the palms of my hand. I slid down and was able to catch the corner logs (that stick out off the dormer) with my feet. then, onto the ladder.

I won't be climbing around on my roof ever again. Sucks to be getting old.
 

Bmyers

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Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
May 27, 2019
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Maybe another lesson we could all learn, pay attention to what dirtydeed does and then do the opposite. :D
 

GreensvilleJay

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BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
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Greensville,Ontario,Canada
re: Sucks to be getting old

you said it !!! Nothing moves as easy as it did 30-40-50 year ago. Everthing takes longer to heal( if,IF, ever does....).
I let stuff fall to the floor and watch where it goes.safer than whackin the head on the bench...
BEST toy I've ever bought has bend my BX23S, allows me to carry on a reasonably fun retirement..

Jay
 

OldMasterTech

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KX057-4, KX121-3, L4630GST, RTV1100, AT60, T1700, T1560, 555E
Mar 28, 2011
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1
70
Massachusetts
While working up at my mom's place last night, I did something really stupid that I hope ya'll don't repeat. I was dropping the SSQA bucket and had the loader in it's float position (I was in a hurry). While I was reaching for the SSQA handle on the right side of the loader, my left foot was under the loader arm on the left side of the tractor. When I released the right side SSQA, the loader arms dropped (bucket was already on the ground) and pinned my left foor under the loader arm. I was stuck. :(

I couldn't lift the loader by hand and couldn't move at all (no way to reach the loader valve as It was on the opposite side as my pinned foot). Fortunately, my mom was there and I yelled for her to come help me. I told her exactly what I wanted her to do, but in her panic, she moved the loader valve into a lift and curl position. Well the curl started first putting more pressure on my toes. Stop, I yelled. Then had her pull the loader control straight back for lift.

Anyway, all is fine. I just have some bruised toes, they still wiggle so, I don't think anything is broken. Luckily, I had work boots on. Not steel toed, but I think the heavy leather saved my toes. If I had been wearing sneakers, It'd be a different story.


3 lessons I learned:

1) don't be in a hurry
2) don't leave the loader in float, only unlock the bucket while standing in front of the bucket
3) wear boots, steel toe preferred

I did exactly the same thing but there was snow, maybe 5-6" and I had steel toe boots. No one was nearby so I'm standing there feeling real dumb, engine running, wondering how long I'd be stuck.

As you've probably already guessed I sat down and started digging snow, old frozen snow, not fresh. Takes a while with only fingers and my Leatherman!

That was maybe 7 years ago but to this day I never use float when swapping buckets/forks and I keep my feet as far from that frame as possible.