Okay. Back from taking a tractor to the shop.
They'll probably have it 6 weeks at least.
So... Yesterday I was shredding a wildlife plot field I'd planted, but 16.5" of rain in two weeks killed.
Client wanted me to replant using brown top millet. OK...
So I'm shredding the field with my newest tractor, and client walks out and asks if he can make a lap or two. Already had the shredder running at proper RPM's. Showed him how to work the clutch and brakes. Told him pointedly to just follow the contour I'd been cutting. Don't deviate or try and circle any trees, just follow the cut around like a race track.
Field is long and narrow.
So he gets in and takes off.. Everything fine. Until he gets to the other end of the long field.
That is where he takes it on himself to start cutting rows out of the narrow end on the field, and was turning the tractor and shredder much too sharp. Like making a figure 8 at the end..So sharp I can hear the back tires rubbing on the shredder frame of the batwing. I'm jumping up and down, trying to wave him off from doing that to no avail... Then he calls on his cell phone. Tells me the shredder quit cutting. No shat. Bring it back to me.
Got back to me, and I walk around back of the tractor, and the main drive line is laying in the shredder frame with the tractor PTO shaft snapped off even with the housing.
Probably buggered up the main drive line on shredder as well, CV joint and all.
Probably looking at a minimum of 6 weeks in the shop, and north of $2500 to fix.I was nice. He felt bad. He's going to pay the repairs, but the down time is on me. He even offered to rent a tractor for me until this one is out of the shop. Told him nobody does that down here that I know of.
Thank God I have another tractor. Hopefully it won't mess up the rest of the season.
Not letting anyone on my tractors anymore. Well... maybe Randy Oldman03... He's about the only one I trust.
Had 600 hours on that tractor, and 1800 on my other one without tearing anything up, and let that guy on one for 5 minutes, and that's what happens.
Live and Learn.
