Cub on Fire! Don't Make This Mistake
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 6:53 pm
All we can do is learn from each other...I made a very stupid mistake today and I'm lucky I'm home to write about it tonight so another person doesn't repeat it. I am still new to this old tractor stuff and have not had my cub for a year yet. Therein is the problem...I cut a corner!
Today I pulled the cub out of the garage...it had been running only a few minutes. I had a little difficulty starting it...it got cold in CT. I moved it to the driveway and attempted to fill the tank with a small amount of gas. I know better...I know better. In a second the cub was on fire...the hood was burning, really burning...my coat sleeve was on fire. I could not put the fire out on my coat...so I hit the grass. The fire on the hood was still going...I kept my head about me and got the fire on my coat out. I ran to the garage and a quick hit with a fire extinguisher that hung on the wall for years knocked the fire out. When all was done my cub looked like a demonstrator...all white powder. It was unbelievable...it all happened in a split second. I can only imagine how many farmers this may have happened to over the years at the end of a long day when they were trying to save a little time.
By the grace of god I am physically O.K. but I feel ridiculous in that I know better. I was trying to save a little time I guess, and the cub is O.K. I can't believe that I came out this without significant injury or loss. I have no hair on my arm and hand but no burns. I am appreciative of my Carhartt coat and my fire extinguisher. (if you work on these things get both) The tractor cleaned up with next to no damage...it looks like the fire burned on top of the liquid and not the painted surface.
I thought hard about writing this post...I am humbled and deserve to be called a dummy. I hope that my documentation of a split second mistake can prevent somebody who is new or a little to comfortable with the cub from getting hurt. I am truly thankful to god tonight...respectfully submitted.
Today I pulled the cub out of the garage...it had been running only a few minutes. I had a little difficulty starting it...it got cold in CT. I moved it to the driveway and attempted to fill the tank with a small amount of gas. I know better...I know better. In a second the cub was on fire...the hood was burning, really burning...my coat sleeve was on fire. I could not put the fire out on my coat...so I hit the grass. The fire on the hood was still going...I kept my head about me and got the fire on my coat out. I ran to the garage and a quick hit with a fire extinguisher that hung on the wall for years knocked the fire out. When all was done my cub looked like a demonstrator...all white powder. It was unbelievable...it all happened in a split second. I can only imagine how many farmers this may have happened to over the years at the end of a long day when they were trying to save a little time.
By the grace of god I am physically O.K. but I feel ridiculous in that I know better. I was trying to save a little time I guess, and the cub is O.K. I can't believe that I came out this without significant injury or loss. I have no hair on my arm and hand but no burns. I am appreciative of my Carhartt coat and my fire extinguisher. (if you work on these things get both) The tractor cleaned up with next to no damage...it looks like the fire burned on top of the liquid and not the painted surface.
I thought hard about writing this post...I am humbled and deserve to be called a dummy. I hope that my documentation of a split second mistake can prevent somebody who is new or a little to comfortable with the cub from getting hurt. I am truly thankful to god tonight...respectfully submitted.