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Cub on Fire! Don't Make This Mistake

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 6:53 pm
by CT Yankee
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.

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:01 pm
by Yogie
Glad your ok and all is well. Thanks for the post, I'll remember it while working on mine. I do keep a fire extinguisher on hand at all time while I'm working on it, I don't know why because I've never had one before until now....
I've done the same thing on my riding mower because it starts hard so I'm a dummy myself :oops:

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:03 pm
by Dan England
Just glad that you are O.K. Thank you for posting this story. Doing so may prevent others from suffering the same, or worse, fate. We have all ignored safety rules to save a little time but this drives home the dangers in doing so. Dan

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:11 pm
by ScottyD'sdad
Reminding us of the danger by writing the post, removes you from the dummy list. Ed

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:23 pm
by Donny M
Glad you wern't hurt. Rudi, can you say tip of the year :?: :?:
8)

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:25 pm
by CT Yankee
Thanks for the kind words...

Mike

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:25 pm
by Barnyard
Thanks for the reminder to us all. I wouldn't say you were a dummy. You only did what many people do all the time with out thinking.

I have always let my vehicles cool for as bit before putting them in the barn. The fire department is right across from by barn and some of the guys have noticed that I do that and thanked me. They don't want to have to battle that "big ol' Barn" if it was to light up.

I usually grab an extinguisher from the house if I'm going to be working on anything that might back fire. The problem with that is I forget to bring it back for a few days, leaving the house vulnerable. Thanks to your heads up it makes me realize that I better buy a couple of fire extinguisers for the barn and keep them there.

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:26 pm
by Rudi
Mike:

What you wrote is true. We all learn from each other and that is the beauty of this forum. What is also exceptional about this family of ours is that when we make dumb mistakes.. and believe you me, we all do (I make doozies) :!: :big say what: , we can feel secure enough to be able to post it hopefully to help others without fearing someone calling us out on it.

I know I certainly appreciate it..

You learned, you are ok thank the Lord, and your Cub is ok. That is all that matters. And you are comfortable enough to share. :thankx: for sharing, and I am so glad that you are ok 8) :)

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:34 pm
by Pony Master
Being a younger person, I used to think i was invensible. Now that I have gotten married and have a son I have become a lot more safety concious. I would not call you a dummy, we have all done something on the spur of the moment, then thought "oh my I was lucky". You just got caught this time.

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:40 pm
by Ron Luebke
glad your ok :!: great thing is you didn't loose your head and was able to get the fire out . thanks for the warning/reminder .

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:42 pm
by George Willer
Thank you for sharing. Your sharing may prevent someone else from having the same problem.

It's the unexpected things like this that make it so important to do away with rubber fuel lines. A small fire can quickly become a large one if the fuel line melts away.

Lesson learned

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:45 pm
by Joe Malinowski
We no longer have a barn behind the house I grew up in. It was my father with a green and yellow tractor. A backfire and a open fuel tank. That was over 40 years ago have always tried to be careful with fuel. I am sure you will be too. Glad you and your cub are OK

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:50 pm
by Barnyard
George Willer wrote:It's the unexpected things like this that make it so important to do away with rubber fuel lines. A small fire can quickly become a large one if the fuel line melts away.

Well put George! This incident is a very good example of "What If". Fortunately this didn't happen in this case. But next time, who knows? Thanks to Dan Huggler for showing me what it takes, I am in the process of changing all mine.

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:05 pm
by Rudi
Donny M wrote:Glad you wern't hurt. Rudi, can you say tip of the year :?: :?:
8)


Donny"

I would say this qualifies to be sure :!: :roll: :shock:

Cub on Fire! Don't Make This Mastake

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:08 pm
by Butch Zell
C. T. Y.

Your a SMART guy,...you saved yourself, your Cub, and probably some of US!!!