TRACTOR STABILITY

HOSTA Task Sheet 4.12 Core

NATIONAL SAFE TRACTOR AND MACHINERY OPERATION PROGRAM

Introduction
No other machine is more
identified with the hazards of
farming as the tractor. Nearly 50%
of tractor fatalities come from
tractor overturns. Tractors are used
for many different tasks. Because
the tractor is a versatile machine,
operators sometimes stretch the use
of the tractor beyond what the Figure 4.12.a. Expected position of a tractor’s Figure 4.12.b. The tractor’s center of gravity is
center of gravity. Safety Management for Landscapers, inside the stability baseline.
machine can safely do. For Grounds-Care Businesses, and Golf Courses, John Deere
Publishing, 2001. Illustrations reproduced by permission. All
example, an operator may turn a rights reserved.

corner too quickly for the tractor to that the CG is inside a tractor’s
stay upright. The use of a rollover stability baseline. Drawing a line to
protective structure (ROPS) and a connect all the wheels of the
seat belt can save your life if a tractor as the wheels set on level CG
tractor overturns while you are ground forms a tractor stability
driving. . Center of
baseline. The line connecting the
This task sheet explains the four rear tire ground contact points is Gravity
major reasons and forces that allow the rear stability baseline. The lines
tractors to overturn, gives rules for connecting the rear and front tire
how to prevent tractors from on the same side are the right and
overturning, and discusses the use left side stability baselines. Front
of tractor ROPS with a seat belt. stability baselines exist but have
limited use in tractor overturn Learning Goals
How Tractors Overturn discussions. • To explain the role that center of
gravity plays in tractor overturns
Center of gravity (CG). A center There are two very important
of gravity is the point where all points to remember about tractor • To list reasons the center of
parts of a physical object balance CG and stability baselines: gravity moves within a stability
baseline
one another. When you balance a • The tractor will not overturn if
pencil on your finger, you have the CG stays inside the stability • To explain how to be protected
found the pencil’s CG. This is the baseline. during a tractor overturn
part of the pencil that is resting on Related Task Sheets:
• The CG moves around inside
your finger. On a two-wheel drive
the baseline area as you operate Agricultural Tractors 4.1
tractor, CG is about 10 inches
above and 12 inches in front of the the tractor. Tractor Hazards 4.2

rear axle. Figure 4.12.a shows the As you can see in figure 4.12.b, a Moving and Steering the Tractor 4.10

normal position of a tractor’s CG. wide front-end tractor provides Using the Tractor Safely 4.13
more space for the CG to move Operating the Tractor on 4.14
Look at Figure 4.12.b. This shows Public Roads
around without going outside the
stability baseline.

© The Pennsylvania State University 2004 Cooperation provided by The Ohio State University and National Safety Council.
 Page 2 TRACTOR STABILITY

Reasons the CG
Moves Around
There are five main reasons why a
tractor’s CG moves outside the
stability baseline.
1. The tractor is operated on a
steep slope.
2. The tractor’s CG is raised
higher from its natural location Figure 4.12.c. When a tractor is on a slope, the Figure 4.12.d. A raised CG makes it easier for a
10 inches above the rear axle. distance between the tractor’s CG and stability tractor to turn over sideways. Safety Management for
baseline is reduced. Landscapers, Grounds-Care Businesses, and Golf Courses,
John Deere Publishing, 2001. Illustrations reproduced by
3. The tractor is going too fast for permission. All rights reserved.

the sharpness of the turn.

Centrifugal force (CF) is the bouncing and landing in a turned
4. Power is applied to the position. If the tractor starts to
tractor’s rear wheels too outward force nature exerts on
objects moving in a circular veer off the road, over correction
quickly. of steering can result in side
fashion. During tractor overturns,
5. The tractor is trying to pull a CF is that force trying to roll the overturns. Centrifugal force is
load that is not hitched to the tractor over whenever the tractor often a factor in tractor side
drawbar. is turning. Centrifugal force overturns. When the distance
increases both as the turning between the tractor’s CG and side
angle of the tractor becomes stability baseline is already
sharper (decreases), and as the reduced from being on a hillside,
How Center of Gravity speed of the tractor increases only a little CF may be needed to
and Centrifugal Force during a turn. For every degree push the tractor over.
the tractor is turned tighter, there
Result in an Overturn is an equal amount of increased
Engaging the clutch of a tractor
results in a twisting force, called
When a tractor is on a slope, the CF. torque, to the rear axle. Under
distance between the tractor’s CG The relationship between CF and normal circumstances, the rear axle
and stability baseline is reduced. tractor speed, however, is (and tires) should rotate and the
Figure 4.12.c shows how this different. Centrifugal force varies tractor will move ahead. If this
occurs. On steep slopes, the tractor in proportion to the square of the occurs, the rear axle is said to be
is already close to an overturn. A tractor’s speed. For example, rotating about the tractor chassis.
small bump on the high side, or a doubling tractor speed from 3 If the rear axle cannot rotate, then
groundhog hole on the low side, mph to 6 mph increases the the tractor chassis rotates about the
may be all that is needed for the strength of CF four times (22 = 2 axle. This reverse action results in
tractor to overturn. x 2 = 4). Tripling tractor speed the front end of the tractor lifting
A front-end loader or other from 3 mph to 9 mph increases off the ground until the tractor’s
attachment mounted on a tractor CF nine times (32 = 3 x 3 = 9). CG passes the rear stability
can raise the tractor’s CG. When baseline. At this point, the tractor
Centrifugal force is what usually will continue rearward from its
the bucket is raised high, the pushes a tractor over when the
balance point for the whole tractor own weight until the tractor
tractor is driven too fast during a crashes into the ground or other
is also raised. Figure 4.12.d shows turn or during road travel. During
how a raised CG makes it easier obstacle. See Figure 4.12.e.
road travel, rough roads may
for a tractor to turn over sideways. result in the tractor’s front tires

© The Pennsylvania State University 2004 Cooperation provided by The Ohio State University and National Safety Council.
 HOSTA TASK SHEET 4.12 Page 3

The CG of a tractor is found closer

to the rear axle than the front axle.
A tractor may only have to rear to
about 75 degrees from a level
surface before its CG passes the
rear stability baseline and the
tractor continues flipping over.
This position is commonly called
the “point of no return.” As Figure
4.12.e shows, this point can be
reached more quickly than an
operator can recognize the Figure 4.12.f. When a tractor is pointed up a Figure 4.12.g. Only hitch to the drawbar. Safety
Management for Landscapers, Grounds-Care Businesses, and
slope, the CG is closer to the rear stability
problem. baseline.
Golf Courses, John Deere Publishing, 2001. Illustrations
reproduced by permission. All rights reserved.

against the forward movement of

the tractor. The load is described
as pulling down because the load
is resting on the earth’s surface.
This backward and downward
pull results in the rear tires
becoming a pivot point, with the
load acting as a force trying to tip
the tractor rearward. An “angle
Figure 4.12.e. The point of no return is reached of pull” is created between the
in 3/4 of a second. Safety Management for Landscapers,
Grounds-Care Businesses, and Golf Courses, John Deere ground’s surface and the point of
Publishing, 2001. Illustrations reproduced by permission. All
rights reserved. attachment on the tractor.
Common examples of this type of A tractor, including the drawbar,
tractor overturn are: the rear tires is designed to safely counteract Figure 4.12.h. Never hitch to the top link of a
the rearward tipping action of 3-point hitch. Safety Management for Landscapers,
are frozen to the ground; tires stuck Grounds-Care Businesses, and Golf Courses, John Deere
in a mud hole; or tires blocked pulled loads. When loads are Publishing, 2001. Illustrations reproduced by permission. All
rights reserved.
from rotating by the operator. Rear attached to a tractor at any point
overturns can also happen on a other than the drawbar, the safety
slope if an operator applies too design of the tractor for pulling
much power too quickly to the rear loads is defeated.
axle. When a tractor is pointed up a The heavier the load and the
slope, there is less rise needed to higher the “angle of pull,” the
reach the point of no return more leverage the load has to tip
because the CG has already moved the tractor rearward. Figures
closer to the stability baseline. 4.12.g, 4.12.h, and 4.12i. show
Figure 4.12.f shows how this important information about safe
occurs. hitching points.
When a two-wheel drive tractor is
pulling a load, the rear tires push
against the ground. At the same
Figure 4.12.i. The angle of pull should be kept
time, the load attached to the to a minimum.
tractor is pulling back and down

© The Pennsylvania State University 2004 Cooperation provided by The Ohio State University and National Safety Council.
 Page 4 TRACTOR STABILITY

likelihood of serious injury Note: ROPS are available in

Protect Yourself in a because the sides and windows of folding and telescoping versions
the cab protect the operator. This for special applications, such as
Tractor Overturn assumes that cab doors and orchards and vineyards and low-
The rollover protective structure windows are not removed. clearance buildings. Some ROPS
(ROPS) and seat belt, when worn, To prevent tractors from may be a protective frame only
are the two most important safety overturning in the first place, and not an enclosed cab.
devices to protect operators from follow the safety recommendations
death during tractor overturns. that are illustrated in Task Sheet
Remember the ROPS does not 4.13.
prevent tractor overturns, but can
prevent the operator from being
crushed during an overturn. The
operator must stay within the
protective frame of the ROPS
(Zone of Protection) in order for
the ROPS to work as designed.
This means the operator must wear
the seat belt. Not wearing the seat
belt may defeat the primary
purpose of the ROPS.
A ROPS often limits the degree of
rollover, which may reduce the
probability of injury to the
operator. A ROPS with an
Figure 4.12.j. A rollover protective structure (ROPS) and a seat belt can protect you in the event of
enclosed cab further reduces the an overturn. If you are in the cab of a ROPS-equipped tractor, fasten the seat belt. Safety Management for
Landscapers, Grounds-Care Businesses, and Golf Courses, John Deere Publishing, 2001. Illustrations reproduced by permission. All
rights reserved.

Safety Activities

1. Use a toy scale model or a full-size tractor to illustrate the five main reasons tractors overturn.
2. Invite a farmer whom you know who has survived a tractor rollover to speak to the class about the experi-
ence.
3. Conduct a survey of area farm people to find out instances of tractor overturns in the last five years. How
many overturns resulted in a fatality? How many survived an overturn? Did a ROPS play a role in their

References Contact Information

National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program
1. Safety Management for Landscapers, Grounds-Care The Pennsylvania State University
Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department
Businesses, and Golf Courses, John Deere Publishing, 246 Agricultural Engineering Building
2001. Illustrations reproduced by permission. All rights University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814-865-7685
reserved. Fax: 814-863-1031
Email: [email protected]

2. www.cdc.gov/Type agriculture tractor overturn hazards

in search box/Click on 1 0.67 Tractor Overturn Credits
Hazards, August 2002.
Developed, written and edited by WC Harshman, AM Yoder, JW Hilton and D J Murphy,
The Pennsylvania State University. Reviewed by TL Bean and D Jepsen, The Ohio State
3. Farm and Ranch Management, John Deere University and S Steel, National Safety Council. Version 4/2004
Publishing, 1994. This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 2001-41521-01263. Any opinions, findings,
conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

© The Pennsylvania State University 2004 Cooperation provided by The Ohio State University and National Safety Council.