Sooo....this happened...

[sreutzel]

Just for the fun of telling the story... here's my M715 excitement for the month....
One of my employees doesn't know how to drive a stick. I was working a Sunday and figured no one else would be around the jobsite, so I figured i'd drive my M715 in and teach him to drive. What better vehicle to learn in, right? I had a big water tank in the back of my truck for use around the farm, and needed to get it out. I slid the tank off the back edge of the bed, then pulled my truck forward about 2 feet to let the tank drop down. I got out out of the truck...thought "I'm on the edge of the hill...I better turn the wheel so it doesn't roll". You know where this is going. A smarter guy would've said "maybe I should set the E-brake"...but no. I looked at the truck, sitting still, all good. I walked into my barn to grab a can of gas, and within seconds heard the crashing. I came running out of the barn...and my truck was already out of sight. It had rolled down the hill of my yard, missed a telephone pole but snapped the guidewire holding it. It crossed my driveway missing my truck and wifes car. It rolled between two big pine trees breaking multiple branches but missing both trunks. It rolled through a second line of pine trees...squeezing b/n the last pine tree and an electric pole that were about jeep width apart....somehow missing both except for bending in both side mirrors. It rolled down the next hill, crossed my ditch, went across the street, hit the next hill, flattened a 4" diameter tree, snapped a fence post....and luckily finally came to a stop from the fence acting like a giant net just before it entered my neighbors living room.

This was 7:30 on a Sunday morning, so I didn't want to knock on my neighbors doors. I jumped in the truck, put it in 4wd, and reversed back up the hill, parked in my driveway, got my other truck and went to work. That beast of a truck litterally wasn't hurt except for a broken driver side mirror.

And yes... I made good with my neighbor when I got home from work.

So... If anyone can advise where to find the glass/mirror for an M715...I would sure appreciate the advice. I tried Memphis Equipment, and didn't see anything listed on the site.

[venominjected]

Well... don't want to be that guy... but now that no one (nor the truck really) got hurt... I am laughing at the entire event..... (so sorry I'm not sorry)


In any event... mirrors and stems seem to be attainable....

I searched on ebay motors: "M715 mirror" and #1 result was:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/M38-M37-M151...1VYfdu&vxp=mtr

[sreutzel]

Yeah...totally agree -- I laugh now...but there was definitely a moment of panic!!



Thanks for the link to the mirror. I actually saw that and didn't think it was the same mirror, but after you sent it I went up and looked at & measured my mirror, and it seems to be (really really close to) the same. The pic/link above is my mirror body.... is it possible to just replace the glass, or do I need the whole mirror. If not, I'll get that mirror. Much thanks!

[David Zelinski]

Don't feel bad, back in the early 1970's my father did almost the same thing with a old beautiful Mack Thermodyne truck... His boo-boo managed to wipe out our chain link fence, our 4 metal garbage cans, the neighbor across the street 2 garbage cans, the neighbor's chain link fence and the neighbor's garage door Something about thawing out frozen air brakes, a running truck and forgetting wheel chocks.

Glad your truck is mostly unscathed and you are OK.

Dave-
(W4CPO)

[sreutzel]

Thanks...glad i'm not alone. Wheel chocks....another of those things for smart people

[DAVEJ]

Almost sounds like a tall tale, so really how did you break the mirror?

I'm glad you only have a mirror to replace. With that luck you should buy a lottery ticket.