Ask the Mechanic

Safety Tip of the Month February 2025: Be Aware!

(Getty Images; Photo Illustration by Barry Falkner)

When adjusting the front wheel spacing on a tractor by moving each axle half in or out, be careful not to get in a hurry and stick your finger in the bolt holes to feel if the holes are aligned. It seems a normal thing to do, but in this case, if the axle slips with your finger through it, it will shear off the end of your finger in a split second. I was frozen in time when I witnessed this happen to a friend. Never stop thinking when around equipment.

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-- Email Steve Thompson care of dan.miller@dtn.com, and be sure to include your contact information and phone number.

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