Ok, driving Case 1680 in Steamboat Springs area, was cutting along side a hill (Well it was a hill in my books!!) I broke the cardinal rule when driven combines around hills and slopes is that you try not to point straight down the hill for long! this time I had full grain box, and turned down hill and suddenly realized that I was not driven anymore, as the combine was now in control and was driven down hill at an increasing speed! what does an 21 year old Aussie doIJ he hauls back on the hydro right! All that does is lift the read wheels off the ground and then you have no steering! and as this combine had rear wheel assist all the hydro's drive oil went straight back to he rear wheels and sped them up to 100+mph! now we have no hydro response, heading down hill at 30+ mph increasing, creeks at bottom of hill combine with full grain box! hmm next ideaIJ Arr, Ill drop the front (header) on ground, that should slow me down enough for me to jump clear! As front hits ground rear wheels doing 120 mph by now thump down on ground as well! something has to give! as rear wheels slow down they blow hydro motor apart! this then pumps all the hydro oil out, I'm still sliding down hill, now no oil and no hydro response again! front is slowing me down some, steering gone due to no oil But! as luck would have it the rear wheels turn due to no resistance from oil or me and the whole setup turns 90 degrees to creek and at about 50 ft from creek edge. One self climbs out of combine and goes checks out creek bottom so as not to soil ones pants! Rolf
