Farmer Dies While Changing
U-Joint on Grain Truck

During 1995 an Iowa farmer was killed while working under a 1973 farm grain truck changing a universal joint. The man parked the truck next to a corn crib on a very slight slope, set the parking brake, put the transmission in neutral, and began to remove the U-joint located to the rear of the transmission. He was lying parallel with the truck with his head towards the front of the truck. No chocks were put under the wheels, only the parking brake was used.

As the man removed the last bolt of the U-joint, the drive shaft spun out of his hands and hit him in the face. Once the joint was disconnected there was nothing to stop the truck from rolling down the incline. The truck stopped rolling with the front axle crushing the man’s chest. He was found dead 30-40 minutes later. On this truck, the parking brake was connected to the transmission, and acted through the drive shaft, not the rear wheels. When the driveshaft was disconnected from the transmission the truck was free to roll down the incline. The farmer obviously assumed the parking brake locked the rear wheels, as it does on most vehicles.

#1 Workers should always chock wheels when working on vehicles parked on inclines.

--This should be common procedure at all times, especially when working under any vehicle.

--Appropriate blocks or chocks should be carried with the vehicle so they are available anytime.

#2 Trucks should be repaired in a shop equipped to repair large vehicles.

--This farmer's lack of experience with this type of brake mechanism was very unfortunate.

--Working on heavy equipment requires special tools, skills, and working conditions.

--If your skill or your workshop is not adequate, make arrangements with a qualified repair shop.

#3 Owners of vehicles with this type of parking brake must alert mechanics of its design.

--This brake remains functional when the transmission is in neutral, just like a normal parking brake.

--Anyone who might work on these vehicles must be aware of the dangers -- use wheel chocks!