how strong are....

Dads 2MH picker was a real %&$@$*%, it finally met with a blue tool. and my very first combine way back when was a green one...it caught fire one day, was never so happy to see it go! didn't even waste a fire extinqusher on it! 

I got that chain on...had to grit my teeth and climb part way up with a step ladder then step and pull myself up the rest of the way...MAN did that hurt! anyways...I got over to where I had to be to hang the chain over the sprokets, there wasn't anywhere to stand to do that and had to partly try to stand/sit 1/2 in the grain tank and then figger out where to put my other leg! finally dangled it down the side of the combine, then after getting the chain on, I had to figger out how to get back off and down. ya'll would have died laughing watching that ordeal! finally got back enough but had to rest laying on my back on top of the engine! whew! I still gotta go back up there and put a new extension cord on the block heater and run it back/hang it on the back of the combine where I can reach it from the ground for hook up to the genny. the other cord gots tangled up in the spreader and tore all to chit!. guess I didn't hang it good nuff! sooooooo...I checked on them extention ladders that slide up and down, they compress down to about 2-1/2 ft and extend up to 14 foot, and has flat steps. (easier on my feet). saw one at the farm store and wally world for $259. HF had the same brand and same ladder for $159. so ya'll know where I went for that! got it home, extended it all out, turned aroung to get a wrench and when I turned back, it was sliding down the side of the combine all by itself to the collapsed position...PfffffT! in all the 30 plus years i've bought anything from HF, this was the first thing I ever had to take back. when I went there today I told them what it was doing, they took it back, no problem. the clerk asked if I wanted a refund or trade? I told her a trade, but before I was gonna leave we were gonna take the new one out of the box and extend it and step on it before I take it home. they brought out a new one and took it outta the box, extended it all the way, and an emp[loyee walked right up it and it held! good nuff for me and I thanked them for doing that. another thing they did was the ladder was on sale this week and the gave me the sale price at $129. and refunded the $30. I paid for the original one! WooHoo! That clerk and Manager were GREAT! They even gave me the "inside tract" membership free for 1 year. that was another $30. that was saved. they throw some really good sales when you belong to that. this ladder should work good to get me up on the back of the combine, it has them flat steps and good sized ones, better on my feet. not much is worse than having your feet and back hurting most all the time. I would like to meet the designer of them steps...both front and back on that combine! Gleaners have lots better steps, even the old ones.