Cure for sore neck from snow removal

[Rod in Forfar]

My neck was getting so sore from owling around backwards while moving snow that something had to give. I arrived at the junkyard just when the crew was preparing to "kill" a school bus. The owner offered me the mirrors for $50.

What I took home consisted of two banks of two mirrors, a flat and a concave in each set, and the sturdy frames with which they were mounted, along with four clearance lights, also mounted on the mirrors.

One mounted on the right to aid backing up, and a convex mirror found itself screwed to the roof of the cab. There's all kids of headroom in there, so why not?

BTW, the makeshift cab on the TAFE 35DI is replaced by a Bare-co canopy for summer use.

 

[Egon]

Will you be putting one on the left also?:thumbsup:

Having a bottle of Russian or Polish Vodka sitting in the freezer helps when the day is done.

 

[zzvyb6]

Is it possible to consider making a reversed seat and controls that would allow you to run it backwards safely? Seat ought to be easy. Leg and feet could be a problem, controls operated via auxilliary levers and hand controls.

A limited scope bidirectional tractor. Since steering is hydraulic in many cases, an auxilliary stalk could be fitted. Brakes and throttle are the challenge. Blower controls are levers and valves, eh?

 

[Rod in Forfar]

All I need to do is back the tractor up along its track and avoid some rubbernecking when cleaning up out at the road. The right-hand mirror would do it, except for the blind spot. The interior mirror's convex, and should let me check the blind spot frequently. The door's on the left, complicating an exterior mirror installation on that side.

Reversing the controls wouldn't work. I use the loader most of the time.

 

[Egon]

Then there is always the backup camera option.

 

[MikeInEburg]

I have mirror envy. I've been looking for a pair of big used mirrors for a year. I guess I could just walk into a junk yard and see what I can find...
Mike

 

[kattywumpus]

Makeshift cab? I looks like an armor vehicle cab!

I been thinking about installing a rear view camera too. There are several offering on ebay. I like the one that include the IR LEDs to light up the viewing area during the night and have a large LCD monitor. Preferably a monitor with multiple inputs so the operator can switch between camera views. Attached is a picture of one.

 

[Freds]

My neck never bothers me, I think because I twist around in the seat enough, but boy, this year my pedal leg has been bothering me. I think because it basically stays suspended over the pedal, lightly pressing on forward or mostly reverse. Definitely some kind of muscle strain going on. I can't even cross my ankle onto the opposite knee and rest my laptop anymore. I'm hoping it's just a winter thing.

 

[Rod in Forfar]

The mirrors work very well. I was able to do a half-hour of snow removal this morning without any painful neck movement. Vibration on the exterior mirror was not a problem at the speeds I operate while plowing with the loader.

The point of this thread is basically that junked school buses are a great source of mirrors and hardware for their installation on tractor cabs, and the things are hardly scarce.

 

[Rileyroo]

Reading this supports my decision to buy the FEL mounted power angle plow when I bought my L2900 10 years ago. I am trading up to an L4400 this week and attaching this unit to it. Also with the loader one can pile the snow as high as needed.
This is my 1st post, great site.