So... why are the headlights in the front?

[woodlandfarms]

Just my 2C... Be careful on all of this. First, cutting into existing wiring ends warranty. Second, drilling into ROPs bad news...

A few technical things I can offer... Run a lead off of your battery, provide an appropriate fuse. Do NOT go hogwild on lights, most tractors are rated at 50amps. That is a ton of amps, but I saw some hillbilly slap a bunch of high amp fog/spotting lights and kill the electrical system. Use high grade automotive wire and connectors. This is the weak link and it will bite you in the butt if you cheap on it... Don't use cheap radio shack stuff, make sure connectors are sealed and greased (life on an outdoor tractor is Brutal).

It is real simple to do. First disconnect your battery. Mount your lights, and mount your switch holding plate. Then run your wire. I suggest switching the positive side of the battery, but you can switch ground as well. Run the wire as hidden as possible, buy a bag of zip ties and make sure it is secured. use Dielectric grease in the connectors... Then, once you are all wired and switched, connect your positive lead, then your negative lead. Keep an eye out for sudden dimming and smoke, it means you have a short. Start the tractor, turn on the lights and impress the heck out of your wife...

 

[schmism]

for 55w lights your gonna want to run everything through a relay anyway otherwise your gonna be melting switches left and right.

 

[knute_m]

It cost me less than $50, and it took an evening to put a light bar on my tractor.

It meets all the concerns expressed above by Woodlandfarms and Schism.

I can light up about an acre with the new lights, plus I can see behind me. I don't even use my headlights anymore.

A set of adjustable off-road lights were about $18. A rear tractor light was about $9. A wiring harness, with weather-proof switch, fuse, and relay was about $10. Other miscellaneous, like cable ties and splices were about $10. All came from Wal-mart.

I mounted the lights to a pressure treated 2 x 2, which I mounted to the ROPS with U-bolts.

On my tractor, there is an auxilary line that runs from the fuse panel to the ROPS. It has voltage whenever the key is turned on. I used it to control the relay through a the new switch. The voltage to the lights runs through the relay.

I mounted the fuse directly to the battery (+) terminal. The other side runs to the relay, mounted at the bottom of the ROPS. I got ground (-) at my tail lights.

Knute

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

only thing about that is the fact I have a backhoe and I think I will smack my head on anything hanging down off the top of the ROPS. I might try hooking some on the top of the fenders though.

 

[roxynoodle]

I was going to suggest the fenders also. My Yanmar happens to be missing turn signals and the spots those went in will be great for mounting lights for the back of the tractor. I want some on the back for 2 reasons: I want others to see me if I'm on the road at night and I want to see to use a rear blade to remove snow. Perhaps I can make them so they flip easily and double as extra headlights.

 

[knute_m]

I think I will smack my head on anything hanging down off the top of the ROPS.

Greenrules,

Maybe a true "headlight" would do. It would even soften the blows when you smack your head!

Coon Hunting - Coon Hunting Lights

Just funnin' with ya!

Good luck
Knute

 

[kwolfe]

jimmy1,
Turning the lights around around would be very easy. Aslo, if the occasion arrises where I would rather mount them to the fender, loader arms, behind the seat (or anything metallic ) it takes two seconds. When I am doing anything in during the daytime (mowing) I canm just pop thhem off and stickem to the beer fridge in the garage.

 

[BTDT]

Because if they were in the back they would be called tail lights? I made a lightbar and mounted to the weightbar on the front. Bad idea. It worked for awhile, then got torn off. But the headlights on the old (83) Ford are pretty bright. No loader so no problem.

One more thing, the brighter the lights, the more bugs you attract.

 

[N80]

I'm an idiot when it comes to electronics. I know what positive, negative and ground mean. I know where the battery is and where the fuse box is....but that's about it. I think I could wire a switch.

My tractor still has a good bit of warranty on it. Messing up the electrical system worries me. But, it seems to me that the easiest approach (for a dimwit like me) would be splicing into the wires that go to each of the existing headlights and running them back up to the lights on the ROPS. Is there a special connector for this type of splicing?

Someone who mentioned this approach said I might need a larger fuse. I have no idea what amp fuse the headlights run off of, but how do I know how much larger fuse I need? Do I double the amps? I'm assuming the existing headlight circuit is grounded. Would I need to add additional grounding for the additional lights?

Also, under each fender, just below the warning/turn lights, there is a small wiring connector hanging down with nothing plugged into it. I wonder if I could run some lights off of those. My primary concern is that they would blink like the warning or turn signal! Anyone have any idea about these? (Its a Kubota L4400).

Thanks for the help and the patience. This is something I'd really like to do and there really isn't anyone nearby for me to pay to do it. So its me or no one.

 

[jwstewar]

Someone who mentioned this approach said I might need a larger fuse. I have no idea what amp fuse the headlights run off of, but how do I know how much larger fuse I need? Do I double the amps? I'm assuming the existing headlight circuit is grounded. Would I need to add additional grounding for the additional lights?

You shouldn't just tap off of the headlights. Chances are the wire is too thin to handle any more current. Don't change the size of the fuse, more than likely you will overload the wire and cause the tractor to burn-up. As far as grounding goes, the headlights is grounded - not the circuit. You would still have to provide a ground for your new lights - though like I said you shouldn't do that. You could get a wire tape to tap into the existing headlight wire to be the "switch" side of a relay. Then power them directly from the battery via fused link. If you aren't sure how to do this, you really should take it somewhere to someone that knows how to do it vs. burning something/someone up.