A trivial question...

Dougster · Jan 5, 2007

Kind of a silly trivial little question... and possibly more of a legal point then anything else... but did your Mahindra tractor if purchased & delivered with a backhoe come with a "slow moving vehicle" sign attached to it or not?

It's always bothered me (from a safety viewpoint) that the dealer who sold my tractor to its original owner says he took off and threw away the slow moving vehicle sign when he installed the backhoe because it "just gets in the way", "tends to fall off"... and "couldn't be seen anyway with the backhoe in place." On the other hand, the local orange, lime green and alternative red tractor dealers all appear to relocate the slow moving vehicle sign to the backhoe's dipper/stick, holding it in place with large hose clamps or similar. It's easily pulled out of its holder for digging.

I don't believe that Taxachusetts is explicitly a mandatory slow moving vehicle sign state... at least that is my conclusion from the general laws. I know other states with greater tractor populations take this requirement much more seriously. Still, it always seemed to me like a funny thing to do to just throw the sign in the trash.

So bottom line: Did you get one or not? And was it still attached in some fashion to the tractor? Or handed to you separately.

Not a big deal at all... and not *dissing* the dealer (he is a fine guy!). Just a little curious about how common this practice is with other dealers!

Dougster

BobG_in_VA · Jan 5, 2007

I got one with the Mahindra/Bradco 511 BH. It fits on the dipper stick (I think on the cylinder). In VA where we are, If you go out the road without the Slow Moving sign a policeman can give you a ticket if he see you....The sign came in the package (I got the hoe on a pallet after I'd had the tractor for a couple of years). Have your dealer "give" you one as it did come with the unit. BobG in VA

BillBee · Jan 5, 2007

My new 4110, which I purchased in August of "05" with the Bradco 509 backhoe attached, did not come equipped with the triangular slow moving vehicle sign. I keep meaning to purchase one and mount it on the backhoe, but then yet the machine has never been off my property.

Slippy · Jan 5, 2007

My 6000 with hoe came with sign that went on tractor and another one that attaches to the dipper stick on hoe. It was just a hose clamp with a bracket that accepts the sign. Did not take long for it to come off and it actually gets in the way when using the hoe. I don't drive mine on road so it has never been an issue.

George2615 · Jan 5, 2007

At your local hardware store you can purchase squared off u-bolts to attach a SMV sign to your ROPS. I relocated mine to the ROPS when I replaced the tiny tool box that was on top of my fuel tank with a larger tool box and the SMV sign wouldn't fit in its original location. I like it mounted higher anyway. I don't have the BH but others I've seen came with the SMV sign.

jpm · Jan 5, 2007

Mine came with smv on the hoe also

Dougster · Jan 8, 2007

Thanks everyone for the replies!

Looks like the collective experience of the group is all over the place... and, more important to me, I was not the only one to have my tractor delivered (to its original owner) without one.

Seems the more practical dealers are probably thinking "forget it... not worth the trouble"... while the more diligent ones are saying "practicality be darned, I'm gonna play it safe." I had always wondered if he just took my sign and hung it up in his shop with a price tag on it... or possibly just misplaced it and that was that!

I'm guessing this also has a lot to do with individual state laws and enforcement. When I asked the dealer about the missing sign, he was quick to point out... right or wrong I'm still not sure... that MA does not mandate SMV signs (even though I see them everywhere).

Oh well... far more important things out there to fret about!

On with life!!!

Dougster