Driving tractor 20 miles on road

[patrick_g]

Been an interesting Thread. Wanted to let everyone know I made the return trip on my Tractor today after using it for a month at our residence. The trip went well. A bit chilly at 35 degrees but the sun was out. I also rigged up a quick cab out of flex-o-glass and rare earth magnets. Worked fine for what I needed. I think with a bit of work could get a pretty snazzy cab setup for little money.

Jerry, Sounds like a great little improvised shelter. Something like that attached to a surrey top would make a BIG difference in operator comfort in inclement weather.

Pat

 

[catvet]

Pat,

The "quick" cab worked well. Took about 10 minutes to do the two sides we did. We were trying it as an experiment to see how it would hold up on the road trip. Came through with flying colors. See pics below.

 

[sandman2234]

I am also one of the ones with a tractor bigger than my pulling vehicle. I could pull my JD, if I really needed to, but the Ford is beyond any chance of me ever hauling it unless I pull the duals off, and in order to pull the duals, the boom mower will have to come off. Otherwise, I simply road it. I can't say that I avoid the high traffic roads, over the lighter traffic roads, since in town I try to go on roads that allow people to get around me. Doing that, I try to stay off the two lane roads and keep to the four lane ones. Shoulders aren't big enough for that thirteen and a half foot wide tractor, so I have to have a lane for myself and prefer to stay on roads that gives the cars the another lane. Keeps traffic from backing up, and people getting hostile about it.
I also am a truck driver by trade, but I think I will pass on the chance to join in the fun of trying to explain why people do what they do, and why.
David from jax

 

[grnspot110]

We used to 'road' our tractors, JD 2-cyl, all the time as we always had farms 10+ mi.from home. More recently, I've been on a few of the area tractor drives with my 1958-JD 520, anywhere from a dozen to 300+ tractors. 70+ mi. on a tractor at 10 - 11 mph makes for a long day, but fun. I don't like the big drives with more than 100 tractors, just too much hassel!

 

[horsebroke]

We had an '86 Plymouth Reliant Station wagon. My wife called me - she was stuck on the side of the road on Interstate 35 - appx 11 miles from home. The Plymouth had blown a freeze plug. And it's 9:30 at night - temp in low 40's and raining cats n dogs.

Our other car at that time was a '79 Toyota Corolla - and it's not going to pull that Plymouth home.

So I gathered up some chains, flashlight, and raincoat - and headed out on my old JD 850 (2w drive, no cab).

Took over 3 hours - but I pulled that Plymouth home. I was WET, COLD, and almost NUMB - but wife stayed dry and relatively warm in the Plymouth. Got er done - but sure wasn't fun.

 

[patrick_g]

Plymouth Reliant

Now there is an oxymoron!

...and also a testimony in favor of a cab with heat.

Good story. Takin' care of business, doin' what a man has to do, lookin' after the women folk.

Pat

 

[PA hayseed]

Pat,

The "quick" cab worked well. Took about 10 minutes to do the two sides we did. We were trying it as an experiment to see how it would hold up on the road trip. Came through with flying colors. See pics below.

What the heck is flex o glass? It looks like plastic sheeting, I've never heard of it. I do like the idea though. Can you enclose the entire area with it? I understand some ventialtion is needed, but it seems like a quick and easy solution to a cold, wet, and windy problem.

 

[shvl73]

Flex-O-Glass is plastic sheeting that is crystal clear. You can buy it at hardware stores. If they don't stock it, they should be able to order it, though possibly only in full rolls. It comes in different thicknesses.

 

[Kendrick]

somthing about 8mil thick should handle a fair ammount of punishment. branches will kill it in a min though...

That is certinally a good way to keep the snow out on a cold day.

 

[m7040]

just another comment about driving tractors on the road covered by farm insurance. Unimog Mercedes trucks in Germany is often set up for farms and come with three point for farm equipment front or rear or both and technically they qualify as farm tractors that can be driven on the road without being licenced. Farmers in the midwest ( Nebraska ) is in fact doing that driving imported unimogs that are used as farm tractors and truck to drive to town in to pick up supplies or whatever. Interesting way to avoid registration and associated cost