High visibility beacons for safer road work

[Bill Guenthner]

I occasionally have to take my tractor onto the road to get from one property to another. Partly because of a chronic problem with my OEM flashers (they keep shorting out), I decided to add a separately circuited set of flashing beacons onto the light bar I built for my tractor.

I just finished installing them, and I have to say I am really impressed by the product. They are sturdily built, and include a flexible base mount that allow the beacon to take a modest hit (tree branches, etc.) and not get damaged. The LEDs are more than bright enough for daytime visibility. And the entire device uses a quick attach system that allow you to remove the beacon without having to remove the base bracket from the tractor.

You can get these on Amazon or at any other online superstore or parts place.

You should try living in Amish country, black buggies with tiny red tail lights, traveling 8mph on a federal highway. The plus side is they usually have about 50 cars following them so that’s pretty easy to see.

 

[oosik]

The way a lot of folks( city folks, I would guess) drive on our rural county roads the only flash they might respond to - 12 gauge shot gun.

MAN - I stay the H**L off our county roads with my tractor. It IS big and it IS heavy - but also expensive to repair.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

The way a lot of folks( city folks, I would guess) drive on our rural county roads the only flash they might respond to - 12 gauge shot gun.

MAN - I stay the H**L off our county roads with my tractor. It IS big and it IS heavy - but also expensive to repair.

Isn't there a rule about how far you can move a tractor on a public highway before you're required to trailer it? I get behind a tractor every once in a while that will go for miles and miles, even through town.

 

[jedjoe]

I suspect that there may be such a rule depending upon the state and the nature of the road. Where we live is quite rural, and the shoulders are relatively wide. I've been passed by a few state troopers in the past, and they've never stop me or even said anything. So I'm guessing it's fine.

 

[JethroB]

This time of year maybe 1 in 20 vehicles going past my house during the day is a tractor or spreader. Green 7 and 8 series. Planting prep has begun.
One of the larger farmers in the area told me they keep a supply of mailboxes and posts on hand.

 

[Lazy Sod]

My Kubota came without a beacon, but with switch on the dash and wiring terminating behind the seat. I fitted an led beacon high up on the outer side of the ROPS but below the top of it, so that it shouldn't get knocked off.

Here in the UK, it's an offence to have one near enough to a turn indicator so that it could cause confusion.

 

[5030]

Mine are mounted in the center of the roof. I used the Agri-Eyes high intensity LED beacons.

 

[LouNY]

I know of no state in the US that limits how many miles you can drive a tractor.
We road travel considerably with tractors and implements usually 3 miles or less,
occasionally 10 miles. But I do know of farmers that will do more distance as needed.

On the issue of the strobes I had one for my Branson and removed it, my flashers are high and work good.
The strobe would interfere with my vision in fog or snow reflecting back into my eyes.

 

[oosik]

During spring planting and fall harvest there will be lots of LARGE tractors using our country roads. I've never had a problem - been out here 40+ years. Just pull over and let them pass.

What really makes me chuckle. City dude & some fancy auto. Going like the Devil is chasing him. Around the corner and for the next five miles - a herd of cows were just driven to the next pasture. MAN - cow **** flying everywhere. Looks good on a shiny car............

 

[Lastkidpicked]

To the point of farm tractors on the roadway and the lighting required, I looked it up for Colorado-- perhaps your state would be similar.
There is no geographical or time limit (dawn to dusk type of restriction) for farm equipment. If it farms, it goes.

(33) "Farm tractor" means every implement of husbandry designed and used primarily as a farm implement for drawing plows and mowing machines and other implements of husbandry.

Every farm tractor and every self-propelled farm equipment unit or implement of husbandry not equipped with an electric lighting system shall, at all times mentioned in section 42-4-204, be equipped with at least one lamp displaying a white light visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle and shall also be equipped with at least one lamp displaying a red light visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet to the rear of such vehicle.

. . .

Now here is something funny. I'm only questioned when trailering my tractor, never when roading it. When it's on a trailer I get asked, "Where's your SMM tag?" (In Colorado this is like a license plate for heavy equipment). When roading the tractor, law enforcement just waves as we drive by.

 

[5030]

I know of no state in the US that limits how many miles you can drive a tractor.
We road travel considerably with tractors and implements usually 3 miles or less,
occasionally 10 miles. But I do know of farmers that will do more distance as needed.

On the issue of the strobes I had one for my Branson and removed it, my flashers are high and work good.
The strobe would interfere with my vision in fog or snow reflecting back into my eyes.

I can turn mine off and on from inside the cab and... I can change the flash patterns as well.

 

[RoyJackson]

Some people are the same way about drawing attention to their person when in public. You might have noticed them conducting their street vendor enterprises. White brogans with gold buckles, lime green or hot pink threads head to toe, flashy ring on each finger, gold mouth grill, wide brim lid topped off with peacock tail feathers.

Yep...that's me!!!!

 

[Lazy Sod]

Here's a picture of the beacon installation on my Kubota, see my post #26. The pic camera angle makes it look as if the beacon top is above the top of the ROPS frame, but it isn't.

 

[RjCorazza]

Here's a picture of the beacon installation on my Kubota, see my post #26. The pic camera angle makes it look as if the beacon top is above the top of the ROPS frame, but it isn't.View attachment 769298

Nice installation. I was wondering why it's on the right side, then post #26 cleared that up.
I plow snow and have wanted a beacon on the cab roof, but my garage door clearance doesn't allow it. The cab flashers are adequate (about 7' high) but I still use a magnetic strobe on the plow or blower.

 

[Torvy]

Everything on on the road has flashing lights on it these days. Pickup trucks driven by the water company, power company, mail, couriers, school buses, etc.

I don't mind them having flashing lights, i just want them to limit red and blue lights to actual emergency vehicles. Imho, blue should be Police only. Red should be Fire/Ambulance only. Amber only for everything else. Some states have specific rules on this, others don't. For instance, here in Texas, road work vehicles mix blue and amber.

 

[5030]

My units are much larger than yours and I like having the low mount beacon mounted to the roof plus, the Agri-Eyes beacon is ambient light sensitive so at night it dims itself and during the day is at full brightness. It's a nice flush mount unit and it comes with 6 flash patterns as well.