How far is too far for driving tractor on the road?

[tomterr17]

I have some hunting property here in central NC I really want to build up/fix up a few food plots. A few years ago had a forestry mulcher dude come in and make me a 1 acre plot 2 - 1/4 acre each food plots and shooting lanes in the pin planted cutover. It has proven to work pretty well for deer hunting so far.

So far I have been taking my John Deere 1445 front mower up there on a trailer mowing it a few times a year. It has been cleared off a few years now. I am thinking that in 2025 I can take my Kioti dk45se on there with a disc and run through the mowed areas a few times. Then sow some food plot seeds on it to attract turkey and deer. Then use the mower for maint going forward. I said a few times a year, I have missed the window for this year to plant clover. So I thought I would start out with some beans in spring of some sort, then in the fall disc it back up and plant a clover ish blend.

This fall I broadcasted some oats and wheat in it after mowing. Did "ok" but not great. Hard to tell exactly as after it was mowed lots of grass seeds fell to the earth too. This is my second year doing this and the deer love to come around so the idea is working, just want to make it even more productive. My goal it to plant perennial seeds of some sort long term.

So my question is, the trip is about 43 miles one way from home and I am thinking maybe doing this twice a year for 2025. I figure I should be able to make it up there in about 3-4 ish hours. Even if I had to leave it over night and drove it back the next day is ok. This is a 2012 model with about 500 hrs and I want it to last me the rest of my life if possible.

I usually only run it up to about 2500 rpm doing anything and plan to stay at that rpm/speed for the duration of the trip. Tires are R4's with plenty of life on em.

To rent a truck and trailer to haul it will cost for a single day approx $4-500. I don't have anything tough enough to haul that kinda load.

Planning to retire next year so how long it takes isn't a problem for me.

Suggestions?

Tractors although they will do a little over the road travel are not built for that kind of travel. You will find that front wheel bearings and axle seals will wear at a very quick pace at those speeds and the expense to repair them will out weigh the cost of towing the tractor. I had that problem. JD 4310. Paul C.

 

[casedx45]

When I used to do Hay fields, anything 15 miles or less, I drove the tractors since it would save time on the loading/chaining down each way. The mower tractor could do 25 MPH and the raking tractor could do 15 MPH. I had one field that was 33 miles from the farm, I did that one year by roading the mowing tractor with mower/rake/baler. The next few years that trip was done by using a trailer, the trip was half small county roads and the other half was a 4 lane HWY. Most of my hay fields were 3-15 miles from the farm.

 

[TugHillDog]

There seems to be a lot of folks that think you need a F250 to pull a 3500# bass boat, or a 5000# tractor. That's just not the case

True! However, it sure is comforting to have a bigger tow rig when you want to STOP! My Chevy half ton doesn't like towing my tractor/trailer combination [likely in the 4000# range], but it will do it. But I plan EVERY stop FAR in advance [an yes, trailer has operational electric brakes].

 

[olenjohn]

Trailer it. That tractor weighs less than 5000#. That’s very doable with a pickup truck. A rollback wrecker service would haul it for less than the several hundred you said truck / trailer rent is.

 

[BlueBerryFarmer]

Will take forever and the suspension on these is not suited for long highway drives -- I've had my JD 410E on the Highway for a few miles and after "bouncing" around, decided never again.

 

[Muley Gil]

Where I live folks generally give wide berth to tractors, joggers, walkers, bicycles, etc. It's apparently just a thing here. At the same time some folks don't. But what does the state say about driving that far? I called the Washington State Patrol about driving my tractor on the road. I was told that if I was driving from one gate to another that goes to my property, and that if the property was contiguous along the road, that I would be OK. But driving from one property that I own to another that I own but that are not connected, was illegal. I remarked that I see tractors driving on the county roads on a regular basis that I know are not going from one end of their property to another. The WSP guy said that they are breaking the law and are subject to traffic fines. But I wonder how often this really happens, a tractor getting a ticket. I suppose if a WSP officer saw a tractor making regular long trips they might ask questions. Different states have different rules so it might be good to check.
Eric

Looks like the WA trooper or whoever you spoke with was mistaken:

3)(a) Farm vehicles operated within a radius of twenty-five miles of the farm where it is principally used or garaged for the purposes of traveling between farms or other locations to engage in activities that support farming operations, (b) farm tractors and farm implements including trailers designed as cook or bunk houses used exclusively for animal herding temporarily operating or drawn upon the public highways, and (c) trailers used exclusively to transport farm implements from one farm to another during daylight hours or at night when the trailer is equipped with lights that comply with applicable law;

RCW 46.16A.080: Registration—Exemptions.

app.leg.wa.gov

 

[5030]

I have some hunting property here in central NC I really want to build up/fix up a few food plots. A few years ago had a forestry mulcher dude come in and make me a 1 acre plot 2 - 1/4 acre each food plots and shooting lanes in the pin planted cutover. It has proven to work pretty well for deer hunting so far.

So far I have been taking my John Deere 1445 front mower up there on a trailer mowing it a few times a year. It has been cleared off a few years now. I am thinking that in 2025 I can take my Kioti dk45se on there with a disc and run through the mowed areas a few times. Then sow some food plot seeds on it to attract turkey and deer. Then use the mower for maint going forward. I said a few times a year, I have missed the window for this year to plant clover. So I thought I would start out with some beans in spring of some sort, then in the fall disc it back up and plant a clover ish blend.

This fall I broadcasted some oats and wheat in it after mowing. Did "ok" but not great. Hard to tell exactly as after it was mowed lots of grass seeds fell to the earth too. This is my second year doing this and the deer love to come around so the idea is working, just want to make it even more productive. My goal it to plant perennial seeds of some sort long term.

So my question is, the trip is about 43 miles one way from home and I am thinking maybe doing this twice a year for 2025. I figure I should be able to make it up there in about 3-4 ish hours. Even if I had to leave it over night and drove it back the next day is ok. This is a 2012 model with about 500 hrs and I want it to last me the rest of my life if possible.

I usually only run it up to about 2500 rpm doing anything and plan to stay at that rpm/speed for the duration of the trip. Tires are R4's with plenty of life on em.

To rent a truck and trailer to haul it will cost for a single day approx $4-500. I don't have anything tough enough to haul that kinda load.

Planning to retire next year so how long it takes isn't a problem for me.

Suggestions?

That is a bit far to physically drive a tractor. For one, it would take a lot of time to get there and back at road speed which at least with my units is about 22 mph at rated RPM in high gear and paved roads are hard on tires no matter what type they are, R1's or R4's or whatever. I grow forage on 3 fields that are about 10 miles from the farm and getting too and from requires me to drive on paved roads as well as gravel roads and they take a toll on my tires and tires aren't a cheap date today. I just installed new ones on one unit to the tune of 5 grand so that is something to consider as well as dealing with motorists that for the most part today are extremely inconsiderate and always in a big hurry to get nowhere.

If I were you, I'd look for someone local to your property that could do what you require and pay them to do it. That would save you a ton of grief and be much easier on your equipment as well.

The only positive aspect of roading at the slow speed is you can rubberneck to your heart's content but it does get boring after a while and you always have to be cognizant of stupid 4 wheelers.

 

[charlessenf]

Have you tried calling a towing company they may move it for cheaper, or maybe try with AAA atleast on the trip home. might be worth the membership.

AAA !? For a tractor!? Hell. last time we tried AAA we 'discovered' the gotchas. It's cheaper to pay the going rate than pay them a membership fee each year and hope your breakdown occurs within whatever their max tow miles happens to be. I can't imagine they'll go for "My tractor ran out of diesel."

 

[5030]

Will take forever and the suspension on these is not suited for long highway drives -- I've had my JD 410E on the Highway for a few miles and after "bouncing" around, decided never again.

What suspension? Last time I checked, the only 'suspension' was the operators seat suspension.
\
A good alternative if you really want to road that far would be trading in the existing tractor for a JCB Fastrack tractor which are capable of road speeds of (I believe) 45 mph. They aren't cheap however. Couple producers around here have them btw., but remember, pulled implements are mostly limited to 20 mph anyway and don't have high speed bearings in the axles to begin with.

 

[charlessenf]

Good man check before you post! if more of us held our texts 'til we double checked the incredulous (with a reliable, verifiable source or two), the Internet might be a more worthwhile space (Hear me Googol? FB? Etc.)

RCW 46.16A.080: Registration—Exemptions.

app.leg.wa.gov