Learning to drive a tractor.

springer12

Hi all
First time poster on this forum.
I have always wanted to draw silage for the summer but I dont know how to drive a tractor. I am able to drive a car and have driven a 35 on a few occassions. Would it be hard to learn to make the jump up to something bigger and how would I go about doing it if it was possible.
Thanks.

twin_beacon

driving a 35, is a LOT different than driving a tractor in a silage out fit. Not to mention the pressure and long hours. unless you have a lot of experience, no contractor will look at you. Can't blame them with the cost of their fleet.

springer12

I wouldnt even dream of asking a contractor to take me on now but wud it b hard to learn the ropes?

_Brian

Ideally you'd need some hours under hour belt which will be hard got.

If you got work on a farm with decent machinery you'd get some hours useful time behind the wheel.

Then maybe you could approach a contractor.

Going in cold with no experience isn't going to work.

MF290

What age are you and what part of the country are you based?
Try get some work on a farm and gradually build up some hours driving. It's all practice really

Sam Kade

I know a young fella that only ever drove a van and the local contractor took him on last year, first time he ever drove a tractor. One of them stayed up with him on the tractor for the first day and he got on grand.

carrollsno1

Ask a local farmer to teach you how to drive and tell him if hes happy letting you off on your own youll do a few jobs for him without pay im sure there would be some decent lad out there would be delighted with that

lakill Farm

I spend 2 summers contracting. I didn't grow up on a farm and had limited enough tractor experience

A bit of topping and 12ft trailer work .

Most farms have 90-110hp tractors. Go to a contractor and ask them can you spend a few days driving for them for free with one of his drivers . and go from there.

There is no point thinking of going contracting if you cant reverse a 20ft trailer back around 2 corners using mirrors only

Sam Kade

lakill Farm wrote: »

There is no point thinking of going contracting if you cant reverse a 20ft trailer back around 2 corners using mirrors only

When I worked with a contractor we had no mirrors with 12' trailers reversing around multiple corners, the secret was tip the trailer enough to see where you were going. All 2wd ford 7000's that spent more time on two wheels with bad brakes. If the trailer was overloaded while tipping it would lift the rear wheels of the tractor off the ground. No power steering on a couple of the tractors, you wouldn't be long getting educated in tractor driving.

lakill Farm

Sam Kade wrote: »

When I worked with a contractor we had no mirrors with 12' trailers reversing around multiple corners, the secret was tip the trailer enough to see where you were going. All 2wd ford 7000's that spent more time on two wheels with bad brakes. If the trailer was overloaded while tipping it would lift the rear wheels of the tractor off the ground. No power steering on a couple of the tractors, you wouldn't be long getting educated in tractor driving.

ye but the 7000 and trailer is about same length as a 20ft from drawbar to tailboard. Now add on a big 200hp 4wd tractor. yards get tight

And lots of the modern trailers the door will open once you start to tip them

X6.430macman

It's takes a bit more to get the hang of it than just 2 hrs up driving with a lad with you. There are so many scenarios you would just never think of. It takes more going than you think.

ganmo

X6.430macman wrote: »

It's takes a bit more to get the hang of it than just 2 hrs up driving with a lad with you. There are so many scenarios you would just never think of. It takes more going than you think.

as someone who didn't drive a tractor until I had my full drivers licence in my pocket of course theres situations ya won't come across in 2 hours but once you're familiar as to what to do incase of emergencys(stand on the brake etc) and keep your head on a swivel you should see most risks before they come to fruition.

I think you'd be better off starting getting a few hours with a farmer topping or similar then talk to contractors

davidk1394

Like they all said. Start with a farmer to get the hang of driving machinery. Bit of yard work e.g hauling dung out of sheds and then maybe drawing in a few bales. That's how I'm training my niece into driving the different machines. Now she can back in and hook up the mower or rake in a few minutes

X6.430macman

davidk1394 wrote:

Like they all said. Start with a farmer to get the hang of driving machinery. Bit of yard work e.g hauling dung out of sheds and then maybe drawing in a few bales. That's how I'm training my niece into driving the different machines. Now she can back in and hook up the mower or rake in a few minutes

Jaesus, what age is she now. Good to see girls into it as you wouldn't see it too often.

_Brian

X6.430macman wrote: »

Jaesus, what age is she now. Good to see girls into it as you wouldn't see it too often.

Outfit that comes here had a lassie on the wrapper, 19/20 YO.

davidk1394

X6.430macman wrote: »

Jaesus, what age is she now. Good to see girls into it as you wouldn't see it too often.

She's 17. Have doing all the jobs i do. She's tips away and gets the job done without making sh1t of anything

Miname

_Brian wrote: »

Outfit that comes here had a lassie on the wrapper, 19/20 YO.

Was she on a John Deere by any chance Brian? There's another lassie that drives a Massey 390 that had a row of lads heads swivelling everytime she passed .

X6.430macman

davidk1394 wrote:

She's 17. Have doing all the jobs i do. She's tips away and gets the job done without making sh1t of anything

Jaesus fair play to her, something we should see more of

tippgal84

Good to see this. Any suggestions on how to be taken seriously when youre a girl and dont have an uncle to give you the opportunity?

Base price

davidk1394 wrote: »

Like they all said. Start with a farmer to get the hang of driving machinery. Bit of yard work e.g hauling dung out of sheds and then maybe drawing in a few bales. That's how I'm training my niece into driving the different machines. Now she can back in and hook up the mower or rake in a few minutes

davidk1394 wrote: »

She's 17. Have doing all the jobs i do. She's tips away and gets the job done without making sh1t of anything

Well done.
My Uncle encouraged me to drive a tractor & digger although I was a bit younger than your niece at the time. I always loved helping him bringing in hay/silage/turf etc and always respected him for having faith in my abilities.

Base price

tippgal84 wrote: »

Good to see this. Any suggestions on how to be taken seriously when youre a girl and dont have an uncle to give you the opportunity?

Have you any family members involved in farming. Do your parents personally know any farmers that they would be willing to let you go to do a bit of work for.

X6.430macman

tippgal84 wrote:

Good to see this. Any suggestions on how to be taken seriously when youre a girl and dont have an uncle to give you the opportunity?

My advice would be to listen to the oldtimers advice etc. Never get cocky and show everyone that you can do it and you will get respected. I think being a gal and ok at the driving lads will be a little easier on and make it easier to prove yourself imo

tippgal84

Thanks X6. and BasePrice. I don't have any family I can ask so it'll be me approaching someone. I have a few friends who are farming so I guess I just need to chin up and ask them. I'd nearly rather ask a complete stranger and keep it professional. Thanks for your advice.

davidk1394

well she started driving since about 10 e.g on the quad or the 3cx. she lost interest in it for a few years but 2 years ago she started driving the jeep and the smaller tractor. last summer she started topping and raking field including the headlands. she has the license and her own car but shes not used to driving on the road with larger machines. she did some driving recently with the tractor and dump trailer.

Base price

davidk1394 wrote: »

well she started driving since about 10 e.g on the quad or the 3cx. she lost interest in it for a few years but 2 years ago she started driving the jeep and the smaller tractor. last summer she started topping and raking field including the headlands. she has the license and her own car but shes not used to driving on the road with larger machines. she did some driving recently with the tractor and dump trailer.

She will get more confident as time goes buy. Like the rest of us ladies she probably applies intellect before brawn

davidk1394

Base price wrote: »

She will get more confident as time goes buy. Like the rest of us ladies she probably applies intellect before brawn

haha i call that stubbornness... from a safe distance

springer12

Thanks for the replies lads, some sound advice there.