Is your Tractor 100% road legal

ganmo

A thought I had over the weekend.
Is your tractor 100% road legal?
Your lights are all working, yes even the flashy beacon
The brakes are game ball, stopping is useful sometimes
And you have the paperwork in order of course.

What do you think might catch the eye of the local boys in blue?

emaherx

ganmo wrote: »

A thought I had over the weekend.
Is your tractor 100% road legal?
Your lights are all working, yes even the flashy beacon
The brakes are game ball, stopping is useful sometimes
And you have the paperwork in order of course.

What do you think might catch the eye of the local boys in blue?

I'd like to think mine are but......

There is often a drive home with something broken, a light, a mirror or an oil leak of some sort, I'm sure.

Lost at least 3 beacons this summer.

Number plates on trailers is probably my most regular offence.

Say my name

Yes.

SuperTortoise

Actually yes! Noone more surprised by that statement than me! Bought a new (to me) tractor 16 months ago and you'd swear she just rolled off the production line, absolutely mint. Previous tractor was a different story, it was like an inside out Christmas tree, every light on the dash flashing and yet absolutely nothing on the outside!

Nekarsulm

Nope. Happy to have lights and insurance...

visatorro

Tractor yes but my cattle trailer needs repairs or better still upgrading

blue5000

Local politician was at the protest. Some of the lads looked at the windscreen, 4 months out of date with the tax disc. If he runs for the dail I'll be giving him my no 1 vote.

My tractor wouldn't be 100% legal either. If I go to court I'll ask the judge to drive my tractor in top gear between my yard and an out farm and see how they like it. There's a section of it when you drive the jeep through it you'd think you had a puncture.

ganmo

Bulbs and indicators are the 2 that always catch me.
I'll have to get some form of safety chain sorted too

emaherx

ganmo wrote: »

Bulbs and indicators are the 2 that always catch me.
I'll have to get some form of safety chain sorted too

You know, for most of us who are not traveling very far looking right is half the battle. Safety chain, working lights, mirrors and adequate straps on loads and tyres with some thread on them. Basically don't give them a reason to stop you.

punisher5112

With such machinery one should have it working right and safe.....

Such machines are literally deadly.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Everything OK on mine bar the beacon. I took it off cleaning out a low roofed shed and stored it in a safe place so I would have it ready when I want to go on the road.

Now all I have to do is remember where that safe place is:o

I would rarely be on the road anyway and never in the dark so not a big issue for me.

punisher5112

Would fitting LED beacons inside the cab on windows be adequate or must it be a spinner on the outside?

Welding Rod

Got pulled over recently by Garda driving behind me. Checked everything. Reason he pulled me was I was missing the rear number plate!!! FFS.....
I was ok on everything else.
It’s fukkkkin ridiculous to be nit picking like that, when narcotics are exchanged day and night in every town and village in the country under the very noses of plod ....

hopeso

Everything 100% and shining here.... :cool:

What would catch the eye of the boys in blue?......hmmmmm, I don't know, but sure maybe a ban garda might notice the ride behind the wheel.....

9935452

Welding Rod wrote: »

Got pulled over recently by Garda driving behind me. Checked everything. Reason he pulled me was I was missing the rear number plate!!! FFS.....
I was ok on everything else.
It’s fukkkkin ridiculous to be nit picking like that, when narcotics are exchanged day and night in every town and village in the country under the very noses of plod ....

I got pulled over by an unmarked car on a side road while i was on the quad a few years back.
Guard was a member of the traffic core . He was literally left scratching his head as i had everything in order

Buford T. Justice XIX

9935452 wrote: »

I got pulled over by an unmarked car on a side road while i was on the quad a few years back.
Guard was a member of the traffic core . He was literally left scratching his head as i had everything in order

He was under his quota for the month, I reckon:)

farawaygrass

Are tractors meant to have two flashing beacons or is one ok?

emaherx

farawaygrass wrote: »

Are tractors meant to have two flashing beacons or is one ok?

One is all that's required

punisher5112

Absolutely pointless the tractor unit having one when towing a fully loaded trailer which anyone travelling behind will never see it....

All trailers should be at a minimum fitted with a LED or spinner light fitted at all times.

emaherx

punisher5112 wrote: »

Absolutely pointless the tractor unit having one when towing a fully loaded trailer which anyone travelling behind will never see it....

All trailers should be at a minimum fitted with a LED or spinner light fitted at all times.

I agree, I see a lot of new trailers seem to be fitted with a flashing light at the back from the factory.

_Brian

No, but no need to bring it on he road.

wrangler

emaherx wrote: »

I agree, I see a lot of new trailers seem to be fitted with a flashing light at the back from the factory.

I find them very annoying, especially behind a fecker that won't pull in, surely proper lights is all you need or can farmers not be trusted to keep them clean.
Lorries are bigger and only have ordinary lights

emaherx

wrangler wrote: »

I find them very annoying, especially behind a fecker that won't pull in, surely proper lights is all you need or can farmers not be trusted to keep them clean.
Lorries are bigger and only have ordinary lights

I assume they are to warn of slow moving vehicle. They are not a requirement on trailers, but the previous comments were more that the tractors beacons are pointless if blocked by a loaded trailer.

ganmo

emaherx wrote: »

I assume they are to warn of slow moving vehicle. They are not a requirement on trailers, but the previous comments were more that the tractors beacons are pointless if blocked by a loaded trailer.

With a rotating beacon it's fairly difficult to block the light entirely

hopeso

On the subject of beacons......Since the introduction of the small LED flashing warning lights, it seems like every vehicle that is in any way work related is fitted with them now. Fair enough maybe if your stopped on the side of the road repairing something, but I never seem to go out now without without meeting something driving on the open road with these things flashing when there's no need at all. It's quite often something as small as a Caddy van. The point is, they will become meaningless, as motorists will be so used to see them flashing on every second vehicle they meet every day that they won't take any heed when something oversized is approaching with the beacon flashing.

Base price

_Brian wrote: »

No, but no need to bring it on he road.

Same here but if a H&S officer came into your yard would your tractor/loader pass a test. I know ours wouldn't with dodgy handbrakes - 50b you can't even pull up the handle we use one of the jacks instead.

_Brian

Base price wrote: »

Same here but if a H&S officer came into your yard would your tractor/loader pass a test. I know ours wouldn't with dodgy handbrakes - 50b you can't even pull up the handle we use one of the jacks instead.

No,
Having been a safety officer in a previous life I’d have given myself a very hard time indeed

Keepgrowing

I’d suggest people take vehicle repair seriously. We had a life changing accident on our farm in 2004 due to our blasé approach. Please keep all machines serviced, take it from me the risk is too high.

emaherx

Base price wrote: »

Same here but if a H&S officer came into your yard would your tractor/loader pass a test. I know ours wouldn't with dodgy handbrakes - 50b you can't even pull up the handle we use one of the jacks instead.

I never understand people not keeping handbrakes working, if the main brakes are operating than it's normally fairly simple to keep hand brakes working.

Base price

emaherx wrote: »

I never understand people not keeping handbrakes working, if the main brakes are operating than it's normally fairly simple to keep hand brakes working.

Me neither but that is the situation here at the moment. I suppose cause the jacks do the same job then you are not under pressure to get the handle of the handbrake sorted.

Still waters

Yes, if it was 1935

punisher5112

If one is to use such heavy machinery then it should be top priority that it's in good working order whether on the road or not....

emaherx

Base price wrote: »

Me neither but that is the situation here at the moment. I suppose cause the jacks do the same job then you are not under pressure to get the handle of the handbrake sorted.

As a matter of interest is the brake handle on the 50b similar to a 100 series tractor? If it is usually these can be freed out quite easily by taking it off and heating with gas tourch. When I restored our 135 I did this and also drilled 2 holes tapped and fitted 2 grease nipples, never a problem since.

emaherx

Still waters wrote: »

Yes, if it was 1935

I'm don't know what this means.


I'd bet most hand brake faults in tractors around the country are either seized handles or cables or worn ratchets.

selectamatic

emaherx wrote: »

I'm don't know what this means.


I'd bet most hand brake faults in tractors around the country are either seized handles or cables or worn ratchets.

Or poor design which led to premature failure.

885xl here with a homemade handbrake. Basically a catch which holds the brake pedal in a depressed position.

To fix it properly is an absolute pain in the a55 and it'd be just as failure prone as before.

I'm not sure what a H&S inspector would make of it but it works better than the original design.

emaherx

selectamatic wrote: »

Or poor design which led to premature failure.

885xl here with a homemade handbrake. Basically a catch which holds the brake pedal in a depressed position.

To fix it properly is an absolute pain in the a55 and it'd be just as failure prone as before.

I'm not sure what a H&S inspector would make of it but it works better than the original design.

There are bound to be some exceptions across models. I've seen a ridiculous amount of MF's with no handbrake and their design is simple and hadn't changed much in over 60 years.

Still waters

emaherx wrote: »

I'm don't know what this means.


I'd bet most hand brake faults in tractors around the country are either seized handles or cables or worn ratchets.

What makes you think i was replying to you

Zimmerframe

selectamatic wrote: »

Or poor design which led to premature failure.

885xl here with a homemade handbrake. Basically a catch which holds the brake pedal in a depressed position.

To fix it properly is an absolute pain in the a55 and it'd be just as failure prone as before.

I'm not sure what a H&S inspector would make of it but it works better than the original design.

Because if you have a hydraulic fault eg. master cylinder, then using "the catch", you would have no brakes and no handbrake either, whereas the original useless handbrake had a mechanical band.

emaherx

Still waters wrote: »

What makes you think i was replying to you

To be fair in the flow of the thread it looks like you might have been, me or Base but if not then OK.

Still not sure what you meant, but guess it is narrowed down to 2 possibilities, your tractor is road legal if it was 1935 or a H&s inspector from 1935 would find it acceptable for off road use?

Still waters

emaherx wrote: »

To be fair in the flow of the thread it looks like you might have been, me or Base but if not then OK.

Still not sure what you meant, but guess it is narrowed down to 2 possibilities, your tractor is road legal if it was 1935 or a H&s inspector from 1935 would find it acceptable for off road use?

I answered the question posed in thread title

selectamatic

Zimmerframe wrote: »

Because if you have a hydraulic fault eg. master cylinder, then using "the catch", you would have no brakes and no handbrake either, whereas the original useless handbrake had a mechanical band.

On an xl cab ih it'd be easier fix a master cylinder issue.

Zimmerframe

selectamatic wrote: »

On an xl cab ih it'd be easier fix a master cylinder issue.

Of course it would, but by now it would have ran down the hill, with it's "catch" on. .

Nekarsulm

A fair % of failed handbrake's are due to the tractor maker only filling a piddling little dim red "warning" lights on the dash board.
In bright sunlight,and perhaps a bit of dust, the 'handbrake on' light is impossible to see.
You'd need a good bright light at eye level, and ideally, a buzzer.
The tractor gets driven with the brake slightly on, and it burns out.
I'm thinking of Masseys, 90 Series Fiats and 'Nashs.
At least on the Fiat, if you drop the bottom diesel tank, you can take off a side plate and get into the transmission to fit new pads.

selectamatic

Zimmerframe wrote: »

Of course it would, but by now it would have ran down the hill, with it's "catch" on. .

Many a failed international harvester factory fitted handbrake sent a tractor off down a hill too.

emaherx

Nekarsulm wrote: »

A fair % of failed handbrake's are due to the tractor maker only filling a piddling little dim red "warning" lights on the dash board.
In bright sunlight,and perhaps a bit of dust, the 'handbrake on' light is impossible to see.
You'd need a good bright light at eye level, and ideally, a buzzer.
The tractor gets driven with the brake slightly on, and it burns out.
I'm thinking of Masseys, 90 Series Fiats and 'Nashs.
At least on the Fiat, if you drop the bottom diesel tank, you can take off a side plate and get into the transmission to fit new pads.

On many tractors and definitely the Massey's (with exception of some industrials) that would lead to break failure and not just hand brake failure.

I agree completely on the useless dash lights and there is none on many older tractors still in service, but it's not hard to make sure you put hand brake to floor before driving off.

Our main modern tractor would be aside form we can't be bothered getting the 50kmh sticker for the back, other than that I think its fully road legal and first tractor we probably every had that has been.

As for our small old tractor it would be a shorter to list what is legal than what isn't . Its starts, steering wheel and gears work and thats about it, the lift just about works enough for the light work it does and pretty much everything else is missing or not working. Hasn't seen tax or insurance in about 15 years either and while it actually does technically go on the public road its just the single lane boreen our house is on which is a dead end leading into fields and only us and a neighbour farmer use it.

Trailers etc are another story, would be on the road regularly enough with the tipper trailer that has no lights, number plates, never had brakes, no speed discs etc (and would be pulled at 50kmh anytime it goes on the road)

zetecescort

slightly off topic as its for a vintage tractor but is it necessary to display an insurance disc and are front number plates required?

Are front plates required on any tractor? We never had one even on our best road going machines.

grange mac

Kolten Spicy Barn wrote: »

Our main modern tractor would be aside form we can't be bothered getting the 50kmh sticker for the back, other than that I think its fully road legal and first tractor we probably every had that has been.

As for our small old tractor it would be a shorter to list what is legal than what isn't . Its starts, steering wheel and gears work and thats about it, the lift just about works enough for the light work it does and pretty much everything else is missing or not working. Hasn't seen tax or insurance in about 15 years either and while it actually does technically go on the public road its just the single lane boreen our house is on which is a dead end leading into fields and only us and a neighbour farmer use it.

Trailers etc are another story, would be on the road regularly enough with the tipper trailer that has no lights, number plates, never had brakes, no speed discs etc (and would be pulled at 50kmh anytime it goes on the road)

If you exclude fact that it has no working lights, broken chimney, no handbrake, poor brakes, pto don't work, seat crocked, doors missing in cab, bit of tin worm all round , no tax ins or log book.... But it has a front loader & lift pump that will lift a fusion bale for the winter.and survived a front wheel cracking off last winter . Its only used for winters and never leaves the yard... To most its prob worthless but to me it starts first pick & feeds cattle every winter!

Nekarsulm

This thread should really be split into Tractors under ten years of age, tractors ten to twenty, and twenty plus..

emaherx

Nekarsulm wrote: »

This thread should really be split into Tractors under ten years of age, tractors ten to twenty, and twenty plus..

Or just "is your road tractor road legal" and "would your yard tractor pass a h&s inspection"