Tractor drivers

[mat13]

Are we welcome in here? Drive a variety of tractors and loads, hopefully this summer ile be working down south on fastracs hauling grain, reguarly drive rigs that make arctics look like toys.

[powerstroke]

mat13 said:

Are we welcome in here? Drive a variety of tractors and loads, hopefully this summer ile be working down south on fastracs hauling grain, reguarly drive rigs that make arctics look like toys.

Yes if you pull over and let the people who have white diesel, O licences and are paying £1200 road tax to get on with there jobs !!!remember the limit for tractors is 24tonnes gross and 20 mph !!!

Edited by powerstroke on Tuesday 27th March 14:18

[Willy Nilly]

powerstroke said:

mat13 said:

Are we welcome in here? Drive a variety of tractors and loads, hopefully this summer ile be working down south on fastracs hauling grain, reguarly drive rigs that make arctics look like toys.

Yes if you pull over and let the people who have white diesel, O licences and are paying £1200 road tax to get on with there jobs !!!remember the limit for tractors is 24tonnes gross and 20 mph !!!

Edited by powerstroke on Tuesday 27th March 14:18

That might be changing soon

We have an O license too

[lgw]

The limit is 24 tons on a tow hitch but if legislation passes to allow fifth wheels on JCB's they could be plated to 40 ton quite easily

[Willy Nilly]

They pull much heavier loads on the continent, not sure if the different hitches have different GVW limits, but I doubt it.

Most of our tractors are plated at 32 tonnes, but we're not allowed to gross that. What does a large framed Challenger or a Quadtrac weigh fully ballasted with the tillage train behind it?

[lgw]

A lot of the UK Airports are using Fast Trac's with fifth wheels fitted, we have 11

[GC8]

lgw said:

The limit is 24 tons on a tow hitch but if legislation passes to allow fifth wheels on JCB's they could be plated to 40 ton quite easily

Then theyll run on red, without a vocational drivers licence or an operator licence massively undercutting local hauliers...

Until VOSA catch them, of course.

[Turn7]

mat13 said:

Are we welcome in here? Drive a variety of tractors and loads, hopefully this summer ile be working down south on fastracs hauling grain, reguarly drive rigs that make arctics look like toys.

Lets have some big boys toys pics of your gear then !

[lgw]

GC8 said:

lgw said:

The limit is 24 tons on a tow hitch but if legislation passes to allow fifth wheels on JCB's they could be plated to 40 ton quite easily

Then theyll run on red, without a vocational drivers licence or an operator licence massively undercutting local hauliers...

Until VOSA catch them, of course.

If legislation changes so will the fuel and tax exemptions, you don't really think the Goverment will kiss away all that revenue

[GC8]

Its illegal anyway, but it isnt uncommon. Im aware of two similar operations. The attraction is obvious as youre unfettered by hours or fuel cost. Its easy to undercut the competition whislt simultaneously being extremely profitable.

[R0G]

fastracs are not limited to 20mph

Had a few pass me when I was doing 50 on the A11 thetford bypass

[Agrispeed]

Speed depends on the braking, many tractors do 24 nowadays, and you get John deeres doing 35ish and fastracs do 42... can do that without a trailer, with, depends on braking, below 5T weight doesn't need brakes, and limited to 19mph, then oil brakes, you get oil/air brakes (if the line breaks, no stopping) and finally, for fastracs and stuff's top speed you need full fail safe air brakes, I've seen a few pulling fifth wheel trailers on dollies, for straw and the like, looks, umm.... interesting...

Tractors are 'Intresting to drive on the road, especially older ones with hydrostatic steering, no suspension, 2WD and the worst brakes in the world... Telehandlers are fun too, with LHD, and normally broken mirrors...

still, fun holding up the sunday drivers. But, i pull over for people doing their job

[mat13]

Just a few pics i had in photobucket

http://s256.photobucket.com/albums/hh166/mathewall...

[Turn7]

I used to love silaging, especially mowing.

I do miss all the big machinery a lot, but I dont think I could stick the hours or pay any more sadly.

[powerstroke]

Turn7 said:

mat13 said:

Are we welcome in here? Drive a variety of tractors and loads, hopefully this summer ile be working down south on fastracs hauling grain, reguarly drive rigs that make arctics look like toys.

Lets have some big boys toys pics of your gear then !

Oh ok = our american cousins playin at farming!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQOCB5YEscg

[Farm boy]

I guess the OP is one of these ...



If you or your crew are harvesting West Farm in Hampshire this year - The kettles on

[Farm boy]

Or one of these maybe ?


This machine actuallly spent about 3 months broken down on the farm.
Used to move about 15 yards before blowing up again

[Willy Nilly]

GC8 said:

Its illegal anyway, but it isnt uncommon. Im aware of two similar operations. The attraction is obvious as youre unfettered by hours or fuel cost. Its easy to undercut the competition whislt simultaneously being extremely profitable.

The fuel consumption for tractors on haulage duties if horrific. Mine, 150hp tractor grossing <cough> 24 tonnes and carrying 13 tonnes of pay load does about 4.5mpg on a round trip. So an artic can carry twice a much, go twice as fast and uses a bit less fuel doing so. It looks like cherry is about 72p/litre. Would you bother?

[Willy Nilly]

Agrispeed said:

Speed depends on the braking, many tractors do 24 nowadays, and you get John deeres doing 35ish and fastracs do 42... can do that without a trailer, with, depends on braking, below 5T weight doesn't need brakes, and limited to 19mph, then oil brakes, you get oil/air brakes (if the line breaks, no stopping) and finally, for fastracs and stuff's top speed you need full fail safe air brakes, I've seen a few pulling fifth wheel trailers on dollies, for straw and the like, looks, umm.... interesting...

Tractors are 'Intresting to drive on the road, especially older ones with hydrostatic steering, no suspension, 2WD and the worst brakes in the world... Telehandlers are fun too, with LHD, and normally broken mirrors...

still, fun holding up the sunday drivers. But, i pull over for people doing their job

Another reason Fastracs and 'mogs can get type approval to go faster is that they have a mechanical link between the steered wheels and the steering wheel. Where as normal agricultural tractors have hydrostatic steering with just hydraulic pipes connecting the steering wheel to the steered wheels. I have never, in 25 years of tractor driving, ever had a problem with hdrostatic steering, but without engine power, steering is tough.

IIRC to get type approval there also needs to be suspension on all axles, which is difficult on the back axle of a tractor.

[GC8]

Willy Nilly said:

GC8 said:

Its illegal anyway, but it isnt uncommon. Im aware of two similar operations. The attraction is obvious as youre unfettered by hours or fuel cost. Its easy to undercut the competition whislt simultaneously being extremely profitable.

The fuel consumption for tractors on haulage duties if horrific. Mine, 150hp tractor grossing <cough> 24 tonnes and carrying 13 tonnes of pay load does about 4.5mpg on a round trip. So an artic can carry twice a much, go twice as fast and uses a bit less fuel doing so. It looks like cherry is about 72p/litre. Would you bother?

No, but Im aware of two 'Mog operators who were caught doing just that recently. When encumbered by hours restrictions, an operators licence and non-rebated fuel they decided to stop. Im also aware of someone else with a monster tractor doing the same.