The Farm. Haying and Cattle Thread

[deere4040]

It is not the other driver's responsibility to magically understand what you are trying to do beyond contine driving straight down the road.

Signal far ahead of any turn and tap the brake lights a few times before hard braking to signal your intentions to other drivers. Make sure turn signals and brake lights are visible in strong sunlight, not just visible if someone is watching closely, those are not the people you need to worry about, but firetruck-ambulance level visible that grabs attention from everyone including those who are not expecting any turns from you or are watching something else entirely.

Yeah, that sounds expensive and unneccesary, but two near misses is probably not the last. Upgrading lights and defensive driving are cheap if they prevent a high speed crash.

Explain why your driving in the middle of the road for 200 yards
If the mower to to wide for one lane holding over to the left is necessary but not in a truck
Swinging completely into the left lane to make a right turn has always been risky, I experienced this many times in my years of driving 18 wheelers. Turn signals are near worthless today as people either don’t use them or leave them blinking for miles as they drive down the road, I filled a car for or a mile with their right turn signal flashing before conditions allowed me the opportunity to pass, just as I started to pull out to pass they braked and made a left turn, with the right signal still flashing.
Extended signal distance is a invitation for that signal to be ignored, I generally turn on the signal a few moments before I start braking for the turn, if they don’t pay attention to that they were never going to. Minimize the the amount of time your making that left swing, ideally just as the mower/trailer/ long wheel base trucks rear end leaves the right lane the front of the tractor/truck should be reentering the right lane. Even then some impatient driver is likely to make a dash to get by, always look for that driver.
If the costumers drive way is that narrow talk to them about widening it if possible, a couple extra ft wider at the entrance can make a big difference on how much swing is needed

The road is already narrow. Lane and a half maybe. A glorified dirt road. a few houses on the road but every one knows why there would be equipment or hay being delivered. Since you didn't liked the 200 yard estimate. I am on the road for 520 feet after turning off the main road before I turn in the driveway. It is not flat so with the truck loaded with hay no need to shift again. There is no need to be in that much of a hurry that one should be contemplating passing on the right. Driving in the middle is an indication your going to turn. If that doesn't catch your attention than nothing will. We drive in the middle for all our left turns and still get idiots driving off the shoulder trying to get around. We live on a blind corner hill and always get passed. Never know what is around the corner. We hope not Amish. But someday it will be a loaded dump truck or log truck. I wouldn't want to be that idiot. And I am not telling a customer he needs to change his driveway. It works just fine. Should I tell Penndot they need to redesign the road I live on because 95% of the time I pull out in front of somebody. It sucks. Just what we deal with in this area. Just like you have your own issues to deal with in your area.

 

[flying belgian]

The road is already narrow. Lane and a half maybe. A glorified dirt road. a few houses on the road but every one knows why there would be equipment or hay being delivered. Since you didn't liked the 200 yard estimate. I am on the road for 520 feet after turning off the main road before I turn in the driveway. It is not flat so with the truck loaded with hay no need to shift again. There is no need to be in that much of a hurry that one should be contemplating passing on the right. Driving in the middle is an indication your going to turn. If that doesn't catch your attention than nothing will. We drive in the middle for all our left turns and still get idiots driving off the shoulder trying to get around. We live on a blind corner hill and always get passed. Never know what is around the corner. We hope not Amish. But someday it will be a loaded dump truck or log truck. I wouldn't want to be that idiot. And I am not telling a customer he needs to change his driveway. It works just fine. Should I tell Penndot they need to redesign the road I live on because 95% of the time I pull out in front of somebody. It sucks. Just what we deal with in this area. Just like you have your own issues to deal with in your area.

You're absolutely right about each having their own issues. I live on a very busy county hyway and have to turn left into my driveway with my farm equipment. People do all kinds of crazy things when I am stopped waiting for oncoming traffic so I can make my turn. Most common one is i start my turn and they want to go around me at the same time. They had been waiting behind me for 10 seconds and they are not going to wait any longer.

 

[deere4040]

You're absolutely right about each having their own issues. I live on a very busy county hyway and have to turn left into my driveway with my farm equipment. People do all kinds of crazy things when I am stopped waiting for oncoming traffic so I can make my turn. Most common one is i start my turn and they want to go around me at the same time. They had been waiting behind me for 10 seconds and they are not going to wait any longer.

Just the other day I pulled out of in front of a pickup at my uncles. Not my normal driveway so was more attentive. My fault absolutely. I was so focused to the right because there is short view distance with the hill and people travel to fast. Quick glance left double check right and go. Well there was a dark truck no headlights and blended in the shadows. Of course he flipped me off even though he probably never had to touch his brakes. Problem with all the short sight distance once your in motion you might as well just continue than try to get back into reverse. Issue is the drivers you pull out in front of had great visibility the entire time and I'm sure thinks you are just ........ pulling in front of them. Nobody gets our perspective from the tractor.

 

[deere4040]

A month ago had a flat on the 2350 and stole tire off 4430. Was surprised that it fit as good as it did and got me thinking again on upgrading to wider tires for better flotation especially when using loader.

Thought it looked a little goofy but I can get pass that. Yesterday I installed the new set and now have 2 spare tires. Nothing more efficient than having spare tires ready to go a moments notice. I actually ended borrowing my cousins off his disabled tractor for the past month. Good thing I did. I put the original one back on with a new tire and it didn't make 5 hours before flat. Turns out they pinched tube during installation.

 

[Destroked 450]

I’m not a Deere person but I thought 4430’s had 38” rims and usually 18.4-38 tires or 20.1-38’s
Looks like that 2350 has 30” tires and wheels

 

[deere4040]

I’m not a Deere person but I thought 4430’s had 38” rims and usually 18.4-38 tires or 20.1-38’s
Looks like that 2350 has 30” tires and wheels

Referring to the front tire I took off the 4430 when the 23 had a flat.

Never liked the skinny tires for loader work. It’s a back up loader but every time I have to run the grapple on it moving squares I cuss the ruts it makes cutting in. Been contemplating upgrading for almost 5 years but hadn’t decided in what tire size worked the best. Then with the flat this summer I got to see how it worked and decided to just bite the bullet and get it done. Now have 2 spare’s that fit across 3 tractors when the need arises. 4 tractors if I ever get around to swapping out the 4040 front end

 

[paul]

Yea those 4 rib tires are nice fronts for a loader tractor.

I was daydreaming or something and was also looking at your rear tires and having difficulty understanding the tire change… blind to the obvious front tires.


Paul

 

[Destroked 450]

My bad I was thinking rear
Are those 9.5L 15’s or 10.00-16’s
On a couple of my tractors I swapped out the 7.50-16’s for 9.5L15’s, same height but wider, on a couple of the others that had 30” rears I replaced 10.00-16’s with 11.5L15’s that are shorter but wider

 

[deere4040]

My bad I was thinking rear
Are those 9.5L 15’s or 10.00-16’s
On a couple of my tractors I swapped out the 7.50-16’s for 9.5L15’s, same height but wider, on a couple of the others that had 30” rears I replaced 10.00-16’s with 11.5L15’s that are shorter but wider

10-16’s. My biggest concern was putting the wrong ones on and have the tractor sloped up or down.