Tractor advice

[Matthew Storrs]

You need £254 pounds to apply for it, an advert in the local paper 21 days prior to your application stating where your operating from and under what circumstances and finally you need to prove you have the financial standing to maintain your vehicle to a legal roadworthy condition.

Not too much of a big deal, but you also need to run on white diesel.

The last bit is probably the bit which will effect your pocket the most!

But as you say 5 trips in a tractor is cheaper than 15 in your iveco!

[Matthew Storrs]

Just rent

A forwader is peanuts for a day in comparison to sky high arb prices

And 50 tonnes is two arctic loads and not big bucks

 

I'd borrow a tractor drive it for a few miles and get the urge out your system

 

Haha, I like that bit, I remember buying my first tractor, I thought it was great, but after about 5 journeys the novelty of no heating- buzzing ears after a journey and being thrown out of your seat after every bump soon wore off!

My new one is marginally more sophisticated but it can be tedious if you have a long journey to do.The trick is just to allow time and enjoy the views on your journey- absolutely no point trying to rush it, if this is the case its the wrong vehicle for you:biggrin:

[Gareth Dalzell]

There a numerous restrictions on running a tractor dump trailer in NI some similar and some different from the mainland. That said vosa are drawn to these type of combinations. The biggest problem are the multi agency check points they set up now. You'll have vosa, customs for diesel, NIEA and the PSNI for anything else. They nearly wet themselves with excitement when they see tractors and dump trailers coming down the road. There are exceptions mostly agricultural but they are not straight forward. I,d hire in an 8 wheeler and have it drawn in 3 loads for £200.

[chris23a]

There a numerous restrictions on running a tractor dump trailer in NI some similar and some different from the mainland. That said vosa are drawn to these type of combinations. The biggest problem are the multi agency check points they set up now. You'll have vosa, customs for diesel, NIEA and the PSNI for anything else. They nearly wet themselves with excitement when they see tractors and dump trailers coming down the road. There are exceptions mostly agricultural but they are not straight forward. I,d hire in an 8 wheeler and have it drawn in 3 loads for £200.

 

Who do you hire for this sort of stuff?

[urbandekay]

Under 20mph with no suspension on axles. Can't go wrong with MF

[Matthew Storrs]

Also maintaining tractors to a good condition isn't cheap, just had the clutch done in mine, 2 grand and I,m booking it in to have the brakes fully overhauled which will cost just over a grand. Its worth it for me as I use it for the mainstay of my business, but just for the odd trip every now and again it wouldn't even begin to make sense.

Why not do your trailer test, which will allow your l200 to be used more efficiently and just hire a tractor or lorry when the need arises.

[Gareth Dalzell]

Who do you hire for this sort of stuff?

 

Depending on the locations, wrights in N,ards, Manleys at Braniel. Many of the hauliers are keen for business as there's not much stone being hauled. last time we'd to move volume timber we sold a lot straight from site. It went onto roll-off container skips. Which was great for loading as they left them off, and they nice and low to drop timber into.

 

Or if you're still looking a tractor we've a very clean MF4355 c/w loader you can have a look at.

[Brushcutter]

If your going to be hauling waste and not doing things that fall within the forestry/agri useage your going to have to run on white diesel.

 

Road work uses the most fuel in our tractors. I expect we often use more fuel going there and back than we do there. so it will be expensive to run. You also then need trailers to go with it.

[difflock]

Is it actually legal for a non farming/forestry/horticultural operation to run a tractor at all?

There would appear to be a glaring discrepancy in the permitted weights.

This apparent discrepancy may well however be accounted for by the mandatory lower speed limit for traditional tractors (40 kmh is it?)

On the subject of running on clear diesel.

Look at sensible HP <100 2 wheel drive models with basic/simple non energy sapping transmissions, to maximize fuel economy.

About 4 tonne in weight = half the weight of a large modern tractor.

Hey a Zetor, set up with a compressor ex factory for air brakes.

Perhaps also consider different tyres/tyre patterns, ones optimised for road work, as I strongly suspect hi-tech high grip Agric tyres are fuel hungry on the road.

NB

My father ALWAYS maintained running any tractor at full/maximium engine revs, i.e on road work for max travel speed.

Guzzled fuel well in excess of staying within the recommened hi-torque PTO power band.

just a thought

Marcus

[chris23a]

If I was driving a modern 100hp tractor while towing 10 tons at 20mph, how many mpg am I likely to get?