Oil & Fuel Drove tractor to diesel station to refuel.

[dieselsmoke1]

I don't drive on pavement any more than I have to. Would not expect any legal or safety issues, I just don't like the resulting tire wear.

 

[neverenough]

0.3 hours for 40 gallons of fuel was much easier for me than moving 2 sets of 20 gallons each and then putting 20 gallons into the tractor.I used about .24 gallons of diesel fuel (guess, I use 0.8 gallons an hour in the TN70A) which is 75 cents. With two trips in a car or truck, it would have been 8 miles or at 24 mpg, about 1 dollar in fuel. Then, running the tractor on the road was a great experience !

Also, in Wisconsin, the only time you can use the shoulder is if the entire tractor can fit on the shoulder safely. The DMV, City cops made it very clear that a tractor cannot ride one set of wheels on shoulder and one set on roadway. Considered unsafe. They will ticket me if I do that.
Bob

I had main roads, like state highway's, in mind when I said shoulder. Yes, you do not want to drive right on the edge of the road next to the drop off.

I guess I look at the fuel thing differently as I make a living with my tractors. I never "need" fuel. I have an 8000 gallon tank for diesel fuel, and 2 300 gallon tanks for gasoline. I buy 5000 gallons of diesel every other year, and call for a fill up of gasoline when there is 25% left. Back when the family did milking and custom combining, we used 6000 gallons of diesel per year. Can't be running to the local BP twice a day for a fill up when your running around the clock trying to get the crops harvested. I can see your way working, for your situation. Not doing time sensitive work makes it easier to get fuel as needed.

 

[MadReferee]

The big thing about off road fuel is the sulfur content and emissions plus the whole road tax thing.

Off-road dyed fuel typically has the same sulphur content as on-road fuel. However, starting September 1 this becomes a non-issue since just about every place that sells off-road fuel will be selling dyed ULSD. The high sulphur fuel oil (s5000) will be illegal to sell anywhere after the end of this year. Low sulphur diesel (s500 or LSD) may still be available in some areas for off-road usage but finding it may be difficult. Californnia will only have ULSD as all other fuels have been banned.

As for the tax issue, that is an entirely different issue altogether.

 

[Doc_Bob]

I had main roads, like state highway's, in mind when I said shoulder. Yes, you do not want to drive right on the edge of the road next to the drop off.

Understood!
Bob

 

[Doc_Bob]

I guess I look at the fuel thing differently as I make a living with my tractors. I never "need" fuel. I have an 8000 gallon tank for diesel fuel, and 2 300 gallon tanks for gasoline.

Well cripes! 8K??? I would never need fuel either with 8K sitting on the farm!
Now I understand where you are coming from. Yes, you cannot drive to the gas station!
Bob

 

[daTeacha]

Off-road dyed fuel typically has the same sulphur content as on-road fuel. However, starting September 1 this becomes a non-issue since just about every place that sells off-road fuel will be selling dyed ULSD. The high sulphur fuel oil (s5000) will be illegal to sell anywhere after the end of this year. Low sulphur diesel (s500 or LSD) may still be available in some areas for off-road usage but finding it may be difficult. Californnia will only have ULSD as all other fuels have been banned.

As a long time environmentalist and board member of the local Izaak Walton League chapter, I'm glad to hear that. My distributor has the pumps labeled as high sulfur and low sulfur, but the labels are old. They also sell biodiesel, but only in on-road, tax paying version unless you want a bulk delivery, which they will blend to your personal specs, anything from B2 to B100. These guys also have one of the very few E85 pumps in the state. I think there are 6 or 7 now, but more coming. It's kind of nice to be supporting a local environmentally oriented and farm friendly company when I buy fuel. Now if only they'd start selling off road biodiesel in small quantities.

 

[bontai_Joe]

Looks like I might be a minority here guys. Remember I'm not talking AG tractors, I'm talking CUTs, there is a big difference.

I was thinking just because a CUT is smaller than the typical farm tractor, doesn't mean it isn't used and usefull on a farm. Remember that most farms in the 1930's dreamed of machines with over 40 HP as most were between 20 and 30 HP, typically what a CUT is today. And besides, to most non tractor-nuts if it looks like a tractor, it's a tractor, the distinction as to size is lost. When I was a kid in northwest NJ 40+ years ago, it was common to see farm machinery on the roads all summer long, with kids 10 to 50 years old behind the wheel in a state where driver's licenses were only issued after the age of 17. The same area today, would have 100's of condo dwelling, feel good activists protesting the use of children in labor, the emissions of the machines, the smell of manure, the noise, and having to slow down their imported super-cars to follow such machines. I know of one old timer that still farms in that area and still remember the day he turned on the manure spreader and just about buried an expensive sports car that was honking his horn and yelling out of his window because he couldn't pass the tractor. If he had known Mr. B (name protected because he would do it again), he would have known he was getting off the road in about 500 yards. This was an interesting thread and brought back memories of better days in my youth.

 

[Doc_Bob]

I was thinking just because a CUT is smaller than the typical farm tractor, doesn't mean it isn't used and usefull on a farm. Remember that most farms in the 1930's dreamed of machines with over 40 HP as most were between 20 and 30 HP, typically what a CUT is today. And besides, to most non tractor-nuts if it looks like a tractor, it's a tractor, the distinction as to size is lost. . This was an interesting thread and brought back memories of better days in my youth.

CUT is a tractor. You are right. Times may have changed, but they are still Tractors. Imagine what folks would have thought 50 years ago if someone with a 40 HP felt that they did not have a tractor becasue it only had 40 HP

Bob

 

[Soundguy]

My question would be this If I drive to or from the station with off-road diesel already in the tank and get stopped am I subject to fine?

My guess would be yes, whatever your reasoning might be.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a purist as I have driven my tractor to several neighbors within several miles of my home and I use off-road diesel too. Interesting conversation though.

At least in Fl.. you can drive on road, using off-road fuel, in ag equipment... provided that you don't drive over some number of miles in a year.. like 2000.. or 4000.. etc.. something like that,... Course' Who would know how many miles of asphalt ya been on... my tractor doesn't have a odometer...

Soundguy

 

[Slamfire]

It is 12 miles one way to the Co-op's off road pump. At 6mph that's a half day on the road, and the darned tank only holds 5 gallons. I think I'll stick to cans. I'm only puttin' 5 gallons in a 6 gallon can anymore, gettin' too tough to lift. And I keep a half full can for actual fueling, which cuts down on the mess, and the shakes.