tractors in the wrong direction

[Villengineer]

I'd have to disagree. I find myself looking backward a whole lot more on my CUT than I ever remember looking backward when I was actually working on farms. First, I found that if I was looking backward when plowing, discing, etc... that I would let the tractor wander. One of the farmers I worked for told me that once you're in the field never look backward unless making a turn. Second, usually when I'm on the CUT I'm looking back because I'm working in tighter quarters or around more obsticals than I regularly operated large farm equipment around.
On a humerous side note, not looking back can bite you in the rear. Back in the day I was working on a large farm and was discing using a Steiger and a very wide bi-fold disc. Well, I forgot to look back when making a turn and I had swung too wide and snagged the fence row on the end of the disc. I think this was due to the euphoria that operating a piece of equipment like that brings, but I digress. Anyway I ripped out about 50-75 yards of fencing before I realized what I had done. Amazing how much power those tractors have because I didn't "feel" it, I just happened to look out the side window and it caught my eye. Unfortunately, that was the last time that farmer let me operate the big articulating tractors and I spent the next day replacing fence. I did learn to respect the equipment though.

 

[smilingreen]

Well, John Deere did make a experimental tractor that had no neck pain. It is GPS guided with no operator. You can sit on the side of your field under a shade tree sipping a cold one in your recliner if you want to. My 790 has no room to swivel a seat.
When I am rotary mowing, discing, tilling, grading, boxblading or raking, I look back occasionally, but I don't mind it. It keeps me alert to what is going on behind me, to the side and in the front. This makes for safe operation. Also, keeps me from being lazy. It does not bother me to look backwards on occasion.

 

[JimMc]

Additionally, with big ag equipment, you don't turn as far to see the ends for clearances. You don't turn too far to see the end of a 32 foot disc, but you are almost all the way around before you can see a 5 footer.

 

[Villengineer]

Very true. Even with the extended rear of the articulate I didn't have to turn as far to see the ends of most of the equipment we pulled with it as I do to see the 5' brush cutter or 4' blade I regularly use with the CUT. Also reverse wasn't utilized near as much with attachments on the big equipment as with the smaller equipment.

 

[DocHeb]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Don't you think somethings with the tractor designs are wrong? ... our tractor driver can do the work without feeling any neck pain when they operating their attachments. )</font>

I think a solution to your neck torticollis can be found here and here.

 

[slowrev]

I am in the process of putting an anti roll rack on my old IH. This is an anti roll thing, it sticks out on the sides over the tires preventing rollover. It actually works, the tractor will just fall over on its side unless you are on a VERY steep slope. I plan on putting 2 mirrors on it to save my neck from strain as well as from getting it broken /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif In case you are wondering where it came from, it was an IH option on some tractors back in the 60's.

 

[ScottAR]

New Holland has a tractor that rotates the seat and controls 180deg and goes just as good backwards as forwards. Go to the New Holland website and look up the Bi-Directional tractor.

Valtra's version is for European logging operations though I'm sure one could order it for anything else. The seat spins 180deg to a smaller steering wheel in the rear of the cab. Looks like a crank on the back wall of the cab. Since all the controls and most of the instruments are on the side console, everything is right at hand. Not quite the same intent of design but it does work in both directions. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[txdon]

Nomad, this is easy, just aim camera at the back with a display on the hood. Like this

 

[Bird]

Your sure got that right, Don. Marvelous invention. I had one on my last motorhome.

 

[MossRoad]

Or here /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The Power Trac is pretty comfortable to operate with all the implements out front where you can see them. Wouldn't be practical for plowing a field, but mowing, brush hog, forklift, FEL, snow plowing, sweeping, even tilling flower beds, this desgn works great. As a utility tractor, I think this design is far easier on the operator than any conventional tractor that I have ever sat on.

Just my humble opinion, of course /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[nomad]

How do you say? WoW? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
After seeing so many solutions (links to cameras, power-tracs, etc), I thought first I would be re-inventing things.
Well, but, I think for a while again and find that suchs aren't much helpful for real farming operations like plowing, planting, etc. The seats rotating 180 degree too were mentioned above. Wondering how the driver is controlling the steering wheel and other controlling tools whe he is turning his seat 180 deg.

 

[MossRoad]

You could always put the driver pependicular to the work so he could equally strain his neck in either direction.

Check out this mining equipment from Lotrac (another Power Trac company). The operator sits sideways. Still not practical for farming, though. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MossRoad]

Or, as someone else mentioned,

New Holland's bi-directional tractor.

The whole operator's station can rotate 210 degrees and the console can be offset 15 degrees. You can choose which end of the tractor you want to face when operating.

Impressive machine. Way cool /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[slowzuki]

Valtra

 

[rockinmywaypa]

New Holland inheritated this concept when they bought out Versatile which made these way back 20 or 30 years ago. the whole station swings, seat and steering. The versatile 150 was one tractor that I always had a hankering to own but it was priced out of my league.

 

[Egon]

MossRoad:

If'n you want to see behind you where you bin why not just turn the tractor around?

Egon

 

[MossRoad]

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

hee hee

 

[fishman]

I guess I must be the only one that remembers Glennmac's once famous diatribe: Compact tractors are designed all wrong.

I think this ground has been plowed before. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

BTW, Glennmac hasn't posted since August. I miss his unusual insight on things.

 

[smilingreen]

I think I have your solution to your sore neck, Nomad.... why don't you hire someone to do your "real farmwork", like plowing, planting, ect. That way, you wont have a sore neck anymore. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Mark_in_NH]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How about putting the controls, ie steering wheel, shifter, and hydraulic controls on a seat that can rotate 180 deg. side to side. that way, you aren't straining the neck )</font>

This sure would be an interesting concept. But it would also be a mechanical nightmare /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
How much do you think this would add to the price of a tractor ? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif