Tractor Lights

[Matt Meiser]

I tried a few different things to mount these lights on my tractor over the past few years including some L-brackets to mount them to the sides of the ROPS (pine trees tore them up when mowing,) U-bolts to mount them to the top of the ROPS (not very stable and didn't look very good,) magnets (didn't hold :eek: ). Finally I decided to go ahead and weld some tabs to the ROPS and drill a hole to allow me to run the wiring through the ROPS. Turned out great.

I also threw in a picture of one of my Christmas gifts. Looks good in the shop!

[Mitchell Andrus]

You'll have to figger a way to get the lights to turn with the steering wheel.

[Ben Grunow]

I would have just bolted them to my old football helmet!

[Joe Mioux]

Matt:

Those lights look good, but that loader looks like it needs a workout.;)

It's too clean.

Happy Holidays
Joe

[Jim Becker]

Those lights look good, but that loader looks like it needs a workout.

It's too clean.



Exactamundo!

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Matt...I'm curious as to why you mounted them above the ROPs rather than on the inside? The first time I tried to install them "up top" (using the squirelly brackets), they lasted about 1/2 of one mowing before getting damaged by trees, etc. (I actually destroyed one light when a branch snapped back on it accidentally--and I don't drive fast!) On the inside, they are less convenient when I rotate my seat to use the hoe, but they have not moved at all over a season and a half!

[Matt Meiser]

Exactamundo!

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Matt...I'm curious as to why you mounted them above the ROPs rather than on the inside? The first time I tried to install them "up top" (using the squirelly brackets), they lasted about 1/2 of one mowing before getting damaged by trees, etc. (I actually destroyed one light when a branch snapped back on it accidentally--and I don't drive fast!) On the inside, they are less convenient when I rotate my seat to use the hoe, but they have not moved at all over a season and a half!

Part of the reason that the loader looks so clean is that I powerwashed the tractor right before it got cold and I really haven't used it much since. The other part is that while I was painting the chain holder I recently made, I sprayed some of the extra paint on the bucket where it was getting pretty beat up looking. :D

I put them above because I found that when I had them mounted on the sides of the ROPS before that I got a lot of glare off the back side of my glasses. When the lights were more behind me that happened. These are "tractor" lights with a very wide, square beam which might be part of the issue. You can kind of see how wide by how far to each side they are turned to make the beams just meet up in the middle. Also the higher they are, the better they can see over the top of the loader when in use. They come off with two quick-connects and two nuts, and I'll most likely just take them off during the summer. During the summer it is 9:30-10:00 before it gets dark enough to really need lights. And, if I don't have the loader mounted (i.e. when mowing) I find the headlights are acceptable. Mainly I need them in the winter since it is dark when I leave for work and dark when I get home.

[Keith Outten]

Looks nice Matt,

I have been thinking about lights for my tractor but haven't made a decision as to the best placement yet. The summer sun is brutal here in Virginia so a canopy is going to be a must have. It is common to mount lights on the front edge of canopy's so I will most likely do the same.

I plan to fabricate a custom bracket to weld to my ROPS for the new canopy so I will be breaking the golden rule as well :)

.

[Dennis Peacock]

Hey Matt, Looks great to me. Congrats on a nice mount and a nice tractor. :D

Wow....seeing all this reminds me that one day, I'm going to get me a welder, a larger lawn tractor and then install me a cruise control so I can kick back and watch a movie while the tractor mows the lawn. :rolleyes: :D

[Jim Becker]

Um...Dennis...the current crop of sub-compacts (and some compacts) come with cruise control. ;)

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Keith, you might be happy with just aquiring a clamp-on canopy...there may be times you'll want to remove it. Or maybe not. I recall some time ago that a fellow on TBN did that, but welded up a removable frame for the front side that provided additional support for lighting as well as a way to put a Golf-cart canopy over everything for winter comfort.

[Keith Outten]

Jim,

Oh Yeah, a quick diconnect system on my canopy will allow me to share it with my Dixie Chopper....actually it would be reversed since I will spend more time on the Chopper cutting grass than on my tractor in the summer months. I have an inexpensive canopy now that I have been using on the Chopper and it is the best thing since sliced bread when the temperatures are 95 and up. The canopy makes it much more comfortable and with 6 acres of grass to cut it is worth the expense of a quality canopy. The lights won't be an asset on my mower as I have already learned that my mower is to fast to run after dark, the bugs will knock you out of the seat :)

Dennis,

For small lawns a tractor may be OK but when you have acres to cut get a commercial lawn mower. Tractors cut grass but it isn't their primary function. Lawn mowers can push a snowplow or pull a drag but it isn't their primary function. Get the right tool for the job :) I've never seen a tractor that could stay with my Dixie Chopper and provide the same quality cut.

[Joe Mioux]

The only problem with Zero turns is that they aren't very good for other things.

I guess that is why we have a NH Boomer with loader and 6 brush hog, a Scag Cub ZTR mower, and a JD288(?) 18 hp 48 inch mower, Yamaha 400 Kodiak 4x4 atv with a blade.

They all serve a purpose, but not every purpose well

[Matt Meiser]

then install me a cruise control so I can kick back and watch a movie while the tractor mows the lawn. :rolleyes: :D

Mine has cruise already. If you put in enough wireless AP's around your house, you could surf the creek while you mow. :D

[Keith Outten]

Ya gotta love them Deere's :)

Matt whats your next tractor project or improvement you have on the drawing board now that the lights are finished?

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[Matt Meiser]

Next up is converting my rotary cutter to work with the Imatch properly. The lower pins already line up, but I need to rework the upper linkage. I took a bunch of pictures at my Deere dealer last week so that I can figure out how to do something similar to mine.

I also picked up a small toolbox at Tractor Supply a while back that I want to mount behind the seat for carrying a few small tools or other items securely.

[Keith Outten]

I have about three months time behind me cleaning up this pie shaped woods area at the edge of my property that is just over an acre. The first 250 feet is ready to start removing stumps and I have several areas along the fields edge I have been attacking on the left side of the pic so I would guess I am near 30% complete with my initial cleanup effort.

Attacking the briers and bushes with trash forks on my FEL first, then a trip thru with a bush hog then the fun part of chainsawing small trees and a constant burning of the debris. I have already lost count of the number of burn piles.

I hope to have the front half ready for grass seed this Spring.

This weekend my Dad and I will start working on my lifting boom for the 3pt hitch. This will be my last implement for the Bota then a few small items like the canopy and a wheel set for my landscape rake are on my list of things to do. Depending on the weather I work inside or outside the shop...there is always a project underway.

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[Jim O'Dell]

Ok, Matt, but where are the speaker boxes going to mount! :D Jim.

[Matt Meiser]

Ok, Matt, but where are the speaker boxes going to mount! :D Jim.

Ipod with earbuds and my earmuff hearing protection to drown out the tractor noise and keep in the music. :D

[Jim Becker]

Ipod with earbuds and my earmuff hearing protection to drown out the tractor noise and keep in the music.
I like to use my noise canceling headphones for that, with or without "content", when I spend a lot of time on the machine, especially at high RPM.

I don't recall if I even posted pictures of my lights, but here they are. I'm actually glad I ran out to take these shots as I see I pulled a connector loose on the left one while closing up the septic test pits the other day...musta caught it on some brush in the woods.

53709

53710

53711

[Bob Smalser]

Work lights? Here at 48 degrees North this time of year daylight only runs from 8 to 4. ;)

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2597650/40732954.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/3075040/53606936.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2597650/217259983.jpg