What I found out today (tractor content)

By Stuart Donald aged 44 and-a-bit.

Overtaking a tractor, while deeply satisfying at the time, is a really bad idea if the tractor then draughts you for the next 3 miles. A text to a farmer mate reveals that modern tractors can do upwards of 40-50mph,which is beyond my skill set for anything not 1 in 3 downhill. Those buggers are also very loud.

Thought this was about 29ers

Isn’t there different classifications of tractors? When I used to draft them regularly, they’d always do exactly 40kph except some of the big flashy ones which were much quicker and I could not catch.

They just like teasing you. They go slow enough to tempt you to pass them, then they hop into your slipstream. Tight fisted buggers those farmers, anything to drop fuel consumption.

See your saying that Don, but I ain’t skinny and farmers ARE tight…

For a couple of years I had one for flail mowing, a big John Deere 6920 that could do about 30mph and was surprisingly quick at getting their as well 🙂

Most tractors have now got 50kph ‘boxes on them. Some of the big ones are now getting 60kph ‘boxes but there’s certain criteria for them (independent wheel suspension, air brakes and possibly abs?).

You definitely want a front suspension axel as a fixed axel at those speed bounces all over the place.

Safety note: when tucked in behind a tractor and vegetable box-trailer thingy at a steady 30mph for 5-6miles be aware when approaching roundabouts that he may not have connected the brake lights on the trailer…

I could be slightly out of touch of the ‘cutting edge’ with this but:

“modern tractors can do upwards of 40-50mph”
Most can’t though
Off the top of head exceptions would be:
JCB fastrac, factory limited and 40mph legal. I’ve heard they can be chipped to go 50mph+ but there might be possible warranty and perhaps insurance issues
Mercedes Unimog, not really a tractor, more an offroad lorry that will take agricultural implements. Not sure but geussing going to be 50mph+. Price tag goes toward explaining why there aren’t many about
There is/was a Mercedes Sprayer than would do 50mph+ or at least one that overtook me on the A1 must have been doing that speed. Nnot impossible it could have been chipped?
Some Fendts I think can physically do 60kpmh (~38mph). I don’t know how they fit in around UK 40mph regs though
There could be others?

“always do exactly 40kph”
They’ll be ones limited to 40kmph, either revs in top gear for economy or don’t have the gears to go faster
40kmph is normally ‘base model’ speed, with 50kmph an optional extra for many. Some 50kmph as standard or more

“big John Deere 6920”
big? big?! pah ..

“60kph ‘boxes but there’s certain criteria for them (independent wheel suspension, air brakes and possibly abs”
Along with the independant wheel suspension I think having the steering wheel mechanically linked* to the steering wheels is a must too? JCB fastracs** and unimogs also have rearward opening doors (like most cars), though not sure if this is a requirement

*most tractors only have the power steering element of the typical steering setup on a car, ie no steering rack or other mechanical linking between steering wheel and wheels, which I think dictates the UK speed limit for most tractors displayed in most of the cabs. I should think (almost?) all the 40kmph and 50kmph tractors out there fall into the UK legal road speed limit

**At least the ‘original’ shape/layout fastrac (and mismatched wheel size one used on top gear). The ‘conventional’ layout ones have forward opening doors, though not sure if they are 40mph capable?