Getting Hitched the Right Way

Safety and efficiency for the operator are priority when it comes to the design of modern tractors and implements today.

Quick attach Couplings

Quick- attach couplings and A frames have greatly helped operators to get implements attached to tractors in a safer manner. Safer practices will help to prevent injury or worse.

Driving

Driving a tractor with a heavy implement behind presents a number of challenges, both in the field and on the road. The most notable difference is the shifting of the distribution of weight on the tractor’s axles.

The front axle of the tractor will have less downward force and feel lighter to steer. Driving at high speed on bumpy fields will exaggerate this further, leaving little or no steering control in the tractor.

Front-mounted implements act as a good counterweight. The amount of stability required is dependent on the tractor size relative to the implement. Apart from the weight of the implement, when working on slopes the weight is shifting from wheel to wheel or from front to back. This can make the tractor unstable and cause a possible jackknife or the tractor to overturn. The best advice is use a tractor that is suited to the machine attached.

Size of Machine

The size of mounted machines has vastly increased over the last number of years. The lift capacity can be as high as 9 tonnes on the rear linkage arms of a medium-sized tractor. This affords operators greater potential to use wider, faster implements to get through work more efficiently.

The mounting of these machines is closer to the tractor itself for better weight balance distribution. This reduces space for the operator when attaching the plough, fertiliser spreader or sprayer. As a result, this makes it difficult to attach Power Take-Off shafts or carry out adjustments on the toplink.

P.T.O. Safety

As the machine is closer to the tractor, there is a great danger of becoming trapped between the machine and the tractor. A tractor parked on a hill with a faulty brake may roll backwards when attaching, or the lift arms may be accidentally raised by another person in the cab. These are two scenarios that are not completely unimaginable on any family farm. The results of either scenario can be devastating. Therefore we need to avoid this.