At this time of year lights on a tractor become more important whether you are driving on the road or just driving on your farm, it’s a real safety issue.
Lights on a tractor can be grouped into two different categories.
Similar to a car, a tractor has a set of driving lights, but it also has a set of work lights which add extra visibility on those dark nights and mornings.
Maintaining your Tractor’s Driving Lights
A tractor’s driving lights need to be kept in good working order and sometimes they can be the least looked after.
If a tractor has a front loader, the two front head lights usually take a few bangs and can end up out of focus.
If these lights are knocked out of focus they can end up blinding other road users or provide very poor visibility for the driver, so it is worth taking the time to ensure they are in focus.
The bottom screws on the two front head lights can be used to adjust the focus, while similar screws will be found on other lights.
Screws which can be used to adjust focus on lights
Over time some lights will age and the quality of light will deteriorate due to the components failing.
If the foil in the back of a light has gone, the brightness of this light would be very poor.
In a case like this it is advisable to change the light, while the seals on this light are also failing which is allowing moisture in.
The foil in the back of this light has gone
Meanwhile, tail lights also need to be in good condition as a car can come up behind a tractor very quickly. Therefore, tail lights need to be as clear as they can be.
If a tractor’s rear light is cracked, it will allow water in which will rust the contacts of the light bulbs, causing them to fail.
A cracked tail light on a tractor
It only takes a few minutes for a driver to turn on the lights, have a quick walk around the vehicle and check whether or not all the lights are working.
It is important to keep a routine similar to this and to replace or repair any problems that arise to ensure that your tractor is roadworthy.
A Tractor’s Work Lights
It is also important to pay special attention and care to a tractor’s work lights. Usually when a work light stops working it is usually the bulb that’s gone.
But some work lights are not as well sealed as driving lights, this can lead to moisture getting which will cause rust to occur.
A work light which has water trapped in it
If caught in time, a work light which has water trapped in it can be taken apart and cleaned, meaning the lifespan of the light will be prolonged as long as it is resealed properly.
Work lights are a great addition to a tractor on a farm, but on a road they can be blinding to oncoming traffic.
By Stephen McEvoy, Mechanic at WR Shaw
