How Do You Transport a John Deere?

If you have a farm, live in the countryside, or own an agricultural enterprise, you probably have worked with a tractor. They are integral to helping with hard work in the field and making your life easier.

However, for that same reason, you probably know these machines are big and heavy, and not just anyone can move them from one place to another. If you bought one at a dealership close to you, that's not so hard to transport, but what if you decide to get something from far away, or if your choice of product - like a John Deere tractor - isn't available in your area? How do you transport that kind of machine?

This is precisely what we're exploring here, so get ready to know about transporting a John Deere.

What is a John Deere?

John Deere & Company is the largest agricultural equipment company in the world; they control over 25% of the market share, which is not a small number. They originated in the USA and started their work in 1837 with a simple plow. Nowadays, they produce several tractors and other equipment used in agriculture. They sell up to two-thirds of all tractors bought in the US, so there's a chance you might have heard about them.

Their machines range from small, compact utility tractors of modest sizes for farms to row-crop tractors for large-scale operations, and all of them come in that green and yellow color scheme.

An example of a compact tractor would be a John Deere 1023E, measuring a length of 7 ft 3 in, a width of 3 ft 5 in, and a height of 6 ft 5 in, weighing around 1444 lbs. At the same time, a large-scale tractor would be the John Deere 9570RX, measuring a length of 25 ft, a width of 9 ft 9 in, a height of 12 ft 2 in, and a massive 59000 lbs.

As you can see, the range of machines is enormous. If you plan on buying or moving the ones you already have, you must consider how to transport them in and out of your property.

How to Transport

The first thing you need to understand is that in the United States, each state has its own set of regulations and laws regarding the transportation of farm vehicles, so you might want to check out your state department for a detailed guide on how to transport tractors.

But as a general rule, you need to be aware of some things.

Some of the safe highway procedures when hauling this kind of machinery include:

• haul tractors and other implements on a flatbed
• follow laws for height and width according to state regulations
• when tractors are transported on another vehicle, it's necessary to have your slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign
• Use the transport vehicle's flags, lights, and reflectors to warn other drivers, following state regulations and good driving practices.

If it is a short distance, transporting your tractor on a highway is appropriate. Still, for the safety of everyone on the road and the protection of your product, it's necessary to keep these safety provisions in place. Another thing to remember is to operate machines only in good condition, use safety implements that were tested beforehand, and not use makeshift hitch pins to keep your machine secure on the transport vehicle.

Types of trailers

As mentioned above, it's a good idea to transport your tractor on a flatbed trailer, but there are other options besides that one. Let's take a look at them:

Flatbed trailers

These trailers have a flat surface where the tractor, or any other machine, is driven and loaded. A steel frame strongly supports this platform. They can come in various lengths, from 20 ft up to 53 ft, in general, offering the chance to ship tractors of different sizes.

Flatbeds are an excellent option if you use loading docks, forklifts, and cranes to load your tractor, especially if they are low in horsepower.

Step-deck Trailers

These are another type of flatbed trailer equipped with two deck levels. One is shorter but high, located in the front, and the main deck is much lower, near the ground level. This main deck is perfect for taller loads, machines with good height, or other farm equipment.

RGN Trailers

The name is short for Removable Gooseneck Trailers, semi-trailers with two drops. The front can be detached, allowing the middle of the trailer to go low to the ground and create a ramp so you can quickly load your farm tractor up the ramp. These trailers are great for larger tractors weighing 18 to 66 tons. The giant trailers have up to 20 axles to transport oversized cargo.

Intermodal Shipping Container

This option is for people who want to protect their tractors from the environment during transport, like intense sunshine or hailstorms. These containers come in various sizes, from 20 ft up to 53 ft. They arrive in higher cube versions, adding another foot to the overall height, making it possible to ship taller tractors.

Some other models include top or side containers that help load and offload tractors of additional equipment. You will need cranes and forklifts to load your tractors safely.

Paying Attention to Safety

It has been mentioned already, but when transporting such a large load as an agricultural machine, it is necessary to remember a series of safety procedures that will help any driver transporting this kind of cargo successfully complete the journey.

Before getting on the road, it's necessary to secure the machine on your transporting vehicle with appropriate safety equipment, ensure all warning flashers, lights, SMV emblems, and speed identification symbols are in proper condition and visible, and check your transporting vehicle before the trip.

Loading is also a critical moment. Finding a hauling expert to perform a risk assessment is crucial to guarantee a safe operation. Ensuring that the loading and hauling team wears PPE (Personal Preventive Equipment) is also pretty important, as well as inspecting the trailer's ability to ship heavy cargo.

Secure the wheels with tire chock to keep the tractor from moving forward and backward while in transit. Once the machine is positioned and attached, engage the parking brake for safety.

During the journey, you must watch out for potholes or obstacles that could tip the tractor, be alert to avoid incidents, constantly look for pedestrians, animals, and road obstacles, and hold a slow and steady speed to maintain your safety and those around you.

Generally, mapping the most linear route in advance and complying with legal requirements for farm equipment hauling is the best idea. Not to mention using the services of a respectable company and experienced drivers.

Regulatory Bodies

As explained above, every state has its legislation regarding transporting these machines. However, since they are all under the US Department of Agriculture, you might find some vital information for the operation on their site.

All these rules and regulations are put in place so everyone is guaranteed safety during any operation involving heavy machinery, like agriculture equipment and tractors. But you can also contact a good shipping company that will help you during the transport, as they have experience dealing with these regulations.

Your Part

If you get a company to ship for you, prepping the agricultural machinery might be your only responsibility.

If your machine is new, there's a chance you won't need to worry about some things, but if it's a used tractor, it is necessary to clean off any debris or dirt before the transport. It is also a good idea to take photographs of the current conditions of your tractor or equipment as a safety precaution.

Releasing fluids and disconnecting the battery is also necessary in some cases, as well as removing and securing any loose parts.

Before the move, it is a good idea to contact your insurance company to see if your machine is still covered under their policy during transport; all agricultural equipment and tractor transport services must carry a minimum amount of insurance protection by law.

To finish, make sure that your transporting company has all the documentation you may need to provide, and then make certain that there's plenty of room for your machinery to get picked up or unloaded on your property.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, most of your questions have been answered here, and if you're wondering about moving your John Deere across the country or to a place closer to you, now you have a clear idea of your options.

But if you still have some questions and are looking for a company to give you all you want in shipping services, you should come to A1 Auto Transport. You can get a free shipping quote and dedicated help if you need to transport heavy equipment.