# recently purchased a MF tractor so I'm looking for lighting suggestions



## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

Hi,

I've been talkin' with George via email and after about a dozen emails back and forth, he suggested I start a thread on the tractor. So here I am tymusic


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## cfdeng7 (Jan 7, 2009)

if it was my tractor i think id run an interior light in the front and rear windsheild ( like a dual avenger or slim lighter) and then a surface mounted led on the loader arms and on the rear fenders facing sideways. and just for alittle extra id throw a becon on the roof


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

A few more pics. I'll be using a 72" wide front mount snowblower. Also have a 3pt hitch rear blade if necessary. The canopy roof is a plastic. I had the dealer urethane a steel plate to the top and run a two wire lead up to the roof outside. My first thought was a minibar LED that I could swap between the tractor and mu Silverado. Now I'm thinking I should maybe just put hideaways in the worklights and use the hideaways in the day. I don't think they would operate correctly if the work lights are on during the night. As well, run hideaways in teh amber signal housing. The red lens on the fenders were functional but MF decided to put the brake lights up with the signals. So the lens are there and holes are in place to fit the standard pigtails. Currently rubber plugs are in place.

So I'm open for suggestions. I'm not looking to create a new version of 'Close Encounters on the Third Kind". Just something that is functional and not too distracting.


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

cfdeng7;841148 said:


> if it was my tractor i think id run an interior light in the front and rear windsheild ( like a dual avenger or slim lighter) and then a surface mounted led on the loader arms and on the rear fenders facing sideways. and just for alittle extra id throw a becon on the roof


Interior light might work but I would be concerned about 'flashback' if that's a proper word to address the concern. Besides, the front windshield has 4 directional vents at the top (see pic) so anything mounted up there would impede the air flow to the windshield.

The loader arms will not be on the machine when the snowblower is mounted.The blower has its own sub frame and requires the loader to be off. As for fender moutning, there's not a whole lot of room to do that because the doors are all glass and swing wide. Where you see the 'slow moving' sign, there are three square holes on each fender. The sign's mount takes up two on that side. (see pic). I'm not objecting to drill holes, just gotta be careful.

My thoughts on the roof mount lighting has sort of steered me away from the minibar LED. I think for a roof top at that height, a mini bar might not be seen as well. You know what I mean?


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

here is the rear window and another inside shot of the front window. On the front window, there is a ledge that a slimline sort of light could hang from but again the concern would be flashback and if it would get in my way to see things ahead of me. I don't know what slimlines you were speaking of. I'm very new to strobes and lights, as George can attest.


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

another pic of the interior front windshield (right corner).


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## cfdeng7 (Jan 7, 2009)

http://www.whelen.com/_AUTOMOTIVE/details_prod.php?head_id=8&cat_id=64&prod_id=295

here are the slim lighters. as u can see they have suction cups that mount directly to the windsheild and my buddy has them and they dont flashback at all.

and here are tir3 lightheads they are small and can be surface mounted but pack a big punch u can put these just about anywhere, maybe surface mounted to the roof facing sideways? just a thought

http://www.whelen.com/_AUTOMOTIVE/details_prod.php?head_id=12&cat_id=74&prod_id=145

the pic even has it surface mounted on the sid of a truck


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## cfdeng7 (Jan 7, 2009)

http://www.whelen.com/_AUTOMOTIVE/details_prod.php?head_id=12&cat_id=74&prod_id=114
or maybe just mount one of these on each of the mirror supports. check out the pics


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## EGLC (Nov 8, 2007)

Buy 6 LIN6s & a stobe kit

2x - front next to lights on cab
2x - rear next to lights on cab
2x loader arms
4x strobes in the turn signals on cab (2 each side)

360 degree coverage, but not too many lights and keeps a "low profile".


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

I think what I have to do is show a picture of the tractor with the blower on it, so you get to see what it actually will look like (no loader). Thanks for the suggestions.


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## Dissociative (Feb 28, 2007)

i say t3's all around the canopy on the outside.....2 forward...2 rear....1 each side...

then we can add a set to the blower pretty easy on the side facing edges....

and add some hidden lights in the lens if you want......but once you light up the canopy i think your set..
any hide a ways IMO should be LED to match and last forever.....most i woudl do is 4..

i am pretty sure the t3's can be had around 45 a piece...



WHERE'S JD DAVE ON THIS....ain't that a beautiful machine??


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

I agree, 2 front, 2 rear, 1 each side for the canopy. Nohting on top of the canopy. Should the T3's be ambers? I say yes. Unless each of the T3's can display white and amber.



> and add some hidden lights in the lens if you want


By that do you mean the amber lens (park/signal lens)? If so, they are double sided so I would think only one hideaway required per housing.

I'm going to go out now and take a few more pics.


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## Dissociative (Feb 28, 2007)

we can order up t4's that flash 2x2 in white/.amber......but IMO all amber....it's chaper and works great. 

yeah...dbl lens only needs one hidden tube...for the red rears or the turn signals?
the top signals are too close to the canopy to need a hidden led.


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

Dissociative;841763 said:


> we can order up t4's that flash 2x2 in white/.amber......but IMO all amber....it's cheaper and works great.


Depends on your definition of cheaper. 



> yeah...dbl lens only needs one hidden tube...for the red rears or the turn signals?


Only the amber signals at the top corners of the canopy are double sided. The red (brakes) only shine to the rear. I'm almost certain hideaways can't be put in the reds.

Some pics..and more to follow.


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## Dissociative (Feb 28, 2007)

put a set in the outer lens on the red ones and use the factory hole with sealant....i bet it's almost 1" already. IMO


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

*pics of lights up near canopy*

some pics, more to follow. You'll see the plug that the dealer wired in. I'm pretty sure it is wired with the park lights. Initially I was going to put a minibar on the roof so that's why they ran the wire. George, notice the two prong plug. I had told you it was only two wires but the two is from the mate.


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

*more pics of the MF1643*

last set of pictures


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

Dissociative;841779 said:


> put a set in the outer lens on the red ones and use the factory hole with sealant....i bet it's almost 1" already. IMO


By 1", do you mean the hole for the pigtail?


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## Dissociative (Feb 28, 2007)

nice plug...not bad..

IMO don't touch the upper lights or those nice work lights or your asking for headache....those are not easy to work with like a car lens or the lower ones


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## Dissociative (Feb 28, 2007)

yes....hidden led holes are 1" round

we can also rig the head lights so the lows stay on when high beams are activated....gives you lots more light..


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## woodchuckcanuck (Sep 15, 2009)

Dissociative;841793 said:


> yes....hidden led holes are 1" round
> 
> we can also rig the head lights so the lows stay on when high beams are activated....gives you lots more light..


I think I'll leave the headlights alone. With the work lights on I can see a lot, and that's with no reflective snow on the ground, so I can imagine with snow down it would be even brighter. I confirmed the size of the holes in those red lenses, they are 1".


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