Do I need to register a homemade mini tractor?

Such an event as registering a mini tractor, snowmobile, other special equipment, and even more so a self-assembled auto-moto unit, often causes serious concerns among their owners, it seems complicated and fraught with troubles. Meanwhile, much more troubles, difficulties and even financial costs may arise if, while driving his mini tractor on a public road, the owner meets traffic police officers and is unable to present them with the necessary documents for his vehicle.

However, registration with Gostekhnadzor of almost any special equipment was invented not for protection from the traffic police, but to ensure its safe use. After all, the registration procedure includes a full technical inspection or verification of documents confirming it - for example, when the tractor is factory-made and new, this means that the manufacturer is responsible for its technical condition. In addition, Gostekhnadzor is obliged to monitor, in a monitoring mode, compliance with the necessary operating rules for special equipment (including access to certain types of work), the level of its maintenance and acceptable technical condition.

What equipment is subject to registration?

In Russia, almost any car or motorcycle is subject to mandatory registration with government agencies, but now we are not talking about cars that are registered by the state road safety inspection, but about special equipment, which often does not even require a license to drive. About that equipment - tractors, self-propelled road-building or agricultural machines and trailers for them, which is checked and registered by Gostekhnadzor. This includes the following types:

tractors (with the exception of walk-behind tractors, which are a special topic);
self-propelled road construction equipment - a wide variety of dump trucks, bulldozers, loaders, asphalt pavers, etc.;
self-propelled reclamation vehicles, which are designed for removing small forests and shrubs, uprooting stumps, equipping drainage systems, for irrigation and other work;
agricultural self-propelled machines - combines, mowers, pick-ups, etc.;
trailers and semi-trailers, as well as numbered units for such equipment.

Let us clarify that cars with an engine capacity exceeding 50 cubic meters are subject to mandatory state registration. see. True, the situation with the registration of walk-behind tractors is not very simple. On the one hand, according to the law, they are not subject to state registration, but on the other hand, when driving them on public roads, disagreements may arise with traffic police officers. Therefore, it is better for the owner of a walk-behind tractor, firstly, to have at least a category A license, which gives the right to drive a motorcycle. And secondly, drive a walk-behind tractor with a trailer “under your own power” only in the nearest fields and vegetable gardens, where roads are officially considered “technological passages” and are not under the jurisdiction of the traffic police. If you need to drive on a public road, it would be better to use a trailer to transport the walk-behind tractor.

The nuances of making a caterpillar tractor

Homemade tracked mini tractors are a technique whose main feature is high maneuverability and good cross-country ability. Also, a tractor on tracks creates minimal pressure on the soil, which cannot be said about its wheeled counterpart.

To make a mini tractor on caterpillar tracks, you will need the following structural elements.

Frame. It is made from a profile pipe or channel.
Engine. For a caterpillar mini tractor, it is better to use a diesel engine.
Main bridge. As in the manufacture of a wheeled tractor, for a tracked unit you can also use a ready-made axle from an old car, which should be shortened.
Transmission. The ideal option would be a box from GAZ-53.
Clutch. A clutch block from a GAZ-52 will do.
Caterpillars. They are made from tires from the wheels of large equipment, for example, from a tractor.

To make tracks, you need to take 2 tractor tires and cut off the side parts of them. These tires are then put on the wheels mounted on the frame, as shown in the following photo.

In order for the tractor to turn, a differential must be installed on the rear axle, which will disconnect the right or left wheel from the drive. Also, each wheel must be equipped with a brake that can be controlled separately. When you press the brake pedal and shift the differential, one wheel of the drive axle stops, while the opposite wheel continues to rotate. Due to this, the tractor turns in the desired direction.

How to register your equipment?

In fact, it is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

To register a mini tractor or other special equipment, you must follow a certain algorithm of actions.

In particular, you need:

Finding out where the nearest Gostekhnadzor branch is located is quite simple, since each regulatory body today necessarily has its own official website, where you can find not only its contacts and operating hours, but also other useful information.
Prepare the documents necessary for registration - despite the fact that different regions of Russia may have their own characteristics, there is a standard set of documentation for registering such equipment, as a rule, it is represented by a statement from the owner of the self-propelled vehicle, its technical passport, as well as documents confirming purchase and sale or transfer of ownership in any other way; In addition, the owner should take his passport with him.
Arrive at Gostekhnadzor, taking with you a registered self-propelled vehicle. The fact is that before registering the car must be subjected to technical inspection; how serious it is depends on whether it is home-made or factory-made, or on the degree of wear and tear of the used equipment.
Re-register the equipment after the registration period specified in the documents.

Making tractor wheels

Let's consider creating the wheelbase of a mini-tractor. You can install wheels removed from a passenger car on a homemade Perelomka tractor, but here you will need to take into account a number of factors. So, the wheels installed on the front axle should be approximately 14 inches in diameter. If you choose smaller wheels, there will be a high risk of the structure not working properly in the future: the tractor runs the risk of falling into the ground. However, you cannot go too far with the dimensions, otherwise the tractor driver will have to make enormous efforts to perform even the simplest maneuvers: the steering wheel will be very difficult to turn. However, this task can be simplified a little if the steering column is equipped with a hydraulic booster.

Please note that the tires on the tractor must be equipped with good lugs. This will make the mini tractor, created with your own hands, more maneuverable, reduce the load on the wheelbase and simplify work on it.

For greater maneuverability, a self-made mini-tractor called Framelka can be equipped with a hydraulically strengthened steering column. Hydraulics can be removed from any other agricultural equipment. To assemble such equipment, you will need an oil pump, which will be driven by an engine. This element creates the correct pressure in the hydraulic motor.

If you want to achieve maximum ease of operation, you can make a fracture all-wheel drive mini tractor yourself. All-wheel drive, even made with your own hands, allows you to achieve good maneuverability. Of course, all-wheel drive makes assembling all the components of the structure more difficult, since you will have to make a shaft with all the high-quality and correct connections.

If you are going to make a tractor with all-wheel drive, it is recommended to find a video review that will show and tell you in detail how and what needs to be done. Remember that assembling a mini-tractor will require extreme care.

A 4x4 fracture minitractor is constructed with your own hands using a variety of spare parts, most of which are borrowed from cars, but they are not the only ones that will be needed during work. For example, in order to make a rotating unit or a breaking unit, you need to acquire a welding machine, a drill, fasteners and tools for connecting parts. The fracture assembly for a mini tractor requires special attention when assembling and you may need to turn to professionals for at least advice.

A do-it-yourself tractor cannot be done without installing a driver's seat. As a rule, the control system, including the seat, is installed after the main part of the DIY work with the frame is completed. This technique often uses seats taken from passenger cars. This item can be easily purchased at any automotive store. Remember that the steering wheel must be placed at a comfortable height for the tractor driver. It should not be located too low above the knees, but you should not set it too high either: your arms can get tired quickly.

Russian cars are an excellent source of spare parts for the construction of agricultural machinery. If you have minimal skills and abilities, you can, without much effort, make a tractor that will differ little from factory products. This will allow you to save a significant part of the family budget or completely make the tractor for free if you already have all the necessary elements and do not need to buy anything.

You don’t have to make the entire design yourself; you can take a ready-made machine as a basis and remake it. For example, craftsmen often make a Perelomka mini-tractor from LuAZ: they borrow the transmission and brake system from it, and make the rest so that it is convenient to work with.

The mini tractor from LuAZ is popular primarily because these machines are extremely reliable in operation. The main thing when assembling a homemade product is to focus on the width of the wheelbase, since if you plan to plow hard soil, you will need wheels with a larger diameter than for normal work. As in the case of a completely homemade design, assembly should begin with a frame for which a steel pipe is used. The steering column comes from the machine on which you are making your tractor. The rear axle and engine can also be taken from LuAZ.

What can be the reason for refusal to register equipment?

When planning to register a mini tractor or other special equipment, you need to first review the relevant rules approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Russia so as not to make mistakes. The reasons for refusal of registration may be:

Non-compliance of the design of the registered vehicle with the norms, standards and requirements relating to safety for human life, their health, for property, for the environment and adopted by Russian legislative acts. In this regard, it is easiest to register factory-made equipment, which is initially equipped with all the necessary certificates and markings; if the machine is assembled independently, an examination will be required to confirm the safety of its operation.
Documents that are incorrectly formatted or contain corrections, additions filled in in pencil, etc.
Replacement of original documents required for registration with copies in cases where this is unacceptable.

What to make a frame from

Assembling a mini tractor always begins with making the frame. The frame of the mini tractor acts as a base on which all components and parts of this unit are fixed. The frame should be strong enough and at the same time not very heavy. It is usually made from a metal angle, a profile pipe or a channel. The parts are connected by welding. The frame can be solid or consist of two parts.

A solid frame is the easiest to make. It is enough to weld a rectangle from a channel or corner. Frame dimensions are calculated based on the dimensions of the engine, gearbox and other components.

Also among owners of personal plots, 4x4 mini tractors are very popular. These are all-wheel drive mini tractors with a breakable frame. The word “all-wheel drive” means that the unit has both drive axles, front and rear. An example of such a frame, made from channel No. 10, is shown in the following photo.

The frame fracture unit is most often made from the driveshaft of a car, for example, from a GAZ-52.

The main advantage of a homemade tractor with a breakable frame is the small turning radius of the unit. Thanks to its high maneuverability, the fracture minitractor is successfully used in small areas where turning a minitractor with a solid frame would be difficult.

Below are drawings of a frame connected by a hinge.

Documents for the operation of plant equipment

To mechanize work on a subsidiary or farm, the ability to drive a mini tractor is not enough. Regulations that require new equipment to be registered with the appropriate authorities must be followed. Two design options are possible.

When the purchased mini tractor will be used exclusively on the farmland of the farm without traveling beyond its borders, including travel on public roads.
When a mini tractor is planned for use in road clearing and other work involving the participation of the vehicle in road traffic.

In both cases, registration of the mini tractor with Gostekhnadzor is required. The entire arsenal of factory-produced self-propelled special equipment, in accordance with Russian regulations, is registered. The owner is given a document, which is a technical passport and a license plate. A properly registered mini tractor is subject to taxation.

Another important condition for the operation of mechanization equipment is regular technical inspection. The event is held at the place of registration of the owner of special equipment in the authorized bodies of Gostekhnadzor. As a result, a corresponding permit is issued.

The listed documents are sufficient for operating a mini tractor as part of agricultural work on a land or garden plot, provided that travel to

Manufacturing a three-point hitch

The hitch is used to connect additional equipment, such as a plow, to the tractor.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to sew a knitted hat with your own hands and patterns for it

The hitch must be movable both in the horizontal and vertical planes. In the first case, mobility helps to reduce the overhang of the nozzle when taxiing. Vertical movement of the suspension is required to lower the equipment into a working position or raise it into a transport position.

The hitch on a mini tractor is made from various parts removed from old agricultural machinery. It is quite difficult to describe how to make a three-point hitch at home. Therefore, it would be more correct to use the following video, which shows the dimensions of all parts of the device.

If you decide to make a mounted loader, then you can use T-25 and T-40 in tandem with this equipment. This option will be simpler compared to a front loader, which is true in matters of installation on a tractor and calculation of dimensions. At the first stage, you need to find or independently make a drawing, in which you should indicate the dimensions and proportions of the metal parts.

What rights are required to drive a mini tractor?

There is no clear answer to the question of whether you need a license for a mini tractor. It all depends on the conditions of its operation. In any case, when driving a mini tractor onto a public roadway, the driver must have a driving license of the appropriate category. If the owner of a mini tractor, while driving it, becomes a participant in traffic, he is obliged to know and follow the traffic rules. This regulatory document prescribes the availability of rights of a certain category depending on the engine power.

For controlling tracked or wheeled mini tractors with an engine power of up to 18.9 hp. (25.7 kW) category B license is required on public roads.
In a similar situation, it is allowed to drive a wheeled mini tractor with an engine power from 18.9 to 149.9 hp. (25.7-110.3 kW) if you have a license with category C.

To drive special equipment with higher engine output, the appropriate category D or E license is required.

The nuances of making a caterpillar tractor

To make a mini tractor on caterpillar tracks, you will need the following structural elements.

Frame. It is made from a profile pipe or channel.
Engine. For a caterpillar mini tractor, it is better to use a diesel engine.
Main bridge. As in the manufacture of a wheeled tractor, for a tracked unit you can also use a ready-made axle from an old car, which should be shortened.
Transmission. The ideal option would be a box from GAZ-53.
Clutch. A clutch block from a GAZ-52 will do.
Caterpillars. They are made from tires from the wheels of large equipment, for example, from a tractor.

To make tracks, you need to take 2 tractor tires and cut off the side parts of them. These tires are then put on the wheels mounted on the frame, as shown in the following photo.

Conditions for registering homemade mini tractors

Handicraft self-propelled vehicles also need to be registered with the Gostekhnadzor authorities. To carry out the procedure, an adult owner should contact the appropriate authority with a package of documents

application for registration of a converted and self-assembled mini tractor;
passport with registration at the place of residence (permanent or temporary registration mark);
originals and/or copies of sales receipts for purchased parts and technical components used in the assembly/modification of the tractor.

Based on these documents, service specialists will set a date for examination and technical inspection of the self-propelled vehicle: to what extent it complies with state technical and environmental standards. A compliance certificate is drawn up, which in turn is the basis for registering/rejecting a homemade tractor. If, during the examination, full compliance with the standards and suitability of the home-made mini tractor for operation is proven, then registration is carried out, and the owner is issued a technical passport and vehicle number. For a registered home-made unit, the owner can, by passing exams at the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, obtain a license of the appropriate category.

For you, we tried to describe what you need to do and where to go after purchasing a new mini tractor, so that unnecessary problems and annoying troubles do not arise when operating your new equipment.

Before you start studying the instructions and delving deeper into this entertaining process of registering mini tractors and tractors with Gostekhnadzor, we want to immediately give a little advice - register yourself, according to the law, without resorting to the help of various murky organizations for a fee!

The first thing you need to know.

Gostekhnadzor registers minitractors, tractors and self-propelled vehicles with an engine capacity of more than 50 cm³ and a maximum speed of less than 50 km/h. (If the maximum speed of the vehicle according to the passport is above 50 km/h, then you need to contact the traffic police)

Various tractor trailers are also subject to registration if a PSM is issued for them upon purchase. If there is no such document, then the trailer can be considered a cart, with which it is prohibited to appear on public roads.

Chassis and propulsion

This system in the homemade mini tractor under consideration almost completely replicates that of tractors produced by industry and differs from the automobile system in some important points. The main difference is the absence of a rear suspension, i.e., the drive axle is not attached to the frame on springs, but is rigidly fixed to it. This must be done if you plan to build not only the tractor itself, but also all the agricultural implements for it with which it is supposed to be used. Since attachments, such as a plow, harrow, tiller, mower and other devices attached to the rear of a homemade mini tractor, place a very heavy load on the rear axle and, if the latter has a rear suspension device, will quickly render it unusable. The front axle on a homemade tractor can also be installed without suspension, comfort will not decrease significantly. It is convenient to use forks of cardan joints of trucks (ZIL, KAMAZ, KrAZ) as turning axles, spare parts for which can be found in motor vehicles and at metal receiving yards. Two forks are welded to the beam, or directly to the frame, maintaining the alignment of the chassis, and two counter forks are welded to the steering knuckles of the donor car. The steering linkage along with the entire steering mechanism is also borrowed. The steering wheel comes from a donor car.

There is no point in using the brake system (disc brakes) in its “automotive form” on a tractor made by hand, because wrong speeds. Only the parking brake is enough. However, the mechanism is driven not from a lever, but from a pedal with a fixed pressed position. Then the homemade product can be slowed down in motion and fixed in the parking lot. It is best to use wheels from agricultural machines, because... they have the required tread, but it is quite possible to adapt tires from SUVs or light trucks by cutting them into the desired tread pattern (better - herringbone, for self-cleaning). Tire pressure is determined empirically to find the optimal combination of comfort and performance.