I have one for ya'll

   / I have one for ya'll #1  

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I have one for ya\'ll

We have a massey-ferguson 231S. We use it in our orange grove, bought it brand new in 2001. It constantly gets stuck. We have a lot of sand here and the ground I don't think is ever completely dry, but the tractor has been buried to the frame on more than one occasion. Is it the tires? The type of tractor? Operator error? This usually happens when discing between the rows.

Another thing. I'm new at this whole tractor driving business. When I take off in first gear backward it goes like a bat out of hel*. From dead stop to forty miles an hour it feels like. Not that way in forward. Why is that?
 
   / I have one for ya'll #2  
Re: I have one for ya\'ll

The reverse speed is probably a Massey Ferguson thing. My dad has a Massey 1020, which has a three speed main transmission with a pair of two speed range boxes. This gives twelve froward speeds and four in reverse. On that tractor reverse gear is the same speed as third gear forward. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif In order to go slowly in reverse you have to change to a lower range. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
   / I have one for ya'll #3  
Re: I have one for ya\'ll

Is your Massy 4wd? I have seen many 2wd's stuck in muddy fields around here. What type of tires do you have(Ag, R4, turf)?
 
   / I have one for ya'll #4  
Re: I have one for ya\'ll

I have a little lawn tractor that is the same way. 3sp forward, one reverse. Reverse is geared the same as 3rd. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif It is very easy to get into trouble fast, especially inexperienced operators, like me, or young adults.

Does your tractor have a low range? If so, switch to low range before shifting into reverse.

Not to go into the hydro-vs-gear tranny wars, er, discussions, however, that's another reason I went with a hydro transmission. Infinitely variable speed in either direction. Seems more versatile, to me at least.
 
   / I have one for ya'll
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Re: I have one for ya\'ll

Okay, now you made me think, it has high and low and then the speed/direction gear shift. When I say first, I mean low. If it's in low and in reverse, it will snap your neck if you're not ready for it. I don't know what you call the tires, don't laugh, okay, they have 'waves' in them. Probably if I had to make a guess I would say ag. I don not know if it's 4-wheel drive. It just has those little bitty tires on the front.
 
   / I have one for ya'll #6  
Re: I have one for ya\'ll

If it's 4WD, it should have a shifting lever somewhere to shift from 2WD to 4WD and back. And do those little bitty front tires have the same tread design as the rear tires or not.
 
   / I have one for ya'll #7  
Re: I have one for ya\'ll

The tractor is definately a 2wd ,Mfd was/is not an option on the 231/231S tractors.

Many manufacturers build reverse gears at higher speeds than the 1st gear in the tranny. Mainly because they do not offer as many speeds in reverse as in forward.

What kind of tires are your neighbors using? Might be a flotation problem in the sand,then again you might need mfd to cure it. Are your neighbors runing mfd tractors for these same jobs? The 231S might be to heavy for its power in this situation. Or you might have too big of an implement on it for sticky situations.
 
   / I have one for ya'll #8  
Re: I have one for ya\'ll

If somebody can post pictures of ag, turf and construction tires, Cindi can tell us what kind of tires she has.

I don't have any pictures of tires, so I can't. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Knowing my old buddy, Johnny Miller, I'll bet he'll find pictures!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
   / I have one for ya'll #9  
Re: I have one for ya\'ll

I just visited florida and one thing I noticed was all the skid steers I saw on construction sites had the tracks, not just wheels. Tells me something about local conditions, sandy soils etc. If you in fact have a two wheel drive your best option would be to increase the "footprint" of the tire so it doesn't sink down so much. Only way I know to do that is get a set of oversize turf tires. They're designed for golf courses so they don't trample the grass/fairways. Course you also don't have the same pulling power as you will with Ags (the tread pattern you usually associate with farm tractors, big bars at an angle to each other). Sounds like a 4wd may be your best option.
 
   / I have one for ya'll #10  
Re: I have one for ya\'ll

I had a 231S and I am pretty familiar with your tractor. As Woodbeef said it only comes with 2wd and the "extreme" differences in the high and low reverse speeds probably is the result of Massey trying to cover all your needs with only two speeds. If you need to go slow with a lot of pulling power, put it in low reverse, if you need to go fast without the power, put it in high reverse. If you need something in the middle, oh well.

As far as the tractor being prone to getting stuck, I never had that problem. Of course I wasn't using mine in deep sand as I suspect you are. A 4wd would be a definite advantage. Also, I have never seen anything but Ag tires on a 231S, not to say that yours has them for sure.

Good luck with your farming operation.

TBone
 
 
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