rankrank1
Platinum Member
- Joined
- May 23, 2007
- Messages
- 749
- Location
- SW OH - near Dayton, OH
- Tractor
- 1978 Kubota L285, 1951 Farmall h, 1946 Farmall m, 1950 John Deere A, 1953 Ford NAA Golden Jubilee, 195? Ford 850, 1948 Case DC, 1948 Case SC
Well I've found a bunch of topics for the older tractors but the problem is I know they changed how they rated the hp on newer tractors. I couldn't find any topics where a newer(>70's) 30hp tractor was running a baler.
I guess I really just have to try it out. Worst case scenario, I'll have to buy a bigger tractor. Hopefully not.
Yes the ratings did change around 1959 or so when belt testing was eliminated in favor of PTO shaft testing. It does make the comparison's slightly different but not drastic. Loosely translated, a tractor that tested at a given number pre 1959 belt hp would test out a hp or two higher on a PTO shaft test since belt inefficiency and slippage are eliminated.
My Kubota is a 1978 model. The topics are out there in regards to newer small hp tractors baling, but they will all be using old balers because as already mentioned in my previous post newer balers from the mainstream manufacturers require more hp to their increased capacity. New Mini-balers spcifically designed for mini-tractors are too expensive for a hobby operation.
You will not have to buy a different tractor if you carefully choose the proper sized baler to put behind it. Think of it as towing a trailer with a 1/2 ton pick-up with a V6 engine as compared to a 1 ton pick-up with a turbo diesel. Either truck will succesfully pull a trailer as long as the trailer is properly sized to the truck.