skent
Platinum Member
Wondered how many of you would like to see one. In the 1950's, my Uncle was sent to buy a corn planter and came home with a David Bradley. Everyone made fun of it, said it was a piece of junk, would never last, and he wasted his money. She's still going strong and does all my truck patch work every year. Third pull on the rope is a charm - every time.
He bought (sold by Sears) it with the working bar & cultivators, sickle bar mower, harrow, and a two row corn planter (sits on the working bar).
This sweetie weighs in at somewhere around 1400 lbs, liquid and weights in fronts and rear, when the working bar is loaded with 8 heart shovels and a ninth in the back, she never slows down. Power is from a Wisconsin 6HP engine, other than oil changes and new mufflers and spark plugs, has never (in 45 years) had any work done to it (not even breaker points). She was rolled (no one injured) in 59' (steering wheel slightly bent) while cultivating strawberry patch.
Transmission of power is thru a dry clutch and a variable pitch pulley to the forward/reverse gearbox. PTO pulley (for sickle bar) is housed under the offset seen directly under the BRADLEY (in photo). The tractor articulates in the center (in front of the seat) sort of like all wheel steering, and a small crank (by the steering wheel) will allow you to offset the rear wheel to the right or left to accomondate row spacing. The front tread can also be changed in less than 2 minutes to any spacing between 48" and 72".
I acquired her 10 years ago when the clutch started slipping (Sears no longer stocks parts) my Uncle wanted my help taking her to the scrapyard. I had a machine shop custom make the clutch disk and install new sleve bearings and seals. Some minor adjustments and off we went. Two fronts are orig. tires, rear (7:00 X 16) bar tread was replaced two years ago.
After this growing season I can dis-assemble - clean - and repaint her.
Hope to get a group shot of all the tractors out on a sunny day!
He bought (sold by Sears) it with the working bar & cultivators, sickle bar mower, harrow, and a two row corn planter (sits on the working bar).
This sweetie weighs in at somewhere around 1400 lbs, liquid and weights in fronts and rear, when the working bar is loaded with 8 heart shovels and a ninth in the back, she never slows down. Power is from a Wisconsin 6HP engine, other than oil changes and new mufflers and spark plugs, has never (in 45 years) had any work done to it (not even breaker points). She was rolled (no one injured) in 59' (steering wheel slightly bent) while cultivating strawberry patch.
Transmission of power is thru a dry clutch and a variable pitch pulley to the forward/reverse gearbox. PTO pulley (for sickle bar) is housed under the offset seen directly under the BRADLEY (in photo). The tractor articulates in the center (in front of the seat) sort of like all wheel steering, and a small crank (by the steering wheel) will allow you to offset the rear wheel to the right or left to accomondate row spacing. The front tread can also be changed in less than 2 minutes to any spacing between 48" and 72".
I acquired her 10 years ago when the clutch started slipping (Sears no longer stocks parts) my Uncle wanted my help taking her to the scrapyard. I had a machine shop custom make the clutch disk and install new sleve bearings and seals. Some minor adjustments and off we went. Two fronts are orig. tires, rear (7:00 X 16) bar tread was replaced two years ago.
After this growing season I can dis-assemble - clean - and repaint her.
Hope to get a group shot of all the tractors out on a sunny day!
