2 Wheel Tractors - Buying & Using

s1120 · Jul 3, 2004

( The only axles I'm familar with that have a 4.10 are the heavier truck axles. Those usually come with 16, 16.5 or 17" eight bolt wheels. Off hand I'm not familar with any cars that might have one. I'm sure they must be out there. With the move to front drive cars, lighter rear axles with differentials aren't as common as they once were.

)

A lot of the 70's Japanise cars and pickup had pretty steep gears. I bet you could find a 4:11. Also my 86 4cyl Jeep Cherokee had 4:11's also. There out there, just have to dig. Tip look for small engine, and a heaver car truck.

Darren · Jul 3, 2004

It's odd how coincidences happen. Usually I wouldn't pay attention to a 70's era Datsun sitting behind someones house. Today while visiting friends I saw one. On top of that another friend will be removing about 700 cars from a junkyard that was closed long ago.

Maybe I should have bought a lottery ticket today. I think there's an excellent chance of finding an axle. I'm wondering how hard it would be cobble together a setup to use the hydraulic brakes on the rear axle? Maybe mount a vacuum pump on the front of the tiller to run a booster off a Ford 6.9/7.3 diesel truck. Power brakes!

Lately the state legislature has had a hissy fit over folks driving ATVs on the road. I wonder what the police would say if they caught me riding my tiller down the road going 15 mph? I guess as long as I have an SMV placard on the back it might molify them somewhat. The way some drive around here, running it on the road might be a bad idea. I doubt I'd come off well against a log truck.

Libertine · Jul 4, 2004

To20Chris:

I should try to figure out what year mine is 

Get your serial number and check on this site - they have (or used to) serial numbers used for each year.

Gravely Site 

JEH

To20Chris · Jul 4, 2004

Thanks! Mine is a 1961 6.6LI.

Darren · Jul 5, 2004

Dave,

I had talked to the folks at BCS before I bought the Goldoni. At that time they didn't offer a diesel option. They were working on it, but the EPA was involved somehow. Any idea which diesels BCS offers now? They were considering a Yanmar.

neilly2 · Jul 5, 2004

ZJHR

Is it me or are the wheels on that machine backwards?

Normally the V goes in the direction of travel. Or is there a use for this in reverse that made you switch the wheels?

Just curious.

neilly2 · Jul 5, 2004

Of course,

Until I saw you're picture I was wondering how people balanced on a two wheel tractor.

Darren · Jul 5, 2004

Some reverse the V direction to help resist the tiller surging forward when the tines hit something that doesn't want to move. I swear there's been times when I've tied into something and the tiller has seemed to leap clear off the ground.

ZJ_HR · Jul 5, 2004

These machines are ptographed at ag fair, not in field, so wheels are in forward direction (from pto towards engine). Handles are turnable, so machine can work in both directions, as you can see on my first posts. BTW, my machine with yellow sickle and tiller is not Goldoni, just hood from Goldoni /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
For tilling is better to have wheels reversed, because of better "braking" if tiller hit something and tractor jump forward, as Darren mentioned,
and tractor wheels "sink" less in loose soil. But this is not so important. When I till with tires, I have it in normal direction, and when mow, it's easier to just reverse handles, than remove 8 nuts from wheels /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

ZJ_HR · Jul 5, 2004

Goldoni Super Special 140D, as Darren's, is well balanced with tiller at full width (80 cm - 32"), so balancer is not necessary.
I need it for my 2-wh tractor, as engine is too light.
Maybe is easier to put heavier and more torqui diesel engine /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif