2 Wheel Tractors - Buying & Using

RalphVa · Jul 3, 2004

The instructor in my winter organic gardening class has a small 5 acre farm that he grows organic produce on for a living. His tractor is a 12 hp BCS. Has the same Kohler engine as is on my Gravely.

He has the rotovator and a furrowing plow.

An instructor at the Master Gardener college this year in a class on no-till gardening was saying a small gardener may want to till in his green cover crop using the BCS rotovator. For bigger farms, he has a gizmo almost like a dato blade that cuts through the green and makes a furrow in the dirt, for use on a bigger tractor.

My instructor's rotovator really churns up the soil. Looked to be almost like powder.

Don't believe the BCS has cart or sulky capability. Its wheel rims also appear to be very light weight the way they're attached to the hub. I like the grouping of the smaller controls on the handle. The Gravely is NOT that ergonomic and requires generally a long-armed, strong person to operate it. It is not for a woman. The BCS controls appear to be easier and more ergonomic.

Ralph

s1120 · Jul 3, 2004

( To20Chris:

Mine has no guage 

Must have been removed. There should be a fitting on the housing about mid way on the port side just below the hood that you can screw into. I would guess (based on other stuff I bought for mine) that it takes a standard guage with english threads (not metric). Should be a simple job. Probably get a guage at NAPA or similar.

JEH )

Most of the older L's did not have a guage. Seems they started becoming more common in the later years of production.[65-] Also if you have a real early L, you may be scared when you look at that guage. The early ones had much lower PSI. The way the manual tells to check for oil psi is wile running, remove the oil cap, and look for the stream of oil out of the bypass. If it's there you are fine.

BTW I have two L's One is my workhorse. It is a 6.6 LI [I is for intermeatate speed.ie a little slower then an L, there was also a LS. S being for slow speed] this LI is made up of parts from a lot of diferent tractors, so hard to pinpoint a year, looke to be mid 60's. I also have a 1944 L. This is a 5hp tractor. Not only does this one not come with a guage, it has no dip stick eather. Just a little petcock you open and fill till it drips out.

These things are TANKS, and don't let the low HP numbers turn you off, they are tourk MONSTERS!!!!!!. All I have at this time are 30" mowing decks. If you can get it under the deck it WILL chew it up.

Darren · Jul 3, 2004

ZJ, the engine cover on the 140 looks like the one on the picture of the 150. The last picture you posted looks like the grill has cutouts for lights. The only provision the 140 has is a receptacle on the battery cover to plug in a light connection. The plug was also furnished with the machine.

The picture of the TPS you posted gave me an idea. I've never seen a guard like that. The formed pipe running over the tires with the counterweights on the front is interesting. Running the 140 with the tiller would be simpler with some more weight on the front.

I'm glad the links helped you guys. Like the Gravely, there's also a backhoe attachment for the European walking tractors. The attachments I'd like to add are the rake and the 42" sickle bar. I may have access to a digital camera next week. I also have an L model Gravely with reduction wheels. If I can dig it out I may be able to do a side by side picture.

BTW ZJ, you are correct, the 140 has an axle symbol on the PTO shift. Now I'm wondering what ratio the axle would have to be to work with the 140.

It might be interesting to show some of the other European pieces of Ag equipment that aren't common in the US. Spaders are rarely seen here. Nor are the self loading hay wagons with the exception of some places in the West.

Libertine · Jul 3, 2004

Ralph:

Don't believe the BCS has cart or sulky capability. 

They do. Check DanielNY post above - he gives a url to a BCS dealer site. I've never personally used the BCS, but you're right. it certainly is better laid out. The Gravely was harder to manhandle.

JEH

Libertine · Jul 3, 2004

s1120:

Most of the older L's did not have a guage. 

Didn't know that. Mine was a 1966. Good way to check oil - open it and see it something comes out!!! My old Farmall had the same system - open valve, if it doesn't flow, fill it until it does. The 6.6 seemed to have more torque than the 7.6.

JEH

ZJ_HR · Jul 3, 2004

Darren,
According to instruction manual of TPS Super Special 140, ratio between wheels and synchro PTO is 1:4,1. That means that you need to find car differential with reduction 1:4,1 and use same wheels on tractor and trailor. Usually wheels here are 5.00-12", 6.50/80-12" or 5.00-15. If you use powered trailor, DON'T use wheel spreaders.
BTW, this bar with weights is called balancer, and was one of awarded innovations at EIMA ag fair in Italy, 3y ago.
If you need more info, send me a PM.

s1120 · Jul 3, 2004

(
Didn't know that. Mine was a 1966. Good way to check oil - open it and see it something comes out!!! My old Farmall had the same system - open valve, if it doesn't flow, fill it until it does. The 6.6 seemed to have more torque than the 7.6.

JEH )

I have not used a 7.6, but have heard that also. It makes more power, but only at the higher speeds.

Also all the L's have pretty much the same motor. Same bore, and stroke, interchangeable parts. The increse from 5 to 6.6 was mostly from changed cams. The 6.6 to 7.6 was a diferent head, and a "little" bit bigger carb. Seems mostly the HP diferents were pretty much marking though, an most people seem to like the 6.6 the best.

Darren · 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.

Do you know what brand name vehicles the folks salvaged to build a trailer? Were the axles shortened or left the original length. I'd rather have a lighter weight rear than a 300 lb truck axle. Besides it would be real interesting to get the right sized wheels.

I'm not using extenders on the 140 but I do have the wheels set in the widest position. What was the reason extenders are not to be used?

ZJ_HR · Jul 3, 2004

Hmmm, that can be a problem then.
Lot of older European cars (FIAT, Ford escort, Opel Kadett, LADA (Russian, yes)) had rear diff with 12/13" wheels. As most of that cars aren't available there, try to find rear axle of old Japaneese cars (Toyota Corola etc.). Don't know exact ratio, but personal cars are arond 1:4
You don't need exact ratio, and then you need to calculate rolling circumference of both wheels, and set the proper ratio. Differences about 5% are acceptable. If you can't match proper ratio, use 4x4 drive on grass, mud and slopes, when you really need it, and disconnect it when you don't need.
Some people here use this trailors for fast driving (up to 25 km/h) on asphalt road, by using ONLY rear drive, switching PTO speed to 500 or 900, and LEAVE tractor out of gear!!!!
Factory trace of car axle is mainly used (axle is not shortened), to gain more stability and easier follow tractor paths on ground.

It is not recommended (better to say forbidden) wheel extenders, because of safety. If you have wide front track kick-back force to handles can break your hands or just take it off from your control and roll over your wehicle.

To20Chris · Jul 3, 2004

I should try to figure out what year mine is. Anyone know the best way to tell? I have looked to see the stream of oil as the instructions say, but I got a face full of splatter before I could see much! I almost put the sickle bar on it today, but I ran out of time - maybe tomorrow. It really looks like it will work well.

On another note, I said before I thought the tiller was lame - has anyone had any luck getting it to work well? If so, any tips?