Aluminum really inferior for tractors???

[_RaT_]

I don't know about someone just wakeing up but heat transfer became a major issue with the proliferation of the HST in all sizes of tractors
And if you want to dissapate heat, cast aluminum does a much better job than cast iron.....

Soil compaction comes to mind as a negative of useing too heavy of a tractor. Especially for those of us with a high clay content which requires several passes to break the sod up.

It's much easier to add weight when needed than to have a machine thats too heavy to perform the task at hand as most of us have to multi task our machines.

Volfandt

The aluminum may do a better job, but the radiator or hydraulic oil cooler does an even better job. Problem solved.

 

[Volfandt]

The aluminum may do a better job, but the radiator or hydraulic oil cooler does an even better job. Problem solved.

I guess that explains why there are so many cast iron HST's, automatic transmissions and power steering components

Not to mention that those radiators and oil coolers are predominately made of what, aluminum.....

 

[Toolguy]

I took a ride to my Kubota dealer today to see for myself what if any difference there is between the components of a B3030 and a B7800. They didn't have a B7800 on the lot but they did have a used B2910. There is a big difference in the design of the rear end and axle housings. The B2910 is cast iron, as Henro says. Actually, the B3030 seems to be a totally redesigned tractor rather than just an update. The aluminum axle housings on the B3030 appear to be a little larger with more gussets. I would think that is to make up for the difference in strength between the aluminum and cast iron. The funny thing is, even though the B3030 has a lot of aluminum, according to Kubota specs it weighs about a hundred pounds more than a B7800. That is without a clutch, as well. The question then becomes why, if not to save weight, did Kubota choose to use aluminum in the design of the B2630/B3030???