Compact Tractors are Designed All Wrong

[Creamer]

Or ...... have “very well behaved” snow that does not fall on your roads??

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Are you claiming you can train snowflakes?

 

[lostcreekranch]

Are you claiming you can train snowflakes?

I see what you did there.

Some little “snowflakes” are untrainable. They just need to go to their “safe spaces”.

My roads ....... are not safe spaces for any snowflakes.

 

[Creamer]

I see what you did there.

Some little “snowflakes” are untrainable. They just need to go to their “safe spaces”.

My roads ....... are not safe spaces for any snowflakes.

Thanks! I appreciate that!

 

[Xfaxman]

Tractor loaders are definitely on the wrong end? What is your reasoning for that? I can not imagine wanting it on the back even if I had a swivel seat.

Ken

The straight axel should be under the loader. Much stronger that way. The non pivoting axel should be under the loader. Much more stable that way. The engine should be at the opposite end as the loader. It would serve as ballast and not block your vision that way. Really you couldn稚 do much worse. Look at a machine that痴 designed better such as a skid steer, wheel loader, or forklift.

Right. That is why I put a loader on this machine:

 

[bcp]

Other DIY builders do it right, too.

Bruce

 

[Xfaxman]

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Hydraulics drive attachment are expensive. Forward facing mowers are better unless it痴 a big one. 15 foot bat wings aren稚 a very good candidate to be pushed. Tractor loaders are definitely on the wrong end. And if you haven稚 figured it out Americans like doing a lot of things like grandpa. Even if it痴 wrong or not the most efficient way. Foreign equipment is much more intuitive than ours.

Big mowers can be pushed, but the ones I've seen are on commercial single purpose machines:

 

[4570Man]

Those are golf course mowers. I’ve never seen a batwing rough cut push mower.

 

[Creamer]

Those are golf course mowers. I’ve never seen a batwing rough cut push mower.

Why not? Is it because that is the hitch? Modern hay machines mount on the front and rear of tractors.

 

[Xfaxman]

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Modern hay machines mount on the front and rear of tractors.

Yep, a lot of hay mower pictures here: front mount hay mower - Google Search

 

[MultiMow]

Some are better than others. The ones with pinned sway bars and telescoping end links are pretty easy to hook up. The ones with turn buckles and fixed position ends suck pretty bad to hook up. And you could get a quick hitch if you’re still not satisfied. Regardless of how bad it does or doesn’t suck I’d hate to give up that pool of implements. And SSQA isn’t a good replacement either. It’s not made to take much abuse while being pulled. That puts nearly all the force on the small pins at the bottom.

I couldn't disagree more. SSQA has been reliably used on skid steers with well over 50hp in highly abusive applications for 9,000hrs+. If it can stand up to a non-articulating wheeled chassis (skid steer = bumpy as ****) with a forestry mulcher and a power rake... it can easily withstand the abuses of sub-30hp subcompact tractors.

 

[MultiMow]

The blue tractor in MossRoad's post above is a Ford New Holland 9030 "Bi-Directional" tractor. Pretty sweet setup, but it appears New Holland ended production of Bi-Di's around 2015.

I found a youtube vid of one being used for snow removal. 3pt Snow blower right below the operator, and a drag blade on the other end make fast work of things! Man, what a sweet setup!

Even without the Bi-Di capability, I still think that most CUT's would be better off with similar sized tires all around, even if the rears were slightly smaller. The trouble is that larger tires on the front limit turning radius unless you do an articulated design. Articulated designs are a bit more expensive, and take some getting used to, but Power Trac operators seem to get the hang of it quickly and it is more maneuverable in tight quarters once you learn to run it.

Perhaps someone will come out with something one of these days that's a little less traditional, but if they do, it'll probably end up a niche product, kinda like the Power Trac.

Check out the Antonio Cararro TTR subcompact. The turning radius isn't as quite as good as "big/little" combos... but it's definitely capable of reasonably tight turns... especially when used in the reverse position as a rear steer (it's a bidirectional tractor with reversible seat/console/steering).

You can buy a Kubota L series with roughly the same horsepower for less money and a tighter turning radius... but by the time you add in all the options that come standard on the AC, it costs more (and still isn't bidirectional).

$26k gets you a TTR ll with all the standard hydraulics you'll likely ever need (front and rear), and bidirectional capability. To get anything else with that kind of capability here in the states... you're looking at a 96hp New Holland that is FAR from the subcompact range, size, or price.

 

[MultiMow]

There IS an articulated tractor for sale here. Cannot recall the name of them without looking them up. One of the dealerships here in Charlottesville had them on sale.

Ralph

There are a number of small articulated tractors available here in the states... Ventrac, Avant, MultiOne, JCB, Goldini, Ferrari... take your pick. Even New Holland made one.

 

[MultiMow]

Those are golf course mowers. I’ve never seen a batwing rough cut push mower.

That 455D you see above... with the 10.5ft front mount? That machine has 55hp, can out turn any conventional tractor going forward, has 4wd, and I've seen them adapted to 8ft wide flail mowers mowing 10ft tall vegetation without breaking a sweat.

Trust me... they can do it.

 

[4570Man]

I couldn't disagree more. SSQA has been reliably used on skid steers with well over 50hp in highly abusive applications for 9,000hrs+. If it can stand up to a non-articulating wheeled chassis (skid steer = bumpy as ****) with a forestry mulcher and a power rake... it can easily withstand the abuses of sub-30hp subcompact tractors.

First off I never said that it wouldn't work on a compact tractor. Look at how it's designed. It's got heavy plates with about 10 inches of contact per side at the top. The heavier duty implements have more bracing at the top edge. The bottom pins however are only about an inch around and don't catch a reinforced edge. A skid steers strong point is lifting and going forward. Not pushing down and going backwards.

 

[4570Man]

That 455D you see above... with the 10.5ft front mount? That machine has 55hp, can out turn any conventional tractor going forward, has 4wd, and I've seen them adapted to 8ft wide flail mowers mowing 10ft tall vegetation without breaking a sweat. Trust me... they can do it.

8 foot wide mowers and the fairly common 15-20 wide pull mowers aren't exactly on the page. ( I'm not sure when the batwing mowers got associated with compact tractor's ) I'm well aware that compact tractors are designed terribly, but mowing is one task they do pretty well. I prefer to have the dust cloud behind me especially with an open station.

 

[BrokenTrack]

I have been around tractors all my life (43 years) and after a lot of thought, and a lot of research on the matter, I have come to the conclusion that the only way to get the perfect tractor would be to build one myself.

I got an out of control bulldozer fetish, so mine would have tracks, plenty of hydraulics, a loader with 7 in 1 bucket (I just devised it), two transmissions (hydro/manual), power reverser, decelerator pedal (I cannot believe tractors do not already have them), plenty of remotes, air ride seat, for starters.

...

Until that happens though, I was looking at the BCS 4 wheel articulated tractor. I am not sure of teh availability in the US, but I like the look of them. My sheep barns are low so getting a smaller, maneuverable tractor about inside my barns would work well for me. The funny looking ROPS would be lobbed off before the delivery truck left though, that is for sure.

 

[mike69440]

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maintena...util/2017/Trenchers Plus/Multione loaders.pdf
Prices and Options for Multione
The Multi-One Series 9 could take the place of the a large utility tractor or an M62, except for the BH,
High Power Articulated Mini Loader - 9 Series - Multione

It is smaller and lighter than an L47 BH, but has 10 more hp, is very nimble and stable, plus stronger loader wise.

57 hp good for roadside mowing. Aux. hydraulic oil flow 95 l/min (25 gal/min) is fine for a hydraulic mower.

Series 9 can load dump trucks and be driven on road like a BH

The BH attachment suck however and town should still have a wheeled excavator or BH. for tough work.

https://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/construction-equipment/for-sale/23559883/2017-multione-95

At 40 HP, the Series 8 is is just right size and width for sidewalks & Municipal stuff.

High Torque Articulated Mini Loader - 8 Series - Multione.

Its the machine size to have for sidewalk maintenance and small repair digging & loader jobs.

72 l/min (19 GPM) Aux hydraulics is ok, not great. Flows about the same as the small Bobcat.

With with the same size tires I have on the front of my tractor the Seines 8 is only 45.3" wide

Tires size Width (N) Height (Q) 23X8.50-12 1070 mm (42.2 in) 2020 mm (79.5 in) 23X10.50-12 1130 mm (44.5 in) 2020 mm (79.5 in) 26X12.00-12 1280 mm (50.4 in) 2040 mm (80.3 in) 27X8.50-15 1070 mm (42.1 in) 2080 mm (81.9 in) 27X10.50-15 1150 mm (45.3 in) 2080 mm (81.9 in)

MultiOne USA on Welcome Home - YouTube

 

[SpringHollow]

Those Multione's are very nice fancy expensive PT's. I would not mind owning one if I did not have to write the check.

Ken

 

[bcp]

Someone in the 50's had the right idea for their loader build.

From:
D&RGW :: Photographs - Western History

Bruce

 

[Xfaxman]

Yep, built like my put-together with the engine and pivoting axle at the back: