Grillo with Gravely mower

[lkjhg]

This has been a very interesting and helpful discussion. The 2-wheel tractor fuel economy, compact size, and available tools would be great for my 30-acre, crop farm. I have no 2-wheel tractors in the neighborhood. So it is difficult to learn how 2-wheel tractor might work for me. Two-wheeled tractors are very expensive new, hard to find at a reasonable price used, and the mechanics of field operations are difficult for me to understand. I had this vision of a 2-wheel tractor operating more like a farm tractor:
1. Differential lock
2. Individual wheel brakes to ease steering
3. Shuttle transmission for ease in shifting from forward to reverse
4. Live PTO.
I know the differential lock and wheel brakes are available. However I have not run a farm tractor without live PTO for many years. We gladly said goodbye to those tractors in the 1960s. I remember well what a pain it was to mow or crimp hay without live PTO.

Certainly shuttle transmissions have made manure loading with 4-wheel tractors easier. There is much forward and reverse direction changing when loading manure. I think 2-wheel snow pushing with blade or blower would be easier with a shuttle transmission too. I get the impression that the 2-wheel snow-blower operator squeezes the clutch lever; waits for the snow-blower to stop turning; shifts into reverse; releases the clutch backing up to a new position; squeezes the clutch lever; engage the snow blower PTO, shift into a forward gear and then release the clutch lever to attack the snow.

Being able to slow ground speed when the going gets tough by downshifting one gear on the shuttle transmission is another great shuttle transmission feature. One can maintain engine RPM in the best part of the torque curve and power through tough soils. I do not understand how farmers use the 2-wheel powered, round balers without live PTO and more sophisticated transmissions. They have more skill than me! Perhaps they are smarter than me too. I encourage your comments that might help me avoid an expensive purchase mistake.

 

[oldmech]

Hi! I have a two-wheels for you. The new Gravely RAPID. This one is Hydrostatic . Very expensive.
I prefer my GRILLO. For operate it . Just training. You can press clutch put PTO OFF in less 2 sec. Press reverse lever in less 2 sec. You dont change gears. Good luck ! Oldmech

 

[lkjhg]

You have been very patient in explaining how your 2-wheel tractor operates in the field. Thank you.

Back to the grillo. One does not shift gears when changing direction? There must be 2 transmission levers: One for direction and one for ground speed. When there is no PTO tool in operation, can one change from forward to reverese without using the clutch? I am assuming that a shuttle-type lever is moved that reverses the wheel direction. Is that correct?

 

[oldmech]

Hi! No . It is not a true shuttle. With Grillo Under left hand we have the clutch lever. We must always press this lever for all operation. Under right hand we have one reverse lever. In center handle bar we have two slide levers one is gear lever other is PTO lever.
Engine run. Left hand I press clutch lever and keep press. Right hand I push gear lever on speed one. After I pull PTO on. Then I release clutch lever.
Tractor running at work. For stop reverse and go front. Left hand I press clutch and KEEP PRESS. Right hand I Push PTO off after I press reverse lever and KEEP PRESS. Then I release clutch lever tractor reverse . I press left hand clutch and KEEP PRESS. I release right hand reverse lever. I put PTO on. I release clutch lever Go on ! With training Easy and no long.Good Luck ! Oldmech

 

[FlaDon]

Hi! I have a two-wheels for you. The new Gravely RAPID. This one is Hydrostatic . Very expensive.
I prefer my GRILLO. For operate it . Just training. You can press clutch put PTO OFF in less 2 sec. Press reverse lever in less 2 sec. You dont change gears. Good luck ! Oldmech

And nowhere near as rugged as the older Gravelys. I've opened up 35+ year old Gravelys to find like new gears and clutches with engines that are shot. The Rapid can't be used for really heavy work such as a Rotary Plow. There are belts in the drive system.

Nice to know the Grillo turns the same way as the Gravelys. That means one adapter will open up the use of Grillo tools on the Gravely.

 

[oldmech]

Hi! All! Grillo 107d Front PTO rotation is same as GRAVELY. BUT rear PTO rotation is as BCS. So I can use Gravely snowblower and BCS splines tiller. Best of two.
You know NEAR all two stages snowblowers as ARIENS COLUMBIA TORO JOHN DEERE etc have same rotation as GRAVELY and GRILLO 107D. You can adapt old front end snowblower on Gravely or Grillo. I fit 10-28 Columbia front end snowblower on my old ( Gear box brooken) Gravely. Work very well . Two years ago I Choose Grillo 107d for use GRAVELY implements. I like Grillo tiller More precision depth control or adjustment. Good Luck ! Oldmech

 

[2WHEELED]

And nowhere near as rugged as the older Gravelys. I've opened up 35+ year old Gravelys to find like new gears and clutches with engines that are shot. The Rapid can't be used for really heavy work such as a Rotary Plow. There are belts in the drive system.

Nice to know the Grillo turns the same way as the Gravelys. That means one adapter will open up the use of Grillo tools on the Gravely.

Check out the GRAVELY RAPID E SERIES - this is the unit that is meant to replace the old gear drive, cast iron Gravely two wheeled tractors.
The RAPID E tractor is 20hp has a true hydrolic drive system that is controlled by a twist controll on the right hand - no need to remove hand from bars to change from forward to reverse. This is a true hydrolic controll - no freewheeling when going down hill, very smooth over rough terrain.
The GRAVELY RAPID E comes with a 2 speed PTO - try that with your BCS or GRILLO, very simple to run just pull in the motorcycle style clutch to disengage the PTO and shift from 640 rpm to 1150 rpm. great for use with snow blower or when i use the Safety mulcher - that thing will take down brush and small trees up to 2" diameter and turn them into woodchips - nothing left just a stub about a 1/2" tall.
Check out the new Rapid Tractor site for some of the 80 atachments for the twowheelers - just be carefull if looking to fit them to your older model tractors - Everything for the E series tractor spins opposite the smaller RAPID M SERIES that you were talking about and comparing to the old style gear drive units.
The M series tractor and all the old GRAVELY two wheelers both drive pto in the same direction. Good Luck with your modifications - sounds like fun.

 

[js5020]

What do you think of the pricing on that E series machine,, last I saw it was OVER 14K for just the tractor,,, I love my Gravelys but jeeze talk about spendy.