Hello - Old Fiat crawler tractor in very hilly country in Australia

[Steve Burgess]

Hi

I have joined to learn more about keeping my selection of aged small cropping equipment in working order, and to pick up any tips on using this gear in quite steep country.

My current project is an old Celli six-shovel reciprocating spader which I am matching up behind my old Fiat 451c hillside crawler tractor. I've got it all working well mechanically, but am looking for good practical advice on greasing schedules, types of grease, tips for matching spader gearing to tractor gearing and groundspeed, and even on getting the hitch angles correct (it seems to work better when tilted slightly forward, rather than kept completely vertical)

The other project that I am collecting bits for is putting a 3 point hitch behind the farm hilux tray-back to make it quicker and easier to move equipment between different paddocks. I have looked at all the old hitch systems that were put behind jeeps and landrovers for ideas. Anyone else out there built one to go behind an old hilux?

 

[Dr Dave]

Welcome to TBN! Any pics of your equiptment and implement s?

Dave

 

[mguitas]

:welcome:

 

[stingray1]

Welcome,post some pics of your toys

 

[The kid]

Welcome Steve to TractorByNet and greetings from Tennessee. You do realize we're going to require pictures of your Fiat. :smile:

 

[MBTRAC]

Welcome to the forum - we run & have run a Fiat crawlers over the years, they're a great piece of gear which come into their element on hilly/undulating country & with a little maintenance will go on just about forever.

We've also played around with adapting 3pl hitches behind farm vehicles, mostly it's more trouble than it's worth & I suggest the stress of hanging a hitch/implement will take it's toll on a Hilux chassis which is fairly lightweight.

Taking inspiration from our broadacre gear, as alternative we came up with this idea which is fairly easy to make to increase the mobility of any 3pl gear, (whilst the ones in the photo are welded on ) a couple of pin on levelling jacks fitted with axles/wheels + a simple pin on 3pl drawbar/jockey with quick release coupling to raise the implement & all you need is any vehicle or suitable quad with a towbar......

 

[john40981]

Welcome fellow Queenslander :thumbsup:

 

[Steve Burgess]

Amazed at getting such quick responses to my first post. Here is a picture of our crawler (the only one on this laptop). It is not a collector's piece, I need to use it and it gets dirty and occasionally broken and modified.
The last time we were farming we collected/modified/built a set of implements to match the tractor and the size of beds we used in our gardens This time around we're experimenting with narrower beds and semi-permanent "wheel" tracks, so I am in the middle of rejigging our gear for the new system. We are also using more cover crops, hence experimenting with using a spader which I hope will handle and incorporate vine legumes better than our existing gear.

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Cobber and welcome to TBN from Tassie.

Enjoy the site!

 

[john40981]

Hi Steve, I just had a look where Dagun is. Nice part of our great state. Done a few adventure bike rides with my wife through the Mary valley. Some beautiful country in there. Zoomed in with google earth thought I might spot that Fiat somewhere :laughing: