TC18 Workhorse!

[JimBinMI]

Hey all,

Spent some time yesterday on my TC18 doing the mowing. Just wanted to let you know that all went well! What a comfortable ride and smooth operation, this is one well engineered piece of machinery! /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif And good looking too!

I live in a rural area and don't see any Orange tractors. Next door neighbor has a Ford New Holland 1720, across street is a Ford 3000?, a Farmall a 1000 series JD and an 8N down the road, JD 400 series, Simplicity, and MTD tractors make up the rest.

Have a great weekend! JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[Hawgee]

Sounds like a great nieghborhood to be in. The colors are not too harsh.

No broken windows?

"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

 

[_RaT_]

Jim I was just looking at my International 454D, part of the New Holland Case/International family of fine tractors, all subsidiaries of FIAT, fine maker of Italian Fix It Again Tony's . The starter motor on it is 18 HP, I wonder how many HP the diesel/weed killer on my 454 really is?. I was thinking maybe when it goes, I could just get a rebuilt TC18 motor to start the beast. Your thoughts? Rat...

 

[JimBinMI]

Paddock,

Naw, with the way engines have improved over the last quarter of a century maybe your engine should become the starter and the TC18 the actual workhorse! /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[_RaT_]

OK, but you know your TC18's gonna not only have to spin, but lift a 1500lb offset mower. Four huge belts run the blades on this 80" mower. I live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Some of the slopes are interesting. I read the posts about slopes and have to pass making comment. If I mention what I drive on, I think I might get someone hurt. Lets just say I want the tiltmeter that goes beyond 30 degrees. You see the beauty of the International is its a saddle tractor, sits low, is very heavy and hugs the slopes. It is very similar to a tractor that is in your fine family of tractors. Remember the Ford 445 and 545 tractors, they are now made under the New Holland name. Incredible tractors, and I believe, the only saddle tractors made today. If your not familiar with them, the saddle is the huge transmission that sits well into the foot area allowing the tractor to sit extra low. They are 4WD, 3 cylinder diesel power industrial tractors. The loaders will lift up a house. Oh yeah , they are not Blue, but Yellow. Rat...

 

[Hawgee]

That is a good observation. Like the all yellow MF Utility 35. Just the 152cube 3 holer Perkins with old Davis loader. Not near the HP of your rig, but I can identify the hill hugging abilities it "had". Just had to watch the side slip with the old tires and 2WD. Run forever engine with the trans and banjo fitting like a Aussie Stock saddle. That will be something new to watch for with the new flat deck models. The center of gravity should be close to the old way, but I did feel like a rope walker high in the air on my first TC45D test drive. Like driving a Ford F250 4WD verses a quad runner. That old Perkins could do most all @ low RPM too.


"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

 

[PaulB]

Jim - even though you and I have the littlest tractors on the board, I have to agree with you that I am always amazed at what my little guy can do. I can not even move the drag harrow I use by hand if i need to reposition it, but the tractor pulls it through soft dirt without difficulty. Even though my loader lifts "only" 660 pounds, try lifting that without a loader!! Reminds me of something I think Mark said - his tractor makes more horsepower at idle for an hour than a person could make in a week of intense labor. Don't know if this is quantifiably true, but it certainly gives a good comparison of the power of internal combustion versus muscle.

 

[_RaT_]

Paul, I find what you said to be very similar to my experiences. The difference being my tractor has no loader. I must resort to a shovel and wheelbarrow. While rolling that wheelbarrow around, I realize what a work saver it is. I suppose the cave men were happy when they had both hands available to carry something as opposed to the poor SOBs that lost one in a hunt etc. I do borrow a tractor now and then with a 72" loader, am always greatful and look back at that wheelbarrow with far less enthuiasm. I started looking at tractors and scanned the internet. This was about the best thing I found. It was a while back, I thought back then I just tried kubota.com and was on this forum, is that what this forum was called awhile back? I never participated, just read some of the opinions. Your observations about the mini-compacts is so true. Enjoy reading your posts, Rat...

 

[_RaT_]

Hawgee, thats the only drawback to the new 4WD's compacts. They sit higher, so the comfort factor is diminshed while sideways on a slope. I figure if thats a problem when I get a new compact and sell the International, then the 4WD bonus (front wheel 4WD braking) will allow me to mow down the hill which will take longer but be safer. If I run the International tractor down the hill whether in first and/or rear wheels with brakes on, I slide and rip the hill apart. The big wheels on back turn into effective tillers, but thats not what I'm looking for. Rat...

 

[Hawgee]

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I know just what your talking about./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Up here where it might rain now and then and you've made the mistake of trying "down the hill", we call them new drainage ditches. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Sad thing is, you loose soil.

"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)