Will My Tractor Handle This Implement? (10 Factors That Dictate the Answer)
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- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
- One of the most-asked questions I get on this channel is "How big an implement can my tractor pull?' That could be a brush hog (bush hog if you prefer), box blade, square baler, sickle mower, plow, etc. etc. A variation of that same question is "Will my tractor pick up a round bale?" Those questions are tough to answer because of all the variables and so I decided to list ten questions to ask yourself that impact what your tractor can do and what sized implements you can run on it.
#1 What sized tractor is the implement designed for? Many implements list a minimum horsepower that is required to operate them. If you're buying new, you can go to the manufacturer's website, or look in the brochure, and it will tell you what size tractor you need to run it. Beware though, if it's a power take off-powered implement, look at the PTO hp of your tractor...not the engine horsepower. There's parasitic horsepower loss between the engine and the power take off so the PTO horsepower will always be lower than engine horsepower so that's the number you want to look at. Even if the manufacturer's recommended horsepower is within the capabilities of your tractor, there are other considerations. That's where it gets complicated...
#2 What am I cutting/plowing/tilling, etc? You need a heavier cutter to cut trees than you do small sprouts and grass, and every brush cutter has a maximum diameter that it is rated to cut. If you're only clipping pasture, you can get a lighter and wider brush hog than if you're clearing land and need to cut 3" trees. In other words, it's important to match the implement to the job.
#3 Will I be on slopes? If the cutter you're looking at requires 30 hp to operate, that's probably on level ground. You might need an extra 2-7 hp to pull the same cutter up and down hills, depending on the grade.
#4 Where will I go with it/how level is the ground? If you have uneven ground, or need to go in tight places, don't get a wide cutter. I live in a rough area and it's hard to pull a wider cutter over uneven ground, due to scalping, and really hard to get a larger cutter back in the woods to cut wildlife trails.
#5 How fast do I want to get done? If you've found a bargain 7' cutter on Craigslist and it's at the capacity that your tractor is rated for, you might still be able to pull it. Just don't cut as wide a swath. There's nothing keeping you from having one side run over an area that's already cut, and that will use a lot less horsepower.
#6 What's the lift capacity of the tractor? An 1800 lb flail mower pulled by a tractor with 1800 lbs of lift capacity is a recipe for disaster.
#7 How old is my tractor and how is it equipped? Tractors lose horsepower as they are used. So your 1981 tractor that's rated at 40 horsepower may only be putting out 25. Also, it's important to know that hydrostatic transmissions don't like heat, and jobs like brush hogging up steep grades and plowing are really hard on them.
#8 How good am I at maintenance? If you religiously follow the operator's manual and do all your maintenance at recommended intervals, your equipment will survive tough use. A lack of maintenance and running at the performance limits can bring early failures.
#9 Am I willing to pay for repairs? There ain't no Santa Claus...pulling an implement that's at the top end of your tractor's capabilities is going to accelerate wear. If you accept that fact as a fair exchange for convenience and productivity, then you'll be okay.
#10 What kind of operator am I? This is probably the most important factor in predicting if a tractor will handle equipment that's near it's capacity. Most folks that watch my channel take meticulous care of their equipment and have a really low chance of catastrophic failure by maxing out their tractor's capabilities. If you're careful, perform regular maintenance and don't push your equipment to its out limits, you're probably fine.
The bottom line is, most people who ask if they're going to hurt anything by running attachments that are on the top end of what their tractor is rated for have virtually nothing to worry about. It's the folks who don't ask and mistreat their equipment that are going to get the bulk of the repair bills.
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Hey Mike I still love your videos every time I watch I learn something new so a million thanks
All great points. Bigger is not always better 👍
Once again, some very solid advice on abilities of a tractor. Stay safe.
Another good and informative video Mike, thanks.
Great tutorial, people that use their tractor like a rental unit should read/watch this and take notes, thanks.
One more variable. Body size and weight in relation to horsepower is quite significant. Ford 3000 compared to a compact tractor with the same horsepower. They both will not do the same thing equally well. Mass is very significant in the consideration of equipment.
Excellent as always Mike!
Interesting discussion Mike. My problem is that I often find that my tractor is too big for many implements. I had a difficult time finding a box blade that I could use on my 97HP JD 2955 (85 HP PTO). Apparently, a box blade can be over powered.
Regarding the bale spike; some tool rental places rent bale spikes.
Wildcat rental in Rogersville Mo. rents them.
Very very good, well done
How you ballast the tractor has a huge effect on how much it can lift with the loader or the 3 point.
Some can lift more with the 3 point than with the loader. ... If properly ballasted. The rear axle is generally stronger.
I do like your videos informative and honest shareing.
.
#11 - If you are on the bubble of tractor capacity for a particular implement that you want to buy for several thousand dollars, and are going to only use it a couple times a year, consider renting a piece of equipment that has the power, or even excess power, to easily do the job. You save most of your money/capital, and the outfit that rents out the equipment deals with maintenance, repairs, and depreciation.
Thanks again!
thanks mike,,,
Best tractor advice on the web
agreed
Yep a small tractor will do a lot they must be ballasted properly have the proper tires wheel spacing for the particular job they're doing and properly sized equipment and the biggest thing is a operator that cares about the Machine
I got a 42hp engine Massey Ferguson, 3 point rated 24xxlbs and have a bush hog 296 which has a stump jumper and a 135hp rated great box calls for 45hp at 1100lbs, what I'm kind of worried about is just the initial start up of PTO, have an electronic push and turn dial to turn on PTO which has at idol starts about 200rpm....lot of mass to start moving that quick
Coming back to watch this again. I haven't heard anyone talk about a tractor that is OVER the recommended HP for an implement. I see implements that are rated for "up to 35hp". My tractor (Workmaster 75) is well over that. What is the danger of using an implement that is over rated for the implement?
Great video as usual - thank you... I have a question about tractors. It seems like there are a lot of videos and sales information for specific tractor types - e.g. Kubota, John Deere, Kioti and there less information available for manufacturers like New Holland and MF. Are these tractors worth looking at?
Oh, absolutely! There are pockets of the country (and the world) where New Holland dominates, and areas where Massey does the same. My opinion is there's too much emphasis placed on brand, almost all manufacturers make a tractor I'd be happy with. I always say that your local dealer is the most important factor because they'll back up whatever brand you buy. Find a dealer that you trust, who will take care of you, and be around for the life of the tractor and buy what they're selling.
I bought a New Holland TC29DA which is a 29 horsepower diesel. It came with a 6 foot loader. I thought that a 6 foot finish mower would be a thing, since it's back tires extend 6 feet wide. Well 99 percent of the time mowing grass, I have no issues, but if the grass is really high ( a foot or more ) the engine struggles and I have to mow slower.
You shouldnt be cutting 12" grass with a finish mower. That is way too much load for the lawnmower blades on that finish mower.
I use a 5' bush hog on my pasture and cut it no matter how high.
Consideration for rear implements. When is two sets of rear hydralic ports needed for rear implements?? One set being standard.
Good point, I'll remember that for a future video. Anytime there's more than one cylinder involved in the operation of the implement, you'll need two sets of remotes. Usually that's raise and lower and swing in and out.
Is there a breakdown of different implement types that provides the required H.P. required by the tractor PTO??
Hi Mike, this is Robert I enjoy watching your videos they are very informative, I have a problem I have a Branson 3510 will turn over but hard to start while cranking white smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe , have to crank for a long time sometimes it runs my battery down, what can I do , or have to take it a mechanic, thanks Robert
You are using the glow plugs, right? If so, they may not be working. Could be a relay of the plugs themselves.
Hey another great video mike. but I have a question I have always had land and my wife’s sister and her husband just bought a pice of property and got a tractor and bush hog with the place but every time they engage the PTO on there tractor with the bush hog on. The bush hog shakes the tractor terribly for a min or two then it stops and works fine and I was just wording if the bush hog is to big for there tractor or what? Thanks
Some shaking is normal. There's a lot of weight to get spinning there. I would check the blade pan on the tractor sometime to make sure it's still tight and not wobbly, which could cause excess shaking. With the tractor turned off and the cutter on jack stands, reach under and try to move the blade pan up and down. If there's a lot of play there the shaft could be "wollered" out and that could cause a long period of vibration. If that's okay I wouldn't worry about it.
Tractor Mike alright thank you much I will make a trip over there and check that for him just had never experienced something like that and did not want him to get hurt
I own a Flail mower and you can over grease them where the drive belts bearings. I didn't realize the grease came out and during use it flung on the drive belts and caused them to slip alot.
Mike, I find that people have a lot of confusion about lifting specs. "lifts xxx at the PIN" etc. Did you do a video on what all the jargon means that you see on Tractor data?
Formula Firebird, you're the second request for that in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned for the video. Great question!
Brother you'll ground in Southeast Missouri is level compared to Eastern Kentucky everybody says our cows are born with two legs on one side shorter than the other so they can pick grass on the Steep mountains that we have
Can it pick it up and should it pick it up are two totally different questions. I'd suggest checking the mfr lifting specs.
Mike, enjoy your videos, and tractor knowledge. Question, want to purchase ditch flair mower. So many choices, would like your opinion on best model to purchase. My tractor has 75 gross hp and 64 pto hp. Brush hog approximately 12 acres including river banks and road banks, thanks. Rob H.
Rob, sorry for the slow response. I have really limited experience with flail mowers, so I can't offer a recommendation. They've never been popular in my area because we're too cheap to spend the money for one over a brush hog, and I've never sold one of any brand. Good luck!
Mike, on measuring implements that have no pto but have a hp rating such as a cultivator or boxblade, I assume the implement hp rating is matched up to the gross hp of the engine not the tractors pto hp. Am I correct on this?
Great question! Actually, in a pulling situation you'll still have parasitic loss from the transmission, power steering, etc., but not from the PTO. Long ago, specs used to include "draw bar horsepower" and that's the number that would more accurately represent the capacity better than engine or PTO hp for applications like you describe. That just confuses a lot of people and many don't use compact tractors for heavy pulling anyway so the manufacturers don't include those ratings much anymore...at least on smaller tractors.
What do you think will be the draw backs of a 23hp tractor running a woodchipper rated for 40hp? Am I limited on stick diameter? Feed speed? I'm wondering what to avoid and watch out for. Thanks!
I'd be curious if anyone else comments. My guess is you could run it and just cut down the size of sticks you put in by about half and you'd be okay. I'd run it at rated PTO engine speed. I hope the internal components aren't heavy enough to damage the PTO when you engage it. Don't throw that level too abruptly, give the tractor time to get that weight moving. That's the only danger I see as long as you reduce the stick size. What type of wood could also have a big impact. Soft woods, like pine, would grind a lot easier than some of the hardwoods we have in this area.
Check the weight of the chipper as well as the HP needs. I ran a chipper that was at the HP and weight limits of my tractor and it was not fun. The tractor struggled to lift and control it while driving it around due to the way the weight of the feed chute that hung way off the back. When chipping the chipper would do fine until I put in a piece that was on the upper limit of the chipper. The cutter would slow down and the tractor would struggle to get back up to speed or stall.
I was using a John Deere 955 with a Jinma chipper. On a side note, do not buy a Jinma chipper as they are one of the most overly complicated and under built pieces of equipment I’ve ever owned. I spent more time working on it than using it and it currently sits with broken pillow block bearings while I use my neighbor’s Land Pride. The Land Pride costs twice as much and has half the rated capacity of the Jinma but it works all of the time.
I now have a larger tractor and will probably just use the Jinma as ballast as that’s really all it is good for.
My tractor is a John Deere 5055e the dealership said a 6foot heavy duty slasher would be okay, the tractor seems to handle it fine but its always on my mind that it's too large, any thoughts?
Thanks, Mike. A lot of knowledge there. You say, " look at the PTO hp of your tractor... " Trouble is, there's no data on that aspect anywhere. I have an old Iseki TX1300 rated at 15HP (at the engine). Now, unlike the implements the you mention, that the tractor pulls, I'm looking for a stationary implement: a woodchipper. Now, I can find chippers that require 15HP (I think without specifying it it's the motor or PTO.) So, does the fact that the tractor is not moving mean I can just go by the engine 15HP? Bearing in mind no dealer is going to let me give it a trial run. And shoving through one 2" branch is not going to give the same result as lifting one bale successfully !
If you, or someone can answer, it would be much appreciated!!
Great question, you just gave me a topic for a video! If the chipper is driven by the PTO, then the PTO hp is the important number. Having said that, the reason the engine hp is different than the PTO is because of parasitic loss from running items like the transmission gears, and the power steering and hydraulic pumps. What you're asking is basically if the parasitic loss stays the same whether the tractor is moving or not and I don't really know the answer but I have an educated guess. We would assume that propelling the tractor while working the hydraulic pump would drain more energy than with it sitting still and no hydraulic engagement, but I'd bet that the tractor's hp is measured with it sitting still on a dyno, so that 15 hp may be legit. I'll do some research on this and try to get a definitive answer. Watch for the video, thanks for the idea!
@@TractorMike Thanks, Mike. My book only lists motor HP, and the website tractordata thingy likewise.
So, I'll sign up to your list in the hope of seeing the results of your research, expertise and hard work in the non-too-distant future! God bless.
Hi Mike,I have a compact tractor that's hydrostatic,I have people tell me they run there throttle wide open all the time since it's hydrostatic,I run mine around 2300 for backhoe work and about 2500 for plowing snow,is this hard on my hydro pump or should I run it wide open.thank you for any insight
Shawn, I'd recommend running it at PTO rated engine speed. That can be found it your owner's manual or at tractordata.com. No need to have it wide open.
Hey, Mike. Quick question about my LS3135 tractor with a Rhino 5' brush hog.
Most of the material I read about what size brush hog to buy all agreed on one point: get a mower deck that would reach across the width of the tractor's rear tires.
Problem was, my rear spacing is just under 6' and every deck I looked at needed 35-40hp or greater, while my PTO is only rated at 31hp. The 5' deck Rhino I bought is rated to 30hp. How concerned should I be about overworking this tractor?
It's being used mostly for grass and the occasional small bush (1/4-1/2"), but I do have quite a bit of sidehill work. Can I run it at the recommended "540" (as marked in green on the tach, around 2000-2100rpm engine)? Or should I back the engine down a little?
This is gear driven, not hydro. Thanks.
I wouldn't be concerned about overworking the tractor. Just about every mechanic will tell you that you need to get a tractor out and work it hard once in a while, and that there's more potential damage by babying a tractor than by putting it under load. They're designed for it. If you're cutting heavy stuff, go ahead and crank it up to PTO rated engine speed (the green mark), but if you're in light stuff, it's okay to throttle down a little. That green mark is the point where the tractor produces the amount of horsepower its advertised to be, so if you're needing all of it's horsepower, crank it up and let 'er rip. The cutter doesn't have to be wider than the tires, if it's not, though, you tend to run over some of the grass multiple times and that makes it hard for the cutter to cut it even. That 31 hp size is hard because a lot of times the wheels are >5' but the hp is marginal for most 6' cutters. You were smart to go with the 5' machine.
@@TractorMike Thanks for the info. Yeah, I really would have preferred something in the 40-50hp class, but it just wasn't in the budget. Thankfully, the old pastures and hayfields of the family farm aren't too terribly overgrown.
Hey tractor Mike.
My wife needs to learn how to drive the tractor and I am wondering if I can get some advice on how to teach her.
We live in central Mississippi. We don't have hills like yall but we live on a ridge .
I'm scared she will panic while trying to learn because of the hills.
Please help.
I actually covered that in this video: czcams.com/video/8K6LvgpeSN8/video.html. Good luck!
Gear Drive has the least loss from Engine to PTO.. Which is why most People around me buy Gear drives.. Not many HST's around unless your in a subdivision for the urban farmer, snow blower guy.
Great video
Love your videos
I wish I was a fraction as knowledgeable as you are
I have the same delima as this video
I have a 3540 mahindra ( 40 horsepower) gear drive with power shuttle transmission
Im looking for a Stump grinder
I looked at one one you tube (woodland mills)
I was about to purchase it but noticed some of the comments that said unless you have hydrostatic transmission, this won’t work well at all
So, I started to look at a hydrolic stump planer
The dealer said you need at least 10 gpm of hydrolic fluid to operate this
So I got my owners Manuel out and it said I have 11 gmp however; right below it , it said the power steering took 5 gpm- so does that mean I have 6 gpm and can’t use this ?
Also it recommended 3000 psi
I got my owners Manuel out and it said I have
2950 psi
Is that close enough? Or does it have to be 3000
I called the dealer selling the stump planer and he wasn’t sure about either of these questions
I have an idea im not going to be able to get a stump grinder or planer
Kinda disappointed
I wish I’d bought hydrostatic drive, although I own 12 acres and mow 10 acres
What is your website address
I want to buy grease gun and couple other items
Keep videos coming
Love them
First, the total flow of the tractor is probably 11 GPM including both the tractor hydraulics and the power steering. If it has a separate power steering pump then you separate those numbers, in other words, you'd have the full 11 GPM. I'm not sure if your Mahindra has a separate power steering pump, I doubt that it does because usually the manufacturer will advertise combined flow of both pumps.
I don't think I'd be powering a hydraulic stump grinder with your tractor hydraulic system. The hydraulic pump is designed to work the loader and possibly the steering. Using it to work something that would require as much hydraulic power as a stump grinder would overwork it and could result in an early failure. There is another option. See if you could buy a PTO-powered hydraulic pump to power the stump grinder. The PTO is designed for operation like that and you'll easily cover the cost of the extra pump by not having to replace the tractor's pump. Having said that, the PTO stump grinder should also work, in my opinion. With a hydro, you could creep forward to move the grinding wheel, but you could lift it and move the tractor a short distance and let it down again with the gear drive you have. It would be much slower, but it should work. You'll have to do that with either the PTO or hydraulic stump grinder. I'll do a video on this sometime.
Here's the link to my store: asktractormike.com/products-for-sale/
Thank you for your reply
I will look into what you said
Also
Thank you for web site
A while back I typed in “tractor mike” to get your web site and a bunch of sites came up, several were “ mikes tractor” several others were “tractor mike”- but I didn’t know which was your site, other similar sites came up as well
But I have your site, all is well
I don’t know much about computers and you tube but: if it’s possible, and you are allowed to do this, I’d have your website listed in the bottom right corner of every video you do
Again
Thanks for advice
What are the risks of pairing a smaller implement to a bigger tractor? For example, an implement with a 20-40 suggested HP range with a tractor that's in the 50-70 HP area?
You'd have more than enough tractor to destroy the implement, and with a tractor that big, you wouldn't even feel it when there was damage being done. Many times though, if you're careful, you can use a lighter attachment on a bigger tractor.
Is there a margin of PTO horse power say for a tiller rated for say, 40 PTO hp but my tractor could have 62 PTO HP, is that the max or minimum rating. In other words say 60 PTO HP on tiller/ rotary cutter etc. COULD THE 62 PTO HP damage or break the implement? How firm is the limit of hp If the tractor is above the rating? In other words tractor exceeds implement.
Steve, that's another complicated issue. As long as you're over the limit you won't hurt the tractor, but at what point does a bigger tractor harm the implement? A lot of rotary cutters have maximum gearbox ratings, a cutter that requires 30 PTO hp to pull may have a 90 hp gearbox on it, meaning you don't want to put more than that amount of hp through it. If you hooked a 150 hp tractor up on a cutter like that and went out and cut grass, there would be no problem. But if you took it back in the woods and started cutting large trees, the tractor would have enough power to do more than the cutter and it wouldn't take long to destroy the brush hog. A lot depends on the job and the operator. I also like to have a little cushion. In my mind, your tiller that requires 40 hp mounted on a 60 hp tractor is not a mismatch of equipment. Sounds perfect to me!
If you're ever afraid of damaging your implement with too large of a tractor, lighten the clutch setting on the implement
Mike I respectfully disagree on your comment about over servicing your tractor. One example. Every time you remove your oil drain plug, you run risk of damaging threads on the plug and/or in the pan. Another example is over greasing sealed joints such as steering/suspension points. Once you ‘blow’ that rubber seal you increase the likelihood of dirt/dust/water and other things that increase the wear/damage to that part.
I will stop at these, but over-servicing can create problems.
Coy Patton does this over maintenance apply to grease fittings like on u-joints or loader pivot points? Like 8 hours instead of 10? Grease zirts or zerks the the thingy ya stick that grease gun hose onto!🤪👍
Certain grease points are different than others. If it has a urethane and brass bushing you really can't overgrease it. If it has an oil seal on the end like a hydraulic cylinder then it can be overgreased and blow the seal out. Just watch the seal area as you grease, when you see a little come out of the seal, you're done.
This was a great video! The Covid vaccine ads on every single video on CZcams are getting very annoying...
I wish I had control over the ads, but that's Mr. Google doing that.
@@TractorMike I know it is. You can’t avoid them.