skidding logs with a tractor? or?

[sean donato]

Sean, I have yet had to replace a clutch on one of my tractors, and I've loaded thousands of loads of dirt, ****, loge ect...

It all depends on the operator; I have a neighbor that goes through a clutch a year!

SR

I was making a general observation as a heavy equipment mechanic. Good operators always make a world of difference, but far and few between. One of the biggest reasons for hydraulic shuttles/clutches, semi-matic/power shift and full hydro transmissions. I've always had good luck with clutches in tractors, but it's still not my preference for a loader tractor. Having said that, we haven't ever needed to split any of the tractors to replace the clutch yet.

 

[Lionsfan]

Just so you know, I have more than one tractor, including Kubota... And I've sent a few compacts down the road too, both gear drive and whiner trans.

SR

So you know more than most that hydrostatic transmissions are the most practical option for a little tractor.

 

[sean donato]

So you know more than most that hydrostatic transmissions are the most practical option for a little tractor.

Or power shift like my little yanmar. Basically don't need to use the clutch expect for range changes. 1,2 and reverse are on the dash selector lever. (Glorified shuttle shift lever.)

 

[pdqdl]

I will relate an experience I had. While bushhogging in the woods with a Kubota tractor with an HST drive, I mowed down some saplings perhaps 2" diameter. But some of them did not get cut through; they just got pushed down under the tractor and bushhog. When I retuned going back the opposite direction, one of the saplings had started to rise back up, and it was slightly higher than the front axle of my tractor. When I drove back over it, it popped up and hit me square in the chest, going between the tractor body and the loader frame. I had a sever bruise and it hurt when I breathed for days. It probably came close to cracking my ribs. But if I were driving a gear drive tractor, it probably would have run me through, as all I had to do to stop the tractor was release the pressure on the foot pedal, which is much easier to do than to find the clutch on a gear drive tractor and push it in. I also have experience with a couple of gear drive tractors, and I usually did not use the foot accelerator to control speed; I used the hand throttle. I guess using the foot accelerator would be safer in the woods, but not as safe as a hydrostat.

I've been a commercial mower, using tractors since 1982. I have never gotten into a situation like that, but that was probably because I had a bit more expertise about mowing brush. I can see how it might happen. It sounds unpleasant.

You should also be aware that the brush going the wrong way under your tractor is far more likely to get caught up in your foot lever linkage and strip you of any ability to control the tractor hydraulics. I don't consider that hydrostat is superior to clutches, at least with respect to operator controls. That depends more on the skill of the operator than which foot pedals he must engage.

Over the past 40+ years, I've seen lots of my guys lose control of the machine. I've had them upside down, high centered, axled into the mud, fallen off trailers, down into ravines, and many times I've had the operator stop the tractor and walk away from a dangerous position, saying that I would have to come drive it out.

I think hydrostats are superior to clutches in many situations, and certainly for fellows with less experience. I generally prefer a clutch with a shuttle-shift for rapid forward and backwards maneuvers. A clutch and geared transmission will outlast a hydrostatic machine by many years, and at lower operating cost. Hydrostat machines are much better at working the machine hard under load while doing tight maneuvering. Grading, back & forth loading, perhaps running an attachment like a post-hole digger are much easier with a hydrostat machine. Field mowing, towing big loads or driving down the road at high speed are much less work for a gear-drive machine.

I think if I wanted a small utility tractor for working in the woods, I'd prefer a hydrostat, too, unless my budget dictated that I was keeping the machine for 20+ years. Then it's clutch and gear drive only.

 

[pdqdl]

So you know more than most that hydrostatic transmissions are the most practical option for a little tractor.

Especially since most operators try to work the little machines too hard. It's hard to burn up a hytran, but a crappy operator can really trash a clutch in a hurry. Furthermore, any machine with a hytran drive will outperform a clutched machine in a back-and-forth loader operation, especially if loading heavy material from a pile or a digging operation. Many operators will not down-shift when working the machine with a load, or navigating close to something delicate. That's where hydrostat shines! Transition from slow to fast are effortless.

...until the linkage starts wearing out and the controls get sloppy. Then it becomes very tricky to not dent stuff because the machine doesn't stop exactly where you tell it to.​

 

[Sawyer Rob]

So you know more than most that hydrostatic transmissions are the most practical option for a little tractor.

Gee, did I say that?? Could you point out where...

What I DO know is that I have been at this for many years, and I've learned how to run a tractor, and I don't need a whiner tranny because I'm too lazy to learn how to use a clutch "properly". lol

hydros may be "practical" for you, but don't paint everyone with that brush because of it.

SR

 

[Lionsfan]

Gee, did I say that?? Could you point out where...

What I DO know is that I have been at this for many years, and I've learned how to run a tractor, and I don't need a whiner tranny because I'm too lazy to learn how to use a clutch "properly". lol

hydros may be "practical" for you, but don't paint everyone with that brush because of it.

SR

You are just stirring the pot, like you always do.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

You are just stirring the pot, like you always do.

Really? And what did your post add?

SR

 

[Mad Professor]

My 1940 9N, has been skidding logs, since it was built. Original owner was a neighbor, his Son got killed in Nam, he still farmed.

When Dad died we got the 9N, 1980s. Been skidding. plowing, mowing, pulling/hauling since then.

How is that new stuff going to be doing a 80 years from now, parts?

 

[sean donato]

My 1940 9N, has been skidding logs, since it was built. Original owner was a neighbor, his Son got killed in Nam, he still farmed.

When Dad died we got the 9N, 1980s. Been skidding. plowing, mowing, pulling/hauling since then.

How is that new stuff going to be doing a 80 years from now, parts?

Just fine just like every other popular tractor out there. Ffs

 

[Mad Professor]

Just fine just like every other popular tractor out there. Ffs

I don't think ANY, of the current tractors, will be running/serviceable 80 years from now. Some Ford, Fergeys, and IH might?

Much like other current saws/cars/trucks/ power equipment.......

 

[sean donato]

I don't think ANY, of the current tractors, will be running/serviceable 80 years from now. Some Ford, Fergeys, and IH might?

Much like other current saws/cars/trucks/ power equipment.......

hobby machines will always be around, no one is production farming with a 9n anymore then they are using a jd A. But yet the old girls are still around and being used. Tractors of today stand more of a chance to be around for just as long or not longer then the old stuff and there are many sub models that are basically the same with different engine and trans options, leading to plenty of parts availability for many, many years to come.
Having said that, my crystal ball hasn't been very good in telling the future so who know what we'll be using in 80 years.

 

[Mad Professor]

hobby machines will always be around, no one is production farming with a 9n anymore then they are using a jd A. But yet the old girls are still around and being used. Tractors of today stand more of a chance to be around for just as long or not longer then the old stuff and there are many sub models that are basically the same with different engine and trans options, leading to plenty of parts availability for many, many years to come.
Having said that, my crystal ball hasn't been very good in telling the future so who know what we'll be using in 80 years.

So no answer. And BS.

It's not a "hobby" machine" it still works when ever I need it. So does my TO-30 fergie.


When YOUR crap , is , scraped, I'll be running mine.

 

[sean donato]

So no answer. And BS.

It's not a "hobby" machine" it still works when ever I need it. So does my TO-30 fergie.


When YOUR crap , is , scraped, I'll be running mine.

You use it as a hobby machine, ie your livelihood doesn't depend on it working, you're not using it to farm. That's called hobby use. Same as I use my most of my equipment.
My current tractors stand just as much chance of making it 80+ years as anything from 1940 does. Wait, the numbers are grossly in my favor. 5 models of tractors, sharing 3 engines, and 4 transmissions. Hundreds of thousands of tractors sold in the 25 year production run, even the newer machines share 70%+ parts. Oh, whait the engines used are the D05 series, prolific in industrial use, million more made and sold to this very day.
In 1979 kubota celebrated selling 700,000 tractors and has sold over 1 million tractors in the usa alone to this date. Compact and sub compact tractors make up the majority of their sales. (FYI, nearly all the tractors kubota make are made nere in America too.)
The 9n in all its variants, didn't total 100,000 units built and sold.
so to put it simply, yes my crap will still be around, your old junk will run out of parts and fade to memory just like all antique stuff does.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

You use it as a hobby machine, ie your livelihood doesn't depend on it working, you're not using it to farm. That's called hobby use. Same as I use my most of my equipment.
My current tractors stand just as much chance of making it 80+ years as anything from 1940 does. Wait, the numbers are grossly in my favor. 5 models of tractors, sharing 3 engines, and 4 transmissions. Hundreds of thousands of tractors sold in the 25 year production run, even the newer machines share 70%+ parts. Oh, whait the engines used are the D05 series, prolific in industrial use, million more made and sold to this very day.
In 1979 kubota celebrated selling 700,000 tractors and has sold over 1 million tractors in the usa alone to this date. Compact and sub compact tractors make up the majority of their sales. (FYI, nearly all the tractors kubota make are made nere in America too.)
The 9n in all its variants, didn't total 100,000 units built and sold.
so to put it simply, yes my crap will still be around, your old junk will run out of parts and fade to memory just like all antique stuff does.

I'm wondering what you consider "made", and by America, do you mean USA?

SR

 

[StihlPotlicker]

Kioti was out of the question for me, had a pretty bad experience with a mini wheel loader, at the fab shop I worked for in high school. The stupid thing was always broken, usually engine issues. Should have been lemon lawed. Dealer was horrible to deal with, and the machine was frequently down for a week at a time. (If not longer.) Some how they (dealer) are still around. I think they sell Wacker branded equipment now too.

I just feel like John Deere or Kubota, you are paying for the name. and if you want extras you have to pay for them, when Kioti and TYM come standard with extra rear remotes. plus the lift capacity is higher than the others. I would think they would have improved on quality in the last 20 yrs.

 

[Lionsfan]

I just feel like John Deere or Kubota, you are paying for the name. and if you want extras you have to pay for them, when Kioti and TYM come standard with extra rear remotes. plus the lift capacity is higher than the others. I would think they would have improved on quality in the last 20 yrs.

We have a pair of John Deere 4066's at work. The drive coupler wore out in one of them this summer at 6,000 hrs. on a hectic Saturday morning. A replacement part was ordered and ready to ship before noon. I looked the project over Sunday morning and decided it would be quicker to take it in than have my guys remove the cab, split the machine and replace the coupler. Monday morning, I started calling around and the 4th dealership i talked to could start on it right away and have it done by the end of the week. I don't believe there's a TYM dealership in Michigan that has a drive coupler for anything in stock, and I doubt you would want any of them splitting your tractor to be honest.
That level of support is what you're gaining with John Deere and Kubota.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

. I don't believe there's a TYM dealership in Michigan that has a drive coupler for anything in stock, and I doubt you would want any of them splitting your tractor to be honest.
That level of support is what you're gaining with John Deere and Kubota.

I don't know if Deur Implement (TYM dealer) has a drive coupler of not, but if needed, I'd have no problem with them splitting a tractor of mine.

SR

 

[Lionsfan]

I don't know if Deur Implement (TYM dealer) has a drive coupler of not, but if needed, I'd have no problem with them splitting a tractor of mine.

SR

Never heard of them, but I might need them down the road since my dealer kinda' sucks. Thanks for the tip.

 

[sean donato]

I'm wondering what you consider "made", and by America, do you mean USA?

SR

Made= built.
America= united states of America, specifically Georgia, Illinois, and Kansas.
Some are still made in Japan and assembled in the usa but I'm not certain what the hp/model cut off is.