Contents

Random items of interest

Random tidbits of information about small tractors: trivial things you may or may not already know, important things you probably should know and silly things you may not even care about. All potentially interesting, though. And all about small tractors.

Can't tell if the Dynamow is a joke or not.  You'll have to decide for yourself.

For the past several years, the often revered line of Troy-Bilt lawn & garden tractors have been manufactured by MTD.

What do tractors and boats have in common?  I don' t know, either, even after reading the home page for the Whortonsville, NC, Yacht & Tractor Club.  See for yourself.

It's a truck... no, it's a tractor... well, actually, it's both.  The Tructor is an unusual truck with tractor features, such as 3 point hitch, agricultural tires, 4-wheel drive, front or rear PTO and loader.  Or, it's a tractor with a 3-person seating capacity, 1-ton hydraulic dump bed and top speed of 25 mph.  Find out more by visiting the Tructor, Inc. home page. 

Tractors are fun to use, but never let your spouse or SO know this. It is very important for all tractor owners to keep this a secret. And, although they may suspect, never let family or friends refer to chores you do with your tractor as "playing." Correct them immediately -- you are working. Keep that grin off your face. Your tractor is not "your toy," it is a machine.

BARNtek's LITTLEjob loader won't win any prizes for looks or for sophisticated engineering, but it may be just the ticket for the budget-conscious homeowner with the need for a light-duty hydraulic loader. 

If you drive your tractor on the road, you know how important a slow moving vehicle (SMV) emlem can be to your safety. But, did you know that there is a new standard (ASAE S276.5) for this emblem, which is more reflective and easier to see at night? In fact, a retrofit kit for existing emblems is available from Successful Farming magazine. To update your old emblems, send $7 for each kit to Successful Farming - SMV Kit, 1716 Locust Street LS 445, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Each kit contains the orange center triangle (daytime visibility) and three strips of border tape (nightime) -- does not include metal backing. Gempler's also has new style SMV emblems. 

Why are tractor wheels smaller in the front than in the back? Rear tractor wheels are large for maximum tire/ground contact. This improves both stability and traction. And, since tractors have no suspension, this helps to even out the ride somewhat for the driver. Front tractor wheels are small to minimize tire/ground contact and make steering easier. Small wheels also allow for a tighter turning radius with a narrow wheelbase.

You know you're having a bad day when...
[excerpted from Unbridled Thoughts, by Bernie Armata]

• You forgot where a certain large rock was located while brush-hogging a field.
• The tractor seat is covered with bird droppings because you didn't cover it with the tarp last night.
• You've finished changing the oil in the tractor and it occurs to you later that you may have forgotten to put the drain plug back in the oil pan.
• You travel 20 miles to get a part for your tractor and when you get back home with it, discover that the dealer gave you the wrong one.

The best-selling brand of agricultural tractors since 1935? Place cursor here for answer.

According to the Equipment Manufacturers Institute, 1996 tractor sales in the US were up nearly 7% -- and the largest increase in sales are in small tractors (under 40HP) and 4-wheel-drive tractors.

If you are among those who think that compact diesel tractors are Yuppie toys, New Holland's marketing department must agree. Their newest model is called the "Boomer." Honest.

Deere & Co., manufacturers of John Deere equipment -- some of the most revered tractors in the world -- is also responsible for crafting the somewhat less respectable array of Homelite brand products.

Interested in learning how to tell if a tractor you're thinking of buying has been stolen, had major repairs or had the hour meter rolled back illegally?  Send for the brochure on machinery fraud, "Self-Propelled Farm and Construction Machinery," available from the Iowa Attorney General, Hoover Bldg., Des Moines, IA 50319, (515) 281-5164.

Each year, over 25,000 people are injured and about 75 people are killed in riding lawnmower, tractor and garden tractor accidents. One out of every five deaths involves a young child. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that most of the deaths occur when a child falls off the mower and is run over, or when the child is in a moving mower's path.

The farm can be a dangerous place. Tractors and machinery account for a full one-third of all agricultural injuries. The table below shows the various sources for farm injuries. 
 

According to studies at Ohio State University, tractor rollover accidents are the most costly and severe injuries in agriculture and are associated with the longest ICU stays and long hospital stays.

Even the smallest tractors are bigger, stronger and heavier than you are. An accident with a tractor can be deadly and gravity is usually your worst enemy. The table below shows how tractor accidents can be fatal. [Note that tractors are often propped up in order for repairs to be made. When the jack or supporting structure slips or fails, the tractor can crush the would-be repairman. This type of fatality is considered "Other."]