How to Select Power Garden Equipment

Lasting satisfaction in the selection of a power garden tool depends upon a great many factors, one of the most important being the use to which you wish to put the power tool in action. Such an important purchase should not be made a matter of snap judgment but one of complete understanding of the factors involved.

In this article we will aim to point out some of the more important things to watch for and attempt to guide you around a few of the more common pit-falls. Advantages and disadvantages of each type machine will be covered. There will also be a suggestion or two as to how you may protect yourself in case doubt exists in your mind. Your success, therefore, can be assured if you follow the suggestions offered.

Know the Lay of the Land

First of all, you should acquaint yourself thoroughly with the physical aspects of the place where the machine will be used and the types of work to be done. Ask yourself how large an area you expect to keep in lawn, vegetable and flower gardens, also fields and rough areas. Doing this may prevent you from purchasing a perfectly good piece of equipment for the wrong place. You should also consider your snow removal problem, if you have one.

No one piece of equipment is the answer to each and every person’s problems. That’s the reason there are so many types of garden tractors on the market. Each has its place in accordance with its design, lightness or ruggedness, attachments, ease of handling, horsepower and storage requirements.

Then there is the question of price bracket one that is neither too low to satisfy your requirements nor needlessly high. Paying more will not guarantee you satisfaction unless you can point to worthwhile features. On the other hand, “bargains” are, in many cases, not what they seem to be. The final decision should be based on “Does this equipment fit my needs best?”

In the following discussion of the characteristics of various tractor types and sizes, the order in which each is covered has no bearing upon which type or size you should be most interested in. Fit the characteristics, wherever they are found, to the jobs you have in mind. That’s the important thing.

Walk-Behind Tractors

Walk-behind tractors are made in both single-wheel and two-wheel models and are powered by gasoline and diesel engines. Single-wheel tractors find considerable acceptance as cultivating tools for narrow rows commonly used by flower growers and nurserymen. They are easy to handle and their use reduces the possibility of damage to foliage and bloom to a minimum because of the sleek, streamlined design. However, such machines generally are somewhat deficient for the heavier operations such as plowing, discing and snow plowing.

Two-wheeled garden tractors, due to larger wheels and greater weight, deliver more power to the draft attachment, have greater traction for a given horsepower than lighter machines driven by smaller wheels. Of course, with this advantage they also have the disadvantage of not being as handy for narrow row work.

Sooner or later, you will be bound to demand an answer to the question of how much horsepower you need to do your work. Here the knowledge of your own conditions should stand you in good stead. Sandy soils require less power to work than heavy soils. Driving a lawn mower attachment over a smooth lawn requires less power than pulling a plow through your garden. When plowing sod still more power is called for and, here again, the type of sod will determine how much extra power is needed.

When not more closely defined, rated horsepower refers to power developed on the test bench, not necessarily delivered by the tractor under any given conditions. That is why design, weight and wheel size enter so importantly into your problem so importantly into your problem.

Attachments - Design and Size

Design and size of attachments also have an important bearing on the usefulness of your tractor. Weight and horsepower should be in balance. In fact, a balance should be maintained between tractor weight, horsepower and design and size of attachments. Under such conditions full use of rated horsepower is achieved by your tractor. Without such conditions prevailing the rated horsepower of the motor may not mean all it seems to. If your tractor has a bigger power plant than it requires the wheels may spin too readily, and lose power; if your tractor is underpowered it is likely to stall easily under a heavy load.

A properly designed two-wheeled tractor of 5-7 horsepower is an exceptionally useful tool for the small place. It will turn over garden soils when not too heavy and where the garden has been kept clean. It does a fine cultivating job during the growing season. Lawn mowing and sicklebar attachments, as well as a snow plow attachment, are generally found to be practical when well designed and constructed.

A tractor of this size will also pull a small cart very handily. Such a tractor, however, is not heavy enough for plowing sod nor is it satisfactory when used with a disc harrow. The power take—off may be useful for certain light work but should not be considered adequate for heavier work such as sawing wood. About 6 horsepower is the minimum for that. A reverse gear is generally not provided on this size tractor nor is it generally necessary or desirable. In this size the machine handles easily enough without it for most people.

In the 8-13 horsepower range you get into progressively heavier and more powerful machines. While there is ample justification for these in commercial work as well as for many home owners, their selection should be made with care. For example, it may require a fairly husky operator to control such a machine in rough going. A reverse gear is desirable, if not absolutely essential, to maneuver a walking tractor in this power range when in tight places. This reverse should be a safety type, designed so the tractor stops when pressure on the reverse lever is removed.

These more powerful walking tractors do everything that the smaller horsepower tractors do. In addition they have the capacity to plow sod; to do a good disc harrowing job if the disc is heavy enough or so designed that weight can be added; and other attachments can be run off the power take-off.

A few words on attachments: they should be well designed, constructed and matched to the size of the tractor. They should be easy and quick to attach. Tractor and attachment should not be unwieldy or unbalanced so that fatigue is held to the minimum. Attachments mounted at one side of a walking tractor leave something to be desired because of the side draft and the necessity for the operator to “fight” this drag in order to maintain a straight course. Vibration is expected in most walking types but excessive vibration emanating from any moving part of an attachment may indicate faulty design or construction.

Rotary Tillers

So far, we have not discussed one type of walking tractor which is increasing in importance as its possibilities become better understood the rotary tiller. Today there are many good makes, both domestic and imported. The smaller models are easily handled by almost anyone while the larger ones naturally call for a huskier operator.

In preparing ground for seed the tines or hooks dig down and break the soil into small particles leaving it smooth and ready for planting in one operation. Rotary tillage incorporates surface trash evenly through the soil. It aerates or fluffs the soil in a manner not possible by older methods and there is no soil packing due to repeated machine operations.

Against these advantages there appear some slight disadvantages. Progress through the soil is generally slower. Maintenance costs are apt to be higher, especially where spring tines are used in stony ground. Some makes of rotary tillers use solid lugs. These do not break but eventually wear out according to the abrasiveness of the soil involved. Many present—day rotary tillers do have available quite an array of practical attachments, such as sicklebars, power mowers, buck saws and snow plows, which are readily adapted to the basic machine.

Four Wheeled Garden Tractors

When four wheeled riding garden tractors first appeared a few people were inclined to dismiss them. Many, however, gave them an open—minded look and what they saw, in many cases, proved worth seeing. Apparently the four wheeled riding garden tractor does about the same jobs as the two wheeled walking tractor. What, then, are its points of superiority?

Briefly, the four wheeled tractor backs into corners where walking tractors cannot plow or cultivate. In well designed four wheeled types all standard attachments whether front mounted, rear or side mounted.

Some attachments such as the disc harrow do a better job when mounted on a four-wheel tractor. On one such machine, pushing the control lever forward after the harrow is on the ground increases the downward pressure on the attachment thereby giving more penetration in hard ground. If this is not enough in extreme cases, the harrow is mounted right out in the open where additional weight can be added.

Side mounted attachments are entirely practical on a four-wheeled garden tractor because there is no side draft. In storage the four-wheeled riding tractor may take up as little as 6 inches more room than a walking tractor. It is obviously easier to ride than stumble over rough ground and less fatiguing.

There are not many drawbacks to the four-wheel tractor either. Since almost anyone can handle their heavier horsepower, the matter of weight and horsepower need no longer be held down to the physical ability of the operator of the machine. While some of these tractors turn in a fairly short radius they never turn as short as is possible with the two wheeled walking tractors, although zero turn mowers are something to see.

Turning Space Must be Considered

This is an important consideration where turning space at the ends of rows is very limited. Some tractors require slightly wider spacing of the rows, as well. When you look at four wheel tractors check clearances of framework both of the tractor itself and with attachments mounted so that danger of striking obstructions is at a minimum.

Finally, regardless of what tractor you decide on get a thorough demonstration. Better still, try it out yourself. Many dealers today have demonstration grounds. Under such conditions you can test several makes or types of tractors and make certain that you select the one which suits your requirements best.

Where you buy a piece of mechanical equipment also has an important bearing on the satisfaction you will get over the years. Anything of a mechanical nature, no matter how well made, requires at least some expert repairs or adjustments. It is well, then, to purchase from a source which stands back of your purchase with its own service on everything it sells. It should have a complete stock of parts, servicing equipment, and experts on the machine you buy.

The non-servicing dealer, on the other hand, is forced to turn you over to a general repair man and with all the makes on the market it is obvious he couldn’t begin to stock parts for each. Service under such conditions, especially during the busy season, can be an unhappy experience. If service is important with the purchase of your automobile, it is even more important with your tractor or mower.

It is considered a good sign that serious minded dealers understand the importance of complete service to their customer.

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