Light or heavy tractor?

[[e-mail]]

Here's a thought.

When choosing between various new Iron,
Do you preffer a well balanced, heavily buildt tractor or a lightweight tractor where weight can be removed or added according to the job. Same hp.

I'm thinking a certain Canadian 200+ poster will go for the latter, whit his affection for Valtra and all.

The lighter tractor will be better for jobs where weight gives no benefit, but constantly hauling suitcaseweights and balancing can be a hassle and they might be left on (or off).

[[e-mail]]

I'm not that Canadian poster, but I am one.

Me and dad had this discussion last weekend as well. We looked at all our equipment, and came to the conclusion that a 5.8 ton Valtra 8750 would be better then a 7.5 ton TW35.

For 3pt hitch work, the weight transfer gives the traction. And with pulling wagons, the weight gets transfered there too. For pulling our harvesters, weight would get transfered too.

The only machine that would give us problems is our 28ft Konskilde triple K cultivator. It does not transfer weight to the draw bar. It's just a pure pull, and that is where the Valtra would struggle. But its pointless to put 7.5 ton on soft spring soils anyways.

So....next brand new tractor would likely be a Valtra. Course, thats lkely in 20 years, but hey, dream dream dream....

[[e-mail]]

Good question,
Adding and removing weights does seem like it could be a hassle,but on the other hand ,why incurr the extra costs involved in a substantially heavier tractor if the weight is not needed most of the time.
A heavy tractor not only costs more initially, but requires more engine power, (thus fuel) just to move it.It also creates more soil compaction (un-necessarilly when the weight is not needed for jobs requiring traction).And when the ground is spring-time soft as Jon Bos pointed out it is pointless to put it in the field anyway.
Maybe there is a certain point a person comes to, depending on percentage of use for heavy tillage , when a wheeled machine is not the answer.

[leemsutton]

I think in an ideal world we would all have both light and heavy machines in the same power class just to suit conditions.

e.g. If its a bit wet out there then a heavy machine to maintain traction and if its dry, a light machine to stop compaction.

Although if its wet and you use heavy then you cause compaction and if its wet out there you use light to avoid compaction but then you loose traction!

Did you all get that cause i am confused typing it

Lee

[Xavier]

I think that the compaction problems are quite important on humit soils, and the problems in dry soils are relatively less importants.
If you can't have two tractors you can have one and put some weigth on it when you consider necessary.
But i don't came from a land with all the the rain you have in UK (for unluck) and the problems of compactation are more caused by irrigation than the machinery (we don't use plows).

[[e-mail]]

Seems like the answer to solve all --- heavy tractor--light tractor--compaction--traction ,problems may be a lighter ,well built,competitively priced machine ,with add -on weights and dual rears----A VALTRA maybe?

[martijn]

You need the ideal weight for work. If you have a 80 HP- weight 3600 or 120hp whit same weight. The 80hp brings it hp more efficient  on the wheels than a 120 hp. Some tractors used weightblocks to a better pull.

[Woodbeef]

Ahhh.....Laapa,

Would that be 200+lbs or 200+kgs??? I fall in between the two points myself!!

I would have to side with the European idea of add weight when necessary,do not carry it around all of the time when not needed.

But then again it seems to be of more importance on your side of the pond.