Thread: Thinking of getting a tractor

Originally Posted by wrinklearthur

What appeals to me with that loader is the parallel lift arrangement that keeps tilt on the bucket in the same plane from the ground to the highest the loader frame can lift.
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All the modern loaders seem to have the level-lift arrangement, certainly a big plus. For a modern-ish tractor with a level-lift loader and 4wd/front-wheel assist, you would be starting around $20k.

With regard to ROPS, they are not a legal requirement in Vic (as stated earlier) unless in a workplace.

Originally Posted by POD

With regard to ROPS, they are not a legal requirement in Vic (as stated earlier) unless in a workplace.

So what is a work place. Any farm, that would include hobby farms, is a work place IMO.
Have a look here.Roll-over protective structures (ROPS) - Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/__dat...9/rops_vwa.pdf

Originally Posted by POD

With regard to ROPS, they are not a legal requirement in Vic (as stated earlier) unless in a workplace.

When the legislation was first mooted by the Tasmanian Parliament in the late 1970's, My Dad and I had already fitted a ROPS to our MF135 and by doing this we was able to hire our tractor to the fledgling company that was planting Peppermint for Essential oil distillation.



We made enough from the hire to pay all the costs of fitting the ROPS and costs associated with the hiring of the tractor.

So what I am saying here, is if you have the right equipment it's possible to offset the capital cost by a moderate hire out of your new tractor.
Just bear in mind if you need to do this, that today, OH and S constraints require all sorts of protection for the operators, this would include a air conditioned ROPS cabin and certification of the loader if fitted.
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In the early 1970's when new tractors sold in NSW were required to have a ROPS frame fitted, we at Leyland Brisbane and our border dealers often had a NSW cockie cross the border to buy a tractor without the added cost of a ROPS. Now we all know cockies are reputedly cheap but this really convinced me.

Another cockie bon mot was to do with one of the first six cylinder 100 hp Leyland tractors sold. The deal was done by the Dalby dealer and the two adult sons of the buyer came to Brisbane with the farm truck to pick it up. Real country boys, big as houses and slow talking. they were distressed to see the new tractor had a full lighting package as standard. They requested the work lights be removed before they took it away. They reckoned if dad saw the lights he would have them working 24 hours.

TEF20 and our 148 industrial had a massive loader frame with small bucket.
the tef had gravity tip over bucket and lift only hydrolics --3 point link locked in place.

too much load--wet chook poo -- see the front axle try to roll over and feet power steering.

john deer euro bucket we use as a bumper bar on works slasher tractors.
dad just bought a 70hp kabuta with a challenger 4 in one that unstable.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

In the early 1970's when new tractors sold in NSW were required to have a ROPS frame fitted, we at Leyland Brisbane and our border dealers often had a NSW cockie cross the border to buy a tractor without the added cost of a ROPS. Now we all know cockies are reputedly cheap but this really convinced me.

Another cockie bon mot was to do with one of the first six cylinder 100 hp Leyland tractors sold. The deal was done by the Dalby dealer and the two adult sons of the buyer came to Brisbane with the farm truck to pick it up. Real country boys, big as houses and slow talking. they were distressed to see the new tractor had a full lighting package as standard. They requested the work lights be removed before they took it away. They reckoned if dad saw the lights he would have them working 24 hours.

I can second that.... The better the lights the longer you work.... Driving a tractor at 1am in a pitch black and huge paddock of stubble gets rather spooky...

Originally Posted by MR LR jnr.

I can second that.... The better the lights the longer you work.... Driving a tractor at 1am in a pitch black and huge paddock of stubble gets rather spooky...

I don't think the boys were worried by the ghosts of worked and starved to death farm hands and murdered aboriginals. On a below zero Dalby winter's night they preferred the homestead fireplace with a stubby and TV to freezing their butts off ploughing the black soil plains.

Originally Posted by Davehoos

TEF20 and our 148 industrial had a massive loader frame with small bucket.
the tef had gravity tip over bucket and lift only hydrolics --3 point link locked in place.

too much load--wet chook poo -- see the front axle try to roll over and feet power steering.

I've just taken a loader off the 148 and put it up for sale. Big steel boomerangs for mounts but it was so long and heavy that traction was terrible. About 15 years ago a 1 ton concrete counterweight was added to the rear arms. This solved the traction issues but it really just put too much load on the tractor. Front axle pivot carriers broke, steering was very heavy and I think it even tweaked the sump (structural) on the 135 that the loader and counterweight was on previously.

A shorter loader and lighter counterweight would have been far more usable and suited the tractor better.
The kubota with a Pearson loader is a complete beast in comparison. The only problem is the narrow bucket on a wider tractor can't be seen when scooping. You could see the bucket on the 135 and 148's easily.

Originally Posted by Davehoos

john deer euro bucket we use as a bumper bar on works slasher tractors.
dad just bought a 70hp kabuta with a challenger 4 in one that unstable.

Pics?