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Propane is $1.00/gal cheaper than gas... and I'm a thinkin..

T

The Bachelor

Member
I know nothing about propane tractors and if they are anywhere near as good as gas, but the price difference and all in fuel.... I'm wonderin if swappin my ol 1010 for a propane 60 might pay for itself and then some rakin hay, discin, plowin, drillin and plantin.

What do y'all think???? (The 60 would handle my acreage )....
 
Propane has less energy per gallon than gasoline, so it will probably take 30% to 40% MORE propane than gasoline to do a specific job. Run those numbers and see if it still works out.
 
It is true that HD5 propane only produces roughly 75% of the energy of gasoline but, if you are using gas with ethanol content it may even itself out because ethanol only produces roughly 65% of the energy of gasoline. I had a propane tractor once and it was always leaking somewhere and was a PITA to haul fuel and filler rig around, there are still 100's of old propane tractors around my area because for years and years propane was dirt cheap.
 
One must also remember that LPG has a higher octane rating which can allow for higher compression ratios for greater hp efficiency.

I think your percentages are off, but by how much I don't know. My dad had LPG tractors from the mid 1960s until he retired in 1986 at the age of 86. I just don't remember the number for gallons per hour for our G705, GVI, or M5.
 
Yes, high compression helps squeeze more power out of propane, but I think it will be REALLY tough to beat at least a 30% increase in fuel consumption, at least be a significant amount.
 
Do you remember in the mid to late seventies when we just thought gas was expensive? My FIL was a fork lift mechanic and had access to all kinds of propane parts, we had everything but his wrist watch running on propane! We had a new Ford Granada car, a 65 f-100 with a 352 motor, 3C cab series ford trucks with 330 motors, a 190Allis tractor two other chevy 3/4 ton 4 wheel drives and a early seventies buick, and as best as I can remember they all ran well and did not hurt for power....The reason we quit was the state of Missouri came out with some sort of sticker that had to be displayed in your windshield or they would fine the he!! out of you and that sticker cost sooo much that it about made the two fuels cost the same at that time..I guess they missed the road use tax.
 
Don't know about the propane other then at one place I worked it was used on the fork lifts. As for the 1010 over the 60 the 60 is at least twice as good a machine as the problem child 1010 is
 

I've heard that about that 1010 Old, but I got to tell you, the one I have has been purrin right along here for the last couple of years.... except for one time last year when.... well thats another story....

Thanks y'all, but I see in the Nebraska tests where the LP tractors use almost twice as much fuel per hour. Might not be worth the money after all. Might be about time to pull the B out of retirement... She did bale hay last year when the 1010 gave up the ghost but....well... thats another story.... :)
 
I still have a good number of parts from a 1010 on hand is you find you need any. Some of those parts are getting very hard to come by. I also have a 60 parts tractor on hand. My self I could not get by with just one or 2 tractor and when I do haying I use at least 6 tractors. 2 on the balers, 2 for cutting one main and one back up for cutting. Then one or 2 for raking and then the loader tractor for stacking the big rounds. Still use the 1935 JD B at times for raking hay but it is hard on the back
 
I have NO PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with propane tractors but what I have HEARD and READ is this:
Propane burns cleaner so the oil and the engine in general stays cleaner,
They can be a PITA to start in cold weather and get fuel to,
When doing light work they will use about the same amount of fuel as a gas tractor but when doing heavy work they will use twice as much fuel or more.

Hopefully someone can give you advice from first hand experience.
 
I have a couple of LP tractors, a JD 720 and a Farmall M. They are both inexpensive to run. You run an LP on vapors for light work and liquid for hard pulling. They are fuel savers on vapors.
I rake hay, plow snow, etc. on vapors and for heavy work I use a gasoline or a deisel fueled tractor. In comparing vapor LP use to gasoline, I use about 3 tanks of gasoline to one tank of LP. Also tehy are much easier to start in cold weather.
 
last LP i bought here was 1.69,gas is 3.30+,deisel almost 4...I'm looking to covert also if i can find the stuff for a 8n. I looked at a 900 case lp this last weekend,thinking real serious about buying it.Lots of lp tractors were sold in my area and are still fairly common.The only real complaint I ever had with them is refueling in the feild.
 
true greenbeanman,what most folks dont realize also ,is that nearly all factory LP tractors had higher compression #s also,due to their running higher domed pistons.old indian trick for many years was to put lp pistons in your gas tractors when you rebuilt it.
 
yes,if you run lp vehicle on the road its supposed to have a road use sticker.still does here anyway.
 
Minneapolismoline made some big propane tractors. Id think the best thing to do is rig a tractor up to use forklift bottles since refueling is going to be a pain in the butt.
 
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