LP tractors.

flying belgian · Jan 30, 2022

Why is there a disproportionate number of Minneapolis? What ever benefit the buyer saw in them, how come buyers of the other brands didn't see those benefits?

GreenEnvy · Jan 30, 2022

Because MM came up with the idea first and promoted it before anybody else.

Russ from MN · Jan 30, 2022

My dad also said propane was a by product of refining before cracking was developed in WW 2, so in areas close to refineries it was very inexpensive, just like distillate.

Gene Davis (Ga.) · Jan 30, 2022

Many people were just plain afraid of the LP units. They are the cleanest running and longest lasting engines if serviced and treated right. Also did anyone mention that the fuel octane rating is higher and that some people use LP pistons to get more hp for pulling tractors.

tractorguy2 · Jan 30, 2022

MM was the original manufacturer for Lp gas tractors. They promoted very hard the LP over the use of diesel engines. Propane was very cheap back in those days.

Grandpa's good buddy, Gearld loved MM tractors. he had more LPgas than diesels. Infact I can only remember one diesel on his farm a G-900.

300jk · Jan 30, 2022

They did have a lot of stuff them, big and smaller. Older and newer. Like another poster said. They knew how to make them work right. Every tractor manufacturer had them. MM specialized in more of a wheat land and standard tractor which was more used where lp was available. Great tractors. Hope to have one some day.

wheat straw · Jan 30, 2022

My roots go deep in Grant Co. Oklahoma and case put train loads of them in that area. cheap clean fuel back then.

MMDan · Jan 30, 2022

If you specialize in something chances are you will get it right. As several people said below, MM just got propane right. It was their niche and their engineers spent a lot of time on getting engines to perform on LP. Another thing that has not been mentioned yet is that MM built LOTS of LP stationary engines and they were on irrigation units everywhere. To be successful with stationary engines, you need something that will run for days and weeks on end with little service and MM LP (and NG) engines filled those needs. As someone who owns and farms with MM propane tractors and own a JD 630 on propane, MM knew how to get LP right and JD didn't. When I was working the 630 hard it was OK but it was much harder starting than the MM's and was never as efficient when used on lighter loads. Fuel cost still comes into play even today which is why I still use LP today. I do own a White 2-105 with a Perkins diesel but probably 80% of the time the LP tractors run cheaper.

chuck from neb · Jan 30, 2022

My jd propane 4010 was right ran likeca swiss watch that tractor would grind a dozen loads of feed a week

Texasmark · Jan 30, 2022

My JD 4020 I bought used totally sucked as did trying to refuel at ends of the ambient temperature range....and then there was the nurse tank as you couldn't work it all day without refueling and sitting behind the engine was a hot bath...just what you needed in the summer. Couldn't wait to get rid of that sucker.....to a sucker...like this sucker when I bought it......oh and after I bought it I found out what those little holes in the side of the block were for.....$1000 in parts and a lot of my labor.

SVcummins · Jan 31, 2022

Bbb bb but the one I bought wore out wasnt any good

Tx Jim · Jan 31, 2022

(quoted from post at 21:58:52 01/30/22) My JD 4020 I bought used totally sucked as did trying to refuel at ends of the ambient temperature range...

Mark Evidently you did not know or utilize the correct refueling procedure for LPG. Back in the 70's dealer where I was employed had a Ford 350 dually/460 cid that pulled 28' GN trailer fueled by LPG that I refueled on several occasions with no problems. Engine actually pulled better utilizing LPG than gasoline. I think LPG back then was CHEAP!

casecollectorsc · Jan 31, 2022

Got a 65 propane 930 Case. Good starting tractor in the winter down to -25...no need to blend diesel fuel. When the tractor was made , propane was only 6 cents a gallon. Of course diesel was only 14.9 cents a gallon. Working the tractor it probably uses twice what a diesel would.

Geo-TH,In · Jan 31, 2022

In the 50's the farmer next to my dad's place would hide in the corn crib and catch high school kids stealing his gas.

BarnyardEngineering · Jan 31, 2022

Good starting in the winter down to -25? F I presume? I can't even get a gas grill to start at +15F. The LP tank is frozen solid. Ruined a couple of holidays because I couldn't get propane out of the tank to run the cooker for the turkey. Take the tank in, warm it up, and 5 minutes later it's froze again.

sms · Jan 31, 2022

I had an 800 cu in MM power unit on my
sawmill. It would start and work at -5F
without a vaporizer.

Gambles · Jan 31, 2022

I used to work in a factory that had about 30 forklifts, 25 of them were LP-powered, 5 of them were diesel. A few of the LP models, Clark-branded, sat out in sheds that were not insulated and not heated. We could always get them to start when the temp was below zero, but the vaporizer would freeze up quite fast. The vaporizer had engine coolant running through it and the vaporizer would freeze up before the coolant was warm enough to thaw it out. So you would start the thing, run it for a couple of minutes and then it would die. Wait a couple of minutes for the vaporizer to thaw out and then start it again for a minute or two. After about 5-6 efforts, the thermostat would open up and coolant would run through the vaporizer and it would thaw out. It was always fun to see a layer of ice on the vaporizer that would suddenly thaw and then the engine would run fine. You could finally run it without problems for the rest of the day.
Yes, I do know that propane boils at about -40 below F and at that temp you can take an open container of liquid propane and it won't boil.

steve in ok · Jan 31, 2022

I had a 3020lp that was a great haying and feeding tractor. Always start no matter how cold.

Peat · Jan 31, 2022

Ya know the Kretchmars?

Alvin 41 · Jan 31, 2022

I've got an Oliver 770 LP that we used to mix and feed dairy cows for 35 years and we fueled it from the 1000 gallon heating tank. Just screw on filler valve and vent properly year around. Be careful not to freeze your fingers from the venting even in the summer.LP is still half diesel or gasoline cost .

LP tractors.

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