Re: Narrow, cheaper than wide end?

Posted by Deas Plant. on April 03, 2003 at 02:06:24 from (210.50.56.201):

In Reply to: Narrow, cheaper than wide end? posted by Bernhard on April 02, 2003 at 12:20:11:

Hi, Folks.
I have wondered for a while at the apparent fondness for narrow-front - 'tricycle' - tractors in the U.S.. I knew they were more manouvreable, and suspected that they were basically designed for row-crop applications but it never dawned on me that they might be cheaper to produce.

The main reason for my wonder though was the question of stability and I thought Paul Janke summed it up very well in his post. He put my thoughts into words exactly. I have no doubt that there are some ardent fans of the narrow-front configuration who will not like hearing it but, given the same track on the rear axle and same size rear tires, a wide-front will always be more stable than a narrow-front purely and simply because of the lower center of gravity. On top of this, many narrow-fronts that I see pictured in U.S. sites and in magazines seem to have larger diameter, narrower tires that similar-sized wide-front tractors. All for a purpose, I guess.

Having said that, I would NEVER knock anybody's personal choice of narrow or wide front. For mine anybody has the right to choose whatever tractor they desire, warts and all.

Row crops are not as common here in Australia, to the extent that I can only definitely remember seeing ONE narrow-front tractor 'in the flesh' so to speak, and perhaps two or three others in 'for sale' adverts in my life time to date. The bulk of the tractor market here would be for broad-acre use for cereal crops, etc. and they are almost without exception, wide-fronts.

Even market gardeners and orchardists here use wide-fronts. Most of our market gardening areas are relatively flat but there are some rather wrinkly, 'well-drained' orchard areas.

I also can not remember ever seeing an Australian tractor fitted with the narrow - 'bicycle' - rear tires that I see on many pictures of American narrow-front tractors. Would these narrow rear tires also be a row-crop feature?

Let the debate rage -- peacefully, please.

You have a winderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Re: Narrow, cheaper than wide end? evielboweviel 08:22:49 04/03/03 (0)
• Re: Re: Narrow, cheaper than wide end? rustyfarmall 03:55:26 04/03/03 (0)

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