Stationary and axial equipment for the walk-behind tractor

Recommendation points

• Stationary attachments
• Plow
• Harrow
• Hiller
• Potato digger “swallow”
• Blade knife
• Axial tools
• Tiller or cultivator
• Axial harrow
• Lugs and tilling wheel

What operations can be performed with a walk-behind tractor? How many types of equipment are there? Is it possible to upgrade factory products? In our article, we will consider these important questions for the business executive related to stationary and axial attachments..

As you know, a walk-behind tractor is a universal device. Its main tasks:

1. Generation of tractive effort to move the load.
2. Creation of persistent effort during work (soil development, snow clearing).
3. Moving (transporting) mounted implements during their work.

In the previous article, we found out that the equipment of the walk-behind tractor is divided according to the principle of operation. Developing from simple to complex, these devices sometimes turn into independent units of technology. This happened with a motor-cultivator, a snowplow, and sweeping brushes. With a replaceable layout, five types of equipment are distinguished by the method of attachment:

1. Stationary. It is attached to the frame of the walk-behind tractor or adapter and works due to its traction and persistent efforts.
2. Axial. Attaches to the axle and works due to its rotation under the weight of the apparatus.
3. Activator. It is a mechanism with tools attached to it. Always has a drive from the power unit of the walk-behind tractor. Basically has in its design some kind of gearbox.
4. Adapters. Landing and steering devices.
5. Trailed. Trailers and carts.

In this part we will look at the first two types. The rest – we will describe in the following articles.

By purpose, attachments are divided into only three categories:

1. Agricultural. Designed for processing fertile soil in order to obtain a harvest.
2. Communal (communal hitch). Ground surface cleaning, lawn care.
3. Universal. Transportation of goods, pumping water, generating electricity, etc..

In the overwhelming majority of cases, attachments of the listed categories, manufactured at the factory (except for activator ones), do not suit the owners. There are only two reasons:

• insufficient reliability and inconvenience (lack of a range of adjustments);
• local conditions (soil properties and site location).

These reasons, in turn, stem from the constrained financial conditions that small landowners most often find themselves in. A modest budget forces them to purchase equipment and equipment of an amateur class and subject it to significant modernization to solve professional problems. In the course of the description, we will consider the main claims to factory products and how to eliminate them..

Stationary attachments

Designed in order to develop the soil using cutting planes and teeth, which, when “deaf” fastened to the frame, become one with the walk-behind tractor. The work involves the thrust and weight of the entire device.

The walk-behind tractor kit always contains one or more units of this equipment. This is mainly a plow, a tiller, a cutter. Standard products perform their function nominally, since they save on metal during their manufacture. A logical marketing ploy is to offer powerful and reliable plows and tillers, but at an appropriate price..

Plow

In its simplest form, intended for medium technology, it is a steel plate, bent in a special shape and fixed on an iron lever. In the working part there is a replaceable cutter, and a skimmer is attached to the lever, which facilitates plowing. A light plow will be able to adequately perform the work only on light soil at a shallow depth (up to 180 mm).

For more powerful professional motoblocks (MB), plows are improved in different ways – they enlarge, strengthen, pair, supplement with tilt and blade angle adjustments. The lever itself turns (still at the factory) into a powerful beam that transfers weight to the tool. The plowing depth increases to 320 mm. With such a device, you can cultivate virgin soil..

Problem: unreliable attachment to the MB. Eliminated independently by making an individual mount.

The price of an “amateur” plow starts at 700 rubles. A reliable plow made of thick metal for a powerful MB with a beam and adjustments will cost already 7000-8500 rubles.

Harrow

It is used to create an even “fluffy blanket” for the winter, preventing severe soil freezing. There are two types – trailed and axial. Trailed can be made in the form of a steel grate or frame (sometimes folding) with sharp pins fixed perpendicular to it. Powered by its own weight and tractive effort, the MB is pulled along the arable land by dragging, leveling the plowed land.

Another type of harrow is a disc harrow. The large-segment discs mounted to the frame rotate to loosen the ground. More reliable and professional option.

Problem: light weight. It is weighted down by loads during work.

The price of the lightest and most compact frame harrow is about 1,500 rubles. For a large pro option, you will have to pay an average of 10,000 rubles. The cost of a disk gun – from 20,000 to 38,000 rubles.

Hiller

Designed for raking up the earth in the beds. By design, they are of two types.

Disk. Represents two movable discs mounted on a beam at an angle. Rotating in the direction of travel, they rake the ground to each other.

Problem: The plastic sleeve is not reliable. It breaks down in the first 100 meters of operation and disc play appears, which subsequently becomes the cause of their premature failure. Eliminated by replacing the sleeve with a bearing.

Vane.In essence, it is a twin plow with a depth limiter. Cuts into the ground by 5-7 cm and distributes it to the sides with plates.

Problem: unreliable attachment to the beam. It is eliminated by driving an inch pipe into the hollow beam, which allows you to use more reliable fasteners.

Price from 500 to 10 500 rubles. depending on the combination of design, weight and availability of adjustments.

Potato digger “swallow”

Sharp delto-shaped cutter with rods in the form of a train, fixed to the lever. The cutter buries itself in the ground and fits under the nest, the tubers pass along the twigs to the surface. Relevant for a small amount of work or cramped conditions.

Problem: gun uncontrollability. It either buries too deep in the ground, stopping the MB, or crashes into the nest and spoils the tubers. Eliminated by welding the “heel” with the keel onto the cutter.

Price from 500 to 1500 rubles.

Blade knife

Reduced variation of the bulldozer working body. Refers to communal hitch.

Problem: poor attachment to the MB and rapid wear on the bottom of the knife. Eliminated by modernizing fasteners and strengthening a new cutter for welding or bolts.

Price 4500–9500 rubles.

Axial tools

This type of device, as we have already found out, rotates on the axis of the MB or a motor-cultivator. We will look at three main implements, which account for up to 90% of all axle applications..

Tiller or cultivator

A hollow bar with blades. The blade shapes have a huge number of varieties – from the Fokin plane cutter to the solid auger. Cultivator performance is determined by the width and depth of the cutter.

Price from 900 to 1800 rubles for a pair of cutters (depending on the diameter and thickness of the metal). Milling cutters complete with an axis (semiaxis) will cost 2500–4200 rubles per piece.

Axial harrow

Drum with steel rods as side segments. Rotating, loosens the ground by 5-7 cm.

Price from 680 to 2500 rubles.

Lugs and tilling wheel

Axle auxiliary tools that do not perform direct “duties” for soil development.

The lug is a frame structure in the form of a wheel with blades of 30–50 mm directed along a radius. Installed instead of rubber wheels for driving on arable land and in muddy roads.

The tilling wheel is a round solid metal drum with an axle mount in the center. Thickness – about 100 mm, diameter 200–400 mm, has grouted blades. The drum has a hole with a welded nut, which allows filling the drum with liquid or sand and using the bolt as a plug. Mounted on an axle for heavier arable land.

The problems of this class are the same – wear and deformation of the attachment points, as well as the blades themselves. The solution is also one for all – regular inspection and sharpening of cutting parts (reduce the load on them during work). Also, the cause of premature wear can be the operation in the mode of maximum loads. To avoid this, purchase equipment with a power reserve.

Lugs cost from 1400 to 3600 per pair + extensions (to widen the track).

A plow wheel will cost from 800 to 1500 rubles per unit.

Ready-made kits are on sale, including a set of necessary tools of different completeness. Prices for them, depending on the manufacturer (quality of steel and welding), vary from 4500 to 13 600 rubles.

Axle attachments and attachments require a fair amount of physical effort when working. Therefore, they were primarily tried to modernize both the farmers themselves and the factory engineers. This resulted in the following two classes. How to choose, use and maintain an activator-type hitch, read the next article.