Content
Immediately after their appearance on the market, mini-tractors gained wide popularity among builders and utility workers. Maneuverable vehicles quickly replaced oversized special equipment and cope with the assigned tasks no worse. Now they have already begun to use mini-tractors for household use, and they are even trying to assemble them themselves from a walk-behind tractor.
Classification of equipment
Mini tractor at home, it is an indispensable assistant in the garden, cottage, etc. The modern market offers a huge selection of special equipment. One of the main parameters of its classification is the type of engine. They come in petrol and diesel and also vary in power.
Lightweight models
This type of special equipment is most suitable for home use if the area of the treated area does not exceed 2 hectares. The machines are used for haymaking, clearing sidewalks of snow, cultivating the garden and other agricultural work. The equipment is characterized by compactness, maneuverability, and is also capable of moving at high speed. Light models are equipped with an engine with a power of up to 7 liters. With.
Medium models
It is reasonable to take an average mini-tractor for a household if the area of the cultivated area reaches 5 hectares. The equipment is also suitable for small farms, as it is universal in use. Medium models are equipped with an engine with a power of up to 20 hp. With.
Heavy models
A heavy mini-tractor is not used for household use. Despite its compact size, the equipment is used to perform large volumes of agricultural work. Heavy vehicles are equipped with an engine with a power of up to or more than 55 hp. With.
Difference in design
Depending on the design, the specifics of using the equipment, that is, its purpose, are determined.
Rider
The appearance of this mini-tractor resembles an enlarged lawn mower. The equipment is designed for cutting grass. To expand functionality, it is possible to install a drive. Then the raider will be able to work with light attachments. The mini-tractor is characterized by high maneuverability.
Garden equipment
You can distinguish a garden tractor from a raider by the location of the motor. The first model has it in the front. The rider has the engine located at the rear. This feature greatly reduced the maneuverability of the garden machine. It is less stable on difficult terrain, especially slopes. However, this technique is capable of working with many attachments that can be attached to the rear and front.
General purpose equipment
These mini-tractors are a smaller copy of large-sized agricultural machines.Maneuverable and compact equipment is used in construction, for performing public works, servicing greenhouses and livestock farms. The versatility of mini-tractors is expanded through the use of attachments.
Criteria for choosing a mini tractor
When choosing a mini-tractor for the household, you need to clearly know what tasks it will have to cope with. The effectiveness of the technology depends on this. So, let's look at what you need to pay attention to when buying a mini tractor:
- Manufacturer. This question always worries an experienced buyer. The most reliable equipment is from Japanese and German manufacturers. Other European brands have proven themselves well. However, you have to pay a good price for quality. If you want something imported, but cheaper, then you should give preference to Italian or Chinese models. Now they are gaining their place in the market mini-tractors of domestic production and are already in great demand
- Engine power is the main parameter that you should pay attention to first. The endurance of the equipment depends on the amount of horsepower. It’s better to take with a small reserve than to regret that a weak mini-tractor works slowly.
- The weight and size of a mini-tractor are also important indicators. Equipment selected without taking these parameters into account can cause a lot of trouble when performing assigned tasks.
- The comfort of using the equipment depends on additional equipment.If you need a mini-tractor for year-round work, then you should choose a model with a cabin and heating. When using equipment seasonally in the warm season, you can opt for cheaper models without a cabin.
When purchasing any model of mini-tractor, inquire about the availability of spare parts for it. For some imported and discontinued models, it is difficult to find parts or you will have to pay a lot for them.
Homemade mini-tractor from a walk-behind tractor
You can assemble a mini-tractor for the household with your own hands from a walk-behind tractor. Among such homemade products, small-sized equipment has good functionality. To remodel, you will need to make a frame, install an additional pair of wheels, steering and, of course, a driver's seat.
Assembled DIY mini tractor It can even be equipped with hydraulics. This will make it possible to use the equipment with attachments designed for excavation work.
When converting a walk-behind tractor into a mini-tractor, you will need ready-made drawings. It is better to contact a specialist who has dealt with similar construction with this question. The fact is that each brand of walk-behind tractor has its own design features, and therefore the reworking of components occurs in different ways.
When assembling a mini-tractor with your own hands, you need to ensure the correct transmission of torque from the engine to the wheels. The uniform distribution of the load on the drive axle depends on this.
When assembling the main components, it is necessary to position the gear shift lever and brake as conveniently as possible.In addition to ease of use, these systems are responsible for driver safety.
When the entire mini-tractor is assembled, all that remains is to install additional equipment. First, equip the driver's seat with a comfortable seat. To make it possible to operate the equipment at night, lights are placed on the front of the body.
Now let's look at a general guide on how to make a mini-tractor from a home walk-behind tractor:
- First, for a homemade mini-tractor, you need to weld the frame. It is better to make longitudinal and transverse spars from channel bars. Hubs for axle bearings are attached to the bottom. They can be bought or found in scrap metal, removed from agricultural equipment. Two bearings must be installed on each axle shaft.
- The track width depends on the location of the motor. If the engine remains standing on the front of the frame, then the track width is left the same as it was on the walk-behind tractor. With a rear-mounted engine, the track on the frame is widened. This is necessary to balance the structure.
- When installing wheels, be sure to check their alignment. Each axle shaft must be strictly perpendicular to the longitudinal elements of the frame. This exact location can be achieved by installing a solid axle with bearings, after which it is sawed into two parts. That is, there are two semi-axes.
- To make an axle, you need to take a piece of high-quality steel. The diameter of this part depends on the bearings on hand. You also need to measure the size of the wheel hubs. They must fit the dimensions of the bearings.
- Two couplings are put on the axle. The right part should move easily. The driver will move it with a lever located on the control rod. When the right clutch and the left element are tightly engaged, the wheels will be locked.
- The traverse is made so that it rotates freely 180O. The ease of operating the equipment during operation depends on this.
- The next element is welded steel corners with a section of 25x25 mm to the frame. A metal casing is screwed to them with bolts for the intermediate shaft. It is bent from sheet steel 5 mm thick. An opening flap is placed on the rear of the casing, and fastenings for the fuel tank are welded on the front.
When all the main components are ready, you can start decorating the mini-tractor. The racks are welded to the frame, after which the seat is attached to them. If desired, you can even make a cabin or an open canopy over the driver.
The video shows a homemade mini-tractor:
It is convenient to make homemade mini-tractors from walk-behind tractors if you have an old disassembled Moskvich car on your farm. You can get almost all the necessary spare parts from it.
