Two-wheel tractor engine type

There are several types of two-wheel tractor engines:

  • Duple. The main advantage of two-stroke gasoline engines is high power, so two-wheel tractors equipped with them are usually able to loosen virgin soil (trodden soil) well. However, unlike four-stroke engines, this type of engine consumes more fuel (about 30% more than a four-stroke engine of the same power). In addition, you need to prepare a gasoline-oil mixture, which is poured into the fuel tank. If you add less oil than required by the proportions (indicated on the package), then the piston system will wear out quickly, and if you add oil in excess, the motor will smoke. Due to the above disadvantages, many manufacturers are switching to the installation of four-stroke or diesel engines, so there are fewer and fewer two-stroke models on the market. It is worth buying a two-stroke two-wheel tractor only if you plan to engage exclusively in the cultivation of small plots or flower beds - for plowed fields, it is better to take a four-stroke or diesel model.
  • Four-stroke(gasoline). The most popular type of gasoline engines for two-wheel tractors and cultivators. Depending on the power of the model, two-wheel tractors with similar engines are used to cultivate land plots from 5 to 20 acres. At the same time, due to the design features, the engines almost never overheat, so they are very convenient to use in the warm season. The principle of their operation consists of four actions: the fuel mixture is supplied to the cylinder, then the mixture is compressed by the piston, after which it ignites from the candle, and the burnt waste is discharged through the valve. Here, oil and gasoline are poured into separate tanks, eliminating the need for the user to monitor compliance with proportions. At the same time, the noise performance of four-stroke models is much lower than that of two-stroke ones. Among other things, they have a much lower consumption of gasoline and oil for lubrication (depending on the model). However, in almost all cases, with equal power ratings, four-stroke units will be heavier than two-stroke ones. If two-stroke models do not exceed thirty kilograms, then four-stroke models can weigh more than a centner. And weight directly affects operator fatigue.
Petrol (4-stroke) two-wheel tractors and cultivators
  • Diesel(four-stroke). Diesel models are powerful units designed for plowing large areas, as well as for transporting goods. So, for example, the model Forte MD-101E Price from 54 148 ₴, with a power of 7400 W (10 hp), is able to additionally take on a load of up to 500 kg. Thanks to such draft performance, most diesel units can be additionally equipped with attachments, for example, a brush cutter, a haymaker, etc. Practice shows that the piston system of diesel engines is more durable than that of gasoline engines (depending on the manufacturer). Also, diesel engines consume less fuel per unit of time. However, in repair, such an engine will cost more than a gasoline engine, and the two-wheel tractor itself is an order of magnitude more expensive. Powerful diesel models are also suitable for those who plan to make money on arable land - sometimes this is the only mechanized way in places where the tractor simply cannot pass (it is impossible to drive up to the site or it is surrounded by a fixed fence).
  • Electrical. Electric engines do not produce exhaust gases compared to gasoline and diesel engines, therefore they are more environmentally friendly. They also run much quieter. However, their radius of action is limited by the length of the cord (can be increased with an extension cord), and the cord itself greatly interferes underfoot during operation. The power of electrical units does not exceed 2500 W, so they will be of interest only to those who regularly work on their own small plot of no more than 2 - 3 acres, and where the land is not heavily rammed.
  • Rechargeable. These are low-power models for servicing small areas. Their main advantage over conventional electric ones is the ability to plow the land in the absence of an active power source. Otherwise, in terms of power and noise, they are similar to electric ones. However, due to the presence of the battery, the models have more weight. Also, the battery lasts no more than an hour, after which it will have to be charged (charging can take up to 4 hours).
Electric cultivators and two-wheel tractors

Reducer type

The gearbox is a structural element responsible for converting high speed on the input shaft into the operating speed of the two-wheel tractor on the output shaft. It also transmits torque from the engine to the wheels of the device.

There are three types of gearboxes used in two-wheel tractors:

  • Worm. The cheapest and simplest version of the gearbox, which is installed mainly in models with a vertical shaft. It perfectly “drives” the two-wheel tractor along regularly cultivated land, but there will be problems with trampled down soil .. It's all about the brass gear, which can fail under high loads.
Worm gear.
  • Chain. The most optimal option, which combines quality and relatively low cost. Models with a chain reducer are capable of working at maximum loads. The most common failure is a broken or stretched chain. If the housing in which the gearbox is placed is collapsible (i.e., to repair it, you do not need to remove the engine and drive shaft), then with a spare chain and sprockets, you can easily replace the broken part without contacting a service center.
Chain type gearbox.
  • Gear. The most reliable type of gearbox, designed for a long service life. It consists of several gears (usually 6 - 8 pieces), made of high quality hardened metal, and interacting with each other. If you plan to use the two-wheel tractor for commercial purposes and often plow the trampled down soil, then a device with a gear reducer is the best option. However, it is worth considering that the price for this type is much higher than for a worm or chain (and it is more expensive to repair), which increases the total cost of a two-wheel tractor.
Gear reducer.
Two-wheel tractors with gear reduction

Design features and additional functions that you should pay attention to when choosing?

It is worth considering the following criteria when choosing a suitable two-wheel tractor:

  • Engine power. Models with power from 750 to 2500 W are suitable for home use only for soil cultivation. If you plan to often plow virgin soil or heavily trampled soil, then you need models with a power of 2500 W or more. To use attachments, it is worth taking a model from 4500 W, since the power take-off shaft will take additional draft power for the operation of the nozzle. If you plan to attach a trailer and transport goods, then the option of a two-wheel tractor with an engine power of 6000 watts or more will be optimal.
  • Width of capture of a cultivator. The width of the working body depends on how quickly the land will be plowed. Capture with a width of up to 50 cm is more suitable for working with flower beds. The average indicator for a summer cottage is considered to be a capture width of 75 - 80 cm, which is convenient to process 5 - 15 acres in one day. If you plan to make money on arable land, then it is best to take a model with a grip of 1 m for faster processing.
  • Immersion depth of the cultivator. This is another indicator on which the speed of plowing the land depends. For planting potatoes, it is necessary to go deep by about 20 cm, and for planting seedlings of fruit trees deeper than 30 cm. Depending on how deep your plot needs to be plowed, it is worth choosing the depth of immersion of the working body.
  • Weight. The heavier the two-wheel tractor, the easier it is to go deep into the ground. However, at the same time, during operation, in order for the furrow to be even, the two-wheel tractor must be held firmly in your hands and guided, and it is difficult to control a heavy unit. Therefore, for a site that is constantly processed, it is better to take a light apparatus from 30 to 50 kg. For virgin lands, it is worth taking a device heavier from 70 kg and above, but at the same time taking frequent breaks in work.
  • Active two-wheel tractor. This is a working body, which is movably fixed on the power take-off shaft of the two-wheel tractor. When colliding with an obstacle, such as a stone, the cutter lifts the two-wheel tractor and the device continues to move on. A passive cutter (fixed motionless) in a collision with an obstacle overturns the two-wheel tractor, which disrupts the plowing process, and can also injure a person. Please note that the operation of an active rototiller, which is placed parallel to the wheels, requires additional power consumption, which is transmitted to the PTO (see description below), so you should pay attention to powerful gasoline and diesel units.
Active Rototillers
  • Transport wheels. Some small two-wheel tractors, such as Patriot Dakota Pro 440107211 , have additional wheels that make it easier to transport them to the place of work. Large powerful units are usually equipped with large wheels that are leading in operation and simplify transportation.
  • Speed regulation. Thanks to this function, it is possible to adjust the speed of the unit depending on the depth of tillage, its hardness and the size of the plot itself. You can adjust the speed if the two-wheel tractor is equipped with more than two speeds.
  • Reverse(reverse). Sometimes, when the cultivator burrows into the ground, it must be returned back. This is assisted by a reverse gear or reverse gear, which causes the wheels to rotate in the opposite direction.
A word of advice: when starting the reverse gear, never block the throttle handle, otherwise if a person falls to the ground and the device continues to move, this is fraught with injury.
  • Electric starter. Some gasoline and diesel models, in addition to the usual shmorgalki (cable), are equipped with an electric starter that allows you to quickly start the device. Although this is much more convenient than pulling the cable, the unit becomes somewhat heavier due to the battery.
  • Water cooling of the engine. Thanks to the water cooling system, the engine does not overheat and there is no need to take breaks in operation. This is especially true for powerful diesel units that will be in operation for 4 to 6 hours a day in hot summer weather.
Water-cooled two-wheel tractors
  • Differential lock. This function is regulated by a special device, under the action of which the power is redistributed between the moving wheels. To make it easier to turn on the section, the power is transferred from the wheel that passes the smaller radius to the wheel passing through the larger radius (outer circle). Thus, the wheel does not slip and does not load in the ground. First of all, this is necessary for heavy devices over 75 kg, so when choosing such models, pay attention to the differential lock.
  • Power take-off shaft(PTO). One of the most useful design solutions in high power two-wheel tractors. This shaft takes a certain amount of power (torque) from the wheels of the unit and transfers it to the attachment. Thanks to the presence of such a shaft, equipment such as a haymaker (a wide mower that does not grind grass), a snow blower, a grass cutter (lawn mower function), a hiller, a potato picker, a sower, etc. can be hooked to the two-wheel tractor. However, is it possible to attach attachments for a specific model of two-wheel tractor, you must check directly with the seller. Also, units with PTO are more expensive than counterparts of similar power without it.
  • Height adjustable handle. The operator can adjust the length of the walking handle of the two-wheel tractor directly to his height. This function is equipped with the vast majority of cultivating units.
  • Lateral handle adjustment. The ability to rearrange the handle on the side of the two-wheel tractor. In this case, the operator will walk sideways and will not trample the furrow. However, it is convenient to work with the side handle only with light devices - heavy ones will be difficult to direct directly along the furrow.
  • Lighting headlights. Although the headlights simplify the processing of the site in the evening, for the most part they are necessary for movement (carriage of goods) along the roadway at night to illuminate the path and identify the two-wheel tractor by other cars.
  • Plant fences. Guards are metal or plastic discs that protect the cutter (cultivator) from nearby plants. At the same time, it is a good protection for the plants themselves, for example, for ornamental shrubs, near which the operator can plow a vegetable garden.
Two-wheel tractors with plant fence

Conclusion

For home work in a small area, it is better to take an inexpensive two-wheel tractor with a worm or chain gearbox. If you plan to use the unit for commercial purposes, then it is better to buy a model with a gear reducer and a maximum working depth (since it is not known what kind of soil and to what depth to go through the furrow). Processing a field of 10 acres or more, as well as plowing on virgin soil is better with a powerful diesel or gasoline model from 4500 watts. If you plan to use the two-wheel tractor as a lawn mower or haymaker, then you will need a model with a power take-off shaft.

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