How to choose a two-wheel tractor
If you are running out of time due to the fact that it is already time to plow and sow, you can simply watch our video on how to choose a two-wheel tractor or a cultivator and in just 6 minutes clarify the most important details for yourself.
The difference between a two-wheel tractor and a cultivator
Two-wheel tractors and cultivators are visually slightly similar (if we compare the equipment of the same “weight category”). Both are intended for soil treatment. Therefore, many are wondering: what is the difference between them? Despite the similar design, there is a difference between these types of equipment, and quite a big one.
A two-wheel tractor is a full-fledged self-propelled tractor, just with two wheels. Its key feature is the ability to use active attachments. To do this, a special unit (shaft or pulley) is provided in the design of the two-wheel tractor, which is used to drive an active rototiller, mower, seeder, etc., and the reducer allows to change the gear ratio for a particular work.
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| Honda two-wheel tractor while working on the field. |
A cultivator is an equipment for loosening (cultivating) the soil without turning over the layers. You can attach a light plow, hiller or harrow to some large cultivators, but they cannot work with active attachments. The vast majority of cultivators do not even have wheels (except for transport wheels), but move during operation only due to the rotation of the rototiller.
Note that in many languages and countries there is no difference between two-wheel tractors and cultivators (or it is very vague). And sometimes two-wheel tractors are sold in online stores as cultivators (simply because changing the name in some cases allows to reduce customs duties). And there are also reverse situations: the seller proudly names the cultivator a two-wheel tractor in order to sell at a higher price.
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| Two-wheel tractor Honda while working on garden beds. |
Which is better: two-wheel tractor or cultivator?
Each type of equipment is developed for specific tasks. Cultivators are best suited for compact areas with well-cultivated, repeatedly plowed soil, which is constantly and carefully maintained. Thanks to their small size and light weight, the cultivators can easily turn around at the end of short and narrow beds or move from one bed to another. Their technical characteristics, to be honest, are quite limited (the loosening depth does not exceed the length of the shovel bayonet). But if the soil is soft and clean, then even compact electric cultivators do their work well.
Two-wheel tractors are initially intended for other conditions. They have more power, the design is stronger, and the range of settings is wider. Therefore, the two-wheel tractor is better suited for working on large areas and is easier to cope with dense clay soil, heavy black soil or soils that are rarely plowed. Its main advantage is its versatility. In skillful hands and with properly selected attachments, a two-wheel tractor turns into a multifunctional equipment – a means for mechanizing the most physically demanding work in agriculture. What a two-wheel tractor can do is simply beyond the power of a cultivator.
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| Two-wheel tractors and cultivators are a big step forward compared to horse traction and manual labor. |
Light, medium and heavy two-wheel tractors
There is no generally accepted classification system for two-wheel tractors. However, they are divided into classes that differ in power, size and weight. Each class has its own characteristics and specialization.
Light two-wheel tractors weigh up to 70 – 75 kg. Usually, they are equipped with small petrol engines ( 4 – 7 hp) and reducers with 2 – 3 forward gears and 1 reverse gear. These are compact two-wheeled tractors that easily maneuver in small gardens and farms, bypassing fruit trees, bushes and greenhouses. A light two-wheel tractor is well suited for plowing beds where vegetables are grown year after year, planting and digging potatoes, as well as regular hilling plants in the process of their growth.
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| Light two-wheel tractor Stiga. |
Medium two-wheel tractors weigh about 100 kg (less often – up to 120 – 125 kg). As a power plant, a petrol motor with power 7 hp or more is usually used or air-cooled diesel, and the reducer has 2 – 4 gears for moving forward and 1 – 2 gears for reverse. The average two-wheel tractor is a universal option that will suit most farmers living in rural areas and having about 30-50 acres of cultivated land. It can be used for plowing or milling the soil, planting and harvesting various crops, hilling and weeding beds, mowing grass and hay, transporting goods and other tasks.
Heavy two-wheel tractors weigh more than 150 kg(the weight of some models reaches 250 – 300 kg). They get powerful petrol motors (8 – 13 hp) or diesel motors with liquid cooling. Heavy two-wheel tractors, usually, have full-fledged gearboxes (3 – 6 steps), large wheels and many other features, which we will discuss below. They are considered professional agricultural equipment because they can work for many hours at a time, turn over huge layers of soil and pull heavy loads. But it should be noted that for 90% of private farmers, the power of a heavy two-wheel tractor is excessive, and its size and weight are a burden.
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| Heavy Mitsubishi two-wheel tractor. |
Petrol and diesel two-wheel tractors: advantages and disadvantages
All two-wheel tractors are structurally similar. Almost each of them is a steel frame on wheels, to which handles for controlling equipment and nodes for mounting attachments are attached. But the motor makes the difference. It is this unit that is the most important and distinguishes a good two-wheel tractor from a bad one.
Two-stroke engines(such as those that found in petrol lawn mowers and other types of gardening equipment) are found only on small cultivators. Their torque is not high. Equipment with two-stroke engines is only suitable for loosening the soil in shallow beds. Therefore, other types of internal combustion engines are installed on large cultivators and two-wheel tractors.
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| Digging up soft soil and weeding between rows is the limit for small and light cultivators. |
Four-stroke petrol engines are the most common type of power plant for two-wheel tractors. Air-cooled petrol engines are simple and straightforward, relatively light and compact. There are practically no problems with them, because they start up quite confidently in cold weather, they are quite easy to maintain, and repairing a two-wheel tractor with a petrol engine is inexpensive.
Diesel engines weigh more, so they can only be found on two-wheel tractors of the middle and heavy classes. They have good traction at low speeds and are consume less fuel (practice shows that with equal power, a diesel two-wheel tractor will consume one and a half to two times less fuel than a petrol one). On the other hand, diesel engines are more noisy and vibrate more, and in winter they may have problems starting (and problems will almost certainly occur at temperatures below +5 °C already). In addition, diesel two-wheel tractors cost more, and their repair is more expensive due to the more complex fuel supply system.
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| A diesel two-wheel tractor can do the hardest work even on muddy soil. |
A separate category is diesel two-wheel tractors with liquid cooling. Such devices are not currently produced anywhere except China. The two-wheel tractor with liquid cooling can work from dawn to dusk without stops and pauses (except for refueling). But such equipment is only put on large devices, initially intended for professional use.
What power should a two-wheel tractor have?
It is believed that for full-fledged work and universal use, the two-wheel tractor must have at least 1 hp for every 10 – 15 cm of the width of the working attachment (usually, an active rototiller). This proportion allows the engine to confidently pull the two-wheel tractor with attachments, without overloads. For two-wheel tractors with a large width and depth of processing, the ratio of power to the size of the rototiller tends to exactly the specified value. But if you have a well-cultivated loose ground, light sandy soil or a small depth of milling, then 1 hp is enough for every 20 cm of cultivation width (this ratio is more typical for cultivators).
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| The width of the rototiller and the condition of the soil should be taken into account when choosing a two-wheel tractor in terms of power. |
Advantages and disadvantages of different types of reducers on two-wheel tractors
An improperly selected reducer can completely offset the benefits of a powerful engine. Therefore, potential buyers of two-wheel tractors should be aware of their advantages and disadvantages of different types.
- Worm reducers are used,usually, on small cultivators and two-wheel tractors. Most often they are put in order to improve the traction characteristics of high-speed engines. Due to the peculiarities of their design, worm reducers are prone to overheating and cannot withstand heavy loads. Equipment equipped with worm reducers has only one gear for moving forward, and in the vast majority of cases there is no reverse gear at all.
- Chain reducers have a relatively simple design. Usually they are a pair of gears connected by a chain. The chain reducer is easy to maintain and repair. But the chain is constantly stretching during operation of the equipment (therefore, it is necessary to check its tension from time to time and change worn links) and can break under heavy load. Chain reducers are inexpensive to manufacture, but they are only suitable for cultivators, and are rarely installed on two-wheel tractors.
- Gear reducers are complete gearboxes. Torque is transmitted through pairs of gears. Gear transmissions are quite expensive (because they are difficult to manufacture) and noisy. But they are reliable and have a very large working resource. There are practically no problems with such units on two-wheel tractors, but if something happens, then it will not be possible to repair the reducer without buying new gears.
- Gear-chain reducer is a hybrid transmission that uses a gear and a chain at the same time. This design reduces the cost of the reducer. At the same time, its reliability remains quite high due to the fact that much stronger multi-link chains are used than in simple chain transmissions.
It should be noted that there is no unambiguously good or bad transmission. Each of them has its own scope and its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Even a cheap chain reducer can last a long time if it is serviced on time and the cultivator is not overloaded. And the reliable design of a gear transmission can be ruined by low-quality parts if the gear teeth are not properly hardened.
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| From left to right: worm, single-stage chain, two-stage chain, gear-chain and gear reducers of two-wheel tractors. |
How many gears should a two-wheel tractor have?
The two-wheel tractor is sometimes called a walk-behind. Performing useful work in the field or in the garden, it must move at a walking pace. But some tasks are performed at low speed, while others can be done quickly. It is convenient when the design of the two-wheel tractor allows user to select the most appropriate speed, depending on the density of the soil, the type of attachments used, agricultural practices and other factors.
According to the modern standard, it is believed that a light two-wheel tractor must have at least two speeds forward and one back. One speed (about 3 – 4 km/h) is needed for moving during operation, and the second (7 – 10 km/h) – for moving from site to site or transporting goods. But two gears are absolutely not enough for medium and heavy two-wheel tractors. They are equipped with three- or four-speed reducers, and some models even have six gears. In multi-stage reducers, one or more speeds are reduced (more "high-torque"). They are used for heavy work, such as plowing, picking root crops, or moving through muddy ground.
Some two-wheel tractors even have two gears in reverse. One is used for maneuvers and turns, and the second is used to “dig out” if the equipment gets stuck or digs too deep into the ground.
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| For heavy two-wheel tractors, the more gears, the better. |
Differential at the two-wheel tractor: is it necessary or not?
A two-wheel tractor differential is a unit or mechanism that allows two wheels to rotate at different speeds. It is needed to make turns without slipping one wheel and blocking the second. And the differential lock is needed so that the two-wheel tractor can move on muddy soil or get out of difficult situations (for example, when one wheel is on a harder surface, and the second has fallen into a puddle of liquid mud).
Light two-wheel tractors may well do without a differential. They can be turned on the spot due to muscular strength. It is already desirable for medium two-wheel tractors to have a differential, but for heavy ones it is simply necessary.
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| It is quite difficult to make turns and turn the two-wheel tractor at the end of the bed without a differential. |
It should be noted that a real cross-axle differential (with a planetary gear, like in a car) is extremely rare on two-wheel tractors (for example, Motor Sich MB-13E has one like this). Therefore, in the context of two-wheel tractors, other systems and mechanisms are called differentials. The most common solution is to disconnection the left or right wheel from the drive using a cable or rod. In such devices, in normal operation, both wheels rotate at the same speed, but the operator has the ability, by pressing the lever, to disconnect one of them from the drive in order to make a turn on the spot.
Shafts and pulleys for power take-off
As mentioned above, the most important feature of the two-wheel tractor is the ability to use active attachments. The best way to use external equipment is through a power take-off shaft. The standard universal power take-off shaft has a size of 18 mm and is located longitudinally. However, there are rare Chinese two-wheel tractors, in which the power take-off shaft has a reduced size (for example, 13 mm) or is brought to the right side. It will be extremely difficult to pick up at external attachment for such an equipment.
An alternative way to connect active attachments is through a power take-off pulley. This method is more versatile, because when using equipment from different manufacturers, with different sizes and shapes of attachments, you just need to ensure the alignment of the pulleys and choose the right belt for the drive. But the belt drive also has its drawbacks: lower efficiency, torque limitations and the presence of exposed rotating parts.
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| This is how the power take-off shaft looks like (on the left), and this is how attachments are attached to it (on the right). |
Active and passive attachments for two-wheel tractors
Active attachments, driven through a power take-off shaft or a pulley, include a wide range of different attachments: rototillers, auger snow blowers, rotary mowers, wood splitters, motor pumps, as well as a wide range of devices for planting and harvesting root crops.
Passive attachments, unlike active ones, do not require a drive, since they work exclusively from the stroke of the two-wheel tractor. Among the most useful passive attachments, plows and hillers, harrows, snow blades, some types of seeders, potato planters and potato diggers, as well as hitches, driving adapters and trailers, which allow not only to quickly move from site to site, but also transport heavy loads.
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| Two-wheel tractor "Centaur" with different types of trailed equipment and without it. |
Other useful features
Some of the features and options that are found in two-wheel tractors and cultivators may at first seem unnecessary and a way to increase the price. But in fact, they are very useful details that reduce the load on the user and improve working conditions.
The more powerful the equipment, the more urgent is the issue of its launch (especially in cold weather). Petrol two-wheel tractors up to 6 – 8 hp it is quite possible to launch manually with the help of a cable or a handle. But when buying equipment with more powerful petrol or diesel engines, it is better to immediately choose a model with an electric starter powered by a built-in battery. It will save you energy and lessen the trouble at temperatures below zero. Other useful features include lights, thanks to which you can start work in the dark and finish at dusk (useful for those who use a heavy professional two-wheel tractor as a professional tool).
Separately, it is necessary to consider the controls. Many two-wheel tractors and cultivators have handle height adjustment, but not all have the adjustable by side handle ability. Such a function is very convenient and extremely useful, because it allows to go not behind the two-wheel tractor during field processing, but next to it (on yet uncultivated, harder soil or between rows).
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| Sometimes it is more convenient to walk next to the two-wheel tractor than right behind it. |
A few words about the manufacturers of two-wheel tractors
No matter how strange it may sound, but the production of two-wheel tractors is somewhat similar to Formula 1. Many racing teams do not build the entire car themselves, but buy individual components and assemblies (for example, power plants and electronic components) from third-party suppliers. Exactly the same with two-wheel tractors: manufacturers of agricultural machinery independently choose the layout, make frames and paint body panels in company colors, but the most important components (motors and reducers) are bought “on the side”. Therefore, many two-wheel tractors look the same and have almost identical specifications. The situation is aggravated by the fact that many models, despite different colors and different labels with brand names, are actually products of the same factory in China (or a group of factories). Having torn off the sticker and removed the name plate, it will be difficult to distinguish "Centaur" from Forte, and "Zirka" from "Zubr" and "Aurora". Among similar manufacturers with equal specifications, it is better to choose not by name, but by the presence of an official guarantee and the availability of after-sales service in your region.
Contrary to popular belief, two-wheel tractors are used and produced not only in third world countries. Due to their compactness and versatility, they are in demand all over the world, and not only Chinese “nonames” are engaged in the production of two-wheel tractors. For example, Honda and Mitsubishi, despite the status of automotive giants, have many two-wheel tractors and cultivators in their model lines. They can also be found in the catalogs of Stiga, Oleo-Mac, Husqvarna, AL-KO and some other major European manufacturers of garden equipment and tools. And the center of modern two-wheel tractors production is Italy. The most prestigious brands of two-wheel tractors are developed and produced there: BCS, Ferrari, Caiman, Pasquali, Goldoni, Grillo, etc. There are also excellent manufacturers of two-wheel tractors in Germany (Koppl, Agria) and Switzerland (Rapid). But European and Japanese equipment costs, of course, much more than Chinese (its price is very close to the cost of used mini-tractors).
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| Top European two-wheel tractors: BCS (Italy) and Agria (Germany). |
Engine brands of two-wheel tractors and cultivators
Engines of various manufacturers are installed on two-wheel tractors. These can be both Chinese and branded motors from top brands. A well-known name is a big argument for one or another two-wheel tractor. If in the description of equipment you see names such as Honda, Briggs & Stratton, Mitsubishi, Subaru Robin, Yamaha, Kohler or Yanmar, then you should take a closer look at such a two-wheel tractor or cultivator. The listed companies make high-quality motors for agricultural machinery that operate for ten years without major repairs. Naturally, the price of a two-wheel tractor with a branded engine is significantly higher than the cost of an equipment on which a Chinese copy is installed. But it should be noted that there are engines of the “factory China” category (for example, Weima, Lifan, Zongshen or Loncin), which have very decent quality, high reliability and a long working life.
Summing up
As you could already see by reading this article, there is no universal answer to the question of how to choose a two-wheel tractor. It all depends on the type of work, the characteristics of the soil, the need to use certain attachments, the budget and even the physical condition of the buyer and his ability to handle heavy equipment.
To facilitate the selection process, we have created a catalog of two-wheel tractors and cultivators and have collected in it almost all models that are available in online stores. It allows you to sort equipment by one or another parameter and make tables with which it is convenient to compare several two-wheel tractors. Use the catalog to choose a couple of two-wheel tractors from thousands of models that best suit your needs and compare their features and prices.
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