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Hi this is my second post on this forum and I am in need of some ideas. Does anyone have any suggestions for increasing a garden tractors pulling power without a new engine? Thanks!
Increasing garden tractor pulling power
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Well, I am for sure not an expert - but whatever you want to pull the wheels have to submit the torque to the ground.
A new engine with more hp will not help at all, when the tractor isn't capable to turn it into a pulling force.
To increase the traction adding weight is a common thing by using wheel weights as well as weights to the powered wheels (mostly the rear).
Next step is to review the tire profile type.
A new engine with more hp will not help at all, when the tractor isn't capable to turn it into a pulling force.
To increase the traction adding weight is a common thing by using wheel weights as well as weights to the powered wheels (mostly the rear).
Next step is to review the tire profile type.
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Welcome to GT Talk.
First questions. What are you working with? What do you plan to do with it?
Like stated above, weight will increase your ability to pull. If you are doing competition pulling I'm sure that you are limited on weight according to your class. There should also be a limit on the height of your hitch. You want to run your hitch at the maximum height allowed. This gives up pull on the tow weight making it easier to pull. Following the hitch height, you want enough weight on the front of the tractor to keep the front tires close to the ground. The higher the front is in the air, the lower your hitch is to the ground. Not to mention the whole control thing.
One way to increase engine power is to increase RPMs on the engine, most stock small engines are governed to 3600RPMs. Increasing your RPMs to say 4200 would give more power with out damaging the engine. Any thing past 4200RPMs will take more $ in order for the engine stay together. In competition max RPMs is usually another rule according to your class.
Or there is the "throw money at it" solution. Take your existing engine and build the snot out of it. Here in the states we have kits that will help you get 13+ hp out of a cheap 6.5hp engine.
First questions. What are you working with? What do you plan to do with it?
Like stated above, weight will increase your ability to pull. If you are doing competition pulling I'm sure that you are limited on weight according to your class. There should also be a limit on the height of your hitch. You want to run your hitch at the maximum height allowed. This gives up pull on the tow weight making it easier to pull. Following the hitch height, you want enough weight on the front of the tractor to keep the front tires close to the ground. The higher the front is in the air, the lower your hitch is to the ground. Not to mention the whole control thing.
One way to increase engine power is to increase RPMs on the engine, most stock small engines are governed to 3600RPMs. Increasing your RPMs to say 4200 would give more power with out damaging the engine. Any thing past 4200RPMs will take more $ in order for the engine stay together. In competition max RPMs is usually another rule according to your class.
Or there is the "throw money at it" solution. Take your existing engine and build the snot out of it. Here in the states we have kits that will help you get 13+ hp out of a cheap 6.5hp engine.
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What type of drive system does it have? Does your tractor have diff lock?If you have a belt drive transmission weather it is gear or hydro make sure your belt is not slipping. If your belt or tension system is bad when you add extra weight your belt will slip and your tractor will not pull with proper torque. Also diff lock helps traction a good bit. If you have it use it!
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Hi! thanks for all the replies! also this tractor is not for competition it is merely for farm work. it is a differential rear wheel drive. also, if it helps the tractor is a Westwood T1200. the tractor will be used for ground works and moving drainage stone in corporation with our Massey Ferguson 30E, so I am just looking for a solution to help move these heavy loads. the tractor is also fitted with a briggs and Stratton 287707 14.5hp engine.
kind regards!
kind regards!
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Westwood T1200 looks a lot like a MTD built lawn tractor. Vertical shaft engine, Peerless transmission. Personally, I would not try to pull heavy loads with a tractor like that.
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Thanks for the help! Hmm yes jugging by your opinions i think it would be best to use the tractor mainly for field maintenance. Perhaps a quad bike instead for this kind of work?
Kind regards
Kind regards
Yeah, not great for pulling. But Peerless made some pretty decent transmissions.
Seems like on at least some of the five lug hubs the actual axle is keyed.
That was my thought too.
But at the other side: We have to live with what we have...
At the end it is generally the same issue doesn't matter which tractor, gear or tire. The drive system is a kind of a chain and it will break at the weakest part.
So give your Westwood a good service, replace the belts if worn out, clean the parts of the transmatic drive, make sure there is grease or lube where it belongs to and try how far you get with it. The tractor will tell you its limits. When the wheels slip than you can add weight or change tire type.
At the end it will never perform like a garden tractor - but maybe a good lawn tractor is enough for your belongings - especially because you still heave the Massey Ferguson 30E.
Lawn tractors will pull a surprising load with a 14.5 hp engine, as long as the load is on wheels and there are no slopes involved.
In general, LT transaxles are limited to a maximum static load of 600 - 700 lb, including the operator, but not including the rims and tires and any ballast applied to them.
The lack of weight carried by the rear wheels is the limiting factor for pulling loads with your tractor. The engine is big enough to tow a 7000 lb trailer when installed in a heavier tractor that can carry more ballast.
In general, LT transaxles are limited to a maximum static load of 600 - 700 lb, including the operator, but not including the rims and tires and any ballast applied to them.
The lack of weight carried by the rear wheels is the limiting factor for pulling loads with your tractor. The engine is big enough to tow a 7000 lb trailer when installed in a heavier tractor that can carry more ballast.
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For weight the easiest thing to do is fill the tires with RV antifreeze.
Using chains on the rear wheels helps a lot with traction in dirt as well as snow. I have chains on my Wheelhorse C160 and have done a lot of landscape dirt moving with a snow dozer blade. I have the rear tires filled, plus 66pounds of weight per rear wheel. Then I added the chains and they made all the difference.
Using chains on the rear wheels helps a lot with traction in dirt as well as snow. I have chains on my Wheelhorse C160 and have done a lot of landscape dirt moving with a snow dozer blade. I have the rear tires filled, plus 66pounds of weight per rear wheel. Then I added the chains and they made all the difference.
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make a box, put the carb inside, pressurize the box. (if the entire carb isn't pressurized on the outside gas will blow out and you probably will need an electric fuel pump or if it has a fuel pump the diaphragm may need a line to it from the box(pressure) cause the fuel pump will not work). put a large battery in front for counterweight. just an idea LOL
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Thanks for the help! Will the antifreeze idea work with tubed tyres?
Kind regards!
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Glycol based fluid such as Antifreeze tends to make rubber go a bit soft. I wouldn't use it in tubes.
I had a set of tubed tires on a garden tractor loaded with Antifreeze and they started leaking after a couple of years. Once I got them drained (which took a very long time to do without making a huge mess) I pulled the tubes out and both of them felt like a slimy wet noodle. The antifreeze must have been seeping through the thin rubber, I could not find any holes in the tubes but they were both very slimy and soft.
Alcohol based Windshield washer fluid isn't quite as heavy but it works good in tubes. Windshield washer fluid can be alot cheaper as well. Some of our local auto parts places have the -20F blue stuff on sale for around $2.50 a gallon from time to time.
I had a set of tubed tires on a garden tractor loaded with Antifreeze and they started leaking after a couple of years. Once I got them drained (which took a very long time to do without making a huge mess) I pulled the tubes out and both of them felt like a slimy wet noodle. The antifreeze must have been seeping through the thin rubber, I could not find any holes in the tubes but they were both very slimy and soft.
Alcohol based Windshield washer fluid isn't quite as heavy but it works good in tubes. Windshield washer fluid can be alot cheaper as well. Some of our local auto parts places have the -20F blue stuff on sale for around $2.50 a gallon from time to time.
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