A Guide to Buying a 2 Wheel Tractor or Motor Mower
1. Introduction
2. Attachments for Mowing and cutting grass etc.
3. Attachments for Cultivating etc.
4. General attachments for Gardens, Estates and Smallholders
5. Confusion between various models, and their applications
6. Purchasing a motor mower or two wheel tractor
Two wheel tractors & Motor Mowers consist of an engine and transmission running a
gearbox that drives two wheels. When discussing both types of machine and their
various applications etc, the whole assembly is often referred to as the power unit.
IE. The ‘power unit’ comes in various sizes and horsepowers and can take various
implements. The number of gears and the horsepower of the engine depend on the model
number of the machine, there are a wide choice of wheel sizes and types. The smaller
models have what is called a ‘fixed axle’, this means that both wheels are on a solid
axle, which makes them a little harder to turn. For this reason the larger, heavier
models have what is called a ‘differential’, this means the two wheels can turn independently
of each other making turning far easier. Models with a differential have what is
called a ‘differential lock’. This does exactly what it says, locks the differential
so the two wheels are effectively on a solid axle, this then helps keep the tractor
traveling in a straight line. The smallest models have 1 forward and 1 reverse gear,
as the size of power unit increases so does the number of gears available, so the
largest machines often have four forward gears and 3 reverse gears. As a rule most
motor mowers or sickle bar mowers are dedicated machines intended for use with front
mounted implements, IE pushing the implement. However some motor mowers can also
pull implements and be used for cultivation work etc, it is worth noting that the
gearing is slightly different on Motor mowers, so they may not perform cultivation
work as efficiently as a 2 wheel tractor. On 2-wheel tractors the handlebars can
be turned through 180º so you can pull or push implements. On most of both types
of power units the handlebars can be adjusted for height and can also be slightly
offset to the left or the right of the power unit, this is helpful when working on
slopes, against a hedge or when cultivating, IE you are walking on the untouched
ground rather than what you have just cut or cultivated. Most models can be fitted
with a brake, the models with a differential can be fitted with a brake on each wheel,
this means you can use the breaking effect to help steer the power unit, again very
helpful when working across a slope or when working in heavy soil or heavy scrub
/ long grass.
Attachments for Mowing and cutting grass etc.
Finger bar (sickle bar). Driven by the PTO of the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor,
this attachment varies in width from 80cm to 155cm. It is attached to the front
of the power unit, IE pushed, and consists of a series of blades mounted on a flat
bar that runs horizontal on the ground. It works like a barbers clippers. It can
be used for cutting short grass or long grass for hay, wildflowers, weeds, thistles,
bracken etc and will even cut woody material such as reeds and even small saplings.
It will cut brambles but these are often tangled so they just remain in a tangled
mass, just no longer attached to the roots! Finger bar mowers leave the material
you have cut in whatever length it stood, they do not chop up / mulch the material.
This can be an advantage if you wish to rake up or collect the cut material. The
cutter bar is bolted to a transmission (dry on the smaller machines and oil bath
on the larger and diesel models), which in turn is attached to the power unit. The
transmission incorporates an oscillating coupling that allows the cutter bar to follow
the contours of the ground. This type of mower effectively leaves the cut material
the full width of the cutter, however some models can have deflectors mounted at
either end to move cut material at either end of the cutter, towards the middle,
these are called ‘swath boards’ as they put the cut material into a row which is
referred to as a ‘swath’. A further attachment called a hay / grass rake (see later)
can be used to put the cut material into a row. It is worth noting that a trailed
seat attachment is available, this makes mowing of large areas far less tiresome!
Rotary mower. Driven by the PTO of the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor, this attachment
has a single rotating blade, with a cutting width of 80cm and is also attached to
the front of the power unit. The blade is horizontal to the ground, like a normal
domestic lawn mower, the body is relatively enclosed and is side discharge. It has
two wheels at the front that adjust in height for varying the length of cut, as the
wheels rotate freely this also aids steering. As the mower is side discharge the
grass is not held very long inside the mower and therefore it does not mulch the
material very much. It is ideal for mowing large areas such as parkland where the
grass is not overly long and a particularly short cut is not required. The blade
is sandwiched between two clutch plates, this helps protect the transmission and
the power unit in the event an obstruction is hit. The transmission is fitted with
an ‘overrun’ clutch so the blade freewheels when you disengage the drive to the mower.
Importantly the transmission is also fitted with an oscillating coupling that enables
the mower to follow the counters of the ground. This makes it very easy to handle
over undulating ground. Again the trailed seat attachment can be used.
Scrub mowers. The scrub mower works in exactly the same manner as the rotary mower
and is available in 60cm and 80cm cut widths. However the body is square and runs
on adjustable skids for varying the cut height. The square shape means it is more
open at the front, this allows the grass / material to enter the cutting area more
easily where it is held for a while to be well mulched before exiting out of the
rear of the mower. They use the same type of oscillating transmission and the blade
is also sandwiched between two clutch plates, this helps protect the transmission
and the power unit in the event an obstruction such as a molehill or stump is hit.
The adjustable skids help keep the mower in a straight line when working across
slopes. All these features make it ideal for tackling overgrown areas, and will
cut long grass, weeds, thistles, bracken etc, even woody material such as brambles,
reeds and even small saplings. It will also give a surprisingly good short cut,
this is often helpful, as once the overgrown area has been tackled the scrub mower
can be lowered down and used to give a quick and acceptable finish leaving the area
cut like parkland or a playing field. The trailed seat attachment can be used however
it is not recommended when mowing through scrub and rough ground.
Flail mowers. Driven by the PTO of the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor, these are
also front mounted and are the ultimate mower for tackling overgrown areas and rough
ground where you are not sure what you may come across and the material being cut
needs to be particularly well mulched. The cutting is carried out by a series of
blades that are hung from a rotating shaft that is horizontal to the ground and is
situated across the front of the power unit. They vary in width from 40cm to 90cm
(depending on the power unit HP) and will cut short grass or long grass, wildflowers,
weeds, thistles, bracken, light gorse and woody material such as reeds and saplings.
They are ideal for scrub, as they tend to pull it into the cutting flails where it
is well and truly mulched up. If the right power unit and width flail are used and
the correct protective clothing is worn it is possible to cut a path through surprisingly
high and tangled scrub, leaving a well-mulched pathway behind you! Whilst a flail
mower will cope with cutting almost any material it has one drawback, flail mowers
have a relatively slow forward working speed, therefore even if the material you
are cutting is not very long you will not be able to work very fast. They are fantastic
for taking control of well overgrown areas, but once the area is under control and
you wish to mow more frequently, to keep it under control, you may find the slower
working speed irritating. The fail mower therefore tends to be used more by contractors
or in woodland plantations, vineyards and orchards. Private users will often find
the rotary scrub mower a better option, it will take a little longer to get the overgrown
areas under control but will then be quicker for the more frequent mowing. The standard
flail attachment is fixed to the front of the power unit, an optional oscillating
connection can be specified that will help the flail follow the contours of the ground
and make the machine easier to handle. An overrun drive device is also available
that helps control the machine when used in confined spaces or when changing from
forward to reverse frequently. Both are recommended for contractors or for heavy
use. It is not practical to use the trailed seat attachment with flail mowers.
Rotary Lawn mowers. Once again front mounted and driven by the PTO of the motor
mower / 2-wheel tractor, it is like your normal garden mower. They have two wheels
at the front that adjust in height for varying the length of cut, as the wheels rotate
freely this also aids steering. The key feature is they can be used with or without
a collector, which is mounted on top of the mower. The widths available are 56cm
with one blade and 100cm with two blades. The leading edges on the ends of these
blades are sharpened with the trailing edge bent upwards, like a propeller. This
helps create an updraft that lifts the material to aid the efficiency of the cutting
action, and creates the draft to blow the cut grass into the collector. The blade
of the rotary mower rotates at a very high speed and with the collector removed the
grass can be discharged to one side. This very action means that if the material
being cut is very long the cutting deck can effectively become ‘choked up’, this
will slow the revolutions and possibly even stall the machines engine. Therefore
rotary lawn mowers are intended for cutting grass on a regular basis. The trailed
seat attachment can again be used with the large rotary Lawn mower.
Cylinder mowers. Again PTO driven and front mounted to the motor mower / 2-wheel
tractor, these are what tend to be thought of as old-fashioned mowers made by such
great British names such as Dennis and Lloyds, or Ransomes. Cylinder mowers are
now more commonly found in use on Cricket pitches, bowling greens, golf courses and
ornamental grounds and gardens. They give the best cut on fine turf and produce
the stripes that we all traditionally like to see on a well-manicured lawn area.
The Riko cylinder mowers have an oscillating connection and front and rear rollers
that allow the whole cylinder mower to follow the contours of the ground, thus almost
eliminating ‘scalping’ even in particularly variable terrain. We have two sizes
80cm and 120cm, the 120cm can be fitted with a collector box. These attachments
give the ultimate professional fine turf cut and although they may appear expensive,
when compared to the same HP and width, dedicated professional machine they are more
than competitive. The trailed seat attachment can again be used with cylinder mowers.
Drum Mowers. Front mounted to the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor, and PTO driven
the drum mower is a special attachment that has blades attached to the base of one
or two vertical drums that spin very fast, cutting the grass and leaving it in a
row on the ground. These are predominately used for cutting grass for hay or silage
for animals and are therefore used mainly in agricultural applications, however they
can be used for cutting wild flowers and light scrub in conservation areas where
the material requires removing after mowing. Other than finger bar (sickle bar)
mowers, the drum mower is the only other type of mower that leaves the cut material
in long lengths, allowing it to be raked up or bailed. Riko drum mowers are available
in 60 and 80cm cutting widths. The trailed seat attachment can be used but is not
recommended.
Hay Rake. As the name suggest the Hay rake is for raking cut grass (or other cut
vegetation) into rows. However it can also be used to spread / turn hay. The Hay
rake is front mounted to the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor, and PTO driven. It has
a working width of around 160cm, there are a pair of wheels in front of the rake
and these are connected to a lever system with a single handle that comes from the
rake, over the top of the power unit to just above the handlebars of the power unit.
This single handle bar is used to control the steering of the power unit and hay
rake. The raking action is created by tines bolted to one or two belts around a
pair of pulleys, the power unit drives these belts. The raking mechanism runs horizontal
to the ground, across the front of the power unit, as you drive forward the rake
moves the cut material from left to right. There is an adjustable screen on the
right side that the cut material is thrown against, making a row that can be varied
in width. By traveling up one way and back the other you can effectively rake two
areas of 160cm width into one row. The row of cut material can then be baled by
a baler, obviously the rows can also be hand forked into a trailer or made into a
‘Hay Rick’, it is also possible to use a light ‘buck rake’ attachment to push the
rows of material into heaps. The trailed seat attachment can be used but is not
recommended.
Mini Round baler. There are various makes of round baler available for motor mower
/ 2-wheel tractor, they are all powered by the Power units PTO, some are pulled and
some are pushed. Basically the round baler picks up the cut material and rolls it
into a tight roll inside the baler, the bale is then wrapped in string, or on some
models net. Once the bale has been made the baler opens up and the finished bale
is then ejected or removed. Round balers can be used for baling all manner of cut
material, grass to make hay or silage, bracken, reed etc and even leaves with a net
wrapping. Round bales are usually about 50cm high and 50cm long with a variable
weight up to 20/25Kg. Ideally you should use a minimum power unit of 10HP and it
must be fitted with brakes.
Mini Round bale wrapper. It does what it says on the label, wraps bales and attaches
to the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor. If you are producing silage bales you need
to exclude the air to preserve the fodder. You can put them in a heavy-duty plastic
bag and seal them, or preferably you use the mini bale wrapper to wrap the bale in
a type of stretch plastic film, a bit like Clingfilm. If you are making hay then
the bale can still be wrapped with less material to give better weather protection.
Attachments for Cultivating etc.
Rotovator / rotary Hoe. This is the most common of cultivation attachments, PTO
driven it consists of a series of curved blades (tines) that are bolted to a rotating
shaft that is horizontal to the ground and is connected to the rear of the 2-wheel
tractor (some motor mowers), it is therefore a pulled attachment. The top of the
rotovator is enclosed in a curved body to prevent physical contact with the rotating
blades and to contain the soil being cultivated, bolted to the rear of the body is
a flap that allows the soil to exit the rotovator, this flap is hinged and drops
down when the rotovator is lifted out of the ground, thus preventing the operators
feet from contacting with the rotating blades. An adjustable skid that is situated
in the middle and underneath the rotating shaft controls the working depth of the
rotovator. The rotovator works across a wide range of soil conditions, however the
harder the soil, or when cultivating through turf, it will be necessary to make a
number of passes over the same area to achieve the desired fineness of tilth and
/ or depth of cultivation. The rotovator attachment comes in a variety of widths
from 46cm up to 90cm, the choice of width is governed by the size and power of the
power unit, other than the 46cm size the rotovator attachments are adjustable in
width to accommodate differing soil conditions.
Plough. This is another common attachment and again it is attached to the rear of
the 2-wheel tractor (some motor mowers), however it is not powered, it is merely
pulled through the ground by the power unit, and for this reason the plough is not
suitable for the smallest power unit (there is a choice of a single bodied plough
or a reversible plough). A plough makes a channel in the soil that is called a furrow,
the furrow width and depth can be varied, a plough is often used to ‘turn / invert’
the soil. Some times ploughed land is left fallow over winter, the winter weather
then often breaks down the ploughed land prior to seeding the next season. By placing
manure in the bottom of a furrow it is possible to bury the manure with the soil
from the next furrow. The reversible plough has two bodies, but only one is used
at a time, it enables you to turn round at the end of a run and by switching over
the plough bodies, they turn through 180º, you can ten plough a new furrow down the
last run. With a single plough you have to return to the beginning of the last run
or plough in what are called lands. The effectiveness of the plough relies very
much on the grip / traction of the power unit, therefore if you need a plough the
choice of suitable power unit and specification will be somewhat governed by soil
conditions. The harder the soil conditions and the deeper you wish to plough then
the more grip / traction you will require, therefore the overall weight of the power
unit is worth considering. With all power units there are various wheel size options
as well as metal ‘cage’ wheels and wheel weights, all of these can aid grip / traction.
Rotary driven plough. Although this implement creates a furrow and is called a plough
it does not look like one! It consists of a four blades bolted to a rotating shaft
that is vertical to the ground, this makes it look a little like an auger or even
a food mixer! The rotary driven plough is powered by the PTO and usually attaches
to the rear of the 2-wheel tractor (some motor mowers), so it is pulled, although
some makes can be pushed. Unlike the rotovator it has a working width and depth
of 25-30cm, however the advantage over the normal plough is that, as the PTO powers
it, it achieves the desired working depth in one pass. Although the driven plough
creates a furrow its action is more akin to Rotovating and moving the spoil to one
side to form a furrow, rather than ‘turning / inverting’ the soil. The driven plough
is particularly good when wishing to cultivate turf or to cultivate deeper than a
rotovator.
Chisel plough. This implement attaches to the rear of the 2-wheel tractor (some
motor mowers), and is therefore pulled. It consists of a frame or bar that is horizontal
to the ground, bolted to this are a number of vertical tines that have a curved ‘chisel’
point at the bottom end, to help them penetrate the ground, the number of tines can
be altered, normally 1, 2 or 3. The tines are usually adjustable for depth and when
they penetrate the ground they break the soil up without turning it at all. The
chisel plough is therefore used to break up compacted soil. Once again this implement
relies on traction / grip, the harder the soil the more grip and power you will need.
Therefore you will need to consider the overall power and weight of the power unit
along with the options of different wheel sizes, cage wheels and / or wheel weights.
Tine cultivator. Once again this implement attaches to the rear and is pulled by
the 2-wheel tractor (some motor mowers), it is very similar to the ‘chisel plough’,
and works in the same way, however the tines are lighter and there are usually more
of them. Again the depth and quantity of tines is a variable. The tine cultivator
breaks the soil up more than the Chisel plough and can be used when you wish to loosen
and aerate the soil without penetrating to far. The tine cultivator does not ‘turn
/ invert’ the soil
Spring tine cultivator. This implement works just like the tine cultivator and also
has a number of rows of curved tines that, as the name suggests, are springy. The
bottom of each tine is curved forward, to aid penetration of the soil and some makes
have replaceable tips. Due to the ‘spring’ effect of the tines they tend to break
the soil up even more than the plain tine cultivator, therefore they do not penetrate
very deep. Some models have a cage roller mounted behind the tines to ‘firm’ the
top of the soil and push any stones into the soil, they are often used after a plough
or when the soil is light enough to enable minimal cultivation before seeding.
Tine weeder. This implement again attaches to the rear of the 2-wheel tractor (some
motor mowers), and is pulled. It consists of five tines, adjustable in depth, that
have a flat arrow shaped foot at the bottom. The tines are mounted on three bars
that also form the shape of an arrow, these three bars are adjustable to enable the
width of the attachment to be altered. At the rear of the middle bar is a wheel
that controls the depth of penetration, the arrow shaped feet skim along just under
the surface of the soil cutting though weeds, leaving them to die on the surface.
The tine weeder is not for cultivating.
Ridging plough. As the name suggests this implement is for forming ridges in soil
that has already been cultivated / rotovated. When pulled through the soil it pushes
the soil to the left and right side, leaving a furrow in the middle, by coming back
down the opposite direction alongside the first run you form a ridge along one side,
against the soil from the previous run. A typical use would be for ridging when
planting potatoes. The implement attaches to the rear of the power unit and both
the working depth and the width of the furrow can be adjusted, therefore adjusting
the size of ridge formed.
Power Harrow. Attaching to the rear of the 2-wheel tractor (some motor mowers),
this implement is powered by the PTO of the power unit and is pulled through the
soil. Various widths are available to suit different size power units. The implement
consists of a transmission and a body that is horizontal to the ground. Inside the
body are a number of gears that drive vertically mounted pairs of tines that protrude
down under the implement into the ground. These tines rotate round and round as
the power unit pulls the implement forward, this action breaks up the soil, especially
clods of soil, and also levels the soil. Mounted at the back of the implement is
a roller that is adjustable in height, therefore controlling the working depth. This
rear roller is available in various styles, round and flat, spiral bars, or mesh.
The rear roller firms the top of soil and pushes any stones down into the soil,
the choice of rear roller tends to be governed by the soil conditions, IE sticky
clay soon coats the cage roller. They are usually used for seedbed preparation,
or prior to turfing, a seeder attachment can be added in front of the roller.
Stone burrier. Again attached to the rear of the 2-wheel tractor (some motor mowers),
and are powered by the PTO. The stone burrier looks like a rotovator with a row
of vertically mounted tines behind the rotor and then a cage roller, and effectively
that is what it is, however the rotor turns in the opposite way to the rotovator.
As the implement moves forward the soil is lifted and thrown against the vertical
tines, the soil passes through and the stones drop down below the tines. Therefore
as you progressively move forward the soil that passes through the vertical tines
drops down on top of the stones burying them. The stone burrier is used mainly in
landscaping work and in some horticultural applications. On some models a seeder
can be fitted in front of the roller.
General attachments for Gardens, Estates and Smallholders.
Tipping trailer. This is one of the most useful, yet underrated attachments and
is obviously towed by the 2-wheel tractor (some motor mowers). Rather than the power
unit lying idle when not being used, the trailer turns your power unit into a general
runaround transporter. It is fitted with a seat and brakes and the tipping body
has a removable tailgate, so you can move manure, topsoil, logs, bricks, plants,
fencing materials etc. You can also fit mesh extension sides for moving light bulky
material such as hay and leaves. Every time you are wobbling along pushing a half
filled wheelbarrow think how much quicker and easier it is with a trailer.
Sprayer. There are various sprayer attachments available for both front mounting
and for towing by power units. The simplest is pushed by the power unit and has
a spray boom and hand held lance, this is ideal for spot spraying or for spraying
areas of lawn. The next has a larger capacity and is for mounting in the trailer,
and has a boom and hand help spray lance. The largest is a trailed sprayer with
the seat molded into the tank, it comes with a 2-piece boom that can be positioned
to spray down or to both sides for use in vineyards etc.
Fertilizer / salt spinner (trailed). This attachment attaches to the rear of the
2-wheel tractor (some motor mowers), and is pulled. It consists of a hopper, to
contain the fertilizer granules, which drop down onto a rotating spreading disc immediately
below the hopper that is driven by the axle between the two wheels. The operator
is seated between the hopper and the power unit. The fertilizer spinner requires
a minimum power unit of 10hp.
Lawn scarifier (powered). This attachment is attached to the rear of the motor mower
/ 2-wheel tractor, and is powered by the power units PTO. It looks like a flail
mower but has straight blades bolted to a rotating shaft that is horizontal to the
ground. The blades are position in rows and are lowered into the ground cutting
a narrow slit, the working depth is controlled by a rear mounted roller. At the
same time as aerating the lawn it also lifts out the thatched material, leaving it
laying on top of the lawn, so it can be collected by rake or by sweeper. There are
various working width available to suit different size power units.
Lawn Scarifier (trailed). This is a simple attachment that is attached to the rear
of the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor, is towed and designed to lift thatch and dead
moss. It consists of a 100cm wide row of spring tines that contact with the lawn.
The angle of the tines is adjustable so as to increase or decrease the harshness
of the raking effect. Behind the row of tines is a small platform that the operator
stands on, behind the platform are a set of wheels to support the weight of the operator.
Chain Harrow. To use the chain harrow the 2-wheel tractor (some motor mowers) must
be fitted with the carriage and seat or with a trailer. The chain harrow is like
a carpet / mat of chains that have spikes that protrude down towards the ground,
the mat is fixed to a bar, the width of the mat, and this bar is in turn pulled by
the 2 wheel tractor. As the spikes pass over the grass they ‘rake up / pull out’
the dead grass and thatch that accumulates at the base of the grass growth. The
chain harrow can also be used for leveling areas of sand, soil or artificial surfaces
such as in riding arenas.
Sweeper. The sweeper attachment is powered by the PTO and is attached in front
of the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor. It consists of a gearbox that drives a rotating
shaft that is horizontal to the ground. Mounted onto the shaft are rows of brushes,
the sweeper can be angled to the left or right, as the shaft rotates the brushes
sweep the material on the ground forward and the material is swept left or right.
Various widths of brush are available to suit different size power units.
Sweeper collector. As the name suggests this sweeper collects the material, the
motor mower / 2-wheel tractor, therefore pulls it however the rotating brush is powered
by the wheels of the sweeper that are situated at either end of the rotating shaft,
not directly by the power unit. The operator sits above the sweeper brush and the
material is swept into a hopper behind the brush and below the operator. The hopper
manually tips to empty out the contents. The sweeper collector requires a power
unit of a minimum of 10HP.
Roller. The roller is again attached to the rear of the 2-wheel tractor (some motor
mowers), and is pulled. The roller can be filled with water to increase the weight
and therefore the effectiveness of the roller. The operator sits above the roller.
Various size rollers are available to suit different size power units.
Chipper / shredder. This attachment is powered by the PTO of the motor mower / 2-wheel
tractor, it consists of a frame containing a drum, inside which are mounted swinging
blades, the drum rotates at very high speed, above this drum is a hopper that material
can be fed into. As the material falls into the drum the rotating hammers shred
the material. Underneath the drum is a screen with holes punched in it, the material
is shredded until it is fine enough to pass out of the drum through the screen. Various
size screens are available to enable the size of the shredded material to be controlled
and therefore the output. The drum is intended for garden waste such as vegetable
waste, prunings / clippings up to 35mm can be fed in. On the side of the drum are
mounted a pair of blades, a small chute is mounted inline with these blades on the
side of the frame. Larger material such as branches up to 70mm can be feed into
this chute. The blades chip the branches before the chippings enter the drum where
they are shredded. This attachment requires a power unit of a minimum 9hp.
Saw Bench. The PTO of the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor, powers the saw bench. The
power unit drives a pulley and belt system that in turn drives a 500mm diameter saw
blade. The top of the blade protrudes through a slot in a flat table, where a sprung
loaded safety guard covers the blade. Lengths of timber can be slid along the flat
table into the blade, where there is an adjustable stop to the side of the blade
that can be set to achieve different widths of cut. It is also possible to cut logs
on the saw bench. Safety goggles, mask and gloves must be worn when using the saw
bench.
Water pump. The PTO of the motor mower / 2-wheel tractor, powers the water pump.
The water pump can be supplied with various lengths of suction and delivery hose,
and is ideal for irrigating areas of land or for emptying swimming pools and ponds
etc. The water pump can also be supplied with a hand held lance for washing off
machinery or cleaning animal pens, paths etc.
Carriage & Seat. The carriage and seat is pulled by the 2-wheel tractor (some motor
mowers) and is used for towing implements such as the chain harrows. It can also
be used with various mowing attachments so the operator can be seated when mowing
large area’s.
Special attachments. By using the correct connection the motor mower / 2-wheel
tractor, can be used to power practically anything that you would usually expect
to find with its own engine of between 5hp and 12hp. If you have an attachments
that you would like to power with one of our power units contact your local franchise.
Confusion between various models, and their applications, is easy. Here are some
pointers to assist you;
1) Two-wheel tractor should be treated as just that, like a normal tractor they take
numerous tools that enable them to carry out many varied tasks. Motor Mowers are
called this because they are predominately used for mowing applications, the only
exception being the HB50. Whilst the HB50 is foremost a motor mower it is really
a bit of a hybrid and can be used with all the attachments used on the two-wheel
tractors, however the HB50’s top gear is for using only when mowing with a seat.
Unlike the 2-wheel tractor the top gear cannot be used for towing a trailer.
2) With either machine the most relevant factor to remember is Horse Power, it is
the HP that tends to govern the size of the machine that will perform the tasks required.
In basic terms this simply means the higher the HP the more varied the choice of
attachments, obviously a high HP machine can also work quicker due to the use of
larger attachments. The only exception to this rule is the finger bar mower, sometimes
known as a sickle bar. These attachments have a relatively low power requirement
for there given working width, this is easiest illustrated by a 3.75HP machine comes
with an 80cm cutter bar, whilst an 8HP machine has a choice of 115cm up to 155cm
cutter bar. With both machines it is rarely necessary to use maximum engine revolutions.
The reason for this being that the cutter bar has a series of blades all cutting
like scissors and they cut the material at a given height, this being set buy adjusting
the skids found towards the end of the cutter bar on either side. So whether the
material is 5cm high or 50cm high the cutter bar blades only cut it once, at the
predetermined height, whereas a rotary mower or a flail mower
PURCHASING A MOTOR MOWER OR TWO WHEEL TRACTOR
Which is right for you If there is one mistake people make it is not considering
potential future work you may wish to do and, as a consequence, not buying a model
with enough horsepower. There is nothing worse than 3-6 months down the line wishing
to buy a certain implement and finding out you don’t have enough horsepower! Here
are some pointers to help guide you:
1) Make a list of work / implements you need and might need in the future.
2) Petrol engines cost less than Diesel engines, so you get more horsepower for your
money.
3) Diesel engines use red diesel (much cheaper) and have lower fuel consumption,
they generally have longer service intervals and a longer life span. However if
you do not use the machine sufficiently it can take a long time to recover the additional
purchase cost against the fuel saving.
4) Re-wind petrol engines, large or small, are easy to start, however an electric
start is a nice luxury. Small diesel engines are re-wind and take more effort to
start. Large diesel engines can be re-wind or electric start. If you choose one
then you need to be used to starting this type of engine or better still, chose one
with electric start.
5) If you are working to a budget, then aim for a machine with a higher horsepower
petrol engine in place of a diesel engine.
What to do next Click Here to see current models. If you need to discuss any points
requiring guidance or to arrange a demonstration you can contact us by fax, e-mail,
or phone. Alternatively if you are happy with your choice you can phone, fax or e-mail
your order, we will issue a proforma invoice for you to approve giving a full breakdown
with the total price payable and the delivery details.
SLOANMACHINERY.CO.UK.
Grounds Care, Estate Management & Forestry machinery.
PHONE /FAX 0044(0)28 70848149
