Fully Loaded Farm Tractors Are More Economical To Run

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 90, 23 May 1949, Page 5

Fully Loaded Farm Tractors Are More Economical To Run

It is in the interests of economy that farm tractors should be fully loaded. Over a series of tests it has been found that the most economical performance was given by a tractor loaded to four-fifths of its capacity all the time. Such a system eliminates the danger of overloading. Any load which reduces the normal engine speed, with the throttle fully open and the governors in operation, is an overload.

Various ways of adjusting the load to give economical working include: (1) the setting of the implement. Ploughs may be set for a wider furrow, or another furrow added, if the load is insufficient; (2) the hitching of implements together. This is a good practice and should be taken advantage of whenever possible. Two ploughs may be hitched together; harrows may follow discs, drill or roller; and two drills or binders may be hitched together; or (3) higher gears may be used, mainly with pneumatic-tyred tractors. Light harrows or a drill may be a load in second gear but not in first. It is more economical for a tractor with half a load to work throttled down in second gear than at full throttle in low gear.