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Walking tractors David Bradley, why they are not used more? and other discussions.

brian hanford

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Location: Washington State near lake tapps

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posted 9 years ago

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I found some david bradley walking tractors a few months ago. this sent me down researching these tractors, and how they were used. So i got 7 tractors and 11 implements for 300$, all needed work but one was running. gave one to my great neighbor, how has fallen in love with it. so just so we get the setting i have two properties 40 acres and 1.5, both are hill sides and make moving stuff hard. we burned up two riding mowers just pullin carts around we don't mow anything. so i was looking for something easier to work on and more durable. welcome the david bradley this thing is just so simple and easy to deal with. bought a predator motor and it bolted right on and a pulley and belt im done. we will be doing a mixed grain crop this year of about 2 acres. had drainage problems on the road used the plow to cut channels. skidded logs into hugel culture mounds, each log was over 500 lbs. going to use it for cultivating and pulling carts we are a no till csa market garden. so the plow is rel-ligated to mostly drainage and ground breaking or terracing. its geared really slow and is so quiet with the new motor that its a joy to use and i stretched fence with it. the motor platform with pulley and belt idea is so versatile. we have been using it for about a week and still have not topped up the fuel in it.

the big question is why more people are not using these? build a electric solar charged replacement motor, how with what? what attachments could you build? really want to look at electric options. what other ideas are there?

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allen lumley

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posted 9 years ago

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- Jessie james used a gun ! congratulations on a great score ! Personally I find the older and heavier Troybuilts to be for the money a slightly better product,

but not as easily D.I.Y.reparable , especially when it comes to the Troybuilts transmission seals !

as long as you can get parts for them you should continue to get years and years of service out of you $300.oo investment ! Big AL

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brian hanford

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Location: Washington State near lake tapps

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posted 9 years ago

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Don't see them and they are a lot more complicated, harder engine swap. Plus the only ones I see are rototillers. Just adding useless equipment, I have a 1948 transmission that's just fine just needed new oil. Only thing you can't get is case gaskets just about anything else can be made or bought.

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Travis Johnson

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posted 8 years ago

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You can still get walk behind tractors; I see them on display at the local agricultural fairs to this day. BCS comes to mind with some amazing attachments.

I see the pros and cons of them however. In many ways I see people with only a few acres go out and way-overspend for a tractor simply because they are trying to overcome skill with horsepower. Yet there is something about the return on investment of a tractor too. The Kubota I bought in 1999 is worth as much today as I paid for it then...and that is not considering all the work that has been done with it. And the tractor before that was sold for more than my Grandfather paid for it. Tractors...the 4 wheel kind are great investments no matter how you look at it, and I don't see that return on investment so much with walk-behind tractors.

But capable? You won't get any arguments from me there. Really more people should consider a two wheel tractor in my opinion.

John Polk

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posted 8 years ago

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the big question is why more people are not using these?

These tractors are no longer easily available here in the US.
The USDA's "Get bigger, or get out." philosophy has changed farming forever in this country.
Most successful farms are large chunks of (relatively) flat land. Big tractors are needed for those parcels.
(And most farmers would rather sit in a tractor all day than walk behind one all day.)
Tractor dealers cater to those farmers who are willing to go into long term debt to acquire a big, powerful machine.
Unfortunately, money drives the market of the choices available to us.

The walk-behind tractors are still very popular in parts of Europe, especially in hilly, and/or rocky regions.
There are many of them in use in Italy (where both the BCS, and Grillo are built) and the regions of the former Yugoslavia. Many of those farmers are dealing with small holdings in rocky, mountainous regions. Those walk-behind tractors are ideal for such settings.

In this country, a brand new BCS or Grillo with an assortment of implements represents a substantial investment.
These smaller units are seldom advertised or promoted.
Many owners of small holdings are not even aware that such tools are available.
There are only a handful of dealers nationwide who sell new walk-behind tractors.

R Scott

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posted 8 years ago

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Yeah, they are too rare in the US. There used to be lots of them.

They have BIG ones in Asia, big enough to pull a full size wagon and run through the rice paddies.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." --Mahatma Gandhi
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brian hanford

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Location: Washington State near lake tapps

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posted 8 years ago

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well i was not posting to address the usda or big ag cause in my area western wa when i was looking at tractors there are tons of people on less than 5 acres using full and compact tractors. i know one guy on 1 acre that has a compact tractor and has more space so he can use the tractor than he has for his garden. this mind set that to do anything you need a tractor is crazy. oh and my family still runs a conventional apple orchard and the tractor doesn't come out all that much. and the tractor dealer i deal with is all about smaller tractors and he is in eastern wa. they also help us with my grandfathers vintage mf 30. but all thaT ASIDE I HAVE GOTTEN 3 OTHERS IN TO USING THESE STYLE OF TRACTORS. and have been helping them to get there's going. all of them are just amazed they ever got on with out them.

i am getting ready to do some timber stand improvement and using this machine to pull the logs is going to let me get 2-3x the work done. and now we will double the size of our garden. i use it to disc garden, seed, cultivate, pull carts, plow snow, road grading, stall mucking, log skidding, ditch and drainage maintenance, fence stretching, and me and the neighbor are coming up with more things to do and build. next is an air compressor fitted to the front. the list never seems to end. these days we seem to over complicate things the cheaper bcs just seem more complicated compared with the david bradley, i would love to have one of the bigger ones with a differential and reverse but if anything goes wrong i am waiting for ever on parts. i got a bunch of useful parts at the scrap yard that put a another tractor back in to work.

thank you

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Kelly Smith

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Location: In a rain shadow - Fremont County, Southern CO

posted 8 years ago

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when i looked into getting a walk behind, swather and baler for the properties i manage, the costs were to high.
it was cheaper to buy decent used equipment and older tractors - plus parts are available readily.

sad really, i think a walk behind would be perfect for my 5 acres. we graze half and hay half. i have a hard time getting the custom hay people in town to put me high enough in their rotation because its such a small field (and my hay quality reflects that). with a walk behind i would be able to cut/bale even with working a regular job exactly whent he forage is ready. we bale ~ 750 bales per 5 acres (we manage 10acres total) but only graze our property - i wouldnt need a huge truck/trailer to move it between farms either.

the little 40lbs bales these walk behinds make would would easier to move too.

http://www.cloud9farms.com/ - Southern Colorado - Zone 5 (-19*f) - 5300ft elevation - 12in rainfall plus irrigation rights
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R Scott

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posted 8 years ago

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There are areas you could make a real good business baling hay along the edges where the big machines can't reach. I know people that would give you the hay just so they don't have to burn or brush hog it.

brian hanford

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posted 8 years ago

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I get free hay every year cause of that. And I built a loft just for it. You should see the looks I get with my rake and pitch fork loading the truck, but that cuts the hay I buy in half.

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Travis Johnson

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posted 8 years ago

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Sounds like you and I are a lot alike Brian H!

I looked into mini round balers and other costs and it was just too high, for the same money I could go out a buy a full size baler...that is crazy.

As for tractors everywhere, you should come here. Guys own 2 acres and have 60 hp tractors! This one guy who only owns 27 acres asked me how in the world I got by with a 25 hp Kubota when he had to have 80 hp? We both pulled out wood with them, but to me it is pretty simple; the ability to fell a tree where you want it to fall helps the most, followed by skill and experience. It really starts with not using a tractor at all, but the winch it is hooked too. That in itself is half the battle in the woods. Traction helps as well and no amount of HP is going to overcome any of the shortfalls previously listed.

The funny thing is I have had everything on my woodlot, from horses to feller-bunchers, but right now my little Kubota makes the most money. Granted it has to be good going and I can't go with lots of trees behind me, but I can get out 6 cord per day. Yes it takes 2 days to get a load where as a cable skidder can get out a load in a single day; it burns 5 gallons of diesel PER HOUR where as my little Kubota on 3.5 gallons per day. That is a huge difference when calculating costs. Again I can't take half the forest with me on a single twitch, and my Kubota cannot slog through four feet of mud, but then again do I really want to?

I would at some point, like to get a small bulldozer so that I can go through wet areas of my woodlot and deep snow with a lot less effort.

brian hanford

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Location: Washington State near lake tapps

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posted 8 years ago

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I have looked at both the walking tractor bailer and full size bailers and the problem is 45 pto horse power to run a full size. And used square bailers in good condition go for more than the walking tractor dose new. And I haven't seen too many 50 hp tractors used for less than 5000$ and those need alot of work. It was 14000$ for the package for a walking tractor, bailer, and sickle bar, and a few other tools.

And don't get me wrong I love tractors. I own 3 farmall cub's, and we want to get a bigger tractor but it will be the walking tractors that get used daily. We have 2.5 miles of dirt road in Eastern wa, just can't care for that with a walking tractor.

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R Scott

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posted 8 years ago

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I have an older square baler, it only needs about 20 HP to run. It is not as fast as a newer one, but it makes them fast enough.

Sometimes I think a small round baler would be nice but it would probably be better to buy a square bale accumulator/stacker, pay the amish to load them for me when I can't, or just buy round bales.

The smallest round baler I can find is around 45 hp, and probably needs more weight than that to be safe in the fields I cut.

Travis Johnson

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posted 8 years ago

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I'll be honest with you guys, I HATE hay. It takes days to dry, if you got 60 acres of hay down and your baler breaks you just lost all that winter feed, you have to buy all that string every year...oh the list goes on and on. But silage...now that I like. No storage issues, just a bunker and plastic, its an all mechanical type feeding system, the sheep do far better on it then hay, and if the flail chopper breaks down, you don't have feed at the whim of the weather. Oh yes, there is a solid reason why the dairy farmers all go with silage and my plan is to do the same. Like you though I had an issue, how do I get a smallish tractor (25 hp) to power a flail chopper?

The answer for me may be the same for you, and that is a separate engine driving the flail chopper/baler. In that way you are only using your smallish tractor for pulling. There would be the pain of hooking up the pony motor, and its ensuing cost; but it would be far less than buying a bigger size tractor.

That is my plan anyway. No mower, no rake, no tedder, no baler; just a flail chopper, a dump wagon and some plastic.

Andrew Ray

Posts: 165

Location: Slovakia

posted 8 years ago

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Two years ago we applied for subsidies on grass here (Slovakia-- yes, the EU pays you to cut grass, they don't even care if you make hay, graze it or even just pile it somewhere to rot/burn!). I thought we would get fences done and cows, but things came up that put that off, and my father in law and I started cutting grass with a scythe. Which is fine, if you have nothing else to do. So I bought a Czech sickle-bar mower with a detachable engine that can go on either a small transmission for the mower (and other PTO driven things) as well as a large transmission for pulling plows, carts, etc. Later that year I got a larger trailer for it and a used large transmission. It is cool for what it is-- Honda 190GSV lawnmowerish engine can do a lot. But we have steep hills and I wasn't able to take anything up hill-- I had to drive about a kilometer around our village to go on a really shallow gradient.

So last fall I drove to Italy and bought a Goldoni, with a rotavator, rotary plow and powered (i.e. 4wd) trailer. It is great. 11HP diesel engine, can carry 2 cubic meters of wood. The engine and transmission are thirty years old but still in great shape!

Someone should try importing used ones from Italy and Germany to the US. I got the powered trailer, walk behind tractor and rotovator for 1900€.

john mcginnis

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posted 8 years ago

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Has anyone tried importing the chinese walk behinds?

Ron Duft

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Location: Alberta,Canada US Hardy:3b Annual Precipitation: 15" Wind: 62mph Temperature:-45F to 86F

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posted 8 years ago

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We have two of the "pony" series one with hiller furrower attachment second motor replacement on the one unit 40+ years old. Second unit is less than 15 years old. we have almost 2 acres of garden plot and orchard.
I cut 3 - 10 acres of hay with 17hp Kubota 7 foot sickle bar john deer mower converted to pull with the tph. Pull the 16 foot side delivery rake but have to use the Massy 88 with the #10 baler. Do about 250+ square bales.
Renter does 100+ acres of hay with the big round baler. I feed cows all winter with the kubota pushing and pulling the 1100lb bales, Front blade, rear blade, rotovator, 60" mower, 9" post hole auger, run a 100 year old grain mill and a 50 year old grain roller. rear fork lift attachment i built for hauling pallets and barrels etc. Never under estimate what a few horse power can do.

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Hans Quistorff

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For those that have not seen one before this is what they look like. The original motor was very small so that is why the transmission is geared so low.

tractor.jpg

Hans Albert Quistorff, LMT projects on permies Hans Massage Qberry Farm magnet therapy gmail hquistorff

Richard Cleaver

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Location: Dordogne, France

posted 8 years ago

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After 2 years of 'pondering' we decided to buy a new BCS 2-wheeler and a few implements: Scythe cutter, Hay rake, Buck rake, Wheel barrow.

We looked at the bailer but it was just too expensive. We have 6 acres ourselves and about 18 acres of neighbours land that we use. We bought the tractor last year and mainly make hay for our horses and donkeys, but also we use a lot of hay for mulch. We've found a great way to collect the hay without a bailer. Cut and turn the hay as normal while trying to make straight rows

Then use the buck rake to push and gather all the rows to one end of the field. The buck rake is amazing. With a board across it you can push a very large pile of hay across a 2 acre field. The only problem is, if your barn is not in the same field, you have to pitch fork it all into a large trailer and move it to your storage. For us at least, it is much easier than doing the whole thing by hand. It takes us about 8 hours to cut 2 acres and uses about 1 gal of diesel.

What has surprised us is how much we use the wheel barrow. We cut and processed a whole year's wood in less than a week. The tractor has an extra set of wheels. This really helps getting in and out of the steep wooded areas where we couldn't get wood before.

BCS-740.jpg

Double-Scythe.jpg

Hay-Rake.jpg

Richard Cleaver

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Location: Dordogne, France

posted 8 years ago

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Buck rake and wheel barrow.

Buck-Rake.jpg

Wheel-Barrow.jpg

Christopher Griffith

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posted 4 years ago

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How exactly are you pulling logs with the david bradley walk behind? I'm interested in buying one that is for sale locally and I would like to skid some logs with it, just unsure of how exactly youre hooking your logs up, and are you riding the logs while skidding? I can't see the ability to walk behind the tractor while skidding. I can't find any videos of people skidding logs with them, so was just curious to how you do it and how well it's worked out for you

Richard Cleaver

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Location: Dordogne, France

posted 4 years ago

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I usually cut the wood into 3 foot logs and move them in the barrow. I have dragged a few bigger logs (maybe 10 feet x 10 inches) by tying a rope to the bramble bar of the flail mower and walking the tractor backwards. It's ok but I wouldn't want to do it every day.

Hans Quistorff

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Christopher Griffith wrote:How exactly are you pulling logs with the david bradley walk behind? I'm interested in buying one that is for sale locally and I would like to skid some logs with it, just unsure of how exactly youre hooking your logs up, and are you riding the logs while skidding? I can't see the ability to walk behind the tractor while skidding. I can't find any videos of people skidding logs with them, so was just curious to how you do it and how well it's worked out for you

Basically If you are going to pull anything with a 2 wheeled tractor the attachment needs to be directly from the center of the axil. Even then it will be difficult to keep it from tilting forward or backward. I do have an attachment with a riding seat and rear wheels; using that and a chain attached under the axil dragging some things is possible. Note in the picture I posted above the disc harrow is attached which uses the same pivot as the riding wheels. The plow siting in front of the wheel has the strongest attachment and with the blow unbolted could be used as attachment for rear wheels.

Hans Albert Quistorff, LMT projects on permies Hans Massage Qberry Farm magnet therapy gmail hquistorff

Brian Maverick

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posted 4 years ago

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I live about 12 miles from the original Montgomery Wards store that started it all. Back in the day, they offered a 5Hp Walkbehind tractor. It was made by Simplicy.

It could be used as a walkbehind or as a riding tractor with the seat too!

Today, companies like Yanmar, BCS, and a slew of others offer modern versions with engine power up to 22Hp.

If you find an old Gravely or Simplicity to acquire, a motor upgrade from Harbor Freight really brings these machines to life.

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Douglas Alpenstock

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Cool photo! I think a lot of elbow grease was involved.

Eric Hanson

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There was a time not long ago when I was seriously looking at a 2 wheel tractor. I already had a diesel 4 wheel tractor but I was looking for something that could really maneuver in the woods to cut down brambles in tight confines and maybe something to help pull out fallen logs.

Had I gone the 2 wheel route I think I would have gotten a flail mower and a tractor with a Diesel engine. I can only guess just how powerful one of these little tractors is with a Diesel engine. Sadly, the Diesel models are no longer available. I imagine it is because of emissions regulations. But from what I heard, even the BCS 852/853 series burned something like 1/4-1/3 gallon/hour. That is really sipping the fuel for such a powerful little machine.

Eric

Some places need to be wild

Douglas Alpenstock

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I know what you mean. It's tempting - something that is a force multiplier but super manoeverable and handy.

Now that I have a little 4-wheel diesel, I'm just adjusting the trails so it will fit.

Eric Hanson

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Douglas,

Aside from their obvious utility, I was really impressed by their incredibly low fuel consumption (assuming we are talking diesels hers). Just for a rough comparison, my first riding mower, a JD L-120 had a 48" mower deck and burned almost exactly 1 gallon per hour. When I got my JD 2305 subcompact diesel with a 4' bush hog that mowed 6' grass, I was getting between .62-.75 gallons per hour. Doing vastly more work I was still beating the fuel economy of the gas riding mower by 25%. The little walking tractors with a diesel engine have an engine about half the size of my old 2305 so I would guess they get about half the fuel consumption which puts them in the approximate 1/3 gallon per hour consumption range--a figure I got backed up by someone who actually used one. Just amazing power and efficiency in a tiny package.

My original goal was to use one to help me clear my woods of deadfall and mow down some brambles that had grown up in the aftermath of a storm. I managed to accomplish that with the little subcompact so ultimately the walking tractor was not necessary and of course money is always limited. Still I think that the walking tractors are generally under appreciated.

Eric

Some places need to be wild

Richard Cleaver

Posts: 31

Location: Dordogne, France

posted 4 years ago

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We use about 1/10 of a gallon an hour with our BCS 740 doing light to medium work. It will go all day on less than a tank full (1.3 gals).

Brian Maverick

Posts: 56

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Eric Hanson wrote:There was a time not long ago when I was seriously looking at a 2 wheel tractor. I already had a diesel 4 wheel tractor but I was looking for something that could really maneuver in the woods to cut down brambles in tight confines and maybe something to help pull out fallen logs.

Had I gone the 2 wheel route I think I would have gotten a flail mower and a tractor with a Diesel engine. I can only guess just how powerful one of these little tractors is with a Diesel engine. Sadly, the Diesel models are no longer available. I imagine it is because of emissions regulations. But from what I heard, even the BCS 852/853 series burned something like 1/4-1/3 gallon/hour. That is really sipping the fuel for such a powerful little machine.

Eric

A Yanmar diesel 2 wheel tractor would do the job nicely.

Yanmar has a wide range of tillers from power tillers used by professional farmers to walk-behind tillers that are used by hobby farmers.
https://www.yanmar.com/global/agri/tiller/

The Yanmar isn't a wimpy machine by any means. This video really shows how well it can perform in a harsh Ag environment.

AND, IF a person is a handy-man and clever, the 2-wheel can be modified to a 4-wheel by doing this. Amazing the power these Yanmar, Kubota and Mitsubishi machines can be. And we wonder how 2nd and 3rd world Ag gets food to our tables here in the USA and the EU. It's these small machines with great power! These seem to be better than an SCUT machine.

Yanmar YM2610 Compact Tractor
Gardening like your life depended on it.

Brian Maverick

Posts: 56

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Another 2WD to 4WD conversion. AND this one can be switched back to 2WD use easily.

Bucher KT10 Quattro

Yanmar YM2610 Compact Tractor
Gardening like your life depended on it.

brian hanford

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Location: Washington State near lake tapps

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I have looked at the Chinese built walking tractors, but you have to order directly from china. Unknown parts availability, but the price and the implements are great. Searisly looking into ordering one or two but the importation and any customs issues stops me. I have searched but not found any importer or info on them. My just have to bit the bullet and take a chance. These machines seem to be more based on the older bavid Bradley esk type with belt drives doing alot of the work. One of the draw backs I have seen in bcs grillo is the more complicated pto attachment. I would like both but the belt drive system is very simple and increases the versatile nature for expansion.

Thanks
Brian
3HR

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Eric Hanson

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Brian,

You have a fair point. I am not singling out Chinese walking tractors specifically here, but I am going to suggest that with this type of hardware a dealership is invaluable. I can’t say I have had any major problems with either of my JD tractors, but the one relatively minor issue I did have would have been an absolute nightmare without having a dealership nearby.

It is possible to order online through Earthtools, but they will act as a sort of remote dealership. I don’t imagine that one can get much service from a Chinese built tractor unless there is a dealership nearby. BTW, since you are questioning parts availability, I am assuming that there is no local dealership and you are on your own for any and all repairs—is that about right?

Eric

Some places need to be wild

Brian Maverick

Posts: 56

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brian hanford wrote:I have looked at the Chinese built walking tractors, but you have to order directly from china. Unknown parts availability, but the price and the implements are great. Searisly looking into ordering one or two but the importation and any customs issues stops me. I have searched but not found any importer or info on them. My just have to bit the bullet and take a chance. These machines seem to be more based on the older bavid Bradley esk type with belt drives doing alot of the work. One of the draw backs I have seen in bcs grillo is the more complicated pto attachment. I would like both but the belt drive system is very simple and increases the versatile nature for expansion.

Thanks
Brian
3HR

The Yanmars are made in Japan and India. And Yanmar offers PTO drive and belt drive too.

Yanmar YM2610 Compact Tractor
Gardening like your life depended on it.

Karen Dodds

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posted 3 years ago

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Hello..I have a disc that someone ssid it is a david bradley walk behind disc. Is there such a thing? I can't find any photos

Hans Quistorff

gardener

Posts: 1908

Location: Longbranch, WA Mild wet winter dry climate change now hot summer

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posted 3 years ago

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Yes I have one it is mounted on the tractor in this post. tractor with disc unmounted plow is sitting in front of it.

Hans Albert Quistorff, LMT projects on permies Hans Massage Qberry Farm magnet therapy gmail hquistorff

John F Dean

master steward

Posts: 6996

Location: southern Illinois, USA

2555

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posted 3 years ago

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Hi Karen,

Welcome to Permies!

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Christopher Kirby

Posts: 1

posted 3 years ago

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Does anyone know where to find an original engine that's inexpensive and possibly runs or can run? Also, I need the gas tank and hood attachments. To tell you the truth, I would love to have a seat for parading and shows. I want to be able to use mine and show it off a little along with my kids. I think they're cool little (big!) machines. I've used one in the past and they get the job done and you definitely know that you've been behind one when the day's done, but that's all part of the fun. 😉 Thanks for any help from anyone that catches this long shot!

John F Dean

master steward

Posts: 6996

Location: southern Illinois, USA

2555

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posted 3 years ago

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Hi Christopher,

Welcome to Permies.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Christopher Shepherd

gardener

Posts: 859

Location: N.E.Ohio 5b6a

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posted 3 years ago

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Hi Christopher. If you are talking about the David Bradly 2 wheeler it had a Briggs model n on it or a Clinton from what I have seen. Most I have seen lately have been re engined with Honda type engines. Briggs made many of these model n's. The exact model used a lower air cleaner adapter to fit under the hood. I may have enough parts to put another one together. Most of my model n engines were given to me as junk. Small engine trade shows in the US usually have plenty for sale.

The best place to pray for a good crop is at the end of a hoe!

Whip out those weird instruments of science and probe away! I think it's a tiny ad:

GAMCOD 2025: 200 square feet; Zero degrees F or colder; calories cheap and easy

https://permies.com/wiki/270034/GAMCOD-square-feet-degrees-colder