How to choose the right tractor

A farmer's most valuable possessions are his tools, of which most versatile being a tractor. Buying a tractor may seem intimidating at first, but is well paid-off when invested in wisely. Deciding on that perfect mechanical partner, to make managing your farm less of an ordeal, takes thorough research and consideration. Here's some help to jot down your requirements and zero in to the configurations and features which will fit your needs.

Property

First off, account for the acreage you own or are planning to own in future. Large-scaled farms require tractors of more horsepower, roughly in the range of 45hp-70hp, to perform the multitude of tasks, like tilling and mowing; whereas for less acres of land a lower horsepower, about 35hp or less, would suffice.

Utility

One should, from the very start, be clear with what he plans on doing with the tractor as upgrading later can turn out to be heavy on his pockets. Tractors of appropriate horsepower, need to be teamed with job-specific attachments to get certain jobs done. Listing down all the chores you would need your tractor for, will help you with answering the questions like, "Whether or not will you require a posthole digger or haymaking equipment?"

Horsepower

The choice of horsepower of a tractor should depend on the size of the land owned and the amount of tasks needed to be done on the farm. Currently, there are two types of ratings used by the manufactures to measure and state tractor power:

* PTO horsepower

* Engine horsepower

For a novice buyer, PTO horsepower is the one he should mainly be concerned with, as it is the "power available" to operate equipments.

Transmission options

There are presently two choices available to buyers: Mechanical transmission and Hydrostatic transmission.

A hydrostatic transmission is less power-efficient than mechanical transmission but provides the freedom to select any ground (or engine) speed between zero and the maximum; hence being highly efficient in terms of operation.

Comfort and Safety

Handling the monster of a machine can be a daunting task and requires much training, maintenance and servicing. Your perfect tractor would be the one to provide adequate power with ease and comfort of operation. A few things to assess in a tractor, to get an idea of how comfortable it would be for the operator, are: proper design of operator's platform; sufficient space between pedals and fenders surrounding it; adjustability of seat and steering wheel; accessibility of controls from a normal range of reach; visibility of panel lights and dials; and fine condition of handholds on each side of the stairs.

Ascertaining the right tractor for your farm can take a lot more than a quick glance at the functionalities and configurations. You must also choose a trustworthy and reliable dealer to buy it from. We, here at TannerTrack, are dedicated to help you find the best tractor to make every task at your hands, or should we say, "on your farm" a breeze.