Two Wheel Tractor Physical Workout Sessions

[wstr75]

Most times when I operate my two wheel tractor I sleep well that night because I'm happy at getting a job done and quite tired, too, from managing a two-wheel beast. I also sometimes am quite sore the next day, too. My smart watch usually provides feedback validating I got a ton of exercise. Today I ran my BCS for two hours using the subsoiler implement pulling up landscape cloth with 20 years of mulch and roots. I am tired and my wrists and arms are letting me know it was a workout. Especially when backing up the beast up a rise and having to push down mightily against the handlebars. Of course, I'm 67 and not the physical specimen I once was, so that's a big part of the equation. Any of my fellow two wheel tractor owners have similar experiences?

 

[TimberXX]

I feel that way sometimes, and I'm only 37. There are a few things that I know trigger it, and I find ways to mitigate it. What activities bother you?

 

[radios1]

it seems it's fun to flip 2 wheel tractors, I don't know why though!.. many have done that though!.

 

[oosik]

Reminds me of our TroyBilt Horse and when we had a garden. Breaking virgin ground can be tough. The wife was aching to try a pass or two. She grabbed the handle bars - pulled down - the Horse bucked - up - and took off across virgin ground. The wife hung on and was dragged about 80 feet before the tiller got balled up in some Buck brush.

I almost choked, I laughed so hard. The wife was less pleased. However - she did take her turns after the ground was initially broken.

 

[JamesHW]

Also at 67 I can relate. Fortunately continuing to do push-ups has helped avoid any soreness wrestling with the 853.

 

[RalphVa]

Yeah, I absolutely could not handle the Gravely 5665 until I got steering brakes on it. Then could do it with one finger on the steering bar.

Ralph

 

[CADplans]

I only own two-wheel tractors for the health benefits,,,

They would be long gone if it were not for the workout that I get,,
Heck, even changing from the rotary plow to a 30" mower can be a workout,,,

 

[CADplans]

Hey RalphVA, I actually purchased my 5665 near you a few years ago,,
I got it from the recycling center in Culpeper for $250, it had under 55 hours on it when I got it.

It came with the blade shown in this pic,,

Of course, it did not have the hand painted flames when I got it,,, :laughing:

Cleaning and painting this machine was a FULL month workout,,

 

[Hiptfarms]

I'm actually recouperating today from helping a friend yesterday. I took my 720 down to his house to trench about 200 feet so he could bury an underground wire for his dog fence. I welded up a straight shank plow gizmo so that I could make a 4 to 5 inch trench. I used a 3/4" piece of pipe and bolted a used scarifier point onto it then welded the pipe to a piece of c channel. The whole gizmo fit into the transport wheel hole behind my tiller box. Worked like a charm. But dang if my rotator cuff isn't complaining today.

 

[Captain Dirty]

. . . when I operate my two wheel tractor . . . sometimes am quite sore the next day, too. Any of my fellow two wheel tractor owners have similar experiences?

It is the nature of the beast. Consider the machine as a lever, wheels or implement is the fulcrum, the handles are the long lever arm so the operator has to deal with the resultant force.
When I snowblow with the Goldoni I don't dress as warmly as I dress to snowblow with the (open station) Kubota.
Some of the tiredness is self-inflicted. If I mow up to a tree or boulder with the Goldoni I can A) disengage the motor clutch, shift to reverse (which also disengages the PTO), engage the clutch to back up, disengage the engine clutch, engage the PTO, shift to a forward gear, engage the clutch and continue mowing; or B) simultaneously disengage both steering clutches, manually pull the tractor backwards, release the steering clutches to continue mowing. I often choose B, which is quicker, but after 20 or so trees it's tiring.

 

[fried1765]

Reminds me of our TroyBilt Horse and when we had a garden. Breaking virgin ground can be tough. The wife was aching to try a pass or two. She grabbed the handle bars - pulled down - the Horse bucked - up - and took off across virgin ground. The wife hung on and was dragged about 80 feet before the tiller got balled up in some Buck brush.

I almost choked, I laughed so hard. The wife was less pleased. However - she did take her turns after the ground was initially broken.

I remember it well!
Still have my "Horse" sitting in the barn.
Am nearly 80 now.
Haven't used the Troy Bilt Horse for 15+ years.

 

[ruffdog]

Once my dad bought a Deere 40 we were done using the 2 wheeled tractor. When I started driving the 40, I was too small to operate the clutch while sitting so I drove standing up. Cutting and splitting firewood gave us plenty of exercise so we didn't need the 2xT.

 

[leonz]

I still have my father inlaws horse and I will not sell it.

 

[Sonny580]

73 here and still fight 2-wheelers and Troy-built horses all the time. Prostate cancer surgery last Nov 24 has me down more than the tillers do! ---WAY smaller garden this year due to the surgery along with spinal degeneration that I have.
Gotta have a few veggies for us---just not the 5 acre give away we always do.

 

[WesKootenay]

I'm glad I decided on the 732 about 8 years ago. It is light, yet powerful enough to do all our gardening needs + pull a utility trailer around our acreage. A 26" flail mower is the greatest attachment - no more getting stabbed by thimble-berry canes :thumbsup:

An 853 came up for sale locally with several attachments, 'try before you buy' - I did and didn't buy, too heavy. I'm still waiting to see if he will sell the rotary plow separately.

Stay safe :drink:

 

[joecoin]

Ran my Grillo 107d yesterday for the 1st time this year.

Feeling it today a little bit, but I'm only 62.

 

[ruffdog]

Must of the videos show people working a big garden going in a straight line. Very seldom they show people having to muscle the thing at the end to turn it around.

 

[cmyoung2]

At 64, I realized this year I am getting less fit, PT for the shoulder is showing how much. Just finished the larger garden with the rotary plow, flipping it at the row end is a good workout. My challenge is the flail mower. I use it on the steep stuff where I can't get the Kubota BX. Usually have to put the duals on, all the tires are foam filled and heavy. Now to get the nerve to order a new finish mower, the old one died a violent death, between rust and a sign post, and a 30 yr old son.

 

[Jens767]

Hi wstr75

Although I'm "only" 62 years old like joecoin, I can easily identify with what you are saying in your post about exercise and sleeping well afterwards. Most of my lawn-mowing-sessions last 1-2 hours, involving around 3.2 km (2 miles) of walking behind my BCS 740. I expect a subsoiler to be a much tougher implement to work with, so after 2 hours of hard work with that implement, I exactly know how you feel :thumbsup:

Sadly life isn't always nice to us older guys

In the 9 years that I have had my tractor, I have learned to stop "fighting" it as much as I did in the beginning. Of course you as the operator has to be in control, but instead of trying to correct every little diversion that the tractor tries to make, I try to take a looser grip on the handlebars now, and tries just to maintain the overall direction instead. This way I get a lot less tired and feel less sore, and as a little bonus, it makes me feel a little younger too

Another experience that I have had, is to try to avoid reversing, selecting the PTO or changing gear, as much or as often as possible.

As I understand it, the gearbox of our BCS tractors is a relatively simple collar shift type gearbox without synchromesh. This means, that every time we try to select a gear or engage the PTO, the respective collar has to mesh with a gear wheel to engage. As there is always the risk that the two are not properly aligned, a quick gear or PTO engagement like in a synchromesh gearbox, is not always possible. I have also found it very difficult to change gear while driving, which means that I have to come to a complete stop every time first.

The reverse lever somehow, does not present the same problems. It will easily change to the opposite direction, but of course only when the tractor has come to a complete stop first. As our BCS tractors only have a single clutch, they sadly can't offer a "live" PTO. This means, that as soon as the clutch is disengaged in order to flip the reverse lever, engine power is not only interrupted to the wheels as needed, but also to the PTO. This is at best inconvenient when I'm removing snow with my sweeper or snow blower, but with high inertia implements like my lawn mower - and especially my flail mower - it often becomes a nuisance.

Due to all of the above, I always try to find a path when working with a given implement, that will give me the best "flow" with the least amount of gear changes, PTO engagements and changes of directions. This took a bit of practice at first, but it has been well worth it :thumbsup:


Best regards

Jens

 

[jbradley]

I'm also 67, and some tasks are definitely a workout. I have a 948 with the 34-in tiller box, and if it has the outer tine groups on, it's a beast to turn around. I usually use is with the the outer tines off (26-in), and it's not too bad. I did convert it to electric start which added more weight on the engine side, but my shoulders appreciate not having to pull start it. My 732 always started on 1-2 pulls (if it didn't start within 2, I forgot to turn the switch on) while the 948 often takes more. The switch isn't a problem with the 948 because it doesn't have one (actually it has the electric start one, but it's not one you're going to forget).