Buying a Grillo g85d in Europe - Advice on attachments please

[RussellRay]

Hello all

I will soon be investing in a 2-wheel tractor (possibly Grillo).
I live in France; so I probably won't be able to take advantage of the very reasonable prices for BCS and Grillo 2-wheel tractors at the Earthtools site in the US - not without a great deal of red tape with shipping, import, and customs. Pity !
It's ironic that the prices for Grillo and BCS are higher in Europe, where the machines and implements are built.
Has anyone in the forum imported from Earthtools to Europe ?

Now to my questions :
I've narrowed the field down to a Grillo g85d petrol (or "gas" as you Yanks call it) and would like advice on the choice of fittings and tools.

Wheels :
4 or 5 inches wide ?
10 or 12 inch ?

Axle extensions :
I want (later) to invest in a Berta rotary plow;
so what axle extensions do I need ? And what wheel size ?

Quick-release PTO coupling :
I don't think I'll be getting any front-attached tools;
so for now I need only the rear PTO coupling.
Are there different sizes ?

Tiller :
What width ? Any recommendations ?

Simple plow, ridger, potato lifter :
Any recommendations ? And what bar do I need ?

And one last question on actually using it :
If I use the rotary plow and ridger for potatoes,
what is the minimum width between rows ?

Thanks in advance for your patience and best regards from Alsace, France
Ray

 

[TnAndy]

Ray,

The G85D is a diesel unit ( that's what the D on the end stands for.....), so if you order it that way, you'll get the 8hp Lombardini diesel on it. That's what I have. Great unit, by the way.

I got whatever wheel sizes it came with from Earth Tools. I don't have 'axle extensions', and do have the rotary plow, which works just fine.

Quick-release PTO coupling :
I don't think I'll be getting any front-attached tools;
so for now I need only the rear PTO coupling.

DO get the the quick-release coupling if you have more than one implement. I didn't, and went back and added it later. Having to try to hold the machine in place while you bolt/unbolt implements is a pain in the backside. Literally.

You do realize there is no "front" PTO, right ? EVERYTHING mounts on the rear, and if you need to drive it the other way, you reverse the handlebar, controls, etc around 180 degrees, and simply drive in reverse.

 

[Kapster]

The "D" stands for differential, not diesel. YoU can get a g85d with gas or diesel.

From what ive seen, they recommend 5x12 tires for the rotary plow for a little more ground clearance and extra width. They go a little wider than the 5x10 wheels do. If you get the 5x10's, you could add extensions instead.

Keep in mind the 5x12s increase ground speed, so for tilling it wont be as fine. Still should be ok i would think.

The 27" tiller can be converted to the 22" tiller, you have to get an extension kit to make the 22" wider. So depending on price and how big an area you have, the 27 is well worth it.

 

[farmerboybill]

As mentioned by Kapster, "d" is differential. You can have the G85d in gasoline or diesel.

4-10 tires are generally recommended for this model with lower HP engines - especially if it's gonna spend most of it's life on a tiller. Higher HP engines make the 5-10 a good choice as well. They give you a little better ground clearance and a little more ground speed, a very good tire choice. 5-12s are nice as well, but considerably increase your ground speed and raise your center of gravity. I'd only recommend 5-12s if you're gonna do a lot of mowing over very rough terrain, or are gonna use the rotary plow alot. Lots of mowing would also prompt me to recommend the G107d over the G85d as it has steering brakes and a third working speed.


Quick couplers are a VERY nice option of you're changing attachments often. If you're only changing once or twice a month, they aren't as necessary, but are still nice. There is only one PTO on these machines. You use it front mount or rear mount by rotating the handlebars, therefore only one option for quick couplers

27" tiller - not a lot more money and you can cut it down to 17, 18, 20, 22, 25, or 27". It's more money afterword to buy the components to make a 22" to a 27"


I'd skip the moldboard plow if you're planning on a rotary plow. The root digger is very nice, though.

I plant my potatoes at 36". If you get much narrower, you won't have enough dirt to hill between them very much.

My guess is you're looking at higher prices in Europe because of the European rules regarding OPE. The rules have added cost to manufacturing the machines, therefore adding cost to buying them. Since the US doesn't have these rules, we can buy them without them (though BCS is trying to force them on us). I find it unlikely you can get anything from here imported back because it'd be "illegally dangerous" without the extra safety devices.