Grillo with Gravely mower

[oldmech]

Hi! I make one adaptor for use my Gravely implements. Front PTO on GRILLO is SAME rotation as GRAVELY. I try this afternoon the 30 in. Gravely mower. Good balance. Easy to drive. Maybe I could remove 1.5 in on bottom of mower for better level I dont know. Later I could try my Gravely snowblower on my Grillo. Good luck! Oldmech

 

[farmerboybill]

Hey Oldmech,

Congrats on the adaptor. It looks great. Are you gonna make a couple to sell? You could also put taller tires on the Grillo to make it more level.

Bill in WI

 

[oldmech]

Hi! I adjust my 30 in. Gravely mower for good level I Just remove one inche. I try my Columbia-Gravely snowblower on my GRILLO 107d. I must Put counterweight (About 15 lbs) on engine side for better balance. I use also weight on my Gravely diesel engine because Gravely snowblower are very heavy. I am glad. I can use now my Gravely implements on my GRILLO 107d. All run very well. Mowers and snowblowers are very expensives . Gravely implements are very strongs and reliables . Good luck! Oldmech

 

[js5020]

Good job oldmech,, looks like it works very well. What size tires do you have on the Grillo? Might think about putting the caster wheels on the blower, with them on you just steer no need to manhandle the blower and add counterbalance weight, it will also help keep the blower down in hard snow. Very nice now all us Gravely guys can get a modern 2 wheeler at a reasonable cost and gradually update the attachments instead of having to do it all at once.

 

[oldmech]

Hi All! Tires size on my Grillo is 5-10 With 5-12 center pto height will be near the same as Gravely. We can order Grillo with 5-12 Too late for me.
Caster wheels are good for very heavy things.
You know Gravely are a lot more easy and fast to operate. I think the Gravely-Tranny is the best on two wheels.
With Grillo we must put PTO lever OFF before reverse. But this is minor problem for me and more SAFE for operator. Anyway we cannot blow snow in reverse.
They are a lot of Gravely implements available at reasonnable price. Later I look for a Power brush. Possibility to use Gravely equipments is a more for Grillo
Thank and Good luck! Oldmech

 

[lkjhg]

I have no experience with BCS or Grillo. Its been 20 years since I used a Gravely. What are the differences in the Gravely Transmission vs the BCS or Grillo? Would one have to turn the PTO off on a BCS snow-blower before placing the BCS tractor in reverse? It would seem to me that having to turn off the PTO every time one backed up would really slow down the snow removal process. Do you have to stop the PTO every time the sickle-bar mower bunches up and one needs to reverse the transmission? Is that how a BCS works or is the PTO shutdown specific to the Grillo? I agree that used Gravely tools are more readily available at much lower prices than BCS tools. Do you think the Grillo and the BCS designs are close enough that there is a chance to readily adapt Gravely tools to BCS tractors?

 

[farmerboybill]

Hi Lkjhg,

Oldmech here has made his own one-of-a-kind adapter for Grillo tractors to Gravely implements. I'm sure he'll explain why he needs to disengage the PTO on his unit. I'll answer your second question -

BCS machines automatically disengage the PTO when going into reverse. Personally, I've only owned used BCS machines and all have had the reverse lockout overridden before I bought them. However, I shut down my snow blower every time it's not under load (when I turn to make the next pass or in reverse) because it makes a gawdawful gearbox whine unless it has snow in it (there's no fix for the whine. It's the nature of the beast). It's really no big deal to re-engage the PTO because you're disengaging the clutch to shift from reverse to forward anyway. It only takes one second longer to bump the PTO lever in when changing direction.

Grillo has the advantage of having the same PTO rotation as Gravely. Like oldmech has proven here, it's just a matter of having the skill to make an adapter and getting the height right. I think there's an issue with different working RPM's as well. Unfortunately, the BCS rotation is wrong and would require more engineering.

 

[lkjhg]

Let me test whether I understand the BCS clutch mechanism: When you squeeze the clutch lever the drive wheels stop moving but the PTO continues to turn [therefore BCS has a 'live PTO']. Is that correct?

 

[farmerboybill]

No, The PTO stops as well. It does not have live PTO. That would be nice to have in some situations...

 

[oldmech]

Hi! All! The Gravely tranny is a two planetary gear sets and bands as automatic. Front or reverse by one lever as shuttle tranny. First or second gear with no stop. But for range change we must stop. Gravely tranny is SUPERIOR more fast and reliable. The best after 60 years.

Grillo and BCS have clutch and straight gears no syncromesh as cars or trucks so we must press clutch for stop and change gears. GRILLO PTO is from secondary shaft in tranny so if you reverse direction you reverse rotation. BCS PTO is from primary shaft in tranny and always same rotation.
When I press clutch lever I separate motor to tranny But the big mower blade turn tranny and move the tractor. I must put PTO off for stop and reverse. Anyway PTO OFF is more SAFE for reverse. I think may be same thing for BCS because PTO power is from tranny. So if you turn PTO shaft (ON position) tractor in gear you move tractor TRY IT.
Gravely Grillo and BCS are differents. EACH have quality and defects. For Gardening I prefer my GRILLO. New BCS are a lot more versatile than old GRAVELY. Thanks and good luck Oldmech

 

[lkjhg]

This has been a very interesting and helpful discussion. The 2-wheel tractor fuel economy, compact size, and available tools would be great for my 30-acre, crop farm. I have no 2-wheel tractors in the neighborhood. So it is difficult to learn how 2-wheel tractor might work for me. Two-wheeled tractors are very expensive new, hard to find at a reasonable price used, and the mechanics of field operations are difficult for me to understand. I had this vision of a 2-wheel tractor operating more like a farm tractor:
1. Differential lock
2. Individual wheel brakes to ease steering
3. Shuttle transmission for ease in shifting from forward to reverse
4. Live PTO.
I know the differential lock and wheel brakes are available. However I have not run a farm tractor without live PTO for many years. We gladly said goodbye to those tractors in the 1960s. I remember well what a pain it was to mow or crimp hay without live PTO.

Certainly shuttle transmissions have made manure loading with 4-wheel tractors easier. There is much forward and reverse direction changing when loading manure. I think 2-wheel snow pushing with blade or blower would be easier with a shuttle transmission too. I get the impression that the 2-wheel snow-blower operator squeezes the clutch lever; waits for the snow-blower to stop turning; shifts into reverse; releases the clutch backing up to a new position; squeezes the clutch lever; engage the snow blower PTO, shift into a forward gear and then release the clutch lever to attack the snow.

Being able to slow ground speed when the going gets tough by downshifting one gear on the shuttle transmission is another great shuttle transmission feature. One can maintain engine RPM in the best part of the torque curve and power through tough soils. I do not understand how farmers use the 2-wheel powered, round balers without live PTO and more sophisticated transmissions. They have more skill than me! Perhaps they are smarter than me too. I encourage your comments that might help me avoid an expensive purchase mistake.

 

[oldmech]

Hi! I have a two-wheels for you. The new Gravely RAPID. This one is Hydrostatic . Very expensive.
I prefer my GRILLO. For operate it . Just training. You can press clutch put PTO OFF in less 2 sec. Press reverse lever in less 2 sec. You dont change gears. Good luck ! Oldmech

 

[lkjhg]

You have been very patient in explaining how your 2-wheel tractor operates in the field. Thank you.

Back to the grillo. One does not shift gears when changing direction? There must be 2 transmission levers: One for direction and one for ground speed. When there is no PTO tool in operation, can one change from forward to reverese without using the clutch? I am assuming that a shuttle-type lever is moved that reverses the wheel direction. Is that correct?

 

[oldmech]

Hi! No . It is not a true shuttle. With Grillo Under left hand we have the clutch lever. We must always press this lever for all operation. Under right hand we have one reverse lever. In center handle bar we have two slide levers one is gear lever other is PTO lever.
Engine run. Left hand I press clutch lever and keep press. Right hand I push gear lever on speed one. After I pull PTO on. Then I release clutch lever.
Tractor running at work. For stop reverse and go front. Left hand I press clutch and KEEP PRESS. Right hand I Push PTO off after I press reverse lever and KEEP PRESS. Then I release clutch lever tractor reverse . I press left hand clutch and KEEP PRESS. I release right hand reverse lever. I put PTO on. I release clutch lever Go on ! With training Easy and no long.Good Luck ! Oldmech

 

[FlaDon]

Hi! I have a two-wheels for you. The new Gravely RAPID. This one is Hydrostatic . Very expensive.
I prefer my GRILLO. For operate it . Just training. You can press clutch put PTO OFF in less 2 sec. Press reverse lever in less 2 sec. You dont change gears. Good luck ! Oldmech

And nowhere near as rugged as the older Gravelys. I've opened up 35+ year old Gravelys to find like new gears and clutches with engines that are shot. The Rapid can't be used for really heavy work such as a Rotary Plow. There are belts in the drive system.

Nice to know the Grillo turns the same way as the Gravelys. That means one adapter will open up the use of Grillo tools on the Gravely.

 

[oldmech]

Hi! All! Grillo 107d Front PTO rotation is same as GRAVELY. BUT rear PTO rotation is as BCS. So I can use Gravely snowblower and BCS splines tiller. Best of two.
You know NEAR all two stages snowblowers as ARIENS COLUMBIA TORO JOHN DEERE etc have same rotation as GRAVELY and GRILLO 107D. You can adapt old front end snowblower on Gravely or Grillo. I fit 10-28 Columbia front end snowblower on my old ( Gear box brooken) Gravely. Work very well . Two years ago I Choose Grillo 107d for use GRAVELY implements. I like Grillo tiller More precision depth control or adjustment. Good Luck ! Oldmech

 

[2WHEELED]

And nowhere near as rugged as the older Gravelys. I've opened up 35+ year old Gravelys to find like new gears and clutches with engines that are shot. The Rapid can't be used for really heavy work such as a Rotary Plow. There are belts in the drive system.

Nice to know the Grillo turns the same way as the Gravelys. That means one adapter will open up the use of Grillo tools on the Gravely.

Check out the GRAVELY RAPID E SERIES - this is the unit that is meant to replace the old gear drive, cast iron Gravely two wheeled tractors.
The RAPID E tractor is 20hp has a true hydrolic drive system that is controlled by a twist controll on the right hand - no need to remove hand from bars to change from forward to reverse. This is a true hydrolic controll - no freewheeling when going down hill, very smooth over rough terrain.
The GRAVELY RAPID E comes with a 2 speed PTO - try that with your BCS or GRILLO, very simple to run just pull in the motorcycle style clutch to disengage the PTO and shift from 640 rpm to 1150 rpm. great for use with snow blower or when i use the Safety mulcher - that thing will take down brush and small trees up to 2" diameter and turn them into woodchips - nothing left just a stub about a 1/2" tall.
Check out the new Rapid Tractor site for some of the 80 atachments for the twowheelers - just be carefull if looking to fit them to your older model tractors - Everything for the E series tractor spins opposite the smaller RAPID M SERIES that you were talking about and comparing to the old style gear drive units.
The M series tractor and all the old GRAVELY two wheelers both drive pto in the same direction. Good Luck with your modifications - sounds like fun.

 

[js5020]

What do you think of the pricing on that E series machine,, last I saw it was OVER 14K for just the tractor,,, I love my Gravelys but jeeze talk about spendy.