Tractor News Row Crop vs Utility

[sqdqo]

What are basic differences between row crop tractors and utility in same HP class?

 

[smstonypoint]

I'm not an expert, but I have always thought that row crop tractors were distinguished by having a higher ground clearance.

Steve

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I think Row crop tractors are heavier, a little longer wheelbase, general more hydraulic capacity, a higher 3pt lift capacity, usually better tires. Umm, The have a tendency to come with adjustable axle settings. The row crop tractors are basically an upgrade to a utility class tractor. Better comfort for longer days as well.


Are we talking current tractors or historic?

 

[pmsmechanic]

Where I live a row crop tractor has a three point hitch and adjustable axles. A utility tractor does not have those features. Otherwise they are generally the same tractors.

 

[TJP89]

Not a whole lot, but I think it's mostly little things that optimize the tractor for straight field work, going back and forth slowly all day across a big field as opposed to back and forth all the time in tighter spaces with a loader or something.

 

[flusher]

Row crop tractor: tricycle wheel arrangement, high ground clearance, adjustable track width on the rear wheels, 3 pt hitch, capability to accommodate mid-mount implements (seeders, cultivators).

Generally do not have a front end loader.

Some row crop tractors have a pair of tanks mounted on the sides of the engine compartment for liquid fertilizer, herbicide and mid-mount or rear mount spray bars to dispense the liquid.

 

[buickanddeere]

Deere built a "W" chassis row crop utility from approx 1954 to 1964 iirc.

 

[Creamer]

Row crop tractor: tricycle wheel arrangement, high ground clearance, adjustable track width on the rear wheels, 3 pt hitch, capability to accommodate mid-mount implements (seeders, cultivators).

Generally do not have a front end loader.

Some row crop tractors have a pair of tanks mounted on the sides of the engine compartment for liquid fertilizer, herbicide and mid-mount or rear mount spray bars to dispense the liquid.

Some of these descriptions amaze me. Row crop are generally the same the tractor as a compact except that they are higher. The big difference is that they have taller tires and different rear-end gearing to compensate for the tire height difference, i.e. speeds and torques. Due to this height and different rear-end they were somewhat heavier but not a significant difference. They were obviously made for farming row crops but are really more all-purpose than compact tractors or what is sometimes referred to as a wheatland tractor (larger low to the ground tractors with shorter wider tires no PTO made for heavy pulling farm implements). The older row crop models were made for mounting attachments and other equipment such as loaders, cultivators, corn pickers, etc. Some had 'wrap-around' drawbars to bolt implements to the back end (prior to 3 pt hitches) as well as hole sin the frame along the sides and front for mid-mounting or front mounting. They can have wide or narrow front ends, they may or may not have a 3-pt (most of the old Farmalls did not), and had adjustable track width to match the row width. Today most ag tractors are what were considered row crop (large 4WD may or may not be considered row crop) but almost nobody calls them that anymore - it is just 'normal' versus the subcompact, compact, and utility tractors.

The real difference for someone purchasing a tractor is of course whether or not you need the height. Shorter tractors are much more convenient for getting on and off like most of us on this website use our tractors. Growing up around the farm all of our tractors were row crop except one small we had for raking hay, moving wagons, and other little odd jobs. It was nice for convenience.

 

[Soundguy]

hard to generalize, as every maker has their own idea.... look at offset rowcrops, and hicrop rowcrops.. Light industrial, heavy industrial.

No quick and dirty glossery here...

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

It's a pretty broad term that just says the tractor is equipped to handle "row crop" farming. Corn, sugar beets, etc, they are planted at specific row widths and the machines that care for the crop need to be able to drive between and above the rows and in many cases they need to do it many times. It kind of depends what vintage machine you are looking at. Many people will only consider a tractor a row crop tractor if it has the following; Tread width adjustments and machine height to drive between the rows, 3 point hitch, & either a closed center hydraulic system or the more current pressure and flow compensated open center systems. As many time the implement used require the operation of more that one hyd motor that basic open center systems, or even pressure compensated systems do poorly if at all.