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
