Tractor workload & how it relates to reliability.

In general, do members here find their tractors that are given a good workout when used, more or less reliable than the ones that just putt putt around?  Let’s consider “worked” to be a 75% load and the machines to have a diesel engine.

 

Just curious….

Edited by OrangePowerGA - 08 Jun 2010 at 4:45pm

Quote reportedly from Benjamin Franklin

Cleanliness and maintenance overlap eachother, but most often, cleanliness on the outside isn't nearly as imperative as cleanliness on the inside.  Tractors that are run often, are generally going to stay cleaner INSIDE, than those that sit, and of course, any time one sits, corrosion appears.  I say run 'em, and give 'em a good workout often.

Of course, this doesn't address OP's question... my answer is that, if you work one hard, and it breaks, it either gets fixed, or parked.  A putt-putt may be puttering around for years with parts about-to-break, and nobody ever knows... 

Even this, however, doesn't address the answer... Because the real question is "Reliable for WHAT?".  If you have a tractor, specifically for shows and parades, but not up to task of fieldwork, and it never sees fieldwork, I guess it's 'reliable'...

I try to work my rehab project tractors pretty hard initially (after new fluids and some necessary tinkering to get it into running condition) to determine what needs to be fixed. I believe the tractor, once started, needs to get to operating temp for an extended period of time to boil off the condensation that collects in the crankcase, tranny, & PD. Have noticed that the engines, and tractor, performs better when treated this way.

I work with diesel engine OEMs for mining equipment applications - they base engine life and some service intervals on amount of fuel burned instead of operating hours.  The engine keeps track of how much fuel it has used - if it is at light load continuously time between overhauls can be extended.

cheers,

Creek