Ultimate Utility Tractor Test

A variety of configurations

The projects on an acreage never seem to end. You probably feel like you're always moving dirt or gravel, mending fences, cleaning out horse stalls, clearing brush, or simply trying to keep up with the mowing. And while these tasks are sure to keep most folks busy year-round, many have chosen to lighten the load a bit with a utility tractor.

With the number of affordable used tractors on the auction lists and dealer lots diminishing and the price of diesel on the rise, many acreage owners are considering buying new - and for good reason. Not only are new tractors more fuel efficient, but they're being sold in a wide variety of configurations that fit most every need. Features that once only appeared on high-horsepower models are now available on utility models in the 50-to-80-hp. class. These include on-the-go shifting, full cabs, higher-flow hydraulics, and front-wheel drive, among others.

Living the Country Life magazine and its sister publication, Successful Farming magazine, assembled a team of 11 evaluators. The team's goal was to help readers shop through the wide variety of machines now available.

Participating manufacturers provided 50- to 65-hp. tractors, each of which was put through its paces at the 1,500-acre Iowa State University research farm located near Boone, Iowa. Helping oversee the evaluation was Iowa State University agricultural engineer Matt Darr.

Transmission options

One of the best examples of the wide range of tractor configuration options is the transmission. Mechanical transmissions have long been the norm but have recently given way to hydrostatic models. A mechanical transmission is very similar to the selective gear transmissions in a car or truck.

"The operator uses a shift lever to select a specific gear, which then defines the gear reduction ratio between the engine and the rear axle," says Darr. "This will maintain a constant ground speed for a constant engine speed," he notes. Most transmission models have two gear selector levers. One allows for on-the-fly shifting between a few gears. This means that the transmission gear can be changed while the tractor is moving. The second shift lever chooses the gear range (low, mid, or high) but can only be shifted when the tractor is at a complete stop.

Hydrostatic transmissions are quite different in that they do not have levers to select specific gear ranges. "The advantage of hydrostatic systems is that they can produce an infinite gear range selection, meaning that any tractor ground speed can be chosen between zero and the maximum speed," explains Darr. "This feature is particularly useful in light mowing operations where the implement power is low and the need for operating efficiency is very high."

The major drawback to hydrostatic transmissions is that they are much less efficient than mechanical transmissions, which results in a significant increase in power loss, Darr says. The class of tractors evaluated did not offer hydrostatic shifting, which is only available in smaller tractor models

Synchronized mesh

"Synchronized mesh transmissions are designed to allow smooth on-the-fly shifting of mechanical transmissions under any load condition," says Darr. "These do not allow on-the-fly shifting of the range selector gears, just the speed selector," he notes. "Not only do these transmissions make for more efficient field operations, but they also provide safety benefits in that the operator can downshift smoothly under load to decelerate a tractor when traveling downhill or towing a heavy load."

And since not all synchronized mesh transmissions are designed the same, you should test-drive the tractor to determine the shift quality before making a purchase. This is especially true if you are shifting a lot during use, such as using the tractor for loader work.

The easiest way to examine the transmission's ability is with a simple road test. "Start the tractor from a stopped position, then accelerate the engine and upshift through all the available on-the-fly gears," Darr explains. "After reaching full speed in the highest gear, reverse the process and start to quickly downshift the gears while still maintaining engine speed. A high-quality synchronized transmission will very easily downshift at a high engine speed without any gear grinding."

While none of the tractors evaluated offered full power shift transmissions, several models provided partial power shifting between gear selections within a range, a relatively new feature. The evaluators found the ability to shift between gears an advantage during field applications such as mowing.

SynchroShuttle shift

An additional transmission option now available on some higher-horsepower utility tractor models is the SynchroShuttle shift. This design allows you to shift from forward to reverse without clutching, which comes in handy when operating front-mounted attachments like a bucket loader or bale forks.

A variation of the SynchroShuttle shift is the power reverse design, which "uses a hydraulic clutch system to very smoothly disengage power to the transmission and change the direction of travel," says Darr. A hand lever located on the steering column, "frees one hand to maintain the bucket controls at all times and eliminates the need to clutch, brake, and shift gears as is required in a standard transmission system," he says.

Types of horsepower

"When comparing the rated horsepower of tractors, you should carefully consider the type of horsepower measurement being stated," Darr informs. Three different ratings are used to define tractor power, including brake horsepower, PTO horsepower, and drawbar horsepower, the most common being PTO horsepower.

"The brake horsepower is that total horsepower that leaves the engine," he says. "The PTO horsepower is a rating of the maximum power available at the PTO shaft if the tractor is stationary," Darr explains. Since only about 80% of engine power will be available at the PTO, knowing PTO rating is important when sizing an implement to a tractor. "Finally, the drawbar horsepower is a measure of the power transmitted through the drawbar to a towed implement," he says.

"You should consider the worst-case operating scenario in order to assure that your tractor will not be underpowered. Consult implement manufacturers to determine the power requirements of specific implements," Darr says.

Evaluators were given the chance to add attachments to the tractors in order to truly examine these horsepower ratings and power requirements.

Recommended features

With acreage owners spending much time on their tractors tending to chores, comfort is of the utmost importance. The evaluators noticed a number of comforts on several of the tractors. The following are features recommended based on those comments and Matt Darr's observations.

Buying a tractor is a big investment, so do your research and choose the model that will best suit your needs. Also, make sure there is a dealer network in your area that is able to provide replacement parts and conduct any advanced service.

Favorite Features

The evaluators offered a number of positive comments about the tractors they examined. Below are just a few of their observations.

Suggested Improvements

Additionally, the evaluators provided candid suggestions for the tractors they tested. The following are a number of those comments.