Front Wheel Drive Loader Tractor

Front wheel drive loader tractor TRACTORS Loaders 15-1-11 "Lots of people stop in and look at it," says Dallas Gutzmann, Pierce, Neb., who built his own front wheel drive loader tractor from scratch. The cab and rear-mounted power steering axle came from a 1950's International 303 combine. The rear-mounted 4-cylinder gas engine and 3-speed automatic transmission came from a 1976 Chevrolet Chevette. The automatic transmission is coupled to a 4-speed truck transmission which drives a military truck rear end. The front 20 by 10 drive wheels were taken from the same 2 1/2-ton military truck and the rear wheels are from the combine. "It works slick because all of the loader's weight is on the front drive wheels while the engine is at the rear to help balance the load," says Gutzmann. "On a conventional tractor most of the weight is over the front steering axle so the more weight you out on the bucket, the more the front wheels sink into the mud, making it hard to back out. On my tractor the more weight I put on the bucket the more traction I have. I can use two different quicktach buckets - an 8-ft. bucket for moving snow and a 40-in. long bucket for moving dirt. The tractor is highly maneuverable and can turn in a tight 3-ft. circle. The 4-speed manual transmission has four different ranges and the 3-speed automatic transmission has three different ranges so I can find any speed I need." Gutzmann used 10 in. channel iron to build a`frame for the tractor. The cab is equipped with an AM-FM radio with cassette, carpeting, heater, and the Chevette's windshield wiper and washer. There are individual brakes for each wheel. It took Gutzmann about 500 hours to build the tractor. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dallas Gutzmann, Rt. 1, Box 24, Pierce, Neb. 68767 (ph 402 329-6631).

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