4WD Loader Tractor

4WD loader tractor TRACTORS Made-It-Myself 9-2-34 Paul Bradford, Neosho, Mo., needed a tractor to skid and load logs but couldn't justify the cost of two tractors. So, he designed and built a 4-WD tractor ù equipped with a front-end loader and a 20-ton Braden winch on back ù that'll do both jobs. "The tractor frame was built from box channel iron and the axles from a heavy-duty 2-ton GMC truck. It has power steering and a road speed of up to 40 mph. A Ford 250 cu. in. engine with a 3-speed automatic transmission provides the power. I used the automatic transmission to obtain faster shifting. Behind the 3-speed is a Dodge transfer case with a pto that's used to power the winch. The power drops down through the transfer case and goes forward into a 4-speed Dodge truck transmission. It is then transmitted to a heavy Dodge truck transfer case and onto the axles. The automatic transmission transmits power to the winch through the first transfer case, using the pto to give three forward speeds and one reverse on the winch. The tractor itself has 48 forward gears and 18 reverse. "The front-end loader has four double-action cylinders off a junked International loader. It'll handle approximately 4,500 lbs. The tractor, equipped with 24-in. combine wheels, has been used about 1,500 hrs. in the past 8 months. Besides skidding and loading logs, I also use it to load creek gravel and to load several hundreds tons of lime and fertilizer. It cost just $2,250 to build. "I have had a few problems. The spider gears in the rear axle broke and, because I couldn't find the right part, I welded them together to make the rear axle positive track. I also twisted the front axle in half and have had to replace several U-joints. Overall, though, the tractor has worked well."

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