Electric tractors

[bigbonner]

This HiTech BS is just that. BS. Tractor Electronics are very susceptible to Dirt, Dust, Rain, Vibration, Heat and Cold. Just about every Farming situation has all these factors. The new stuff is giving a lot of trouble...I was talking to the Service folks at a New Holland dealership last week and they told me that Every NEW Tractor they get in is already Broken. They were at the time working on a New Tractor that was already Sold, if they can fix the A/C and multiple other problems. They had been waiting 4 weeks for parts already.
Lectric Tractors are already on the Ground in Europe.

John Deere should be sued. Their parts are way over priced and then you have to order them. Lots of the time you can't find them even if you try and order the parts.
I have a 275 JD disc mower, The disc on the outer end broke off all four bolts that held the disc and gear down in the mower. I kept making do with welding on the bolts and tacking the gear down just to get me through the mowing season. When I went to order the parts they could not get them no where. The first thing I did was look on Ebay and I did find a set and they were half the price that I would have paid JD. I went on and ordered them because I knew I was going to have to have them. They were still in the JD plastic sealed packages and was brand new.
Little over a week ago my temporary repair finally gave out and I had to back track half way around a swath to find my disc and gear.
It took me a whole day to split the mower blade apart and change the bolts that are attached to little bracket. Every damn bolt was tough to get off and most I had to take my grinder with a cutting wheel and cut the bolt off. From all the years dragging it through the hay fileds, ware rounded the bolt corners of and there was no corners for a socket to grab on to turn the bolts.

 

[carnivore]

John Deere should be sued. Their parts are way over priced and then you have to order them. Lots of the time you can't find them even if you try and order the parts.
I have a 275 JD disc mower, The disc on the outer end broke off all four bolts that held the disc and gear down in the mower. I kept making do with welding on the bolts and tacking the gear down just to get me through the mowing season. When I went to order the parts they could not get them no where. The first thing I did was look on Ebay and I did find a set and they were half the price that I would have paid JD. I went on and ordered them because I knew I was going to have to have them. They were still in the JD plastic sealed packages and was brand new.
Little over a week ago my temporary repair finally gave out and I had to back track half way around a swath to find my disc and gear.
It took me a whole day to split the mower blade apart and change the bolts that are attached to little bracket. Every damn bolt was tough to get off and most I had to take my grinder with a cutting wheel and cut the bolt off. From all the years dragging it through the hay fileds, ware rounded the bolt corners of and there was no corners for a socket to grab on to turn the bolts.

They are very proud of their parts, thats for sure. I believe a man would pay 125k-150k to build a 40k tractor from parts

 

[grinder]

Why could they not build an electric tractor without all the complicated automatic bs. I mean, a Farmall M, with state of the art batteries and electric drive, and forget all the other crap. For my uses, 6-8 hours run time would work, for a 10,000 acre crop farmer, it wouldn’t.
Id install a solar charging station in my barn for it. Sometimes i go a month and dont even move my tractor.
Solar has its place, the left just doesnt understand its limitations.
Im sure it has more than enough torque, these electric cars are hard to outperform. Electric motors are instant power, theres no denying that.

 

[drakeshooter]

After looking at them the little 30-40 hp electric models for stuff like landscaping are interesting. Can’t see them replacing your big stuff anytime soon.

 

[grinder]

After looking at them the little 30-40 hp electric models for stuff like landscaping are interesting. Can’t see them replacing your big stuff anytime soon.

No, i expect not, but for small time hobby farmers, which is all i am now, im betting they would be good enough. I know these battery operated tools have come a long way. I have a 40v pole saw that will wear you out before the battery goes dead.
Its real handy clearing bushes and lots of jobs where you just make a few cuts then move material. Beats restarting a gas saw all the time

 

[drakeshooter]

My Kobalt 80v weedeater is a bad boy, won’t be going back to gas again. The 80v chainsaw is ok for wrist sized stuff but it’s no match for my Husky gas powered.

 

[grinder]

My Kobalt 80v weedeater is a bad boy, won’t be going back to gas again. The 80v chainsaw is ok for wrist sized stuff but it’s no match for my Husky gas powered.

Yeah, for serious firewood cutting, you cant beat a gas saw, but cutting brush i think a battery saw would be great

 

[timer]

I can not see it running all by itself in field work. Lets say the rake has a flat tire or sheers a pin and quits working, or what would happen when hooked to a disc mower and the mower picks up wire or plastic sack and clogs the mower. Will that thing stop or keep on dragging the broken equipment around.
The next thing would be that you have to buy special equipment to go with the tractor that has a ton of sensors on it to tell the tractor that the piece of equipment is working properly,
Only the rich can afford to buy one and want a new toy to play with.

All good points....But my problem is that I can't find anyone that I trust to drive a tractor. I'm sure I'd trust the sensors on this tractor a lot more than some of the guys I've had to hire.

 

[grinder]

Yea, i do all my own tractor work. Even back when i farmed full time. Rarely hired help for tractor work.

 

[JR in KY]

@bigbonner and I were talking JD Parts. I bet if you bought one by parts and assembled it, it would be $3 million.

 

[bigbonner]

All good points....But my problem is that I can't find anyone that I trust to drive a tractor. I'm sure I'd trust the sensors on this tractor a lot more than some of the guys I've had to hire.

That is why I don't loan out any trucks or equipment of mine. Most people don't know how to run equipment.
I made / welded up me a 20 foot gooseneck trailer 35 + years ago. I loaned it to a farmer friend and he hauled a load of tobacco to the market.
When he turned into the road that led back to his farm he took out a bunch of mail boxes. He said I thought the trailer would trail the same as my truck. He was, I'm guessing 50 years old and did not know to swing a trailer to miss the mail boxes.

 

[bigbonner]

@bigbonner and I were talking JD Parts. I bet if you bought one by parts and assembled it, it would be $3 million.

I would say you are in the ball park with that figure.

I need a new tractor but can not afford one. Hell it has got to where I can't afford the diesel to put in it.
The only good thing about a new tractor is warranty,
That is only 2 years or 2000 hours after that you will be paying for repairs unless you buy a extended warranty on the tractor.

 

[bigbonner]

Yea, i do all my own tractor work. Even back when i farmed full time. Rarely hired help for tractor work.

I guess you could say tractor driving was my first job. When I came in from school around 6 years old I was driving tractors to load tobacco.
I was too little to handle a stick of tobacco but I could drive a tractor.

 

[Little FR]

I guess you could say tractor driving was my first job. When I came in from school around 6 years old I was driving tractors to load tobacco.
I was too little to handle a stick of tobacco but I could drive a tractor.

Same. When people ask how long I’ve been driving a manual I always say I learned to drive a stick shift on a Super M when I was 6.

 

[timer]

That is why I don't loan out any trucks or equipment of mine. Most people don't know how to run equipment.
I made / welded up me a 20 foot gooseneck trailer 35 + years ago. I loaned it to a farmer friend and he hauled a load of tobacco to the market.
When he turned into the road that led back to his farm he took out a bunch of mail boxes. He said I thought the trailer would trail the same as my truck. He was, I'm guessing 50 years old and did not know to swing a trailer to miss the mail boxes.

You just can't loan your stuff. If my tractor leaves my farm, I'd better be on it.