Buyer's Guide

A buyer's guide
from TYM

Boosting your fleet with a tractor

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Tractors are a statement piece of kit in the greenkeepers shed due to their multi-functional capabilities. Most projects, general maintenance work and course improvements plans benefit greatly from having one of these multi-tasking wonders to hand.

Here we speak to Steven Haynes, tractor sales manager at distributor Reesink Turfcare, about what to look out for when choosing a tractor to boost your fleet.

What machine for what job?

TYM has a tractor for almost all needs in the fine turf, sports field and landscaping environments. Here’s a brief overview of the range.

In the compact range there’s the T255 with the smallest horsepower of the TYM family. It can easily manage a front loader and can be fitted with a range of attachments, such as the mid-mount mower and is well suited for smaller jobs around a golf course, while the T293 although slightly bigger is still a very versatile machine, ideal for many applications from private estates to sports turf environments, in particular. The T393 has an excellent turning radius and offers maximum traction. Its ability to be able to switch from one task to another or from one operator to another means this model is ideal for estate management or equestrian work.

In the mid-duty range the T555 is powered by a four-cylinder Yanmar diesel engine and available with either a 16F/16R manual or a three-range hydrostatic transmission bringing economy and power to most landscaping jobs. The heavy-duty T754 is suitable for a wide range of groundscare and landscaping markets, from schools and colleges to small holdings, with its solid chassis and a spacious, fully air-conditioned cabin ensuring all-round comfort for operating in all conditions.

Comparing specifications on a tractor

It’s worth taking your time when comparing each manufacturers’ specifications on a tractor, as although on paper it may look like one tractor is the same as another, there are always small details that can be overlooked.

Horsepower is a good example of this. In some manufacturers’ specifications they may list engine horsepower as either a net or gross figure and the two are different. Gross horsepower is a measure on an engine that has nothing attached to it. No alternator, no cooling system, no air cleaner etc. So the horsepower will always appear very high in this instance. Whereas net horsepower looks at what power would be delivered with these engine related accessories fitted but does not go so far as having a transmission attached. Sometimes a better alternative is to look at the horsepower at the PTO figure as this is what you can actually achieve in the real world with all areas of horsepower drain taken into account.

Another key specification to look at is lift capacity. Some manufacturers list lift capacity at the ball ends and this is okay if the attachment you are using is a narrow or a close coupled one with the weight of the attachment above the ball ends. However, more often than not, most attachments are not designed this way and the heaviest part of the attachment may be further behind the lift arms and away from the tractor. A turf aerator is a great example of this, with tines and heavy rear rollers being set back in the machine away from the attachment point. A more accurate lift capacity to work to is one that is measured at 24 inches behind the ball ends. It’s worth taking time to look at this as the two figures are very different and you may end up with a tractor that might struggle to lift some attachments.

Tyre types

We offer a range of tyres which are designed for a multitude of different applications. Most landscapers will opt for turf or industrial tyres with the latter being a good option for anyone doing any significant work on hard surfaces such as roads and gravel paths. This is because industrial tyres provide good levels of grip and produce a better ride than say an agricultural tyre, especially when traveling at speed on a road.

Turf tyres will obviously excel on grassy areas and produce less damage to the turf than an agricultural or industrial option. In additional to a standard turf tyre, you may also want to consider a wide turf tyre, which are sometimes referred to as a Galaxy tyre. Although these are not as popular as a standard tyre, the wider profile produces a very low ground pressure and as a result are a great option for sports pitches or for work in other areas where compaction is a concern. The downside to this tyre is that they have a very shallow tread pattern so grip levels are lower than any other tyre option.

Transmission

Generally speaking, there are two main transmission options when it comes to compact tractors, either a manual gearbox or a hydrostatic transmission. The hydrostatic transmission or HST is as close as you can get to an automatic transmission as changes in direction and increases in speed can be done via a single pedal and there’s no need for a clutch pedal. It is a good option for either less experienced operators or those that are used to using equipment such as ride on mowers.

The HST transmission is also good for jobs that require frequent direction changes such as loader work or when working in small spaces or areas with numerous obstacles. The fact that the operator can go from forward to reverse without changing gear or using the clutch makes for an easier time for the operator and means there’s significantly less wear on a clutch disc.

A manual transmission is generally the preferred option for people who want a lower cost tractor as this transmission is cheaper to produce or will be using the tractor to carry out a lot of fixed speed tasks such as spraying or aeration. The operator can simply select a suitable forward gear and engine speed, and the tractor will run consistently at this speed and deliver consistent results.