Tractor Horsepower – How much will you need?
Tractors come equipped with a wide variety of engine types (gasoline and diesel) and sizes (rated in horsepower). Garden tractors and older, used tractors typically have gasoline engines. New subcompact, compact and large farming tractors are all equipped with engines with different power ratings. Yanmar diesel tractor engines with output measured in horsepower, depending on their size. The amount of horsepower need depends on the type of work you need to do, as well as the terrain, acreage and other land conditions. Yanmar liquid-cooled diesel engines with advanced fuel injection systems deliver added power to take on the heaviest loads, and greater efficiency to get every job done in much less fuel. To get started, a general guide to tractor horsepower, your intended use and jobs will determine what tractor engine and horsepower you will need. For example, if you are using the tractor for mowing, gardening, landscaping, snow removal, arena maintenance, keeping a vineyard, or other smaller to moderate tasks with the land of 2 – 25 acres, a twenty 20 horsepower to twenty-five 25 horsepower tractors are a great starting point. Depending on the tractor job you can move up from there as required. Your Yanmar dealer about how many acres you plan to actively manage, and how you expect to use your tractor. The knowledgeable dealer will help you determine the exact engine size you need. It’s better to buy a tractor with more horsepower than to try to get by with the minimum engine size. Keep in mind that, in the world of tractors, all jobs take longer with a smaller tractor engine.
Tractor Transmissions - Which Type is Best?
How a tractor moves forward and backward - and with how much power - is all about how the tractor transmission operates as the engine transfers power through the transmission to the wheels for a drive. That’s the simple explanation, but it does not tell us much about transmission choices and which type is right for you. Tractors come with several transmission types, including Manual, Hydrostatic, and i-HMT tractor transmissions.
Most older farm tractors use a manual transmission with several gear ratios, typically three to six, sometimes multiplied into two or three ranges. This arrangement provides a set of ratios that, combined with the varying of the throttle, allow final-drive speeds for transport and lower speeds used for working. Manual transmissions require stopping and clutching to change mechanical gears using a system of levers and pedals. This is a standard legacy tractor design and is proven and reliable. Manual tractor transmission also transfers the most engine power, but manual transmissions require an experienced operator to run smoothly and can be tiring to run.
Hydrostatic transmissions use simple pedals to control the hydraulic pressure to propel the tractor. The popular hydrostatic tractor transmission features continuously variable speed and power control, has great damping characteristics, and are safe and very reliable. This transmission design makes operating a tractor more like driving an automatic transmission car and therefore easier for users of any skill level. Yanmar SA Series and YT2 Series tractors, including the Yanmar 221, 324, 424, and YT235 have hydrostatic transmissions. In addition, Yanmar SA Series and YT2 Series tractors deliver low fuel consumption by increasing the efficiency of the transmissions. These feature Twin side-by-side control pedals for more precise and intuitive operation, clutch-less shifting (no clutch), the ability to change speed and direction of travel with a touch of the operator’s toe to a floor pedal, and pedals positioned to reduce operator strain so you can stay comfortable for long work periods.
Increasing focus and advancement of automation, comfort, power, and drivability has pushed tractor driveline technology to better and more advanced solutions. An i-HMT tractor transmission is a hydro-mechanical transmission that combines the efficiency and power of a manual mechanical gear transmission with the high usability and comfort of a hydrostatic transmission. If you plan to be behind the wheel of your tractor for several hours at a time, especially to use a front loader, an i-HMT transmission is not only easier to operate but also more comfortable. Yanmar YT3 Series tractors including the Yanmar YT347 and YT359 have i-HMT transmissions.