DIFF Lock v Single Axle

[kmacaoidh]

I am trying to find out what the smallest two wheel tractors/tillers with a differential lock, for ease of steering, may have been down over the years? Or when it might of been introduced to small horticultural garden or farmstead machinery? Any suggestions welcome?

[charlie]

From what I know of small two wheeled garden tractors most had either a rigid axle with both wheels locked to it, eg Trusty Earthquake or a rigid axle with wheels mounted on hubs with ratchets that could be locked, eg Monrotiller. Disengaging one of th eratchets would ease turning.

[andyfrost]

The only machine that springs to my mind that had an optional “proper” difflock was the Howard 700 , as Charlie says all manner of manufacturers offered the ratchet style.

Andy.

[kmacaoidh]

Good to hear from you all, and thank you for your experienced information. I do have a Goldoni LD63 DF Prof 1999 Jolly, Italian made tractor that is free wheeling, easily steered, with a lever to engage the DIFF for better traction when pulling in a straight line. Strong, heavy enough, machine.

I’m sure that most of the similar Agria, Bertolini, Iseki, Kubota etc tractor have something much the same features. The never BCS tractors definitely have this.

My question relates more to smaller, lighter, and possibly older tractors? Vintage I guess, but not necessarily. It’s more to do with workability, tight spaces and the strength and age to move these things around with ease. As I continue using these small tractors, I find that I’m looking for smaller machines more as the years go by.

Small is beautiful they say?

[charlie]

A small, but not light, machine is the Monrotiller. The series 3 machine has reverse which makes getting out of a corner much easier, the series 1 and 2 do not. It has ratchet hubs that can be locked. Another feature ofthe Monrotiller wjhich I like is teh ability to swing handles to left or right avoiding the nee dto walk behind and trample the ground that has been worked. They are heavy, 125Kgs.

[kmacaoidh]

I’ll have to look out for the Monrotiller, and do a bit of research on the different models? On the vhgmc website maybe, see a few photos. The mid-range to larger Honda’s are similar? Or I may be mistaken. I’ll check the archives

[will-haggle]

Mayfield garden tracors had ratchets in the hubs which would ease steering, my Fouroaks Spraymobile has a Mayfield chassis but the hubs are seized making it a bit hard to turn, if it had 25 gallons of weed killer on board it would be even harder! 1st picture. My 1953 Mayfield, 2nd picture My 1955 Spraymobile.

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[kmacaoidh]

The Mayfield looks like a very adaptable tractor? I have looked at the vhgmc photo gallery, there are some wonder variations, along with your own finger-bar mower and sprayer. The sprayer is a fixed unit? The other attachments interchangeable? The flywheel is very useful. The Mayfield seems to have good ground clearance as well, for inter drill work? Ploughing. Was there a Mayfield plough? The barrow feature is also great. And if it can take 25 gallons, it’s a strong enough engine for every job?

[charlie]

Yes there was a plough available for the Mayfield.

[will-haggle]

…and here’s one ploughing in very heavy conditions, Berwick St. John, 2008…

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[kmacaoidh]

It’s not a Mayfield in this photo, a British Anzani and the smaller wheeled tractor in behind it, amongst a very busy garage i stumbled upon. Full of old farm equipment. I’ve seen photos of these smaller machines before but can’t think of their name now, abs I couldn’t really climb in to get a closer look! But not a Mayfield?

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[kmacaoidh]

Where I took that photo also had an old Trusty, on show outside and in poor condition. I will post a photo, maybe to be added to Geoff’s list of Survivors?

[davidbliss]

We had a BMB plough mate with all the tools with no diff lock but did have independent oil immersed brakes, it was easy to use, that is until reversing even with a plough on would lift me off my feet and the clutch leaver was then out of reach, needs must and fitted a cultivator depth wheel up front, what a difference as used to go everywhere in reverse after that. Its a long while ago now but think it was an Anzani that had no diff but had a independent dog clutch for each wheel, so if needed to turn, disconnect one wheel and it it would turn on a sixpence, all I can remember it was very hard work and a incident when it started in gear out of the shed ploughing as it went and as it came to the concrete path it turned a flag over in that to.

[kmacaoidh]

All of that sounds a bit familiar to me, and that’s just from using newer, but fairly big, two wheel tractors. Especially being lifted of one’s feet! In reverse usually. But I had to make allowances as I have sometimes been working in gardens and fields with slight gradients or dips. Your experiences are also much of the reason why I have been enquiring about DIFF locks and lighter, easily workable, machines. I appreciate the contributions

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