Tractors are considered as an essential asset in agriculture, construction and other heavy duty industries. But, just because you are working on a field or at a construction site, does not mean that you need a tractor. Buying a tractor requires to previously calculate and determine how much time and effort you will save and how many specific tasks will be better done with it. You can start by breaking down your everyday work as a process of specific steps, identifying in which of those steps a tractor is needed and determine the overall impact a tractor will have on your work.
Have in mind that purchasing a tractor is a long term investment – so if you only need it for one project, it is wiser to hire than buy one. However, if it turns up that efficiency would drastically improve over a long term, only then starting looking for tractors for sale Australia. If your decision to buy a tractor has been made, it is time to determine what kind of a tractor you need. You will probably look for several tractors for sale in Australia and each one will have different specifications. To help you choose the right one, we will provide you with a short guide on what to look for in a tractor based on your needs.
Transmission Types
Tractors, like other vehicles, have different transmission options depending on a brand, model and year of production. Recently available tractors for sale in Qld, Melbourne, Perth and other major dealer locations in Australia, vary in three transmission type options: standard transmission, hydraulic automatic transmission and hydrostatic transmission.
- Standard transmission is the usual manual or stick shift transmission. This type of transmission is attractive to buyers mainly because of the low cost.
- Hydraulic Automatic transmission is somewhat the most popular transmission type used not only in tractors, but other vehicles as well. It is more expensive than standard transmission, but can be more efficient for larger tractors.
- Hydrostatic transmission is made to work without a clutch and only with the gas pedal. It is the most expensive type given its high maintenance costs.
Engine Types
Tractors for sale Australia on the market offers gasoline or diesel based engines. Tractors that run on gasoline can have a slight advantage over their diesel counterparts as they are more resistant to cold weather, hence, they have no ignition problems. On the other hand, diesel engines have higher fuel efficiency and the problem with starting in cold weather can be fixed with installation of an engine warmer.
Wheel Drive
Because tractors are machines used to do the hard work, the type of wheel drive they use can be a key factor in their efficiency. Tractors for sale in Australia come with three types of wheel drive: two-wheel (2WD), front wheel assist ( FWD) and equal-four wheel drive (4WD).
- Two wheel drive or shortly 2WD is best used for non-muddy and dry surfaces because they have a weaker turning circle. Put these tractors in wed conditions and you might end up loosing a day of hard work.
- Front wheel assist is also known as unequal 4 wheel drive and is definitely a far better choice than its predecessor. With the same amount of fuel, it can deliver more power to both front and back wheels, allowing perfect performance in wet and dry conditions.
- Equally delivered horse power to both wheel pairs is what 4 wheel drive systems offers. Tractors with such wheel drives have same size tires which makes them hard to handle in some situations.
Horsepower
It is no wonder that horsepower is important when buying a tractor. The real challenge with choosing how much horsepower your tractor need, is determining the average load weight that it will have to bear. Another top tip to have in mind, is learn the terminology before you deal with a salesperson that can lure you in buying expensive trucks for sale in Australia just by using words that he only understands. The terms that we are referring to are brake horsepower and PTO horsepower. Brake horse power is the maximum engine power achievable without alterations and PTO horsepower is a newer term for drawbar horsepower.
There are several other key points in buying a tractor but these are the most important. Safety can be as equally important, but since government regulations require all safety standards to be met before tractors are put on sale, you don’t have to worry about this one so much. So there you have it – a quick guide for first time tractor buyers to help you choose the tractor you need.
