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4-WD Articulated "Mower Tractor"
"It's built tough and will outlast any commercial riding mower on the market," says Harold Tribitt, Revillo, S. Dak., about the 4-WD articulated "mower tractor" he built mostly from junked parts. It's equipped with dual wheels on front and back and a front-mounted 6-ft. deck that rides on a pair of 400.8 2-ply caster w
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4-WD Articulated "Mower Tractor" MOWERS Mowers (31H) 27-3-26 "It's built tough and will outlast any commercial riding mower on the market," says Harold Tribitt, Revillo, S. Dak., about the 4-WD articulated "mower tractor" he built mostly from junked parts. It's equipped with dual wheels on front and back and a front-mounted 6-ft. deck that rides on a pair of 400.8 2-ply caster wheels.
The tractor's frame came off an International Harvester 37 disk, while the axles and 6.50 by 16 wheels are off a pair of 1960's Chevrolet 3/4-ton pickups. Tribitt cut the axles down to fit. Power is provided by a 4-cyl. water-cooled gas engine off an Owatonna self-propelled windrower. The 4-speed manual transmission is also off a 1960's Chevrolet 3/4-ton pickup. The transfer case is home-built. The tractor articulates via a single 2 1/2-in. hydraulic cylinder that acts on a 1-in. dia. shaft.
Tribitt used sheet metal to build the deck, which is belt-driven off the engine. A small 1-in. dia. hydraulic cylinder that mounts under the engine serves as a belt tightener. Power steering is provided by a hydraulic pump that came off a combine.
"It suits my needs perfectly," says Tribitt. "I built it a few years ago after I had a farm accident in which I lost partial use of my right hand. It came in especially handy when I used to fly airplanes and had a 1/2-mile runway on my farm. I needed something that could mow fast. I usually mow in third gear at about 4 mph. The tractor's small size and dual wheels keep it from making ruts in soft ground like a bigger tractor would, and the engine and transmission are heavy duty.
"The back end of the deck bolts onto the side of the tractor. To remove the deck, all I have to do is pull two 1-in. dia. pins and slip the belt off. There's a full length roller on back of the deck and a short one on front to keep the mower from scalping."
Tribitt says he spent a total of about $1,200 to build the tractor, including about $700 for the eight new tires.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Harold Tribitt, 16108 482nd Ave., Revillo, S. Dak. 57259 (ph 605 623-4491).
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