Motor-cultivators "Mole": features and tips for use

Motor-cultivators "Krot" have been produced for over 35 years. During the existence of the brand, the products have undergone significant changes and today they represent an example of quality, reliability and practicality. Units "Krot" are rightfully considered one of the most demanded on the market of motor cultivators in Russia.

Motor-cultivators of the Krot brand gained wide popularity at the end of the last century, the mass production of these units was started in 1983 at the facilities of the Omsk Production Plant.

The very first model had a low power - only 2.6 liters. with. and was equipped with a gearbox, which, together with the engine, was attached to the frame with the most common bolts. This model had rather limited functionality, so the company's engineers were constantly working on improving the "Mole". Modern modifications are designed to solve a variety of tasks:

• dig up the ground, including virgin soil;
• planting potatoes and other vegetables;
• huddle plantings;
• weed the aisles;
• harvesting root crops;
• mow the grass;
• clean the area from debris, leaves, and in winter - from snow.

Modern walk-behind tractors already have a four-stroke engine from the most famous world manufacturers. Basic equipment includes:

• steering wheel;
• clutch handle;
• control system of the carburetor damper mechanism;
• throttle adjustment device.

The walk-behind tractor circuit consists of an electronic ignition, a fuel tank, a K60V carburetor, a starter, an air filter, and an engine. The model range of motor-cultivators provides a wide variety of motors powered by electric traction from the AC mains - such models are optimal for greenhouses and greenhouses, they do not generate toxic waste, and therefore are safe for plants and service personnel. Depending on the power, "Krot" motor-cultivators are marked as follows:

• M - compact;
• MK - low-power;
• DDE are powerful.

Progress does not stand in one place and today quite modern modifications have been developed that have a fairly wide range of functions: "Krot-OM", "Krot-2", "Krot MK-1A-02", "Krot-3", and also "Mole MK-1A-01". Let us dwell on the description of the most popular models of "Mole" walk-behind tractors.

This is the smallest unit equipped with a two-stroke carburetor engine with power parameters of 2.6 liters. with. Despite the size and low power characteristics, on such a motor-cultivator, rather large land plots can be cultivated, in addition, the low weight makes it easy to move the walk-behind tractor to any desired place. Such installations are most often used in greenhouses and greenhouses. The model does not have a reverse option and can only move forward, and in one single gear. Installation weight - 48 kg.

This option is much larger than the previous one, its weight is already 51 kg, nevertheless, it can be easily moved in the trunk of any standard car.The unit is equipped with a highly efficient GioTeck engine with a capacity of 3.5 liters. with. The fundamental difference between this model is the presence of a reverse and improved technical and operational properties, which is why it is much more comfortable and convenient to work with such a device.

The unit weighs 53 kg and is equipped with a 4 hp Briggs & Stratton engine. with. There is only one speed here, there is no reverse option. The motor-cultivator is distinguished by improved parameters of grasping the ground in depth and in width, due to which all the necessary agricultural work is carried out more efficiently and efficiently.

This product is very similar to the previous one in its design and operational features, it differs in the same width and depth of grip, but the engine type here is completely different - Honda, which is characterized by greater endurance with the same power.

Very handy motor-cultivator, equipped with a 5 liter HAMMERMANN motor. with. High productivity allows processing even complex virgin soils on such a block, and the dimensions of the device do not create any problems with its transportation and movement.

Models of motor-cultivators "Mole" for the most part have a similar structure. The products are equipped with a chain gear reducer, handles with a control panel, a steel frame and an attachment bracket. An engine is fixed on the frame, which communicates with the gearbox shaft through a transmission. The sharpened blades of the milling cutters allow you to work the soil at a depth of 25 cm.

The engines have an air-cooled system, a manual starter on a cable, and a contactless ignition system.

The motor parameters are as follows:

• working volume - 60 cm3;
• maximum power - 4.8 kW;
• the number of revolutions per minute - 5500-6500;
• tank capacity - 1.8 liters.

Modern models can be aggregated with various options for attachments and trailed equipment, due to which the functionality of the device is significantly expanded.

Depending on the purpose, the following options for hinges and trailers are used.

• Milling cutter. Needed for plowing the soil. Usually, strong steel cutters with a diameter of 33 cm are used for this, as well as a reversible plow, both hinges are fixed to the cultivator from the back using a steel hitch.
• Hilling. If you need to huddle the plants, then you need to use additional devices, while the sharp cutters are completely removed, and in their place wheels with powerful lugs are attached, and instead of the opener located at the back, a hiller is hung.
• Weeding. In the fight against overgrowing weeds, a weeder will always help; he is put on directly on the cutter instead of sharp knives. By the way, if you attach the opener along with the weeder at the back, then instead of weeding, you will at the same time spud your plantings.

• Planting and collecting potatoes. It's no secret that growing potatoes is a very troublesome and time-consuming task, and harvesting requires even more effort and time. To facilitate the work, they use special attachments - a potato planter and potato diggers. Seeders have similar features, with the help of which you can plant seeds of any grain and vegetable crops.
• Mowing. A mower is used to make hay for pets.To do this, the pneumatic wheels are fixed on the gearbox shaft, and then straps are put on the mower pulleys on one side and the cultivator on the other.
• Liquid transfer. To organize the flow of water to the plantings from a container or any reservoir, a pump and pumping stations are used, they are also hung on a cultivator.
• Cart. This is a trailed equipment that is used when it is necessary to transport heavy loads from one place to another.
• Clearing the area from snow. Motoblocks can also be used in winter, with the help of special snow plows, they successfully clear the adjacent territories and paths from snow (both freshly fallen and packed), and rotary models even cope with thin ice.

Motor-cultivators "Krot" are practical and durable units, however, the operating conditions of the device have an important effect on their service life. There are several operations that each walk-behind tractor owner should take as a rule and carry out regularly:

• cleansing from dirt and washing cultivators;
• periodic technical inspection;
• timely lubrication;
• correct adjustment.

Maintenance rules are extremely simple.

• For the operation of the device, engines of the A 76 and A 96 brands should be used, diluted with M88 oil in a ratio of 20: 1.
• You should constantly monitor the amount of oil and add it in a timely manner if necessary.
• Experts recommend using M88 brand car oil, but if it is not available, you can replace it with some others, for example, 10W30 or SAE 30.
• At the end of work with the cultivator, it should be thoroughly cleaned of dirt. Further, all its structural parts and assemblies are lubricated with grease and oil. The unit is removed to a dry place, preferably heated.

As user reviews show, most of the breakdowns and malfunctions of the "Krot" brand cultivator are reduced to the only reason - contamination of spare parts and components of the mechanism, it can lead to the following problems.

• With significant contamination of the carburetor, the cultivator begins to quickly overheat and stall a short time after switching on.
• When carbon deposits appear in the muffler and on the cylinder bores, as well as when the air filter is dirty, the engine often does not operate at full power. Less commonly, the cause of such a breakdown may be an excessive increase in belt tension or a lack of compression.
• You cannot use pure gasoline as fuel; it must be diluted with oil.
• For more than 10 minutes, you must not leave the unit idling, in this case, the fuel is consumed insignificantly and therefore the crankshaft cools too slowly, heats up very quickly and starts to jam.
• Dirty spark plugs are the main reason the engine runs intermittently.
• Before the very first launch of the Mole, it should be run in, the fact is that for any walk-behind tractor the first hours of operation are considered extremely important, since the load on the elements at that moment is maximum. Parts take time to effectively lapping in, otherwise you cannot avoid subsequent repairs. To do this, the device is turned on for 3-5 hours and used at 2/3 of its capacity, after which you can already use it in standard mode.

Other common problems include the following.

• It is difficult to reverse, and the gearbox behaves "suspiciously" at the same time. In this situation, it makes sense to check the integrity of the component itself, since in the overwhelming majority of cases, the reason for this phenomenon is the deterioration of the elements. Usually, the replacement of the gearbox and reverse is required, and you can take any parts, even Chinese ones.
• The cultivator does not start - there are problems with the ignition, perhaps a break in the cord and problems in the ratchet mechanism, in most cases the situation is corrected by the usual replacement of the cord.
• There is no compression - to eliminate such a problem, the piston and piston rings, as well as the cylinder, must be replaced.

Owners of "Krot" brand walk-behind tractors distinguish the strength and durability of this unit, in this parameter the products significantly surpass all analogues of domestic production. An important plus is the versatility of traction - any attachments and trailers can be aggregated to this cultivator, due to which it performs a variety of works on the site and the local area.

However, the engine breaks down quite rarely, therefore, in general, the resource of the unit pleases the owners. Otherwise, there are no complaints - the frame and the handle are quite strong, so they do not have to be additionally reinforced, as is the case with most modern cultivators, when they need to be altered immediately after purchase.

The gearbox, belt drive, cutters and the clutch system work smoothly. In general, it can be noted that the "Krot" motor-cultivator is a real professional power equipment that most Russian summer residents and farmers liked due to the optimal combination of low cost, high quality and a wide range of additional functions. Motoblocks "Mole" are ideal for use in summer cottages, in country houses and small farms and, with proper care, have served their owners faithfully for more than a decade.

In the next video you will find an overview of the Mole cultivator with the Chinese Lifan engine (4 hp).