How is a walk-behind tractor different from a motor-cultivator?

The times are over when you had to plow the land or harvest potatoes using horse power. In the modern world, a small garden can be easily dug up with a shovel, but there are special units for large areas. They are called walk-behind tractors and cultivators. Every year the popularity of this technique is growing more and more.

These devices specialize in loosening and leveling the soil. The devices do a good job of removing weeds and other unnecessary vegetation, softening the soil, mixing the soil with fertilizers. There are small cultivators that can be used in a small flower bed.

All devices are divided into several subspecies.

• Small tools... They are household and created for loosening the earth in a small garden (up to 12 acres). The device weighs no more than 30-35 kg.
• Large-sized motor-cultivators... With their help, you can process huge areas (more than 75 acres). The average weight of the structure is 120 kg. They are universal, the manufacturer provides for additional installation of attachments. Consequently, these cultivators can handle a wide variety of tasks.
• Medium tools easily cope with the territory of up to 50 acres. Approximate weight - 85 kg.

The performance of this design depends on several characteristics.

• Maximum digging width... It depends on the size of the incisors. Owners of large areas are advised to purchase an additional set of cutters. Their variety depends on the quality of the soil, since it is much easier to process a sandy surface than a clay one.
• Engine power... If you want to see good results, then choose large-sized motor cultivators.

This tool can operate on both fuel and power lines. Small gardeners prefer lightweight network devices because they are easy to use and not gasoline-dependent.

Please read the points below carefully before purchasing this item.

• Check with your dealer for the tilt angle of the device. This function will be very useful if you are the owner of a hilly area. There are products on the market that can work the soil at any angle of inclination, and there are models that stop working if they are tilted at least 25 degrees.
• If you opted for a large-sized device, then be sure to check the possibility of changing the running mode.
• Choose attachments with a speed switch. This way you can turn a conventional cultivator into a multifunctional machine.
• If you choose between push-button and mechanical braking, then you should make your choice in favor of the second. In an emergency, you just need to pull the lever instead of pressing a button and waiting for the car to completely stall. It is much more efficient.
• Even if the consultant assures that you are considering absolutely identical models, do not be too lazy to look at the characteristics in order to familiarize yourself with the basic configuration of both devices.

Before you start digging up the ground, carefully inspect the entire territory of the garden for the presence of large stones or other elements that can render the incisors of the cultivator unusable. After completing work, do not leave fuel in the tank. With a slightly damp cloth, wipe the surface of the tool from dust and dirt, and lubricate the cutters with automotive oil. It is forbidden to store the structure in a damp and dirty room.

The main purpose of using the device is to cultivate the land, but, in addition to this task, the walk-behind tractor can be used as an electric mower or a potato digger. Before purchasing a unit, you should carefully study its technical data.

• Engine power... It is directly proportional to the area of ​​the garden to be plowed.
• Fuel... This unit can run on both gasoline and diesel. Gasoline models make less loud noises and are not afraid of sudden drops in temperature. Diesel, in turn, use much less fuel. For small gardens with soft soil, the petrol option is suitable, but for large fields, diesel is required.
• Weight of the device... The more weight, the worse the maneuverability. If you are the owner of a small-sized walk-behind tractor, but want a greater digging depth, then you can purchase wheel weights.

• Maximum processing width... It depends on the size of the incisors. The cutters must be removable. Please note that the deeper the soil is worked, the less tired hands and back.
• Price... It often depends on the name of the manufacturer. Models manufactured abroad have a higher price tag than analogs released in China or Russia. Sometimes buyers overpay a lot for a brand.

In the modern market of motor-cultivators, you can find another type of models with passive tillage cutters. This type of device differs from the rest in its ease of control. Thanks to such technical data, even the fairer sex will cope with soil cultivation.

Before buying equipment, carefully study your territory. If it is small enough and does not require thorough processing, then the most primitive cultivator model will be enough for you. She will be able to cope with loosening, cultivation, plowing. The tool will be especially useful during the harvest season. Thanks to its compact design, you can work the soil between trees, partitions and other hard-to-reach places.

In today's market, manufacturing companies represent a huge number of series of walk-behind tractors and motor-cultivators. Many of them are equipped with lighting for plowing, an electric starter, stands for making holes in the ground. The presence of each of these functions necessarily affects the cost as a whole..

Here, the cost is fully consistent with the quality. If you can handle the repair of the engine or components yourself, then you can get by with a more budgetary model.

Among all well-known manufacturers, the highest quality goods are produced by Japanese companies. Try to choose the device in which it is possible to install additional equipment: electric scythes, a potato digger, a trailer, etc.

Before purchasing, be sure to find out about the warranty period and the possibility of free repair in case of a breakdown, and also check the unit for damage. At a consultant you should find out the type of engine. It is important that it is removable and can be repaired if necessary.... Repair is always much more profitable than buying a new motor.

The most common industrial unit is Profi PR 1040E... This is a super heavy walk-behind tractor weighing about 200 kg. The operator's seat is installed on the body. There is an engine with a capacity of 10 horsepower and a volume of 600 cm³. Such large-sized tools are always difficult to manage, therefore they are bought only by professionals, and novice gardeners bypass them.

"Belarus 09H-01" gained great popularity among amateurs. Production began at the end of the 20th century. During this period, the manufacturer offers more and more new solutions for working with the soil, constantly upgrading the device and removing the problems of previous models. Price - 80,000 rubles.

Most novice gardeners who do not understand anything in technology often confuse a walk-behind tractor and a motor-cultivator. However, any professional will tell you that these are, in fact, different tools with different characteristics and capabilities. If we compare a walk-behind tractor with a cultivator, then it is a more versatile tool.

All differences will be described in detail below.

• The walk-behind tractor is compatible with third-party units. Thanks to this, his functionality increases significantly. Some manufacturers additionally produce a trailer, trolley, pump, plow and even a circular saw for it.
• The cultivator is less productive than the walk-behind tractor. This point also depends on the versatility of the device. A walk-behind tractor has a soil processing speed much higher than that of any other analogue.
• The next important point is the mass of the instrument. The walk-behind tractor is usually large. Therefore, if you just need to cultivate the soil in the country, then it is better to make your choice in favor of a motor cultivator. It is lighter and more agile.
• The next difference is cost. A walk-behind tractor is much more expensive than a cultivator. Therefore, if the unit being purchased does not perform complex tasks, then a reasonable solution would be to opt for budget cultivators.

For information on how a walk-behind tractor differs from a motor-cultivator, see the next video.