[AT] High Clearance tractors

Mon Mar 1 09:48:06 PST 2021

Brad,

I was directing the question towards you  thinking you were exposed to all kinds of farm machinery. I drive through the San Joaquin valley twice a year  and just am in in awe of all the farm machinery that is so different than I am familiar with. But the “High Clearance” not High Crop tractors I was asking questions about were those of the 40’s and 50’s. Sometimes called “Vegetable” tractors. And were quite common in the San Juaquin Valley.   In JD’s parlance they typically were configured like this:  Extra Long Rear Axles, Extra Long rear axle housings, dished cast rear wheel centers, 42” rear tires and a single 16” front wheel.  If the tractor had an adjustable wide front end the spindles were 2” or more longer.   Now for al long as I have been involved in antique tractors, since 1998, I have always considered these particular tractors, primarily taller (High Clearance) tractors.   But It has always puzzled me that they really are not that much different in height vs a 36” vs a 38” vs a 42” rear tire.  One might think the rear axles might be 3” higher off the ground due to the tire size difference but due to the difference in tire profiles there really is less than 2” difference in height.   So I am now questioning what does “High Clearance” really means to a farmer.  Does it primarily mean taller or more adjustability wheel width?  Since so much of the configuration change is associated with added width High Clearance must mean more row width compatibility.

Since I have no experience farming in the San Joaquin Valley I can only relate to Iowa 1940’s and 50’s corn and soy bean  row crop farming. The extra 2” in vertical height would not have been that big an issue since the third or sometimes fourth round of cultivating occurred just before the corn got too tall and in the heat of summer there may be only a few days between 2” difference in height. Sometimes the corn stalks had to bend pretty good the last time we were out there, sometimes called “laying it by”.  But I suspect there are certain crops in the valley that grow to a certain height  and row width is a bigger issue.   Since we did not irrigate in NW Iowa we were restricted by how many stalks per acre the land could support based on our limited rain supply.   That has changed drastically since then with newer hybrids of plants that are more drought resistant.  In fact now the plant goes dormant until the rain comes and then starts growing again.  So instead of the 40” rows we used with spaced seed drops at 40’s not they are down to 20” rows with drilled seed drop. Instead of the 60 to 80 bushel per acre they are now averaging 200 to 300 bushel per acre on non-irrigated land.  But… since they don’t cultivate any more tractors don’t need to be configured as “Row Crop” tractors or adapt to the narrower rows as much. 

Dean VP

Apache Junction, AZ

From: AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> On Behalf Of bradloomis at charter.net
Sent: Monday, March 1, 2021 4:44 AM
To: 'Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group' <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Subject: Re: [AT] High Clearance tractors

I forgot this then had come in, there was no traffic. Was this directed at me Dean? First and foremost I am not a farmer. I’m a maintenance mechanic. But I’ll certainly venture a stab at your question. I believe most all on this list can identify a ‘high crop’ tractor when seen. Generally the castings for axles are different putting the entire tractor at a higher level. High clearance? See the photo I took from the driveway of my work. Kubota is a rarity around here. But the four tall, skinny, probably 12” wheels are what I would say is ‘high clearance”. Drive through the Salinas valley, salad bowl to the world and the fields are full of Deere with these tall, skinny wheels and tires. Granted there are also a ton of Deere big tracked machines for earth work. But then again, maybe your question was directed at Brad G?

Non-farmer Brad

From: AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com <mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> > On Behalf Of Dean VP
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2021 6:52 PM
To: 'Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group' <at at lists.antique-tractor.com <mailto:at at lists.antique-tractor.com> >
Subject: Re: [AT] High Clearance tractors

Is the list down?

Dean VP

Apache Junction, AZ

From: AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com <mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> > On Behalf Of Dean VP
Sent: Monday, February 22, 2021 6:56 PM
To: 'Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group' <at at lists.antique-tractor.com <mailto:at at lists.antique-tractor.com> >
Subject: [AT] High Clearance tractors

Brad,

I have a totally different subject and it would be informative I think to get a farmers perspective on it.  This is in regards to 1940/50’s “High Clearance” Tractors Not “High Crop” tractors.  There are various attributes on a “High Clearance” Tractor primarily related to extra- long axles/axle housings and offset wheel centers to offer even more width adjustability.  And often a single front wheel and even narrow 42” rear tires.  The added adjustable wheel width is quite significant but the actual axle height doesn’t significantly increase, maybe 2” at most. So my question is when you as a farmer go looking for a “High Clearance” tractor is your primary focus on the increase in adjustable rear wheel width and if so how important in addition to that is the increase in axle height?

So hopefully you can help me define a “High Clearance tractor” is one that primarily offers wider rear wheel settings and the increase in vertical axle height is secondary.

Dean VP

Apache Junction, AZ

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