Tractors have a come a long way since their innovation, so much so that a variety of tractor sub-categories have come into being over years. This sub categorization into Compact, Sub-Compact, Narrow Farm and many other categories have led to a greater utility of the machine. But these categories also create confusion & lead to a bad investment for those not familiar with these varieties of the machine. This leads to many buyers buying an expensive tractor with much higher utility & power than the buyer requires. So, in order to avert such a buy, here is our take on these sub-categories & their utilities to help you make a better choice.
Know Your Hitches
A hitch or, a three-point hitch is a mechanism via which implements such as ploughs, cultivators are attached to a tractor. The utility of each tractor is limited to the type of hitch it features. There are three types hitches used in tractors as per their category: CAT-0, CAT-1, and CAT-2. All three of these hitches vary in the dimensions of their pin, hitch arm & top link.
CAT-0 type hitch are used are used in small tractors used for the lawn maintenance & garden work etc.
CAT-1 type hitch has been the industry standard for many small farm tractors. It comes in different widths depending upon the utility of the tractor.
CAT-2 is the largest of the three, and used on tractors with high horsepower. It is more robust in construction and easily handles heavy-duty loads.
Check the Transmissions
Years of innovation have brought many mechanical changes in tractors for good, transmissions are one of them. Be sure to check whether the tractor you are buying a tractor whether it uses the old and inconvenient clutch-style transmission, or, the latest standard: hydrostatic transmission. Tractors with hydrostatic transmission offer much better power supply, maneuverability and comfort in drive. The Hydrostatic Transmission has been the company standard for SOLIS tractors.
Mainstream Tractor Categories
Sub Compact
The Sub-Compact tractors are usually sought by those who seek something powerful to maintain their lawns or extended gardens. These tractors come with a CAT-0 with the capacity to attach light implements for lawn management purposes. Some sub-compact tractors even come with the option of a front-end-loader, adding to its functionality.
Compact
Compact Tractors come above sub-compacts in terms of their utility, power & functionalities. Meant to be worked upon small private farms, compact tractors come with a CAT-1 type hitch which is able to attach a variety of professional farming implements such as rotavator, various cultivators etc. Compact tractors by renowned companies like Solis come with the option for a front-end-loader & a 4-wheel drive which deliver the performance of a professional farming tractor. These are best suited for those who seek a powerful machine to clear out snow, alter their lawns landscape and especially those who seek the perfect machine to maintain their personal farm.
Narrow Farm Tractors
Narrow Farm Tractors are specially innovated & designed to be enhance the productivity of narrow farms such as vineyards, orchards etc. These farms do not provide much room for maneuverability & reach because of which a traditional farming tractor cannot be used on them. Narrow farm tractors are designed to be slender in order to move between the rows of plants. Narrow farm tractors by trusted builders such as SOLIS come with a CAT-2 type high which increases their towing capacity by manifolds.
In an overview, before buying a small tractor a buyer should firstly specify the utility & possible utilities he/she requires their tractor to perform, then check all its specification especially hitch & transmission. And above all, one should always be sure of the category of tractor they require to narrow down their search & reduce wastage of time. And since tractor is a long terms investment, it is best to go for a known brand. Trusted tractor brands such as SOLIS offer tractors in each of the above mentioned categories and many more along with implements.
