Reversed Tractor Great For Heavy 3-Pt Work

Reversed Tractor great for heavy 3-pt work TRACTORS Conversions 13-4-8 "I used a junked 1956 International 450 diesel tractor and the cab, platform and controls from a 1960's International 181 combine to make a great 'reverse' trac¡tor," says John Wythe, Miniota, Mani¡toba. Wythe built his own 3-pt. hitch for the tractor which he uses to blow snow and haul big round bales. He also built a 3-pt. lift boom which he uses to hoist engines, tractor tires, and other heavy loads. He paid $300 for the tractor and $400 for the combine. "I built this tractor because I was get¡ting a bad neck from always looking back at the 3-pt. hitch on my conventional tractor," says Wythe. "This tractor's 3-pt. hitch is right in front of me, and the combine cab's full-length windshield gives me a perfect view of it. Another problem with my conventional tractor was that backward travel speed was restricted tothereverse speed of the tractor. In most cases, I had only one speed to work in. I rebuilt the transmission on this tractor so I have ten gears in the reverse direction. "The big rear tires don't sink into soft ground like small front tires do when using a front-end loader. And it's easier to steer because the weight's over the drive wheels. I selected the International 450 tractor because it has live pto to operate the snowblower and a torque amplifier to provide a gear reduction in every gear." Wythe dismantled the tractor and turned the crown gear over to the opposite side to provide five forward gears in reverse (10 with the torque amplifier). Next, he installed the combine's cab, mounting it at three points to allow quick removal for repair of the rear end and transmission. Controls that came with the cab included the clutch, brake pedals, power steering, steering wheel, seat, instruments, wiring harness, and two hydraulic control valves, one doubleacting, one single acting. Wythe uses the single acting control valve to operate the 3-pt. hitch and the double acting valve to operate the bale fork and lift boom attachments. Wythe removed the combine's header lift to build the tractor's 3-pt. hitch, using the original jackshaft, arms and linkage, and hydraulic cylinders. He used the tractor's drawbar to build the 3-pt. hitch draft arms, welding socket balls purchased at a tractor supply store onto the ends of the arms. Two single-acting cylinders lift the 3-pt. hitch. A double-acting cylinder replaces the top link on the 3-pt. hitch and lets Wythe tilt the bale fork or snowblower. "The 3-pt. hitch is designed to raise round bales 30 in. high so I can lift bales onto my trailer. The hydraulic cylinder which replaces the 3-pt. hitch's`top link lets me tip the points on the bale fork up or down. It also gives the snowblower more bite and is useful for the boom lift," says Wythe, who uses the electric header lift from an old Massey combine to turn the snowblower spout left or right. Wythe replaced the cab's side door with a steel panel and added a rear door. He plans to add a windshield wiper and a heater to the cab. Contact FARM SHOW Followup, John Wythe, Box 15, Miniota, Manitoba, Canada ROM 1MO (ph 204 567-3598).

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