Comparison of Utility
Tractors
National AgrAbility Project Staff
Year 2 Project
Presented at 2006 NTW
Jackson, Mississippi
Utility Tractors
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As you’ve just heard, utility tractors can have a lot of
options which may or may not make it easier for a
farmer or rancher with a disability to operate
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Therefore, NAP proposed a project to create a Utility
Tractor Product Comparison Tool, to look at other
areas of possible differences such as:
Tractor steps
Tractor hand rails/hand holds
Tractor cab
Tractor platform
Tractor operator controls
General tractor items
Utility Tractors
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What the product gathering tool is intended to do:
- Look for items not in a standard utility tractor
marketing “brochure”
- (e.g., does the steering wheel tilt)
- Look for measurements not in a standard utility tractor
marketing “brochure”
- (e.g., what is the first step height)
- Things important for accessibility (AgrAbility needs)
Utility Tractors
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Results of using the utility tractor product
comparison tool would be:
- Another source of information that should be used along with
standard product brochures and web or dealer information and
specifications to help the AgrAbility professional recommend the
best adaptation or best tractor adaptation solution
Utility Tractors
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If AgrAbility staff utilize the utility tractor product comparison
data gathering tool, and share the results:
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National AgrAbility Project (NAP) will post to the web site
-
Everyone (AgrAbility staff across the country) benefits
-
Types of information is gathered informally now, would be
captured for all to use
Utility Tractors
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Focus on “utility tractors” for data gathering
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May mean different things in different areas of the country or
within different tractor manufacturers
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Focus will be tractors large enough to require a ROPS (approx.
20 hp) to around 70/80 hp range maximum
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Data gathering tool “may” have wider use, but this will be our
(NAP) focus
Utility Tractors
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Utility tractor product comparison tool is available off the NAP
web site at:
http://www.agrabilityproject.org/assistivetech/comparison/document
s/Utility_Tractors5.pdf
Utility Tractors
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Utility Tractors product comparison data gathering tool
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Date of information gathering (e.g., March 2006) __________________
► Tractor Make and Model (e.g., New Holland, Model TS 135) __________
► Serial Number (if it can be found, check engine block area) ____________
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1. Tractor Step(s)
1a. Measure the distance from the ground to first step (_____ inches)?
1b. Measure the width of a step (_____ inches)? (If step width changes when
more than one step provided, make a note of that.)
► 1c. Measure the depth of a step (_____ inches)? (If step depth changes when
more than one step provided, make a note of that.)
► ……. Continues……..
Utility Tractors
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Utility tractor comparison results are on the NAP web site at:
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http://www.agrabilityproject.org/assistivetech/comparison/utilitytr
actor/
Utility Tractors
Utility Tractors
Utility Tractors
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Where do we go from here ?
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Today we will break into small teams and learn “hands on” how
to use the utility tractor product comparison data gathering tool
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Afterwards we will tabulate and discuss your results and any
other questions you may have regarding utility tractors
Utility Tractors
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Hands on part…parking lot
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Each group needs:
 tape measure
 copy of the data gather tool
 pencil
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Pick a tractor, and use the tool to gather the requested
information
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Do at least one tractor (more if time allows)
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Can use the “tool” in any order (explain)
Utility Tractors
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OUTSIDE
Utility Tractors
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We hope you will take what you learn here today, and if you get
the opportunity to gather data on a utility tractor, that you would
share that information with NAP so we can place it on the web
site for all AgrAbility staff
Utility Tractors
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If interested, for Year 3 of the National Project, we are repeating
this process to evaluate/gather data on “skid steer loaders”
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Contact menovak@wisc.edu if you would like to be a part of the
team that develops the data gathering tool