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Tractor for kids...model?


rich_kildow

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My kids are outgrowing power wheels and I have the itch to have a kid-sized old tractor.  I know my large frames pretty well but have stayed out of the older lines, so I need some help.  This is going to be for tooling around the yard and towing a garden cart.  What have you all used to teach kids or grandkids to drive and how did they fit?  My oldest is nearly 7.

Edited by rich_kildow
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Don't have any young ones but I think a serf without a deck would be a good fit....or maybe a Wonderboy stick drive or a rear engine coronet

I think Josh will have a few ideas as he started his kids out young.00404_3yRFSTNNjfF_300x300.jpg

Edited by fishnwiz
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Broadmoor 728 with homade foot plates and a closer clutch pedal with a connecting rod to the  original clutch pedal.  Kids were like 4 and 6 when they learned on it with supervision.

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There are some truly kid sized tractors such as Hiller-Yardhands and Bantams but they are pricey and don't have the safety systems of today's machines. 

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I would say either a serf or a yeoman, like my 627.  The clutch pedal will need to be modified for kids that young tho, my grandson is 8 and still really can't operate that clutch/brake very well.  A hydro would be easier, but then they don't learn a lot of the basics that you learn with a gear drive.

Steve

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No pics, but I started on an L John Deere..No tooling around in the yard, but plowing in the garden when I could start it with the Armstrong starter system. I was around 11. Choke the tractor on one pull stroke, it usually cranked the next time I pulled the starter. That seemed to be my Dad's method of telling me when I could use equipment. I could use it if I could start it. I worried an old Clinton engine to death trying to get it started. When I finally was able to show my father I could start it, show how proud I was, I HAD to start cutting about an acre yard with it. I forgot to mention..the engine was on an 18" push mower. Every Saturday morning, I had to start it to cut grass. Looking back, I should have waited a few years. I may have been 8 or 9 when I learned how to start it. Been cutting grass a long time!!

As for now, I built an old Turtleback Snapper for my grandson. Left the belt loose in early summer this year so the blade would not run. Tightened it before school started. He has a lot to learn about hearing the engine, listening to the machine in tall grass..but, he will be cutting next year

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I found a boneyard rear engine mower, junked the deck,  put on  a 3 hp engine and started both son an daughter around 8 or 9. High gear gave you about 5 MPH wide open, they could hit a tree with no damage, but it gave them a concept of driving and  then mowing and as they got older , driving a car. That was passed down to my grand kids and 5 out of the 6 all turned out to be good drivers. The sixth one is taking now in drivers ed but was handy with the 917.

 

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