Dave___in___CT
Joined: Sep 16, 2002
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
"Two-wheel tractors (also called walking or hand tractors) are used worldwide for small-scale farm, horticultural, industrial, landscaping and home use. Unlike the psuedo-professional equipment of the same physical size produced for the U.S. Market such as the DR® and Troy-Bilt®, European two-wheel tractors are built to standards of quality and durability expected of agricultural equipment. Like a 4-wheel farm tractor, these rugged two-wheel machines are designed to run many attachments with a single power source and give thousands of hours of service. Of the 30 or so companies manufacturing 2-wheel tractors in Europe, BCS is by far the largest. Based in Milan, Italy, BCS has been selling their equipment for over 50 years in 80 countries and has over 500 dealers in North America."
(from Earth Tools web site)
SPECIFICATIONS
-BCS model 725 tractor, 2-wheel
-Year ~1995
- Kohler Magnum 8 gas engine
-Speeds: 5 forward, 2 reverse (Hi/Low range)
-Approximate speeds:
Forward MPH: .6 1.24 1.5 3.0 7.4
Reverse MPH: .77 1.85
-Tires: bar tread, 17" diameter x 4.3" wide
-BCS 20" rototiller attachment
-BCS 24" snow blower attachment
-BCS Chipper/shredder
-BCS 36" grader blade, heavy duty
-Quick attach PTO option
-Wheel weights option
-Tire chains option
-Free wheel hubs option
OVERALL PROS:
This 2-wheel walk-behind tractor and attachments are designed for "commercial" daily use on small farms in Italy/Europe... and is readily available in the U.S.A. It's a proven line of equipment.
I bought everything used except for the chipper/shredder. This ~1995 model 725 is similar to the current model 720 / 730. I paid about $1,500... about 1/2 of new price... for everything... the new chipper/shredder is $1,150... plus cost of PTO quick connect parts...
I'm really impressed by the design and build quality... all-gear drive train... no belts or pulleys... cast iron... solid... drive train is warranted forever... including seals...
This top-level design, build, and quality is certainly obvious when compared to the typical array of equipment marked to non-professional users... i.e. homeowners... Operating the equipment tells the story even better...
Powered attachments connect via a robust power takeoff (PTO)... kinda like those on a farm tractor... mine has the optional "quick attach" feature so no tools are needed to change implements... otherwise there's 2 bolts/nuts to deal with...
PTO drive to attachment engaged separately from wheel drive for operator convenience...
PTO speed and direction is independent of wheel speed and direction. Attachments operate at top speed regardless of wheel speed....
Some attachments are used on the "front" end... some on the "rear" end...
Handlebars and all controls rotate 180 degrees to accomplish this...
There's only 1 engine to maintain... and all attachments benefit if it's upgraded...
I use this year round so there's no seasonal storage issues...
Separate tractor and attachments takes less storage space than standalone machines... overall cost can be lower too... attachments are changed quickly with 2 studs and nuts (2-4 min) or in 30 - 60 seconds with optional quick hitch...
The all-gear drive train uses little (~3-5%) engine horsepower... I understand some belt & pulley designs can take up to 15% of the engines power... typically at least 8%...
Multiple forward(5) and reverse(2) speeds... fully powered both ways... heavy duty, automotive style cone clutch is hand operated... just clutch and shift to change speeds...
Can upgrade the tractor and still use the same attachments... there are several model BCS tractors... 5 to 14 hp and $800 to $3800...
Many many attachments and accessories are available...
Low center of gravity...
Handlebars can be offset up and down... and to both sides... easy to change and connection is solid...
OVERALL CONS:
Shifting is kinda "notchy"... not real smooth due to the shift lever position... this can stand improvement...
Loading the tractor onto the bed of a pickup truck requires non-standard ramps incline... The tractor with implement is on the long and low side... making the backend bottom out with typical length/incline ramps...
Attaching/detaching some implements can be a bit troublesome. Especially for 1 person. I have the hardest time detaching the chipper/shredder because I can not lift it and the PTO fit is quite snug making pulling the connection apart tough. The rototiller and snow blower are easy because I can lift them to guide onto/off of the PTO. Keeping the PTO connections cleaned and lubricated helps a lot.
The controls might be a little confusing to a new operator. Especially because the handlebars rotate 180 degrees allowing some implements to be used on the "front" or "rear" of the tractor...
Initial cost is higher than consumer-grade, psuedo-professional equipment... may be a barrier to purchasing... I purchased the used equipment package for about 1/2 cost of new...
ROTOTILLER PROS:
Breaks thru sod easily... 1-hand operation...
Tills full depth at only 1/2 throttle... (efficient drive train & fast tine speed)
Tine assembly rotates freely by hand for easy removal of stuff wrapped around them/shaft... tines on other tillers I've owned were not movable making cleaning difficult...
Tractor handlebars easily offset to either side and up & down so your not walking on tilled soil...
One model tiller is changeable from 20" to 26" width... different width tillers available...
Low center of gravity and great traction makes tilling slopes feasible...
Tiller portion rotates side-to-side automatically following ground contours...
ROTOTILLER CONS:
Some (not me) may consider fast tine speed a negative... "pulverizes" soil... I find this a plus because I can till using a faster ground speed...
Tractor is kinda hard to turn 180 degrees (hairpin turn) when in full-time 2-wheel drive... same as most tillers... I can switch it to 1-wheel drive (optional hubs) to make turns easy... but traction is sacrificed... so I usually use 2-wheel drive... larger 8xx models have "brake steering" so this is not an issue...
SNOW BLOWER PROS:
This 1-stage throws snow farther than I ever expected... up over telephone pole lines... or horizontally ~35-45 feet... outperforms the several 2-stage snoblowers I've owned...
Can handle almost full-height 18"), full-width(24") cut and throw it far... (some snows)...
Stainless steel discharge chute really resists clogging... durable...
Holder for chute clearing dowel...
Remote discharge chute deflector control...
Cast iron gear box...
Hand adjustable auger height...
Traction is great... unit is heavy enough and not deflected by the snow... 17" diameter, bar-tread tires...
SNOW BLOWER CONS:
Discharge chute only rotates 180 degrees... wish it went 220 degrees like many snow blowers... too many crank turns to go full 180...
Overall length on tractor is on the long side...
Forward/reverse shifting is not quick on mine... but current model tractors have "instant reverse"...
Harder to maneuver than a standalone snow blower in tighter areas or where change of direction is frequent...
CHIPPER/SHREDDER PROS:
Heavy 37 pound flywheel... keeps up momentum under load...
Shredding chamber has 28 "flails" or "hammers" swinging at 3500 RPM - that's 98,000 flail strikes every minute... flails are reversible for double the wear...
Well built unit...
8 horsepower is sufficient to power this...
Chips up 3" diameter wood...
Performs very very well... definitely better than the previous 8HP standalone chipper/shredder I owned...
Attached to the tractor so the tractor transports it... a big plus...
2 transport wheels & 2 stabilizing legs...
Adjustable, heavy duty discharge opening...
CHIPPER/SHREDDER CONS:
Entire unit rotates freely side-to-side at the PTO connection so it "tips" when traveling over uneven ground... or when a sudden heavy load is put into the shredder...
2 travel wheels are kinda small for traveling over rough terrain... traveling in reverse helps alleviate this...
ATTACHMENTS available (varies by tractor model)
Tillers - 18" to 38"
Brush Mowers - 20" to 30"
Cutter (Sickle) Bars - 30" to 61"
Snow blowers - 20" to 28"
Lawnmowers with Baggers22", 38"
Chipper/Shredder (Min. 8hp)
Dozer/Scraper Blade
Mini-Trencher
Power Sweeper
Single Bottom Plow
Hiller / Furrower
Utility Trailers
Hayrake / Tedder
Round Hay Baler
Reciprocating Spader
Rotary Plows
Flail Mowers
Tool Bar / Cultivators
Potato / Root Digger Plows
Sprayers
Front-Mount Dump Cart
Plastic Mulch Layers
Ridgers
Mowing & Transport Sulky
Adaptor to run belt driven equipment such as a generator
ACCESSORIES available
Quick Hitch Kit
Standard Wheel Extensions
Adjustable Wheel Extensions
Tiller Transport Wheel
PTO Extensions & Adapters
Cast Iron Wheel Weight
Barbell Wheel Weight Hangers
Steel Crawler Tracks
Steel Wheels
Many Wheel & Tire Options
'Free Wheel' Devices
Cooling Air Screen
Front Weights
Sickle Bar Caster Wheels
More!
CLOSING REMARKS
Would I buy this equipment again? Pay new prices?
D E F I N A T E L Y ! ! !
New or used, I'd rather buy top-quality BCS equipment once instead of the 4 other rototillers, 1 chipper/shredder, and the few snow blowers I've owned over the years.
The range of other BCS and 3rd party attachments would have met my large yard and gardening jobs' requirements too... and possibly avoided me using other means with garden tractors and manual efforts...
I wish I knew about BCS equipment years ago...
Dave...
Date Purchased: 04/2002
Price Paid: $1500
Recommend: Yes |
Pros:
-Multi-use machine
-Various attachments available
-Very good design
-Very good quality
-All gear drive train
-Good long-term value
Cons:
Shifting can be improved
-Being low to the ground requires long loading ramps
-Some attachments can be difficult to attach/detach by one person
-Higher price than most are accustom to |
This message was modified Mar 8, 2010 by Admin
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