TRACTOR TRIVIA and other interesting stuff 5/26/2024

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Today’s letter is “X”        After an xhausting xploration into tractor manufacturer names to an xtent that is xcellent reveals no xistence of any X names;    so I will substitute a Brand X Tractor.

The Brand X tractor happens to be   GREEN;    sorry about that!

John Deere had been in the farm implement business since 1837 and entered the tractor business when it bought the Waterloo Boy Tractor Company in 1918.

After several decades in the farm tractor business John Deere entered the outdoor power equipment industry in 1963 with their seven horsepower 110 riding garden tractor.

Wheel Horse, Bolins, Simplicity and others had been in the outdoor power arena for several years and IH had launched its Cub Cadet in 1961 so Deere was a bit late to market. With a large dealer network, some of whom were selling other brands of garden tractors, the 110 became well known and rose to a prominent position quickly.

Deere had purchased several competitive lawn and garden tractors to make evaluations on pros and cons of each brand. Once the strong points of each brand had been determined work began on the tractor’s drivetrain and braking system. On October 22 and 23, 1962, evaluation of completed prototypes began at Deere’s Coal Valley Experimental Farm. It was decided the project was ready for the manufacturing group to determine the manufacturing cost in order to complete the feasibility study.

A 7hp Kohler engine was selected for the feasibility study with two prototypes designated 9AXE1 and 9AXM1. Prototype 9AXE1 had electric start, 9AXM1 used a manual start engine.

One of the other brand tractors was modified replacing the transmission with a variable displacement hydraulic pump from Deere’s ‘New Generation’ farm tractors and a hydraulic gear motor to drive the rear axle. This allowed them to evaluate the merits of a hydrostatic transmission with variable ground speed that could be changed on the go without shifting the transmission.

Using a hydrostatic drive for the variable ground speed had advantages but was cost prohibitive to be competitive in the marketplace. Several transmission vendors were considered and Peerless Gear was selected. They built a three-speed transaxle that was in use in the lawn and garden equipment industry.

The in-line two spindle mower with timed blades used by Wheel Horse and Cub Cadet to reduce the length of the deck was not used in favor of a belt driven deck.

The results of the feasibility study were reviewed by Deere & Company management, directors and officers, the answer was yes.

The prototypes and competitive lawn and garden equipment were transferred to Deere’s Horicon, WI, plant. It was back to the drawing board, checking the design in detail and making sure that it was accurate, and that all parts fit together as intended.

As sections of the tractor were completed, drawings were released to build parts for the production of new prototypes. Drawings were also being released to the tooling and methods departments. Testing of the drivetrain on a treadmill 24 hours a day was done. The vendors who supplied component parts made changes as needed to correct any problems that occurred. Production of the 110 began in July of 1963, in May of 1984 the one millionth John Deere garden tractor left the factory and in 2023 they produced their five millionth green lawn eating machine.

In 2013, a special event was held in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin to celebrate 50 years of the model 110.  The models were lined up according to serial number.  The red 110 in the foreground is a factory prototype.

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That lone Red One is truly a "Petunia in the Onion Patch"

Edited May 27 by ri702bill