Big Wheel vs Small Wheel pros & cons

[RoamingGnome]

Looking for opinions from people who have multiple Case GT's... 200 series vs 400 series

I currently have a 446 but keep thinking I might like a second tractor (I'm not even sure why - don't tell )

The end use is on a wooded property with a very long. steep, hilly gravel driveway. Intended uses I have in mind are - Snowblowing duties in winter time, minor grading of washouts on the driveway, keeping the weeds under control in the centre and edges of the drive, making walking trails through the forest and making a couple of garden plots... I have pretty much all the attachments I need for these tasks, sleeve hitch, rear PTO, tiller, cultivator, plow, box blade, front blade, snow blower and mower deck - the missing bits of the puzzle I'd like would be a winter cab and log splitter...

Just wondered if it made more sense to keep my eyes open for a good deal on another 444/446/448 or if there were some advantages to the 200 series that I don't know about... What's your favourite GT in your fleet? Kohler vs Onan?

Gerry

[DavidBarkey]

Size matters with traction . big wheel wins there . But the fenders are taller and give less room to get on and off than small wheel tractors .
More ground clearance with the big wheel , but small wheel has lower centre of gravity and is a little more stable on slopes .
None of them have breaks you can count on to stop you going down hill . I am told the holding valve really helps here , but can not confirm it myself .
Kohlers are a great engine , but my preference is the larger 20+ hp Onans I have in my 2 big wheels for the grunt they have .
Personally I find factory cabs to confining for me , but some people love them ,

[Harry]

Gerry, David gave you some great insight to 200 vs 400. I have two 400’s and two 600’s. My 226 is a work in progress so I have yet to use it for evaluation. I love my cab on the 446 for snow blowing but not for summer use. I don’t have a favorite GT, I like them all for their specific use. Harry

[Timj]

I don't have much to add to what's been mentioned as I don't have a small wheel tractor. I do like the smooth HP and torque of the Onans.

I can offer input on the holding valve as my 448 does not have one and the 4118 has the integrated holding valve. It works so well that there's never a thought about coming down a hill even with a heavy trailer. The speed you are at is where you stay at. The 448s retard works, but you have to always be thinking about it and have your hand on the travel lever. It became standard in 1985 on the 400's and around 86 on the 200s once they used up the stock of. TCV's.

Another thing to keep in mind is if you stay with 3 digit tractors most all attachments are interchangeable. If you go to a 4 digit, mowers and blowers and vac's won't interchange with a 3 digit.
Having multiple tractors can be more work but is more handy.
Tim

[RoamingGnome]

Thanks for the feedback... - Sounds like I have the perfect justification for finding a 224 or 226
It will be just the right size (and less intimidating) for to help out with grass cutting or pulling a small trailer...
The 446 does have the holding valve, and I didn't have any problems going down our steep hill into the backyard in the city

[Eugen]

Sounds like you've made up your mind. Here's my experience so far, having had a number of 200 and then 400 and 600 series. I started with a 220, then got a 226, then a 224. The 220 and 226 were sold (I still cry after the 226 ). The Kohler in the 224 I've rebuilt. When I only had the 220 and 226, of course I envied the bigger wheel 400s. But I have tilled the garden, mowed the lawn, and cleaned snow with the 220 and 226. After selling the 220 and 226 I've used mostly the 446 and then 644 and 444 for everything. I've often complained about the 446 exhaust smell, which seems quite a bit more than the Kohlers I have. And this is an Onan with great compression. If I were to keep it, I would redirect the exhaust pipe so it's behind me, but the decision to sell it has been made already. In terms of traction, with AG tires and wheel weights, it does seem like the bigger wheel helps. However, I never had any wheel weights on the 200 series, so it's not really a proper comparison. The combine weights only fit the bigger 16" wheels.

All this to say that I plan put my 224 on mower duty because to me it fits there better than the 444. I like having both, and personally I prefer the Kohler 14HP engines, easy to rebuild, and plenty of power for me. Would I like more power? Yeah, sure. But the 14HP Kohler does not bother me so much that I want to put the effort into getting something else.

As others have said above, it's really great to be able to have one set of attachments and use any of the tractors with them.

[Harry]

I don't have much to add to what's been mentioned as I don't have a small wheel tractor. I do like the smooth HP and torque of the Onans.

I can offer input on the holding valve as my 448 does not have one and the 4118 has the integrated holding valve. It works so well that there's never a thought about coming down a hill even with a heavy trailer. The speed you are at is where you stay at. The 448s retard works, but you have to always be thinking about it and have your hand on the travel lever. It became standard in 1985 on the 400's and around 86 on the 200s once they used up the stock of. TCV's.

Another thing to keep in mind is if you stay with 3 digit tractors most all attachments are interchangeable. If you go to a 4 digit, mowers and blowers and vac's won't interchange with a 3 digit.
Having multiple tractors can be more work but is more handy.
Tim

Thanks for the history on the TCV’s Tim. I had no idea, but I’m learning from all of the knowledgeable Case . Thanks to you all. Harry

[RoamingGnome]

Thanks @Eugen

Sounds like you've made up your mind. ~ I've often complained about the 446 exhaust smell, which seems quite a bit more than the Kohlers I have.

Yes complains about the exhaust "stink" from the Onan - I haven't been around a running Kohler to compare, but I'm confident out in the countryside the smell won't be as bad... certainly not as bad as coming home after being sprayed with old burnt gear oil...

[Jancoe]

I've had several big wheel tractors. Mainly 4000 series and just a few 400 ones. Never any 200 or 3000 series. I also have 2 6000 series. I would really like to add a 3000 series and put it on mower duty. They seem to have more ground speed and for me mowing a little bit faster would be great. Low range full speed or high range with travel lever cracked forward. There is no in-between that I can have and do believe it would be solved with a small wheel tractor.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

[Eugen]

Thanks @Eugen

Sounds like you've made up your mind. ~ I've often complained about the 446 exhaust smell, which seems quite a bit more than the Kohlers I have.

Yes complains about the exhaust "stink" from the Onan - I haven't been around a running Kohler to compare, but I'm confident out in the countryside the smell won't be as bad... certainly not as bad as coming home after being sprayed with old burnt gear oil...

We have here many Onan fans and they obviously don't complain like me. Maybe it's just my tractor.