It Begins: Big Bud Tractor to be Produced Again, Simple and Repairable

[Birken Vogt]

I have said in other threads, the time is ripe for a Marmon truck or someone to come along and build things like they used to be. I am not into ag, but this just came out

 

[d9gdon]

Yes, I'm watching that. I have some relatives in Montana that use them.

 

[Steve Frazier]

I'm not sure how they;re going to build a "simple" tractor with all the EPA regulations in place, they are the source of the majority of the technological issues.

 

[Birken Vogt]

Sounds like they are going to use a Cat engine. Engine problems and controls are pretty well understood by now. And Cat lets people have their software, for a price anyway. It is the auxiliary garbage that a certain major tractor manufacturer likes to sprinkle all over that is all networked together and not so well understood. And I assume that being the mfr, they will have full access to the Cat info, and probably share it with and help their customers.

 

[Tones]

What I read is that they intend to over spec the drive train using transmission and drive axles from Cat earthmoving and mining equipment to give a life expectancy of 20,000 hours. The objective is to make it mechanically as simple as possible. That has got to be a winner.

 

[Welder Dave]

Big Bud have a great reputation to begin with. Although they can't make them as simple as pre def and electronic, they can use heavier duty components and make them as easy to service as possible. I think a lot of big farmers would prefer to have a simpler tractor that just works without all the electronics and BS that comes with JD and other tractors.

 

[Tones]

Big Bud have a great reputation to begin with. Although they can't make them as simple as pre def and electronic, they can use heavier duty components and make them as easy to service as possible. I think a lot of big farmers would prefer to have a simpler tractor that just works without all the electronics and BS that comes with JD and other tractors.

I think that goes for any owner of modern equipment. I just be a wake up to other manufacturers hopefully unless they have to woke.

 

[Truck Shop]

The truck end of it won't happen-simply because of the makeup/mindset of todays driver. Just from
that perspective it won't be simple, plus it's a tough market to invade if you can't supply the support
and parts.

 

[JaredV]

I'm kinda excited to see how this goes. I'm hoping they prove to be popular and show the green/red/blue boys how overcomplicated their products are. Welker Farm on YouTube runs them and I love how they had a transmission go out. Bought a 10 speed off the neighbor, had it swapped in a couple days and for a couple grand it was back in the field. Try doing that with the latest and greatest tractors!

 

[56wrench]

I wish life were that simple. I think they will have a few hurdles to overcome in todays market. Around here the biggest percentage of farms bleed JD green and thats not likely to change. They appear to like their whole fleet to be one matching colour. The JD salesmen love those farms. Maybe Big Bud will have a green colour option?

 

[digger doug]

I thought CAT did offer wheeled tractors now ?

 

[56wrench]

That was the Challenger line that they had in cooperation with Agco and i believe they sold that line to Agco a few years back

 

[John C.]

As I recall Cat was in the process of dumping the AG stuff when I left the dealership some 5 years ago. Production all went to AGCO.

The issue with the electronics is partially the engine emissions but goes a lot deeper. All the attachments have some electronic controls that have to integrate into the machines. Planters and fertilizer spreaders interact with computerized mapping using GPS to vary the rates of seed placement and fertilizer spread. You might have the simple tractor to pull those implements, but without an interface and control software, the machine is little different than a mule.

Farming is now and forever more a high tech business.

 

[excavator]

Interesting bit of info regarding why modern equipment is so complicated. It's not only government driven, it's also very much owner/operator driven. Years ago one of my best customers was a land shaping business, they started with 8450 JD tractors and Reynolds scrapers and later went to 88 and 8970 models. Both models were pretty much non-electronic and every time you wanted to raise/lower the scraper you had to pull/push a lever. Then they bought several new 9400 model tractors with everything electronic, just move a short little electric toggle to raise/lower the scraper. After this, no one wanted to run the 70 series anymore, they complained how sore their arm got. The owner was happy with the new tractors because production was up. It's no different with any of the other equipment, wheel loaders, excavators or crawlers. Everyone complains about the complex systems but no one is willing to go back to the old mechanical systems either. Kind of like an automobile, would you want to drive cross country in a 50 year old car or your 5 year old car? And just so you know, I at times get pretty fed up with the new systems also.

 

[Birken Vogt]

All this electronic nonsense has not existed for a full life cycle yet. Once the full life cycle cost (early death of equipment) is known, it might change the calculation of the bean counters. Resale will be nil if you can't make a $$$,$$$ truck or tractor work because a $100 module is NLA and people will get wiser to that than they are now.

 

[Jonas302]

Should be a glider kit so you can put a v12 detroit in

There is lots of big old cheap mechanical power around it doesn't steer by itself and was obsolete 25 years ago I wish it was still that way and no one knew of all the comforts of modern machines but its far to late now you cant even get someone to work without air conditioning

 

[Truck Shop]

Should be a glider kit so you can put a v12 detroit in

Series 60 14L.

 

[wlhequipment]

I'm real excited to see them bringing this big boy back, and I'm real excited to see them try to compete with JD. But, there's no way they're going to simplify things back to where they were when Big Bud came out originally. The business has changed, the world has changed, and they have to produce something that's 50 state legal. So, from my perspective, it's just going to be a white kitty. a BIG white kitty, but that's it. I do hope to see one out there!

 

[Welder Dave]

They aren't going to outsell JD or even come close but there are some (maybe a lot) of farmers that don't want or need an overly complex tractor. Using heavier components proven in mining applications gives some piece of mind that these components will give long service life with less chance of issues. There have been discussions about older tractors and other equipment still going after 40 or more years and the new electronic equipment will be sidelined after 25 years or less because of some computer component being obsolete and no longer available. A design life of 20,000 hours plus would appeal to a lot of customers. Being easier for the customer to maintain by themselves is another big advantage. The biggest issue making them 50 state legal is the engine emissions which is already taken care of by Cat. The Cat engines are the same ones used in Cat construction equipment and Cat is known for supporting older equipment better than most other manufacturers. It seems very smart of Big Bud the way they are designing these new tractors.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I was going to guess Cummins when I first heard about this, because they also seem to "get it" at least a little bit. But it makes sense to use Cat if they are also using the other components from them. I can wager a guess which engine mfr they will not be using.