Motoblocks and motor cultivators: reviews, prices, which one is better

In order to make it easier to cultivate land, it is necessary to use equipment and special devices. This is not only a super-shovel. With it, of course, it is easier, but it still requires a lot of physical effort. It is much easier to work if you use walk-behind tractors and motor cultivators. Of course, they are expensive, but they are worth their price. 

Motoblocks and motor cultivators: what is the difference

Working on the ground requires a lot of effort. Modern technology can greatly simplify this hard work. For example, motor blocks and motor cultivators will facilitate plowing, weeding, hilling and some other operations. The main difference between a cultivator and a walk-behind tractor is the power and the number of operations that they can perform.

Motor cultivators are small lightweight devices with a capacity of 3-6 horsepower. The main purpose is loosening the soil with a cutter. Other operations and work with other tools is possible, but not on all models and not with all soils.

Motoblocks – more powerful devices – from 7 hp. – with a wide range of functions. They can cope with plowing (working with a plow), loosening (cutter), hilling, mowing grass, etc. As an additional function – the possibility of transporting goods or moving a small trailer.

What to choose

How to choose what to buy? Which is better, motoblocks and motor cultivators? Depends on the size of the area that you plan to cultivate, the list of works that you want to automate, the soil on the site.

Where and for what it is better to use motor cultivators

For a summer residence, a garden, a vegetable garden with an area of ​​​​up to 10-15 acres, a motor-cultivator is quite enough. Especially if the soil is light. This device performs well loosening the soil and processing row spacings, but, as a rule, it works at one speed. Only some, more expensive models can have two speeds, the ability to change direction (reverse) is even rarer.

The main equipment is cutters. For different row spacings, they come in different sizes. Replacing the cutter takes little time, which is convenient. Only the heaviest and most powerful (read – expensive) models can handle plowing, and even then, on light and medium soils. And we are not talking about deep processing.

Some owners fit hillers for more powerful models. The quality of processing is not always high. It is normal only on light soils. Even with preliminary loosening, the aisles have to be corrected manually. Although the work is certainly much easier.

The wheel, most often, is one – central, solid. That is, during operation, some efforts will be required to keep the tool in a stable position. In general, for a standard suburban area, a motor cultivator is an excellent choice. Larger areas require more powerful equipment.

Scope of motoblocks

If the area of ​​the cultivated area exceeds 20 acres, it makes sense to buy a walk-behind tractor. Unlike motorized cultivators, they have several transmission speeds, the possibility of reverse. There are usually few speeds, 2-3 when moving forward and 1-2 when moving backward.

The number of attachments for walk-behind tractors is greater: in addition to cutters, you can put a plow, mower, hiller. Due to the greater power, soil cultivation is faster, its greater depth is possible. The depth is changed by installing weights that lower the cutter or plow lower.

Motoblocks have two pneumatic wheels, due to which they are more stable. Efforts during work are minimal, you only have to control the direction.

Division into classes

Motoblocks and motor cultivators are divided into three classes. The choice of class depends on the type of cultivated soil and the area of ​​​​the site. There are light, medium and heavy cultivators and walk-behind tractors.

• Lungs. Suitable for processing light, and previously already processed soils. They are distinguished by low power and weight, as a rule, they have a small processing area in one pass. These are cultivators for summer cottages, a small garden and a vegetable garden with annual tillage. Differ in high maneuverability. But, due to the small weight, considerable efforts have to be made to stabilize their position. This especially affects the work with light motor cultivators – you have to press well so that the cutter remains at the desired depth. It is very problematic to master new areas with equipment of this class and can lead to rapid wear.
  

• Medium. Suitable for work on medium-density soils. Due to the more solid weight, processing is possible to a greater depth. It can also be used in summer cottages, but it already works well on loams of medium “weight”, fertile soils. Due to the greater weight, the equipment is more stable, it does not jump out of the ground during operation. Maneuverability is still high. Middle-class motoblocks are suitable for cultivating plots up to half a hectare; with motor cultivators of this type, work is faster, although they are not designed for processing large areas.
  

• Heavy. Universal aggregates for processing any type of soil, including for the cultivation of virgin lands. Suitable for transporting crops, for working with other mounted implements (mower). It is advisable to buy if there are more than a hectare of heavy soils in cultivation or two or more of light soils. Due to the greater weight and dimensions, the maneuverability is less, but the width of the processing strip and the possible depth are greater. 

In general, motor blocks and motor cultivators by class are easy to choose. For dachas, light and medium models of motor cultivators are suitable; for farms, motor blocks are more suitable. The class will have to be determined by the soil and the size of the cultivated area.

Engine type and parameters

Motoblocks and motor cultivators are equipped with an engine. The speed and depth of processing, the ability to work with different types of soil, the size of the tools used depend on its type and power. In general, the choice of engine is an important task.

Engine type

Motoblocks and motor cultivators are produced with engines of three types:

• Electrical engine. Small models are equipped with an electric motor for processing plots of 5-6 acres. It is these devices that are ideal for working in greenhouses, where the use of internal combustion engines is not possible due to the closed space. It is also the most inexpensive cultivator to give. The price range is from $100 to $600. There are very small units with power consumption from 0,75 kW (-3 horsepower), there are more solid ones with engine power up to 2,2 kW (up to 7 horses). Of the features of the choice – pay attention to the phase of the network (380 V or 220 V), the length of the cord and the type of its fastening.
  

• Gas engine. Motor cultivators and walk-behind tractors of light and medium class are equipped with 2-stroke gasoline engines, heavy and some larger medium-sized ones are equipped with 4-stroke ones. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the size of the engine and its power. The larger these parameters, the greater the “draft” force the unit has. Prices range from $120 to $500 (there are also more expensive models, mostly made in Europe).
• Diesel engine. Diesels are equipped with models of the middle and heavy class, and they are placed almost exclusively on walk-behind tractors and only some heavy class cultivators can have such an engine. Engines are predominantly 4-stroke, single-cylinder. When choosing, you must also look at the size of the engine and its power. Prices from 500 to 2000 $.

Most often choose a gasoline engine. Diesel, of course, are more economical during operation, but the price for models with similar characteristics is very different. So most often they choose motoblocks and motor cultivators with gasoline engines.

Reducer type

A gearbox is a node that transmits torque in a gearbox. The type of gearbox affects the durability of the unit, the noise level during operation, and the smoothness of speed changes. In general, this is an important node.

Gearboxes on motoblocks and motor cultivators are:

• Worm gear. Common on single-speed gearboxes, which are equipped with light cultivators. The worm gear is low noise, features smooth operation and low noise, high efficiency. The downside is it’s short lived.
• Chain reducer. It is put on easy and average motor-blocks and average/heavy motor-cultivators. There is a driving sprocket on the engine axis, and a driven sprocket on the working shaft. They are connected by a chain. By changing the gear ratio, they change the force on the working equipment, so that you can select the force required for each job. The chain reducer can be collapsible and non-collapsible. In a collapsible, worn parts (asterisks) can be replaced. Non-separable is replaced entirely. The disadvantage of a chain reducer is a high level of noise.
  

• Gear reducer. Consists of a set of combinable gears. Such gearboxes are on medium and heavy walk-behind tractors; they cannot be found on cultivators. The most reliable gearbox, designed for heavy loads, but also the most expensive. It is not found in budget models. Of the shortcomings – expensive maintenance.
  

Actually, the choice is actually small. Cultivators are mainly equipped with worm gears. Only on some, more expensive heavy ones, chain ones are installed. Light and medium walk-behind tractors (even budget heavy ones) are equipped with chain gearboxes and only expensive heavy ones have gear drives.

Number of speeds

Inexpensive light and medium cultivators do not have a gearbox and they always work with the same effort. For simple work of the same type – loosening – this is normal. More powerful equipment – heavy cultivators and all walk-behind tractors – have a box. The number of speeds is from 2 to 8. The more speeds, the more accurately you can choose the effort for a particular job. This ultimately saves fuel.

Even more “advanced” modifications have the ability to change direction – they can move backward. This is convenient in a limited space, but the gearbox is more complicated, its cost is higher. The number of speeds during reverse movement is less – from one to three.

Gearboxes with reverse can be mechanical and automatic. Automatic ones change direction while driving, on mechanical ones, to reverse, you must first stop, then change gear. It is clear that automatic ones are more complex, more expensive (and maintenance too).

Motor cultivators: choice options, which one is better, prices, reviews

Let’s start with how to choose a motor cultivator, according to what parameters to make a choice. Then we will consider the most popular models, their advantages and disadvantages, prices.

Criterias of choice

The general parameters have already been described above: these are the class, power, type of engine, gearbox and number of speeds. Here we briefly list the main selection criteria and the possible scatter of parameters. Here is what we pay attention to when choosing a motorized cultivator:

• Direction of rotation of cutters. There are direct and
• The rotation speed of the cutters (for models that operate at one speed).
• The number of cutters in the set and their dimensions.
• Processing width. From 15 cm to 110 cm.
• Depth of processing. From 15 cm to 25 cm
• Wheel type. A good option is made of molded rubber, but the best is hydraulic (put on some heavy models).

Also in each class, pay attention to the mass. It varies over a fairly wide range:

• light motor cultivators – from 9 kg to 40 kg (the lightest – with an electric motor);
• medium – from 40 kg to 80 kg;
• heavy – from 80 kg to 140 kg.

The choice by weight is also not entirely unambiguous. On the one hand, the smaller the mass, the better the maneuverability. On the other hand, the heavier the equipment, the greater the depth of processing (although the relationship is not direct, much depends on the design). The advantage of a larger mass is that heavier units can be loaded with home-made devices and used for uncharacteristic work.

Popular models, reviews, prices

Neva – popular motor cultivators of domestic production (St. Petersburg plant “Red October”). They are designed taking into account the difficult soils that are typical for Russia, so the middle class cultivators have a gear drive. Of the additional advantages – a stable design, vibration damping. So it’s nice to work, the reviews are 4 or 5 on a five-point scale. The characteristics of some models of Neva motor cultivators are collected in the table.

There are also domestic mole cultivators. Under this name, the equipment is manufactured by the OJSC MMP im. V.V. Chernyshev, Moscow. Previously, this brand was produced by the Omsk plant named after P.I. Baranov. There are several more Chinese units under the Krot brand. So when choosing, you need to be careful, and specify which manufacturer.

There are also Russian motorized cultivators from the SoyuzMash plant (Vyatka brand). They are less known, not in every store. According to users, the quality is somewhere around 4.

Motoblocks: which is better, prices reviews

As already mentioned, walk-behind tractors are designed to process large areas, cope with the development of virgin land. The main parameters are the same: engine type (gasoline or diesel), transmission type, power, number of speeds. There are also specific ones that are specific to this equipment.

Criterias of choice

Need to track:

• class,
• tillage parameters (width and depth);
• fuel tank volume;
• type of gearbox (mechanics or automatic).

What else is worth paying attention to is the number of attachments that can be operated with this unit. But this must be clarified with the sellers, since such “little things” are not written in the technical specifications.

The best models by reviews

The list is based on feedback from the owners. The rating includes motoblocks of different classes, but their rating is not lower than “4” points out of five.

• CAIMAN VARIO 70S TWK+. Light class walk-behind tractor, equipped with a 7 horsepower Subaru-Robin gasoline engine. The processing depth is up to 32 cm. The reliability and stability of the unit, the possibility of using virgin soil for plowing, and transporting goods are noted. The assembly is French, the price is about $ 1000.
• KaDvi Oka MB-1D1M10. Medium walk-behind tractor with a Lifan 168F-2A engine for 6 horsepower. Manual transmission, 2 speeds forward, 2 reverse. Chain reducer with belt drive. Good work is noted on virgin lands, but speeds are shifted hard, oil leakage is noted. According to reviews – 4. Price – $ 470.
  

• Neva MB-23B-8.0. Motoblock middle class. Briggs and Stratton 8 horsepower petrol engine. Mechanical transmission, 4 speeds forward, 2 reverse, gear reducer. Of the shortcomings, tight gear shifting and the absence of an electric starter are indicated. The rest of the work is normal. The price is $880.
• Salute 100-6,5. Light class, Lifan 168F-2B engine with 6,53 horsepower. Mechanical gearbox with two forward and one reverse speeds. The reviews note good “torque”, easy start, confident maneuverability. Price $500.

This is not all motoblocks and motor cultivators. Only those that caught my eye and had good reviews.