| Predecessor | Northern Manufacturing Co. |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1968 |
| Defunct | 1992 |
| Headquarters | Harve, Montana, USA |
| Products | agriculture machinery tractor |
Big Bud was a brand of articulated tractors built by the Northern Manufacturing Co., later renamed Big Bud Tractors, of Harve, Montana, USA. The Big Bud 747 tractor was for many years the biggest tractor in the World at 900 hp (670 kW).
History[]
The company has built a range of high horse power tractors for use in the prairies of America and the Canadian wheat belt. The first two Big Bud articulating rubber-wheel tractors out of the Harve, Montana plant were the 250-series and were purchased by Leonard M. Semenza of Semenza Farms in 1968 (in the 'Golden Triangle' of the Montana plains) located between Fort Benton, Montana, and Chester, Montana, on his 35,000 acre farm. The company went bankrupt in the early 1980s and was bought up by the Meissner Brothers in 1985. Production slowed in the late 1980s due to the farming recession and increasing competition from mainstream manufactures building ever bigger tractors. The last Big Bud rolled off the line in 1992.
Five different Big Bud models were built and painted in what has come to be known as "Bafus Blue" for the Bob Bafus of the Oregon-based Bafus Farms. These are unique in livery, and some of them have been rebuilt or customized. There were also models built in what is known as "Iranian-Gold" which were sent to Iran.
The Factory[]
In Early 2017 it was reported that the former Big Bud factory is being used by That Guys Fab Shop and owned by Torgerson's LLC. An implement company with locations around the state of Montana.
The competition[]
Several manufactures now offer tractors of 500 hp (370 kW) in their line-up after buying up some of the specialists manufacturers.
Case IH parent Tenneco bought Steiger in 1986, Ford bought Versatile in 1987, and John Deere put Wagner out of business after a contract deal that ended with Wagner no longer being about to sell tractors as a competitor during the late 60s and early 70s. Ford then sold out the tractor business to Fiat which then operated the agri business under the New Holland brand in 1993. Fiat then later bought out Case IH & merged it with New Holland becoming CNH Global. CNH had to divest Versatile and McCormick Tractors due to competition restrictions, as they also owned Steiger. Versatile was sold to Buhler Industries Inc. in 2000.
Fendt is testing a 6-wd tractor of a reputed 540 hp+ rating.
Challenger is a 'new' entry in the sector taking on the Caterpillar Challenger Tractor range when Caterpillar Inc. decided to exit the agricultural sector & divested its range of rubber tracked Crawler tractors that revolutionize the Ag crawler market in the early 1980s. Caterpillar Inc. still holds the record for it's D9 crawlers ability to pull the world's largest plow at 110 feet across on Semenza Farms located outside Fort Benton, Montana. The Big Bud 747 pulled a plow that was 80 feet across.
Big Bud 747[]
- Main article: BIG Bud 747
The biggest Big Bud ever built is Big Bud 747. It was built in 1977 for deep plowing (UK spelling; ploughing ) on a cotton farm. The Rossi Bros Cotton Farms in Bakerfield, California had the tractor custom built at a cost of $300,000 in 1977. The tractor works at the impressive rate of 1 acre every minute whilst crossing the fields at 8 mph. It could pull a plow that was 80 feet across. World record is a 110 feet across plow pulled by a Caterpillar D9 by Leonard M. Semenza of Fort Benton, Montana.
Engine[]
The tractor is fitted with a 24.1 litre Detroit Diesel 16V92T engine that produces 900 hp. This immense power is transmitted to the wheels by a 6F + 1R Gearbox. The Tyres are a massive 8 ft tall. The tractor can potentially be opened up to 1100 hp by replacing the unit fuel injectors with higher flow models. Fuel is carried in a huge 1000 gallon (US) tank with a 150 gallon hydraulic reservoir for the steering and implement control system.
Size[]
Big Bud 747 is;
- 28½ feet long,
- 14 feet high,
- 21 feet wide
- 16 feet wheel base
- weighs is 45 tons with a full diesel and hydraulic oil tank.
Current owners[]
Big Bud 747 is owned by the Williams brothers of Big Sandy, Montana. The tractor is now retired and is on display at the Heartland Museum in Clarion, Iowa. Oct 10, 2020 returned home to Big Sandy and back to work
http://www.williamsbigbud.com/
Models[]
| Model | Year(s) Produced | Horsepower | Engine Type | Misc Notes | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bud 320/10 | 1979 | ||||
| Big Bud 360 | 1976-1989 | - | |||
| Big Bud 360/10 | 1979-1980 | ||||
| Big Bud 360/30 | 1980-1987 | ||||
| Big Bud 360/30 Bafus Blue | 
| ||||
| Big Bud 370 | 1986-1989 | ||||
| Big Bud 370 Bafus Blue | |||||
| Big Bud 375 | 1986-90 | ||||
| Big Bud 400/20 | 400 hp (300 kW) | Detroit Diesel | |||
| Big Bud 400/30 | 1978-1987 | 400 hp (300 kW) | Detroit Diesel | 
| |
| Big Bud 400/30-1 | 1980 | ||||
| Big Bud 400/30K1 | 1979 | ||||
| Big Bud 400/30K | 1979 | ||||
| Big Bud 402 | 1986-1989 | ||||
| Big Bud 440 | 
| ||||
| Big Bud 450 | 1986-1990 | ||||
| Big Bud 450/20 | 1979 | ||||
| Big Bud 450/30 | 450 hp (340 kW) | 
| |||
| Big Bud 450/50 | 1989-1990 | 450 hp (340 kW) | |||
| Big Bud 500 | 1986-1990 | ||||
| Big Bud 500/30 | 500 hp (370 kW) | ||||
| Big Bud 525/50 | 525 hp (391 kW) | 
| |||
| Big Bud 525/50 Bafus Blue | 525 hp (391 kW) | ||||
| Big Bud 525/50-1 | 1979 | 525 hp (391 kW) | |||
| Big Bud 525/50-2 | 1979-1981 | 525 hp (391 kW) | |||
| Big Bud 525/84 | 1980 | 525 hp (391 kW) | |||
| Big Bud 550/50 | 550 hp (410 kW) | ||||
| Big Bud 600/50 | 600 hp (450 kW) | 
| |||
| Big Bud 650/35 | 1981 | 600 hp (450 kW) | |||
| Big Bud 650/50 | 1981-1986 | 650 hp (480 kW) | Detroit Diesel | 
| |
| Big Bud 739 | 1986-1987 | ||||
| Big Bud 740 | 1987-1990 | ||||
| Big Bud 747 | 
| ||||
| Big Bud 950/50 | 2000s? | 950 hp (710 kW) | Detroit Diesel | a rebuilt/repowered tractor | |
| Big Bud HN250 | 250 hp (190 kW) | ||||
| Big Bud HN320 | 1976-78 | 320 hp (240 kW) | 
| ||
| Big Bud HN350 | 350 hp (260 kW) | ||||
| Big Bud HN350 Iran Gold | 350 hp (260 kW) | 
| |||
| Big Bud HN360 | 360 hp (270 kW) | Cummins | 
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| Big Bud HN360 Bafus Blue | 360 hp (270 kW) | Cummins | |||
| Big Bud HN400 | 1986-1989 | 400 hp (300 kW) | 
| ||
| Big Bud KT350 | 1975 | 350 hp (260 kW) | |||
| Big Bud KT360 | 1977 | ||||
| Big Bud KT400 | 1978-1979 | ||||
| Big Bud KT450 | 450 hp (340 kW) | 
| |||
| Big Bud KT525 | 1977-1978 | 525 hp (391 kW) | Cummins | 
| |
| Big Bud KT525 Bafus Blue | 1977-1978 | 525 hp (391 kW) | Cummins |
See also[]
- Baldwin - Australian company
- Big Roy - 8-wd tractor built by Versatile
- Buhler Versatile ННТ Series
- Fendt - were testing a six-wheeled high Hp prototype in 2009
- John Deere
- Steiger
- Valmet - Built a six wheeled model in the early 1970s - Valmet 1502
- Versatile
- Wagner
- Waltanna - Australian company
References[]
External links[]
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