About Tractor Parts & Repair: Our site brings you the info and resources you need to care for your tractor. Learn more about Tractor Crankshaft here, and find the parts you need to maintain your tractor and keep it at optimal performance.
Tractor Crankshaft
The main difference between a standard engine and a tractor crankshaft lies in the arrangement of the crankcase. A regular engine has an engine case that houses the spark plugs, cylinder head gaskets, throttle body, motor mounts and so on. A regular cranked engine simply has a case that houses the crankcase (and the clutch assembly if applicable). For cranked engines, the shafts are arranged in a manner that enables the cranking motion - like how it works in a lawnmower - to be readily available for use.
There are two main types of tractor cranked engines: directly powered and indirectly powered. A directly powered cranked engine, as the name suggests, cranks out power from the crankcase. Indirect cranked engines work by having a drive train that moves the cranked shaft through a pulley system. Directly powered engines are limited by the strength of the shaft and need to have a large amount of stroke to produce the required power.
A popular cranked engine is the rotary screw cranked engine. A rotary screw (sometimes called a screw mount) is made up of a shaft and cam unit. The cam unit is then mounted to a cam plate that is screwed onto the shaft. Cams in a rotary screw engine are designed to spin at different speeds, depending on the current output of the engine. They are similar in many ways to a water-powered turbine.