THE BRADLEY TRACTOR

By Staff
Published on May 1, 1977
article image
A Bradley Ad

Route 2, Box 77, Antioch, Illinois 60002

Among the rarer items for a tractor collector to find today is
the Bradley tractor sold by Sears Roebuck & Co. in the early
1930s. This was a tricycle type machine, designed by Dent Parrett,
who had built his own tractor, a 12/25 bearing his name, just prior
to World War I. The Parrett was a 3-plow, 4-wheel model with a
cross mounted 4 cylinder Buda engine, and a 3-speed
transmission.

The Bradley was a 2-plow, with rear wheel tread adjustable from
56 to 86 inches, and had both a 4 row mounted planter and a 2 row
cultivator as added equipment.

Clearance under the rear axle was obtained by use of a pinion
and bull gear type of final drive, with tubular pinion shaft
housings which could be moved in or out for varying tread spacings.
Rear wheels were 42 inches in diameter with a 7 inch face, having
spade lugs as standard equipment. Extension rims, angle lugs, and
open face wheels were added cost options.

The tractor is shown in advertising folders as a light green
with medium red wheels, but actual colors may have been darker.
Fenders were also listed as an extra cost option, but none are
shown in advertising.

The motor was a Waukesha, 4 cylinder vertical L head, mounted
lengthwise, with a bore of 3-3/4 inches and a stroke of 4-3/4.
Displacement was 210 cubic inches, and normal RPM was 1250. Spark
plugs were 7/8 inch. Compression ratio was fairly high for the
times, and gasoline was the only fuel used, from a 20 gallon tank
with a filter.

Accessories were of standard make, American Bosch magneto,
Kingston carburetor, Pomona Vortox oil air cleaner, and Young
radiator. The clutch was a Borg & Beck, 10 inch single plate,
and was foot operated. The motor was supported in the 2 channel
irons which formed the frame, fastened at the front to the steering
pedestal, and at the rear to the differential housing. A hand brake
was provided for each rear wheel.

The transmission had 4 forward speeds of 1?, 2?, 3, and 4? miles
per hour, and 2 reverse speeds of 1? and 2 miles per hour.

An unusual feature was the 2-speed belt pulley, which also had a
reverse. Belt driven machines could be started in the more powerful
low range and then shifted to the higher speed while running. The
reverse may have been used to clear a clogged machine. Pulley size
was 12 inch diameter with a 7 inch face and normal operating RPM of
800 gave a belt speed of approximately 2600 feet per minute. The
advertising folder states the pulley could be mounted on either
side of the tractor.

The power take-off ran at 550 RPM and spline shaft size was
13/8 inch, which many tractors did not adopt
until several years later, the 11/8 inch size
being more commonly used. Both pulley and power take-off were extra
cost options.

In June of 1931 the Bradley was tested at Nebraska, and there
set a new track record by pulling over 99% of its weight at the
drawbar, on steel wheels and with spade lugs, developing 18.45 HP.
In the operating maximum load test brake HP was 24.96 and only 2.7
gallons of gasoline were used per hour.

With such an excellent performance record and so many apparently
good features, it would seem the tractor should have been
successful, especially since it was sold and backed by a company
aslarge as Sears and had a list price of only $795.00. However, it
evidently did not sell well and production was soon
discontinued.

Six or seven years elapsed before Sears Roebuck introduced
another tractor, this time a more powerful 6 cylinder, rubber tired
model, built by Graham-Paige of Detroit and called the
Graham-Bradley, advertised as a 2-plow farm tractor. This new model
had a Continental engine with a bore of 3? inches and a stroke of
43/8. Displacement was 217 cubic inches and
normal RPM was 1500. This was also a high compression gasoline
burning motor.

Starter, generator and lights were standard equipment, also
battery ignition with automatic spark control, and a replaceable
cartridge type oil filter.

A built-in thermostat kept water temperature constant. The 4
main bearing crankshaft had 9 counterweights for balance, and
lubrication was full pressure.

A long hood with removable side panels and a cast iron grille
protected the motor and radiator, and also housed both oil air
cleaner and muffler, giving the tractor a smooth streamlined
appearance. A cushioned seat with a back rest and a room platform
were provided for the operator’s comfort, as well as pressed
steel fenders over the rear wheels. The main frame was cast iron,
and front sections of the cultivators were attached directly to it
with capscrews. Gauges weregrouped in a panel on the cowl, which
also had the choke and throttle controls and the ignition
switch.

There were again 4 forward speeds, but with only 1 reverse of 2
mph, and a high gear of nearly 20. Other speeds were listed as 2.8,
4.4 and 5.7. These field travel rates seem to have been quite fast,
with a second gear of over 4 mph and oversize tires would have even
increased this, with first gear probably the only choice for some
power take-off work, such as combining and corn picking in heavy
crops.

Rear wheels were adjustable from 56 to 84 inches in 4 inch steps
by reversing wheels and changing rim positions. The axles were full
floating truck type with no protruding ends. Individual rear wheel
brakes were foot operated and could be appliedsingly or together,
also both could be locked for holding the tractor such as in belt
work.

The belt pulley was again unusual, being driven from the rear of
the transmission, and by locking out the final drive with the lever
provided, all of the transmission speeds including reverse were
available at the pulley, which was a 15 inch Rockwood type with a
normal RPM of 714, giving a belt speed of 2800 feet per minute.

Power take-off, hydraulic power lift, and belt pulley were all
listed as extra equipment. Standard size tires were 9.00 x 36 inch
rear and 5.50 x 16 inch front. All wheels were pressed steel, and
catalogs described the front as being reversible for extra
clearance. No steel wheels were listed for this tractor, although
they were an option with some others.

The only mounted equipment shown in advertising was a 2 and a 4
row cultivator, and a power take-off driven rear mounted mower.
Shipping weight of the tractor without added equipment was 3500
pounds, and color was red with white striping on the wheels. There
was a chrome nameplate on each hood side.

The Graham-Bradley was also made in a standard tread with
smaller rear wheels and a wide front end. Travel speeds were
slightly slower and it was described as being able to pull 3-14
inch plows, although all other features were the same as the row
crop model.

Nebraska tests were made of the Graham-Bradley in April of 1938.
Maximum brake HP developed was 30.38 and maximum drawbar 25.20 in
second gear at 4.14 miles per hour. Standard tires were used in the
test with added weight of about 600 pounds per wheel. In the
operating maximum load test, 28.27 brake HP was developed on 2.7
gallons of gasoline per hour, making a very respectable 10.39 HP
hours per gallon.

Even though most Graham-Bradley owners were pleased with their
tractors performance, it too, like the former Bradley, was sold for
only a few years.

Another tractor was announced by Graham-Paige in 1946, but for
some reason did not appear. In the February 28 issue of Farm
Implement News, a full page ad by Graham-Paige states: ‘The
great new Frazer tractor is an improved universal type power unit
of full 2-plow capacity.’ On page 33 of the same issue, a news
item mentions Graham-Paige as naming 6 area sales managers to
supervise national distribution of the Frazer tractor. In the
September 12 copy of the same paper for that year another news item
says: ‘Reports from Detroit state that a new 2-plow tractor
called the Frazer will be put into production this fall by
Graham-Paige, together with a wide line of implements and field
machines.’ There were no further items and apparently no
tractors were ever produced.

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