Amcwheel85 2,059 #1 Posted April 15, 2016 well with my sons 4th birthday coming up next week I've been trying to find him a new tractor, I have been looking for nice original horses for a few weeks and found just a couple.. Would rather have a smaller one that was hydro so he could actually drive it completely by himself. I found a charger V7 that's nice(and looks just like my 856 and 857). So I don't know exactly what years they were made?, are they a good tractor for the kids to ride? I know I have had some good techumseh motors and some that were a pain.. How are these 7hp techs? Any help is appreciated! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amcwheel85 2,059 #2 Posted April 15, 2016 I think I may just wait for a good lawn ranger... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wh500special 2,277 #3 Posted April 15, 2016 A real advantage to any of the vertical shafts for a young kid would be that the belt is under the tractor and is well shielded from fingers, toes, and dangling shoelaces. Much unlike a Lawn Ranger or most of WH's other contraptions. Just an observation...4 year olds have poor judgement. So proceed as cautiously as possible. Steve 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedRanger 1,469 #4 Posted April 15, 2016 51 minutes ago, Amcwheel85 said: I think I may just wait for a good lawn ranger... I think I'd wait until my son was older. 4 is too young for safety reasons in my mind. Look at battery operated toys for him. http://www.walmart.com/ip/21012098?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227015564347&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40334963912&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=78294970112&veh=sem It's just too easy for something to go bad real fast. He's got to live the rest of his life with it if it does, as do you. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amcwheel85 2,059 #5 Posted April 15, 2016 (edited) My son already drives my all my tractors.. With me walking with him and there is absolutely nothing that can happen... There is kids his age doing garden tractor pulls. Moderators can just delete this thread. Not that I put my kids in dangerous situations but I want him to learn early as I did. If you don't like my decisions sorry. I'm usually a easy guy to get along with until ppl tell me how to raise my kids... Keep that for Facebook Edited April 15, 2016 by Amcwheel85 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 51,791 #6 Posted April 15, 2016 The other day my I looked at a truck with my 17 yo son to buy for him and he says but dad I don't know how to drive a stick. Well I was driving a stick when I was six so I musta been amiss in my dad duties not teaching him to drive a stick at an early age. Every kids gotta know how to drive a stick right?? So I said to him well you is gonna learn then, sides it ain't no difference than running a tracter and you do that. I guess what I am saying I think kids are like training dogs,I believe ya have to start early. A wheelbarrow full of common sense is required on the adult side in the way of teaching proper operation & safety. Throttle limiters/stops play an important role as well as no steep grades. I had to have a throttle stop on my atv till my kid was 16! Start small and work your way up, a lawn ranger is an excellent starter choice for youngsters. Stay away from light front ends although suburbans or RJ's area good choice if you can weight them. Also all kids are different so some can do pulling and drive tractors while some can't. Heck a buddy's kid could operate heavy machinery when he was ten, my kid never could do that. Farms around here I see 10 year olds running the really big tractors like a natural! At four my kid would have been on Red's Walmart tractor and might be till he's 64 if he doesn't show reponsiblity. I don't think whspecial or Red are telling you how to raise yer kids Amc..they are just raising safety concerns which is only right and I would bet my bottom dollar they don't want to see anything happen to your precious ones any more than you do. I say get him a tractor and start him young if he can handle it. Only his mom & dad would know that. Just my and I will get off my now! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amcwheel85 2,059 #7 Posted April 15, 2016 Well said!! And I believe my boy and my 7yr old daughter are doing well with driving tractors in 1st gear with me or my father walking beside. I never have belts or moving parts near there legs. My kids have tractors and power wheels at my house, Cubs, ford tractors, and atvs at my parents, they listen and go slow.. I was riding atvs and mowing yard at age 6 and both my kids are way bigger then I was! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACman 7,655 #8 Posted April 16, 2016 My cousin had his five year old on the charger 10 tonight but he started at four . He knows how everything works. The hydro is a good place to start with IMO. Once we had the carb dialed in , the techy runs great . It fires right up every time and hasn't let the kids down . Best $50.00 we've spent . 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedRanger 1,469 #9 Posted April 16, 2016 7 hours ago, WHX61/3 said: I don't think whspecial or Red are telling you how to raise yer kids Amc..they are just raising safety concerns which is only right and I would bet my bottom dollar they don't want to see anything happen to your precious ones any more than you do. I say get him a tractor and start him young if he can handle it. Only his mom & dad would know that. Just my and I will get off my now! Nice common sense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dells68 7,499 #10 Posted April 16, 2016 For what it is worth, I was driving my Dad's 72 Chevy for my uncle and he to load hay when I was 4. Dad put it in gear and it just idled along while I steered. I agree that it is a lot about safety and teaching our kids how to operate things safely. If we weren't working with them and teaching them how to safely operate things, they would be slipping out and trying it on their own and would be much more likely to get hurt! My son has 2 suburbans and I let him drive my GT's as long as I'm by his side. Never is he let out to himself or even allowed to operate them without me near even though he is 8. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tankman 3,523 #11 Posted April 16, 2016 My grade school grandsons drive my Horses. Walking speed, I walk along their side, mowers never engaged. The boys grow fast, out grow the battery operated "kiddie stuff" too soon. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amcwheel85 2,059 #12 Posted April 16, 2016 That's exactly how I do it with my kids. 1st gear and walk beside them tankman. So by the time they can run the gears n clutch themselves they are good at steering! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TDF5G 2,073 #13 Posted April 18, 2016 I don't know if this video is real or not. It's fun to watch though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
