Handycap controls

[havtime4u]

I have a ford 800 and I am paralyzed from just below my chest down.
I saw another ford tractor on here that had the hand controls.
The brakes are no problem but the clutch is a different problem.
Any help will be appreciated.
[email protected]
703-507-0971
Thanks for your help.
Ken

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have never seen a Ford tractor with a hand-operated clutch, but it should be possible to make one. If you have a college with a mechanical engineering course of study close to you, I would contact the head of the engineering Dept. and ask them for some help. It would be a great project for an advanced student who may be looking for such a challenge!
I would strongly suggest the project include an upper-body restraint system. My wife is disabled with M.S. in a way that is similar to your disability and from my experience with her desire to operate the riding mower and my analysis (I am a mechanical engineer)of the potential problems,this is needed to assure the operator does not lose control when problems arise.
Bill

 

[Ultradog MN]

I would think that using the tractor's onboard hydraulics a guy could replace the clutch pedal and use a small hyd cylinder to operate it. Same thing with the brakes if you needed it.
Maybe use a joystick control as it would allow you to control both functions fairly easily.

 

[Tim Barnes]

I too, am a paraplegic and will watch this thread with interest. Back a few years, I recall reading on my pc about a paralyzed guy that had rigged his tractor for no legs operation but I can't find it now. One thing I recall is, he had a lift built on the side that elevated him up to operators seat level. The lift ran off the tractors hydraulic system.
.
havtime4u, When you get this all figured out and climb aboard....be sure to use adequate padding on yer butt. Bouncing around on only 3-4" of foam is a sure way to end up with a dang bedsore. I know from experience.