The Yuba Manufacturing Co. of Marysville, California bought the Ball-Tread Co. of Detroit, Michigan in 1914. The existing tractor line was then rebranded as Yuba. The Ball-Tread designed tractors had a design similar to the early Holt tractors like the Holt 75 with two tracks at the rear and a single front wheel to assist with steering, but their track system was of a unique design with a set of steel balls between each track and track frame to reduce friction (like a moden draw slider used in filing cabinets and some kitchen draws).

Yuba continued to manufacture and market the Ball-tread company's Model 12 and Model 18 tractors following the takeover. They later extended the range to include a 15-25 and 20-35 model. A huge 40-70 hp tractor was introduced in 1919 - which featured a full-length canopy, this machine weighed in at over 10 tons and was powered by an engine of Yuba's own design.

The tractor was suited to the local Californian citrus growers with there dry sloping citrus groves, for which crawler tractors were well suited.

The last Yuba tractors rolled off the production line in 1931.

Model rangeEdit

• Yuba Model 12 - 1914 - ?
• Yuba Model 18 - 1914 - ?
• Yuba Model 15-25
• Yuba Model 20-35
• Yuba Model 40-70 - 1919

Surviving examplesEdit

Several example survive in the USA

• See photos on Steel-Wheels.Net web site - Here
• The Heidrick Ag History Center has an example on show

See alsoEdit

• List of tractor manufacturers
• Agricultural machinery

Competitors

These included Holt Manufacturing Company and Daniel Best who later formed Caterpillar Inc.

ReferencesEdit

• Old Tractor Magaziine
• http://www.steel-wheels.net/yuba.html

Extenal linksEdit

• www.Steel-wheels.net has photos of pre 1930 tractor models