Senile Texas Aggie - comic relief for the rest of you

[Ridgetop]

The more equipment we get the more we need to take care of the first equipment! You will want to build a nice new tractor shed to house your beautiful brand new tractor! Can't wait for a photo!

DH's little tractor is completely too small for as much work as we do, plus it does not have 4WD which we need on our slope. His big blue tractor (which DS3 worked to death) was too large for the steep slopes on our property but did have 4wd. DH really wants a new tractor. I am not sure what size we need here, but I don't want to get one until we know about our moving situation. And I won't agree to finance one.

Our little Kubota is too light in the back to do a lot. DS1 gave DH a set of hay forks for his tractor. DS1, DS2, and I both laughed heartily when DH proposed to move hay with them. We pointed out that when moving heavy objects in the past someone had to stand on the back of the tractor to keep the rear wheels on the ground! DS3 who used the little tractor since junior high (it was his first experience behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle) told DH that he would made a weight box of some kind to balance it. He called the other day and told him that is was built and ready to pick up. DH manages to do quite a bit of stuff with the little tractor though and having the weight box will allow him to do more. I wonder if he could use it to drive in fence posts in the front field when he puts up his fence??

A couple of weeks ago he was doing some work and got the tractor stuck down the back hill. I was horrified that he was even using it on that hill since it is so steep. He thought he might have to pull it back up the hill with the truck. DS1 and DH got it back up, although I am not sure if they just waited until the ground was drier or used the truck. Scary for me since one of DH relatives was killed when his tractor turned over on him. Tractors on slopes worry me, particularly after it ran away with me one day. Broke a shoulder being thrown off a bicycle, run away with on a tractor, horses are much safer!

 

[Bruce]

If you want to watch a couple of YouTube videos, I recommend

I would add to that: Tractor Time With Tim, especially if you are thinking about a sub-compact. He has a lot of videos showing things being done with a small tractor that I wouldn't have thought possible and I've learned a lot of things including things I would never have thought of on my own. Very good for the first time tractor owner.

And a buying suggestion, I didn't know about extendable lower links when I bought my tractor. They would be useful. I do have a Quick Hitch but went with a cheap one from Harbor Freight. I don't know if it is a bit off spec or my flail is but I have to be REALLY accurate to pick up and put down the flail. I also had to buy a "deeper" top hook from Amazon to even use the QH with my rake, there isn't enough space between the back of the QH and the top of the rake even though it is supposed to be QH compatible. Could be that attaching/detaching the flail with extendable lower links would actually be easier than the Quick Hitch I have. @Mike CHS has Pat's Quick Hitch which are two parts that connect to the lift arms and those act like the lower connections on a Quick Hitch but you have to attach the top link separately. These, combined with extendable arms would probably be as easy, if not easier than MY QH with MY flail.

but if the tractor won't fit, then when I buy a new trailer I will get one with a higher GVWR.

Make sure the combination doesn't go into the "must have a CDL to use" weight range.

Our little Kubota is too light in the back to do a lot.

It needs one or more of the following (you might want to see the recent video by Messicks):

1. filled rear tires
2. rear wheel weights
3. something on the 3 point

With regard to #3, I figure my 750# flail is a better "weight box" than a weight box since it has an actual functional purpose other than being really heavy. It also doesn't stick out the back much farther than a weight box. You can also get a HeavyHitch weight bracket for the 3 pt but again, it has no value other than weight (and the cost of those can add up!) but it will stick out the back less than a weight box or a flail. All will stick out substantially less than a rotary mower.

 

[farmerjan]

@Senile_Texas_Aggie .... the new tractor is becoming a whole new "tractor package". But if you can sell the smaller trailer then at least you will have one that can haul bigger and heavier stuff....

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @bethh and Miss @Ridgetop,

Mr. @Bruce offered excellent advice. I forgot to mention about getting extendable lower link arms. I was lucky enough to buy a tractor that had them before I even knew they existed. Regarding ballast, Mr. Bruce is right as well. If you have a piece of equipment such as a short mower or a box blade, that can serve as ballast. If the weight box doesn't work for you, Miss @Ridgetop, then you can make your own. Sawing with Sandy has a YouTube video where he made his own using a barrel and concrete for about $100:

Today I will go to the tractor place and put down a deposit on the tractor. I don't think I will pay for it entirely or take delivery until the 3rd function valve is installed, as my most pressing need for a tractor is to do some grapple work. I figure that if I took delivery before the 3rd function valve is installed then they wouldn't be in as big a hurry to order the valve and get it installed than they would if a sale was waiting for it. Then later today I plan to go get a new trailer. I am thinking of an 18' or 20' length by 80"+ wide trailer that has a GVWR of 10,000 lbs.

I will take pictures once I get everything delivered.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Bruce]

Yep, don't pay for or take delivery until all the parts are on it!

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

All,

Yesterday I left early to put down a deposit on the tractor and then go buy a trailer. After getting to the dealership, they told me that I didn't need to put down a deposit, since I resided near by. They had already ordered the 3rd function valve on Friday and expected it to arrive this Wednesday (tomorrow), and should have the tractor ready by Saturday. Regarding a trailer, the dealership sells trailers as well. Although they did not have an appropriate size trailer there on their lot, a trailer of sufficient GVWR is expected to arrive in a couple of weeks. The price they quoted seemed quite reasonable. Since the dealership is only about 5 miles from our house, once they get the tractor ready, I may simply drive the tractor to our house and then get a trailer later.

Once I get the tractor, I expect to do the 50 hour service a couple of weeks after getting it, as I have A LOT of work that has piled up over the past 2 months: picking up trees and tree limbs I cut down before my tractor died, burning brush, mowing, moving a lot of dirt to improve the approaches to the two bridges I built in the unimproved pasture area, etc. Boy, I didn't know just how much I would miss having a tractor!

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Mike CHS]

I don't use mine a lot but there are quite a few things that would take a whole lot more time and effort without it.

 

[thistlebloom]

We are still using our neighbors tractor. After the buildings are up (today!) dh is going to grade around the perimeter of each building and fill in the big divots from having the trees pulled. It's amazing how much can be accomplished in an hour with a tractor, versus days without.
Looking forward to seeing your new tractor, STA. I'm excited for you!

 

[Bruce]

Once I get the tractor, I expect to do the 50 hour service a couple of weeks after getting it,

The parts guy at the dealer I got my tractor from was really surprised to see me in for the 50 hour parts (filters) after a week and a half. Said he'd never seen anyone put 50 hours on a tractor so fast. But I was digging that dried pond and expected it was going to start raining any day, had to get it done. Then it still didn't rain for a month.

I just did the 200 hour hydraulic fluid and front axle change last week, had the tractor about 20 months. New hydraulic filters due in another 100 hours and oil & filter change in another 150 hours. Don't look forward to the hydraulic filters, especially the one beside the left rear tire. If I remember right the big issue is the frame for the backhoe, I think that filter would be a lot easier to access if one didn't have the backhoe option. I would bet the dealership puts the tractor up and removes that wheel to get the filter off. I could probably do that since I could use the BH stabilizers to lift the rear of the tractor and then get some stands underneath ... but then I'd probably never be able to get that fluid wheel back on. WAY heavy!

 

[farmerjan]

I can imagine that you did use that tractor that much @Bruce when you were working so diligently to get the pond dug. And it served you well and the progress was very measurable. Sure, it didn't rain very soon after, but if you had put it off, it would have been a downpour that would have stopped everything. It is like us, we got all that hay made by tedding on Friday and raked Sat morning and baled by 3:30 pm Sat aft.... got a 20 sprinkle shower and then even some sun on Sunday. But if we had left it, we would have gotten an inch Sat aft. It all worked out.
I'll bet that alot of their tractor sales go to "weekend users" rather than like you are retired, with "day time" to use it and a specific plan of action in mind.