Just got my first Orange

[crmorse]

I have some family land in NE Alabama that I've been working to develop into a homestead. For equipment I've been working with my Dad's collection which has a 1999 John Deere 455G tracker loader (just back with a new transmission) and a 1953 Ford 8N. That poor Ford works so hard but she's old and worn out and it shows. She's about 2:1 work to repair ratio.

I'm just so tired of fighting against equipment to get anything done. So since I got just a nice bonus from work I just went down to the old orange paint store and ordered a L47 TLB. Added hydraulic thumb, 3pt arms, 3 rear remotes, root grapple, forks, tiller, and rock rake. So um, yeah. I think I'm set now

The TLB, forks, tiller, and rock rake are due to be delivered tomorrow. The rest all had to be ordered.

Oh and for the final nail in the coffin.... we've been without rain for something like 90 days now and tonight it's supposed to rain like 3". Why is that such a big deal you ask? Because I never got to finish a grading project in front of the new workshop I'm building so it's gonna flood. My Dad just rebuilt the starter for the 8N so I installed that in a hurry tonight to try and get at least a ditch scraped out but NOPE! Something else is wrong on it now too. So I ended up digging out a ditch --BY HAND-- after just dropping my children's inheritance on a new tractor! Oh the humanity!!

 

[85Hokie]

funny you mention the 53 ford.....I had one too, the golden jubilee - mine was in great shape too. Very few $ spent on it! Paid $2700 back 7 years ago, but like you wanted more, bought the Bx25D in 2013, sold the 53 for $500 more than I paid of it ....

O - and never looked back!

that machine will do wonders! YOU'LL love it!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I traded a 1949 Ferguson (same as the fords) for a Bobcat!

 

[crmorse]

For now, at least, we're keeping the Ford but I think it's going to be relegated to rock rake and farm wagon duty from now on...

The hydraulics on it leak so badly that the height varies with engine RPMs. Makes it quite a chore to try and bush hog with it. It's not terrible with the box blade but having to stop and shift to neutral, let the clutch out, raise the box, shift and reposition, and then let it down again can get pretty aggravating.

I suspect once I get a taste of live hydraulics I'll never go back. That and we're working on a hydraulic top-n-tilt kit. (Dealer could add all the remotes but they don't have a factory "kit" for the cylinders... pretty sure I can find that amongst the vendors here)

 

[crmorse]

Here's a picture of the whole team together!

 

[WFM]

What a beautiful Christmas story. Nothing like a new tractor. As for as spending the kids inheritance. You earned it. You spend it. I work hard. My kids can be lazy , sit on their asses and starve. I work. I spend. I live. My kids need to work or amount to nothing. I've given them the example. This is how you prosper. They can either use it or have nothing. God helps thoses who help themselves. (I'll stop my rant now)...But Great Tractor. Enjoy it.

 

[mickeyd]

CR, nice looking iron you got there.

Which side of Anniston are you on? My wife is from Lineville so Anniston was the BIG city for her. She still has two brothers and numerous relatives there as well as in Oxford. We used to go to the Fort before it was shut down so we spent a lot of time there.

 

[Redlands]

Wow nice new tractor set up ! Congrats

 

[TripleR]

For now, at least, we're keeping the Ford but I think it's going to be relegated to rock rake and farm wagon duty from now on...

The hydraulics on it leak so badly that the height varies with engine RPMs. Makes it quite a chore to try and bush hog with it. It's not terrible with the box blade but having to stop and shift to neutral, let the clutch out, raise the box, shift and reposition, and then let it down again can get pretty aggravating.

I suspect once I get a taste of live hydraulics I'll never go back. That and we're working on a hydraulic top-n-tilt kit. (Dealer could add all the remotes but they don't have a factory "kit" for the cylinders... pretty sure I can find that amongst the vendors here)

I really like the cylinder I got from MtnViewRanch (Fit-Rite).

 

[crmorse]

Thanks for the confirmation. I found his site in this site's directory and planned to contact him when ready. Right now I have the tractor but the remotes won't be in until next week. After I get it back from the dealer with all the parts installed I'll unmount the backhoe and take measurements. (I'm expecting he'll need those as an L47 isn't listed on his site yet)

 

[bhbuster]

What a beautiful Christmas story. Nothing like a new tractor. As for as spending the kids inheritance. You earned it. You spend it. I work hard. My kids can be lazy , sit on their asses and starve. I work. I spend. I live. My kids need to work or amount to nothing. I've given them the example. This is how you prosper. They can either use it or have nothing. God helps thoses who help themselves. (I'll stop my rant now)...But Great Tractor. Enjoy it.

Best thing thing I have read in quite sometime...

 

[ItBmine]

Nice fleet crmorse!! Not anything you can't do now.

 

[virginiavenom]

I often wonder if I should have gotten a TLB instead of the Ag version of what I ended up with. it seems so much more capable and can do anything a grand L of the same power could, but stronger built. with no cab option, that would probably be the only way I wouldn't get the TLB knowing what I know now. all things being equal.