Adventures in "Tractoring"......5-6hrs in......

[River19]

So with somewhere near 6 hours on the B2601 so far I gotta say I love it. Overall a very easy tractor to operate but of course it hasn't been without its "moments".

In the first couple hours I graded the 450' up hill section of the driveway with the rear blade as it only needed some minor work to knock down the center hump and spread the material back to the tire treads............worked beautifully.

Quick hitch came this week, and I knew getting one of the "cheaper" models would come with some hiccups but after losing 2 hrs to a combination of dropping my box blade on an unlevel spot to the friggin top hook needing to meet the grinder I can say I believe I have the thing dialed in. I got the hitch from Northern Tool and besides the top hook needing to be "opened up" to allow the top bushing to seat properly the little grips on the handles are held on with unicorn tears and hopes and dreams........they flew the hell off in minute #3. Need to put some hairspray under there to slip them on and hold.....

That being said, in the middle of the QH battle I was distracted and found out what happens when the corner of the loaded meets a tire on the horse trailer.......the tire lost badly. After dirty looks from my wife........it gave me an excuse to later use the pallet forks to lift said trailer back on the hitch block and swap to the spare.

After all this crap I got the bottom 50' regraded with the box blade, contoured for better drainage and filled in some pot holes and low spots. I also opened up the drainage ditch a bit. Phase 1 of improving a couple drainage issues. I also started building a tractor road around the woods edge to avoid having to navigate in between the two trailers and A/C unit/house on the other side.

Learning curve..........climbing the curve slowly....

 

[PaulR]

Live and learn. Could have been worse right?
First day or two I had mine I was swinging around to park in the garage, nailed the edge of the garage with the bottom edge of the bucket. Seems that sticks out farther than the top edge I was looking at.

 

[retired farmer]

So with somewhere near 6 hours on the B2601 so far I gotta say I love it. Overall a very easy tractor to operate but of course it hasn't been without its "moments".

In the first couple hours I graded the 450' up hill section of the driveway with the rear blade as it only needed some minor work to knock down the center hump and spread the material back to the tire treads............worked beautifully.

Quick hitch came this week, and I knew getting one of the "cheaper" models would come with some hiccups but after losing 2 hrs to a combination of dropping my box blade on an unlevel spot to the friggin top hook needing to meet the grinder I can say I believe I have the thing dialed in. I got the hitch from Northern Tool and besides the top hook needing to be "opened up" to allow the top bushing to seat properly the little grips on the handles are held on with unicorn tears and hopes and dreams........they flew the hell off in minute #3. Need to put some hairspray under there to slip them on and hold.....

That being said, in the middle of the QH battle I was distracted and found out what happens when the corner of the loaded meets a tire on the horse trailer.......the tire lost badly. After dirty looks from my wife........it gave me an excuse to later use the pallet forks to lift said trailer back on the hitch block and swap to the spare.

After all this crap I got the bottom 50' regraded with the box blade, contoured for better drainage and filled in some pot holes and low spots. I also opened up the drainage ditch a bit. Phase 1 of improving a couple drainage issues. I also started building a tractor road around the woods edge to avoid having to navigate in between the two trailers and A/C unit/house on the other side.

Learning curve..........climbing the curve slowly....

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Ouch ! on the trailer tire. Congrats on the tractor, you are living the dream.

 

[ken erickson]

I was distracted and found out what happens when the corner of the loaded meets a tire on the horse trailer.......the tire lost badly.

Nice tractor and post!

The first winter that I had my B7100 and back blade I was cleaning up snow around the walk out basement doors and "hooked" my never freeze hose bib with the corner of the blade. Like it never existed ,lol, popped that puppy off in a wink.

 

[Nicfin36]

You've accomplished quite a bit. Amazing how much you can do with the proper equipment.

Well, I will tell my story. Last week, I was backing into my barn. I have to make a 3 point turn essentially to get in. Well, as I go from reverse to forward, my loader bucket catches the edge of the sliding door. It almost knocks it off the track, breaks the 2X4 edge of the door and tears a gash in the barn siding. I was incredulous. I realized later with the ground being muddy, the tractor did not turn like I thought it would and it hit the door.

Yep, live and learn.

 

[River19]

Certainly seems like a lot of people have had that bottom corner of the bucket grab something it wasn't intended to.......hopefully it is the only time I do that.......that being said, I'm not dumb enough to be surprised if I do it again along the line. Hopefully it won't be on something expensive.....

I'm going to do a little more grading closer to the garage......which hopefully I don't hit lol

Trying to get some stone delivered to dump in the drainage ditch before I have to take the FEL off for the snowblower.......

 

[NCL4701]

I would list off all the stuff I’ve hit over the years to try to make you feel better but there’s probably a limit on the length of these posts and I’m sure I’d max it out. I’d be thankful all I took out was the tire rather than knocking the crap out of the rim and bending the axle or busting a spring.

Kind of on a side note, I’ve had R1’s and R4’s but never thought turf tires were good for anything but mowing until I started reading a bunch of posts in this forum. Really impressive what you’ve been able to do with your machine.

 

[random]

One thing I've discovered since getting mine: there are a lot of things you haven't thought of that you'll find it useful for. I got mine to maintain my road. I've found all sorts of uses for it, that I never imagined.

 

[Surfer]

I am right there with you. I have 19 hours on mine-mostly mowing. I have replaced several pickets on my fence once already. Paying attention the the grass more than the front loader.

 

[bird dogger]

It's a rare individual that's never had an "OOPS!" on their tractor. I had just put the Pirhana tooth bar on my tractor when just a few days later putting the tractor away in the shed, that dang tooth bar stuck its teeth out and sliced the corner of the door's metal trim while pulling into its stall. The metal trim is gray in color and I'm thinking some JB Weld might be a perfect fix and color match to boot.

Yup, I think you're more likely to find an "Honest Politician" before you could find an accident free tractor owner!

 

[PaulR]

The other downside:
Summer patio project, I thought I was going to lose 15 pounds easy moving all this gravel in place. Nope, didn't lose a pound, tractor did all the work, in fact I think I gained since the tractor has a cupholder.

 

[Nicfin36]

The other downside:
Summer patio project, I thought I was going to lose 15 pounds easy moving all this gravel in place. Nope, didn't lose a pound, tractor did all the work, in fact I think I gained since the tractor has a cupholder.

I have made that observance as well. Physical exertion has greatly been reduced and efficiency greatly increased, whether one might consider that a good or bad thing.

 

[random]

It's a rare individual that's never had an "OOPS!" on their tractor. I had just put the Pirhana tooth bar on my tractor when just a few days later putting the tractor away in the shed, that dang tooth bar stuck its teeth out and sliced the corner of the door's metal trim while pulling into its stall. The metal trim is gray in color and I'm thinking some JB Weld might be a perfect fix and color match to boot.

Yup, I think you're more likely to find an "Honest Politician" before you could find an accident free tractor owner!

Reminds me of the old saying about motorcycle riders:

There are two types of motorcycle riders: those who have dropped a bike, and those who have not dropped a bike - YET.

 

[NCL4701]

I have made that observance as well. Physical exertion has greatly been reduced and efficiency greatly increased, whether one might consider that a good or bad thing.

When I was about 20 the owner of the house I rented had about a half acre in back that he had let get out of control with 2” to 3” saplings and it bothered me so in exchange for a free month rent, I bought a bush axe, cleared it in a couple of afternoons, and hauled the brush to the local dump in my roommate’s pickup. When my father found out, he told me, “When you’re young and strong you use a $20 bushaxe. By the time you’re too old and busted up to use a bushaxe hopefully you have enough money to do the same job with a bush hog.” I now have a rotary cutter, grapple, and 6’ rake. It wouldn’t take me long to clear that 1/2 acre now but I wouldn’t burn many calories. As usual, my father was correct.

 

[Nicfin36]

When I was about 20 the owner of the house I rented had about a half acre in back that he had let get out of control with 2” to 3” saplings and it bothered me so in exchange for a free month rent, I bought a bush axe, cleared it in a couple of afternoons, and hauled the brush to the local dump in my roommate’s pickup. When my father found out, he told me, “When you’re young and strong you use a $20 bushaxe. By the time you’re too old and busted up to use a bushaxe hopefully you have enough money to do the same job with a bush hog.” I now have a rotary cutter, grapple, and 6’ rake. It wouldn’t take me long to clear that 1/2 acre now but I wouldn’t burn many calories. As usual, my father was correct.

Wise words from your father. So, true. I think back on my use of brute force to do something, the chainsaw running, brush dragging and so forth I did years ago. Thank goodness I have been able to afford equipment to get things done easier. I only wish I could have had it 10 years ago, because I have had to simply ignore doing some things as they were just too much, even for my younger self.

 

[Henro]

Wise words from your father. So, true. I think back on my use of brute force to do something, the chainsaw running, brush dragging and so forth I did years ago. Thank goodness I have been able to afford equipment to get things done easier. I only wish I could have had it 10 years ago, because I have had to simply ignore doing some things as they were just too much, even for my younger self.

I don't know. But 3" saplings are something I would find difficult to deal with with my tractor/brush hog...No skid plate underneath to protect the vitals...and even backing over them might be difficult with my Woods BB60.

Agree though, that as we get older the energy we had when younger depletes...

Edit:

Thinking about it, if like me the OP may be remembering 3" when the reality was really 1.5"

Been there, done that!

 

[bird dogger]

Well, I don't know if I'd call a 3" caliper tree a "sapling" either. But he did mention he use a brush axe.

That reminded me of when us brothers were young and sent out to clear brush and small trees around the farm and pastures. We made a game of it. We were armed with a sharp axe and a good bow saw. We'd size up the tree and one of us might say, "I can cut that tree down in 20 strokes". Another brother would say, "You wimp, I could cut that tree down in 18 strokes!". This went on 'til no one dared to try best the other and then would say, "Then cut that tree!". If the axe was the weapon of choice then it was wagered in how few chops it would take to fell the tree. We became pretty good at guessing just how much effort it would take to fell a particular tree/brush. And the one with the most bragging rights was always the most tired that evening! Bragging rights were more important for the oldest brother and not so much for myself and other brother! LOL!!

 

[NCL4701]

I don't know. But 3" saplings are something I would find difficult to deal with with my tractor/brush hog...No skid plate underneath to protect the vitals...and even backing over them might be difficult with my Woods BB60.

Agree though, that as we get older the energy we had when younger depletes...

Edit:

Thinking about it, if like me the OP may be remembering 3" when the reality was really 1.5"

Been there, done that!

Are they bigger a few decades later... Could be some of that.

And my L4701 is a little stouter than a B2910. In reality I might have to use the grapple instead of the rotary cutter on 3” stuff. The rotary cutter is rated for 2” and I’ve used it for stuff that big, but 3” might be a bit much.

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

One use of a Skidder with forestry mulcher head and you will never fool with clearing trees with a tractor again. Too slow and hard on the tractor