Tools a tractor owner must have

[QRTRHRS]

Extremely handy and necessary.



Home Depot now sells a crescent wrench - ratcheting style. Gonna pick up 1 of each size, they work great adjusting the 3PT links.

The links on my Mahindra 7520 adjust by lifting the square tubing with handles away from the notched stays and turning. No need for a wrench.

Only thing I need is a pry bar to align my quick disconnect attachments if I get them off to one side.

 

[Birdhunter1]

6" channel locks and a 12" crescent wrench and I can do almost anything. If not I have a whole slough of stuff in the truck.

 

[mjncad]

I've been installing a 3rd, 4th, 5th SCV kits and a Power Beyond kit on my 4200, and crowfoot wrenches are a necessity that I never felt I would ever need. Now I have bought a bunch of them (regular & flare nut) from cheap (Neiko) on Amazon.com to Sears to a couple of Snap-On's (1-3/16" & 1-1/8"), and I still could use a couple of more. I've found the hydraulic kits use a mix of metric and SAE wrench sizes...what a pain.

Large combination wrenches are also a must. My largest is a 1-5/16" in SAE and 30mm in metric. I still need to get an air impact wrench and ratchets.

I've had my torque wrench for 30+ years and it has gotten more use in the past 5-years than in all the years before.

I know I've forgotten more tools; but this is what I've encountered so far.

 

[john_bud]

Long pry bar. 5' or 6' long. Often called a railroad bar and used to adjust 3pt attachment position.

pair of 12" adjustable wrenches.

Sockets in the sizes you need. Often larger than 1". (I use up to 1&3/4")

Grease guns. At least one with a straight steel line and one with flex line.

 

[KML]

I find this real handy, Called a spud wrench. The tapered handle is great for aligning holes. One of those things I didn't know I couldn't live without until I had one

 

[wedge40]

3lb short handle sledge hammer.... for adjusting things that are almost in alignment.

agree with
crescent wrenches
phone

There are many things I wouldn't be able to accomplish with my 3lb hammer. Some things just need to be beat into submission.

My tool collection has doubled since I got my tractor. I had what I needed for auto's, and most of that worked, but as you know tractors use huge nuts and bolts.


Wedge

 

[cowboy357]

As far as Carring on the Tractor away from the Shop. 2 cresents,1 visegrip , Hammer. Prybar , chain, Grease gun , Pliers , But Most Used by Me are a set of good wire cutters For the Ocasional Wire that gets Rapped up Either around the axles or Mowing blades. Also Tubing Wrenches to Snug the Ocasional Lines that might loosen from Vibration That cant allways be Reached with a Cresent, Such as Injector lines . Works for Me for the most part . Great topic Though .

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

Birmingham screwdriver

 

[kthompson]

I agree with the cell phone and to ask wife to bring other tractor and chain or pickup to go get a part. When I walk in before she expects me while using tractor or other equipment she greets me with, "what is broken now? Love that woman. Sure wish she was not right of often. kt

 

[Soundguy]

I have seen all kinds of posts about how to fix tractors, or what tractors to buy, or whether or not Harbor Freight tools are a good thing to buy. I was reading a post someone was answering for a new tractor owner and I wondered, what tools or equipment have the most of us felt was something we do not know how we could live without when it comes to working on or using our tractors. In another post I mentioned that an Air compressor is something I consider mandatory. I also think an air powered impact wrench is something that I would not imagine not having. I have several others but am curious to see what other people find the most useful.

I believe this post has been covered before.. but here's what i like

large set of basic tools.. sockets or wrenches.. usually 1/2" drive covers stuff up to CUT's and small utilities.. but a 3/4 set really opens up the possibilities for ya.. I've had a 4' pipe on the end of my 3/4" drive breaker bar jumping on it to torque down 2" nuts before..

A nice maul, both steel and copper or brass.. the copper/brass mauls won't mar steel or cast surfaces. Get a good set of drifts and punches to go with that maul.

A heat source of some kind.. whether o/a bottles.. or mapp gas.. or even a small plumbers propane torch.. anything that makes heat can help to get a stuck 'thing' off. Add to this an angle grinder and a welder of some sort.. even a cheap stick welder... being able to cut something off and then hot-glue it back on is a real plus... especailly whn the machine is broke down and not easy to trailer.

penetrating oil.. anything fom expensive 'kroil'.. to regular 'pb blaster' to home-brew stuff like kerosene mixed with atf fluid in a squirt bottle.

A few prybars of various makes and sizes.. tire irons do double duty for this.

big jacks, bottle, floor and hi-lift tractor jacks.. to go along with this.. a variety of jack stands, and good timber cribbing.. absolutely no hollow cell concrete blocks.. solid concrete pillow blocks as a last resort.. but nothing hollow cell.

An oring assortment pack, couple tubes of thread pucky and generic gasket goop.

an air compressor

Now.. those are the tools to have in the shop.. the stuff you need on the tractor in your limited space tool box:

Big crescent wrench.. (makes a great hammer.. in a pinch.. probably an adequate wrench as well )

ball of bailing wire

gas pliers that adjust small / large and have the wire cutter piece at the base of the jaw... sure.. you'll probably have to replace all the bolts and nuts and fittings you use these on.. but when you are out int he field stuck.. it sure beats hitchhiking back home for the correct 'whatever' tool.

Big flat blade screwdriver .. makes a great prybar.. might also back a standard head screw out if needed... have a small philips on hand as well as a couple extra hose clamps and extra lynch pins, and a shop rag.


Last time I broke down in the field 4m away from home and had to remove and blow out my fuel strainer, and lines from the tank to the injector pump.. those tools were so helpfull.. the gas pliers, big wrench and shop rag.. beat walking home...

soundguy

 

[gemini5362]

I believe this post has been covered before.. but here's what i like


A nice maul, both steel and copper or brass.. the copper/brass mauls won't mar steel or cast surfaces. Get a good set of drifts and punches to go with that maul.



soundguy

Soundguy when I did a search all I found was a post about tools to carry on your tractor I wanted to expand that a bit and get people to share what tools they have that they find useful or necessary for their tractors in the shop also.

I am going to admit ignorance on this one what is a Maul. I have seen splitting mauls but it is obvious you are not talking about that.

 

[Soundguy]

Soundguy when I did a search all I found was a post about tools to carry on your tractor I wanted to expand that a bit and get people to share what tools they have that they find useful or necessary for their tractors in the shop also.

I am going to admit ignorance on this one what is a Maul. I have seen splitting mauls but it is obvious you are not talking about that.

Actually.. there have been threads on tools to own.. however the search function here seems to be based on some obscure reverse polish notaion function of a rube goldberg based chaos algorythm.. IE.. you are lucky if you turn up anything..

Also.. 'maul' right from webster:

maul - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary


guess i shoulda just said sledge hammer.. but 'maul' is so much shorter.. and uh.. pretty well descriptive... thought it would be common knowldege / in context for a tool based thread??

soundguy

 

[gemini5362]

Actually.. there have been threads on tools to own.. however the search function here seems to be based on some obscure reverse polish notaion function of a rube goldberg based chaos algorythm.. IE.. you are lucky if you turn up anything..

Also.. 'maul' right from webster:

maul - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary


guess i shoulda just said sledge hammer.. but 'maul' is so much shorter.. and uh.. pretty well descriptive... thought it would be common knowldege / in context for a tool based thread??

soundguy

I am sure it is just my failure to understand what you meant. When you said copper or brass that was what confused me. I have never seen a copper or brass splitting maul. One of the webester definitions was what I am familiar with and that is a hammer with a wedge on one side for splitting wood. when you talk about it I am wondering if you include the little three pound mauls in your definition. When I was growing up we called the small three pound short handle hammers with a wedge on one side a kindling splitting maul. You use those for cutting smaller wood up for kindling. I buy slab wood then take my kindling splitting maul and split those into small pieces for kindling. It is a lot easier to control than the bigger sledge hammer type of maul.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Ditto most of what has been said. Some highlights I that found myself needing after buying a tractor over and above what I had for basic automotive stuff include a welder (more for the implements than for the tractor), Bigger crescent wrench, snapring pliers, channel locks, and a battery charger.

It seems that I don't need that many different tools for a tractor vs. basic automotive stuff, I just need more and bigger tools. I need bigger wrenches, longer ratchet extensions, and bigger pry bars. I need a couple of jacks, and a few sets of wrenches. I need a few battery chargers so I can keep one on the tractor in the winter and have one to rotate through motorcycle, lawn mower, and RV batteries. I need a longer air hose to reach out of the garage. I need some extra channel locks and crescent wrenches to keep one set on the tractor.

I also need a whole wall of the garage now for all the additional oils, hydraulic fluid, greases, and fuels for all the engines, transmissions, gearboxes, and any other moving parts.

Things I've made do without, but I'm sure I just absolutely need include an acetylene torch, a pressure washer, and a sand blaster.

 

[Soundguy]

Yes.. I do include the small 3-5# hammers, double headed, no wedge, in the 'maul' category.

The copper and brass should have been the dead giveaway that it was not a splitting tool unless you are thinking back to prehistory.

I like the copper vs the brass.. but both work just fine... the brass ones seem to work harden and get brittle on the edges that mushroom up more so than the copper... just a personal observation.. might not be true for everyone.

soundguy

I am sure it is just my failure to understand what you meant. When you said copper or brass that was what confused me. I have never seen a copper or brass splitting maul. One of the webester definitions was what I am familiar with and that is a hammer with a wedge on one side for splitting wood. when you talk about it I am wondering if you include the little three pound mauls in your definition. When I was growing up we called the small three pound short handle hammers with a wedge on one side a kindling splitting maul. You use those for cutting smaller wood up for kindling. I buy slab wood then take my kindling splitting maul and split those into small pieces for kindling. It is a lot easier to control than the bigger sledge hammer type of maul.

 

[loulou61]

Lage channel lock pliers, small sledge hammer and a length of chain
( 12-15 ft medium size links with hook on each end)

 

[keeney]

Grease gun.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Grease gun.

..and penetrating oil.

 

[Qapla]

Most of the tools I use have been covered already.

I also carry a 1500 watt power-inverted and a pair of vice-grips to make it a quick connect to either the truck or tractor battery. That way I can use my electric impact I carry in my truck (I find the electric delivers more punch in the field than air - unless you carry a really big compressor).

 

[WilliamBos]

Most of the tools I use have been covered already.

I also carry a 1500 watt power-inverted and a pair of vice-grips to make it a quick connect to either the truck or tractor battery. That way I can use my electric impact I carry in my truck (I find the electric delivers more punch in the field than air - unless you carry a really big compressor).

The gear redutcion in those electric gives them a ton of torque. Amazing tool.