Buying Advice What SHOULD I buy? Many questions from a newbie...

[MossflowerWoods]

By the way, the hooks are about $4-$5 and it takes just a few minutes to weld them on.. Now that is a whole "nuther" thing, but when you get all settled in and loving that big hoss of a tractor your getting. The next thing to think about is a welder. We will teach you.. Then you can put hooks wherever you want them, and Reinforce the top of the loader, and make things.. Think about it. All you life you can remove metal in a lot of different way. you can saw/file/grind etc. BUT until the day you get your welder you cannot put back so much as single iron filing of metal. With a welder you are the king of the world, you can make your metal world however you like it. And if you don't like it, you can grind/cut it off and put it back on! Good luck David

James K0UA

I have wanted and planed on a welder for a LOOOOOONG TIME...

My not-so-secret dream is someday when I'm supposed to be thinking about retirement, and I don't NEED to work so much (I admit I am addicted to paychecks!) I want to build custom motorcycles and rebuild/restore old hot rod cars. I NEED to learn to weld! I've been planning to take community college welding classes someday when I have time! Now maybe I will have the NEED!

David

 

[TripleR]

We put hooks as described by James K0ua, but the dealer didn't reinforce them, so my son bent the center, he is a good welder, so he will fix it and add reinforcement. I haven't put anything on my L5030 HD bucket, but am thinking about going with something like MountainViewRanch or Beppington as I think he also has five only arranged differently.

While you are buying stuff, I would look at a hydraulic top link too.

As mentioned, you will definitely need ballast even with filled tires. I use a box blade or bush hog.

 

[k0ua]

James,

Are you a bubblehead too? I served on the USS Bluefish SSN 675 in the mid 1980's...

I'm going to take it easy, I promise. I'm going to order the tilt indicator too...:thumbsup:

I'm also going to stay active here, but maybe fewer posts until I actually know something and can contribute.

TBN was awesome, I have learned so much here. Now I need time in the seat.

Thanks,
David

No, not a bubblehead here, just watched too many movies, but I always kinda liked the Balao/Gato class subs and before I became obsessed with all things tractor I used to study all I could about them. I always thought they were somewhat unsung yet extremely important to our overall strategy in the Pacific. If any class of ship won the Pacific war, the Balao/Gato class subs sure were runners up for that award. I find it interesting how advanced our subs were compared to enemy designs of the period. Little things like air conditioning, advance water pureification and the little "secret weapon" like the bathothermagraph gave these subs some advantages. So no, no first hand experience, just an armchair wannabe

James K0UA

 

[MossflowerWoods]

While you are buying stuff, I would look at a hydraulic top link too.

As mentioned, you will definitely need ballast even with filled tires. I use a box blade or bush hog.

RRR,

I am VERY interested in a TOP & TILT kit (part of why I got 2 rear remotes). Just out of curiousity, I'd love to know why you like the TOP (i.e. what do you use it for). I'm looking at Box Blades and Grading Scrapers (I have a Woods dealer visiting my property on Monday to advise me his thoughts), and possibly a rear blade. I need to maintain logging/fire/horse & bike access roads and trails.

But I'm tapped out for the moment (unless a winning lottery ticket appears).

I'm thinking about looking into K0ua's homebuilt ballast box, but the Bush-hog will certainly do for now (makes me one long hombre though)...

Thanks again,
David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

No, not a bubblehead here, just watched too many movies, but I always kinda liked the Balao/Gato class subs and before I became obsessed with all things tractor I used to study all I could about them. I always thought they were somewhat unsung yet extremely important to our overall strategy in the Pacific. If any class of ship won the Pacific war, the Balao/Gato class subs sure were runners up for that award. I find it interesting how advanced our subs were compared to enemy designs of the period. Little things like air conditioning, advance water pureification and the little "secret weapon" like the bathothermagraph gave these subs some advantages. So no, no first hand experience, just an armchair wannabe

James K0UA

That sounds like a geat evenings worth of conversations over beers...

I was also in the Army National Guard in 2003-04. I joke I was a Sailor & a SGT, I can drink, cuss, and fight, not necessarily in that order...

I'm a HUGE Military History fan and I've been studying the Civil, Revolutionary, Afghanistan/Iraq, and WW2 wars since about 2000.

PS - I am very interested in your home brew ballast box. If there is a thread here on TBN please point me to it so I can study from the Master...

In motorcycles I typically sign off, ride safe & keep the rubber side down, shiny side up. I think it will work here too!

Happy Tractoring, Keep the rubber side down, and the shiny side up!
David

 

[TripleR]

RRR,

I am VERY interested in a TOP & TILT kit (part of why I got 2 rear remotes). Just out of curiosity, I'd love to know why you like the TOP (i.e. what do you use it for). I'm looking at Box Blades and Grading Scrapers (I have a Woods dealer visiting my property on Monday to advise me his thoughts), and possibly a rear blade. I need to maintain logging/fire/horse & bike access roads and trails.

But I'm tapped out for the moment (unless a winning lottery ticket appears).

I'm thinking about looking into K0ua's home built ballast box, but the Bush-hog will certainly do for now (makes me one long hombre though)...

Thanks again,
David

It seems like I use the hydraulic top-link for just about every attachment I use. With the box scraper, I use it to change the "angle of attack" to feather edges when doing road work or to dig dirt and drag it to a different location. Last year my son and I were mucking out a pond and I used it to dump mud that got stuck in the box.

I use it on my rotary cutter to adjust the level and to pick the back up to transport across really uneven ground, ditches etc. and to back into really heavy brush as well as when mowing levies.

I have used the TnT, but don't have the "tilt" on any of our tractors; maybe some day.

I sure know what you mean about overall length, I am hogging with a M8540 with Woods 10' pull type cutter. A ballast box sure is handy and is on our "to do" list.

 

[k0ua]

That sounds like a geat evenings worth of conversations over beers...

I was also in the Army National Guard in 2003-04. I joke I was a Sailor & a SGT, I can drink, cuss, and fight, not necessarily in that order...

I'm a HUGE Military History fan and I've been studying the Civil, Revolutionary, Afghanistan/Iraq, and WW2 wars since about 2000.

PS - I am very interested in your home brew ballast box. If there is a thread here on TBN please point me to it so I can study from the Master...

In motorcycles I typically sign off, ride safe & keep the rubber side down, shiny side up. I think it will work here too!

Happy Tractoring, Keep the rubber side down, and the shiny side up!
David

Hi David, I sure would drink a brew with you, and I am sure we would enjoy swapping some stories. I put in k0ua as the user and the word ballast in the other field, and it brought up 79 posts I have commented on ballast in. here is just one.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...94-rear-ballast-gentlemen-rear-ballast-3.html

If you will look through those other post, you will find a lot nicer ballast boxes than mine. Some are extremely innovative. Mine was about $100 bucks all told, I bought the barell, for about $9 and the drawbar, I think it was $26, the 2 inch reciever I cannot remember for sure thinking about 8 maybe and then the 8 bags of concrete mix. There is also maybe 60 lbs of gravel in the bottom the rest was junk from the scrappile and and just some welding work on the rebar and 4 inch angle Iron, Oh one more thing was some 5/8 allthread, that went thru the drabar, and lots of welding inside. So look around at everyones ideas, that is what I did, and I did use that 3pt excell calculculator this is floating around here. to get the measurements right. You could get by without the welding if you didnt want the 2 inch on the back.. but I use it all the time for my sprayer. here are some pix of that idea.


http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/199329-look-what-i-built-today.html

good luck

James K0UA

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Hi David, I sure would drink a brew with you, and I am sure we would enjoy swapping some stories.

I bought the barell, for about $9
good luck

James K0UA

James, THAT ROCKS!

I was just telling my wife I was trying to think of a way to haul my chain saw, gas can etc AND a bucket full of wood.

I need a ballast box I can carry stuff in like yours!

Where did you get the new shiny barrell for $9???

Soon as I can get out to MO, beers are on me my brother...

David

 

[k0ua]

Where did you get the new shiny barrell for $9???

A little tire shop in Harrison Ar. The lady said "well just go out back and get one your self" I had on my work clothes (office worker) but I sidesteped the mudholes and old nasty tires, and got one. It had apple juice concentrate in it before, so no nasty chemicals. Hey David if you do ever get down to see Branson, be sure to PM me here first, and maybe we really could get together. I wish more guys on here were hams, we could yap at each other on the radio. It is just not the same on a phone. Radio is more fun!

James K0UA

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Where did you get the new shiny barrell for $9???

A little tire shop in Harrison Ar. The lady said "well just go out back and get one your self" I had on my work clothes (office worker) but I sidesteped the mudholes and old nasty tires, and got one. It had apple juice concentrate in it before, so no nasty chemicals. Hey David if you do ever get down to see Branson, be sure to PM me here first, and maybe we really could get together. I wish more guys on here were hams, we could yap at each other on the radio. It is just not the same on a phone. Radio is more fun!

James K0UA

Oh No! You are one of those HAMS!

I hated operating the radios in every gig I had in the military. I prefer email, posting like this, or the phone. But Ham radios are pretty darned cool actually.

If I am headed that way, you will definately know it sir! Vice versa, if you ae headed to Richmond or DC, let me know please!

David