Tractor Withdrawal?

drivadesl · Jan 28, 2012

Anyone ever not used there tractor in some time for whatever reason, and then feel they're having withdrawal symptoms??? I am. I brought my New Holland up to the where I hunt, and its been up there since September. Been wanting to bring it back home for the winter since about christmas, and hoping to do so this weekend. Meanwhile I miss the old girl and need to fire her up and clear some brush or take a ride at least. Anyone else experience this? IS there something wrong here???

Mike476 · Jan 28, 2012

I work 1000 miles from home, often find myself thinking it's the perfect time to be in the woods doing whatever, or clearing paddocks etc. Something about having the ability to get work done with our tractors that keeps us coming back. Don't check yourself in just yet, pretty sure if everyone who shares our disorder did we'd topple an already suffering health care system....

Locoweed · Jan 28, 2012

12 step program:laughing:

creekbend · Jan 28, 2012

Nothing unusual at all.

Cat_Driver · Jan 28, 2012

I think a lot of people don't get "us". I know when I'm in the seat moving dirt around it's better than vacation. Because all my vacations are running around or driving 10 hours a day.
Tractor time is MY time. No phone calls, no customers grinding me down on price, no salesmen calling me, no running from here to there, and on and on. Just the tractor, dirt and some nice music.

flusher · Jan 28, 2012

drivadesl said:
Anyone ever not used there tractor in some time for whatever reason, and then feel they're having withdrawal symptoms??? I am. I brought my New Holland up to the where I hunt, and its been up there since September. Been wanting to bring it back home for the winter since about christmas, and hoping to do so this weekend. Meanwhile I miss the old girl and need to fire her up and clear some brush or take a ride at least. Anyone else experience this? IS there something wrong here???

My 2008 Mahindra 5525 gets used mostly in Oct-Nov (planting) and April-May(harvest). Otherwise it just sits in its place under the carport. I lift the hood periodically to be sure nothing is making itself at home under there.

I fight tractor withdrawal by restoring old tractors and implements. As long as I can smell a greasy tractor getting fixed up in my shop, I'm a happy camper

.

tractchores · Jan 28, 2012

Yup for sure. Have the same feeling when my boats out of the water too long. I find myself doing odd jobs since working on its the next best thing to driving it.

RoyJackson · Jan 28, 2012

My 4400 sets most of the Fall and Winter (unless I need it for snow removal). It's in the garage, so I go check it for small critters frequently...and sometimes I just go set on the seat and smoke a cigaret.

blueriver · Jan 28, 2012

Oh man ... I miss hay season. I'm with Roy ... sometimes while in the shop I just sit in the cab with the doors open radio on and smoke a little smoke. I think up things this time of year to do with the tractors.

bigbull338 · Jan 28, 2012

my tractor is used year round.but if i get to wanting to run it i go fire it up for awhle an enjoy it.

YanmarFever · Jan 28, 2012

Its called TRACTOR FEVER..... Ive had it for going on 15 yrs now.:laughing:

coobie · Jan 28, 2012

Funny you should bring this up.I use my Kubota RTV 900 for snow removal so my Kioti DK40se sits in the cormer of the barn by it,s lonely old self.Yesterday I felt sorry for it so I fired it up.LOL,coobie.

TnWV · Jan 28, 2012

I feel the same way everyday as I sit behind my desk at work. I try to find some way to use it every weekend though. Same with my boat, as it sits in the shop all winter covered up. Winter is rough time, don't really get to enjoy either. I find that reading all the great threads on here daily helps. I find myself browsing through and reading on my iPhone everyday.

kf4uda · Jan 28, 2012

I am very familiar with "tractor withdrawal". When I had back surgery I could not even climb on my NH TD5030 to start it for over 2 months. I had to talk my Wife thru how to start it and let it run for a while. I sure was happy to get to operate it for the first time after the surgery. So anyway, if having tractor withdrawal is a problem just know that you are not alone

TCowner · Jan 29, 2012

I know your pain Chris. I had a total knee replacement back in 2004. I was away from the tractor for about three weeks. I got so desperate that I found a way to hop up on the New Holland TC40DA using the combination of crutches and one good leg. I actually got pretty good at it. Getting down off the tractor was risky though. Looking back, I'm amazed that I didn't plow head first onto the concrete floor.

But, it was a sign that things were returning to normal. Just a short trip around the driveway brought back the will to live. Rehabbing the knee while watching tv all day when all that is advertised are laxatives, diabetic testing supplies, mobility scooters and your final arrangements gets mighty depressing.

So yes, one can experience tractor withdrawal.

Piston · Jan 29, 2012

Cat_Driver said:
I think a lot of people don't get "us"....

Ain't that the truth! :laughing: There aren't too many people I work with that I can talk about "tractoring" with, but that's why there is always TBN.

I suffer the same symptoms. I work away from home and when I'm working I'm always thinking of things I want to do when I get home, one of them always has something to do with tractoring. While I'm away and can't use the tractor I read up on and plan things that I can do either to my tractor, or with it. I recently added hydraulics and I couldn't have done it without the information I read on here. I planned everything out while away from the tractor, went home with a good plan and it worked out great.

The bad part is, when I'm away from the tractor I'm always thinking of how I should upgrade to a bigger model, with cab!

drivadesl · Jan 29, 2012

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with the Fever. Fortunately today, my son and I drove up north and loaded her onto the trailer. Opened the hood to check things out before firing her up, and a big mouse scooted out of the battery compartment. Luckily it had just started a nest, so didnt' do any damage. Felt good getting her running, and moving again after a few months. Now she;s home, need to get some snow to clear, but otherwise I'm going to clear out some brush so I can park my gooseneck in a better spot.

At least the fever is over....for now....

AGGIE00 · Jan 29, 2012

It's also a lot of fun watching your tractor work from the outside. My father in law was down helping me rootplow the mesquites a couple weeks ago. He was running the tractor and I took a break and got on the atv picking up the large stumps that won't disk in. The rootplow is a very hard pull and listening to the engine roar and turbo while the dirt rolled up was pretty neat.

Gary Fowler · Jan 30, 2012

Right now I am thankful for internet even if it is slow. Setting here in Northern Africa on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and reading how folks miss their tractors is hitting very close to home. I am on 8 weeks on and 3 off rotation and still have 7 weeks to go. Thanks TBN for letting me have a way to talk tractor and break the monotony of work and camp life. Even though last nights fire in the barracks broke the monotony for one night, I much perfer the ramblings of TBNers here for entertainment. Being 8000 miles from home and 2 full days of jet travel to get back would really be bad without the occassional break to check this site out.
Ironically, the post on wishing for a larger tractor with a cab made me think that us tractor folks are never satisfied. I wanted the same thing till I got one, now I am watching craigslist for a small subcompact with back hoe for the little jobs around the house. Bigger is not always better. I find myself going to the smaller Yanmar for lots of tasks and wish I had something smaller when I am working in tight quarters which now sometimes means I have to break out the wheel barrow and shovel. I wonder how I can convince the wife we need another tractor just to help plant trees and shrubs.