New Owner / Must haves?

[Gary Fowler]

I never thought I would use my RTV as much as I do. I use it several times every day, much more than I do my tractor which I might use a couple times a month now. When I first got my place it was a mess and every spare hour I had, I was on the tractor, mowing grass, de-brushing, digging up rocks, ditching out low spots for drainage etc. I got my RTV (used) about a year after my first tractor and really glad that I found it.

Now a few years later and all is about as good as it gets except for the occasional rock to be dug up after the winter freeze/thaw cycle but I still have trees to trim, brush to haul and personal transport daily so my RTV is a daily driver. I know that utility vehicles are expensive but side x side with dump beds are almost a necessity on acreage, saves me lots of steps-many of which I just wouldn't take and let the chore or visit go by without my transport. I started with a golf cart that pulled a trailer which was better than walking but not good in wet areas.
Save some money on your tractor and equipment purchase to buy a UTV like the Kubota RTV, Polaris Ranger, JD Gator or other utility vehicle. They ARE a bit expensive but you will find that they are just as indispensable as your tractor.

 

[The Deerslayer]

Wow you guys are all over this one. Great replies!
A grapple is on my wish list for sure along with at least a hydraulic top link.

I was actually looking for the smaller thing in this thread like the toolbox, fire extinguisher, chains, etc.... I'll be after this stuff soon after the tractor arrives. Unfortunately this snow storm is delaying delivery.

What is a carry all? These are homemade? Any pictures of good ones? Im assuming its a "truck box" on the 3pt.

The Handi hitch with short boom look like a huge help too.

Thanks for all your input guys!

Kinda thought that's what you were looking for. In addition to my first post and as has been mentioned, a couple hooks on the bucket are worth their weight in gold.

The carry all frame can be purchased at TSC and is not that expensive. You add wood/bolts to a design of your liking/need and you are good to go.

Another item to consider is a bucket level indicator if your tractor does not come with one. I added one to my new tractor and found it to be very helpful at times, especially when moving snow.

As you will be getting a couple implements to start off with, you may consider a quick hitch. They can make changing implements much easier.

Being that you will be doing some grade work, a ratchet rake to attach to the bucket can come in handy.

 

[oldafretired]

I don't know if a land plane has been mentioned already, but it's great for smoothing gravel driveways and roads. Also it's nice to have all your heavy implements stored on wheels so you can easily move them around and also makes it very easy to attach to the 3 point.

 

[Skwerl711]

Do you think I could bolt a Carseat down on a carryall?

 

[dannoGT]

IMHO tractors and small children do not mix well. The little guys just want play with the tractor the same as Dad or Grandpa does! When the kids are outside I just shut the tractor down.

 

[jeff9366]

Tractors are hazardous enough for the operator.

Keep kids far away from the tractor.

 

[IslandTractor]

Do you think I could bolt a Carseat down on a carryall?View attachment 502261

Nah, just use the grapple.

 

[DieselBound]

IMHO tractors and small children do not mix well. The little guys just want play with the tractor the same as Dad or Grandpa does! When the kids are outside I just shut the tractor down.

Yes. There was this guy advertising clearing/mowing services and one of his pictures showed him running the tractor with a small child on his lap! Like I'd hire this brainiac?

 

[40_acre_mule]

First, I have to say to Oldafretired: Your stuff is WAY too clean. Getting my stuff that clean wouldn't leave me any time to get the chores done. Although it would sure make my wife happy.

Second, to the OP: Here's what I always tell people, "I just need one more attachment/accessory." It works, even if I just bought something.

 

[Skwerl711]

It was a joke. This kid is so smart she'd be teaching me how to run the tractor in a week.

 

[The Deerslayer]

Do you think I could bolt a Carseat down on a carryall?View attachment 502261

She's wearing the right color!!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Haven't used my carry all since I got a loader and forks.

 

[IslandTractor]

Haven't used my carry all since I got a loader and forks.

Carry Alls are a bit outdated in the current era when almost all tractors have FELs. Thirty years ago ?most tractors did not have FELs "standard" so a Carry All was a very useful piece of equipment. They can still be useful but are simply not critical to a tractor with a bucket.

 

[Tin Knocker]

To the OP, Grading is a very broad term based on terrain. You could get into a wide and expensive assortment of implements.

 

[TerryR]

Carry Alls are a bit outdated in the current era when almost all tractors have FELs.

Really? I use both when I have any significant amount of firewood to move. The carryall hauls twice as much wood or more than the bucket. And the larger surface works for transporting things that won't fit in the bucket of the FEL, like my big-wheel string trimer.

 

[Catoosa]

Best items I ever added to my tractor were the chain storage buckets and chain hooks on the loader. I have 3 buckets bolted to the loader frame around the front of the tractor. Went to a local scrap yard and found a 4 foot piece of 6 inch square tubing with 1/8 wall. Cut into 1 foot lengths and welded 1/4 plate from my scrap pile to the bottom. Cut off the corners of the bottom plate to leave holes for drainage.

I seem to use one or more of the chains hooked to the loader to pick up/move something more than anything else I do with the tractor. You can see one of the chain buckets in this photo.

 

[txdon]

Best items I ever added to my tractor were the chain storage buckets and chain hooks on the loader. I have 3 buckets bolted to the loader frame around the front of the tractor. Went to a local scrap yard and found a 4 foot piece of 6 inch square tubing with 1/8 wall. Cut into 1 foot lengths and welded 1/4 plate from my scrap pile to the bottom. Cut off the corners of the bottom plate to leave holes for drainage.

I seem to use one or more of the chains hooked to the loader to pick up/move something more than anything else I do with the tractor. You can see one of the chain buckets in this photo.

Seeing this pic makes me very sad. One of our members, Mikim, died 2 years ago working on his mower while it was chained to the FEL. Something gave and he died under the mower, he was a very good friend.

 

[Catoosa]

Sorry to hear about your friend. I'm well aware of the possibilities and would not put my body under that mower with it suspended by just the FEL. Had a very good friend fall off a ladder onto a cement patio working on a gazebo, hit his head and died almost instantly. Like anything else we all do, using a little common sense and being aware of what could happen will go a long way toward not ending up dead or in the hospital.

 

[IslandTractor]

Really? I use both when I have any significant amount of firewood to move. The carryall hauls twice as much wood or more than the bucket. And the larger surface works for transporting things that won't fit in the bucket of the FEL, like my big-wheel string trimer.

I'm not ragging on carry alls, just pointing out that they are less necessary or useful for a tractor with FEL than for a tractor without. Sure you can stack more firewood in a carry all than in a standard bucket but you could scoop multiple loads of firewood in the FEL bucket without getting out of the operators seat in the same time it takes to neatly stack wood in a carry all. Both get the job done but a bucket or grapple does it faster and saves your back. That said, there are certainly tasks for which a carry all is useful, just generally not as useful as some other attachments, like grapples, that were not available for CUTs 30 years ago..

 

[TerryR]

I guess we all have different experiences and different tasks to accomplish. I've never seen any use for a grapple, for example.