moriboy
Gold Member
I bought a pretty much bare bones M7040 last year during hay season, knowing full well that I would be adding some options down the road. At the time of purchase, we were in a hurry to get an additional haying tractor, so the one in stock at the dealer came home. Things have worked out for us this year, so I went on a bit of a shopping spree and now have the tractor outfitted how I want it. I had to order all of the parts which took about 3 weeks to get. I wanted to share with you all a quick summary of the install along with a few pictures. The total time to install this was about 6 hours. Here goes!
Here is a picture showing the new Anbo grapple. It's a 72 wide one. Although its a bit dirty, I really haven't had a chance to use it for more than 5 minutes. It's just to wet and muddy! First impressions are that it is going to be awesome for clearing brush and picking up/moving logs. The build quality is amazing as well. I do believe you get what you pay for, yes it was expensive..
To keep them rear wheels on the ground when I'm using that fancy grapple, I needed to add some weight to the rear. While I do have the tires filled I still believe you can't have too much ballast. Unfortunately when I bought this tractor, I was not able to get cast centers. So, I added 2 wheel weights to each wheel. That adds about 650 pounds total. I haven't had much in the grapple yet, but moving round bales on the steepest ground is very comfortable now.
In order to run the grapple (and my future post hole drill), I added the factory 3 function kit for the FEL. Installation was a breeze. Put the new handle on, bolt up a new valve body, add a couple new hoses, plug in a wiring harness, and you're done.
This picture is showing how the Kubota shock less ride system looks once installed. I move a lot of round bales, and our ground can be pretty bumpy. This system allows the loader to "float", absorbing most of the bounce. I can tell you it's amazing! You lose a little speed when raising or lowering the loader. Fortunately turning it on or off is simply done by turning the knob. I highly recommend this option if you want to take the bounce out of your ride. Installation was a little tricky since the instructions were terrible. You add quite a few new hoses and tee fittings. You also end up with a lot of extra parts, which add to the confusion.
In order to run our NH 216 rake, I need 2 remotes. I had one, but added the second one. Very simple process. Bolt the new remote on top of your current one, hook up a cable, and add the handle. I'm going to get a hydraulic tilt cylinder someday, so a 3rd remote is in my future as well.
Additional remote handle shown. I staggered them to allow for easier operation. Not sure yet if I like it that way. It's simple to adjust if needed.
Here is a picture showing the new Anbo grapple. It's a 72 wide one. Although its a bit dirty, I really haven't had a chance to use it for more than 5 minutes. It's just to wet and muddy! First impressions are that it is going to be awesome for clearing brush and picking up/moving logs. The build quality is amazing as well. I do believe you get what you pay for, yes it was expensive..
To keep them rear wheels on the ground when I'm using that fancy grapple, I needed to add some weight to the rear. While I do have the tires filled I still believe you can't have too much ballast. Unfortunately when I bought this tractor, I was not able to get cast centers. So, I added 2 wheel weights to each wheel. That adds about 650 pounds total. I haven't had much in the grapple yet, but moving round bales on the steepest ground is very comfortable now.
In order to run the grapple (and my future post hole drill), I added the factory 3 function kit for the FEL. Installation was a breeze. Put the new handle on, bolt up a new valve body, add a couple new hoses, plug in a wiring harness, and you're done.
This picture is showing how the Kubota shock less ride system looks once installed. I move a lot of round bales, and our ground can be pretty bumpy. This system allows the loader to "float", absorbing most of the bounce. I can tell you it's amazing! You lose a little speed when raising or lowering the loader. Fortunately turning it on or off is simply done by turning the knob. I highly recommend this option if you want to take the bounce out of your ride. Installation was a little tricky since the instructions were terrible. You add quite a few new hoses and tee fittings. You also end up with a lot of extra parts, which add to the confusion.
In order to run our NH 216 rake, I need 2 remotes. I had one, but added the second one. Very simple process. Bolt the new remote on top of your current one, hook up a cable, and add the handle. I'm going to get a hydraulic tilt cylinder someday, so a 3rd remote is in my future as well.
Additional remote handle shown. I staggered them to allow for easier operation. Not sure yet if I like it that way. It's simple to adjust if needed.
