Have any implement purchase regrets?

[MidTn Mark]

Sub Soiler. I bought it with the intent to rip trenches for laying cable or conduit, but I'm not sure it's the right tool. I've heard that narrow trenching buckets (4" or so) can be difficult to keep from getting dirt packed in them. Is there a single solid ripper tooth/claw for a BH?

Bro-Tek, they even sell a trenching attachment for the ripper tooth

 

[3Ts]

I don't think I would buy another backhoe if I upgraded tractors. Yea, it is nice knowing that I have a backhoe stored in the shop at my beckoning call..... but at the same time it sucks knowing that I have a backhoe just being stored in the shop.

Each of us has a different situation so our choices will be different. In my case, the backhoe has paid for itself several times over. It does sit a lot of the time, but when it is in use, it typically means a pretty big savings number. However, having said that, I also notice box blades show up on this list frequently and I'll have to add mine to that list. I would never get another one.

 

[GuidoSarducci]

I bought a fence unroller from Tractor Supply (Tarter Equipment). It was way more trouble than it's worth. By the time I clamped the fence down on the roller, got the tractor set just right and tightened it down...I could have just done it by hand.

 

[Piston]

I bought a 5' Landpride 1560 rotary cutter before I understood the real differences in 'light, medium, and heavy duty'. I bent/mangled that thing in no time, straightened it out and sold it. Since selling that brush hog, I have ONLY bought truly medium and heavy duty implements and not had a single issue. The problem is that some manufacturers call they're light/medium/heavy duty equipment by different names making it difficult to identify the actual duty rating for use. Descriptions like "Xtreme duty" and "Severe Xtreme duty" come to mind, when reality is it's actually a light to medium duty piece of equipment, however since there is no 'official' standard, they can market it however they want.

 

[Bigpuddie]

I bought a 5' Landpride 1560 rotary cutter before I understood the real differences in 'light, medium, and heavy duty'. I bent/mangled that thing in no time, straightened it out and sold it. Since selling that brush hog, I have ONLY bought truly medium and heavy duty implements and not had a single issue. The problem is that some manufacturers call they're light/medium/heavy duty equipment by different names making it difficult to identify the actual duty rating for use. Descriptions like "Xtreme duty" and "Severe Xtreme duty" come to mind, when reality is it's actually a light to medium duty piece of equipment, however since there is no 'official' standard, they can market it however they want.

Best way to guage whether its heavy duty or not is weight. My Rhino Turbo 96 weighs a whopping 2400#. Same size Titan 1808 weighs 1250#

 

[joeu235]

My dad bought a used New Holland Stackliner. After two years of total frustration, I finally convinced my dad to sell it at a loss. It was a great feeling seeing that POS behind someone else's truck leaving the ranch.

 

[greggyy]

A few recently are saying regret buying box blade.

I am about to buy one, so why did you regret buying the blade exactly ?

I have a regular grader blade, but it is fairly light, so is prob not much better at moving around gravel than my rake would be.

Was thinking of box blade, so I can move some earth, kind of like a quasi FEL, or mainly for loosening, box blades have rippers, and you could add weight, so they should be able to break up some harder earth then collect in the box to move around, filling in gaps and removing high spots, you would be disappointed if you were thinking it was turning a tractor into a dozer, but I can also see where it may be useful to rip to a shallow depth in an area I may want to sow or till as well, but the depth is limited to about 4 inches.

So, should I get a box blade, or is this thinking madness ?

 

[Bigpuddie]

You wont regret a Box blade. Very handy and very good for driveways. The angle blade has other uses, so having both is a good matchup

 

[Rock Crawler]

You wont regret a Box blade. Very handy and very good for driveways. The angle blade has other uses, so having both is a good matchup

Re-working limestone or gravel driveways is the only really good use I have found for my box, for dirt trails I find the rear grader blade much more useful, and for doing the final finish on those driveways I find the rear grader blade to be most useful. I've found that running the rear blade backwards so that it smooths over the surface and does not cut in is the hot ticket on gravel.

 

[DarkHelmet]

I use my box blade quite a bit, but having a top and tilt kit on the tractor makes it much more useful. You're able to adjust for the terrain and can tilt it forward or back to control how much it digs in. I've found the top and tilt kit from fit-rite hydraulics is one of the best purchases I've made. When augering holes you can use the side link cylinder to make the hole vertical even if you're on a little bit of slope and it makes it easier to hook up to the quick hitch.

So far the only implement I haven't used much is my backhoe, but having it for when I need it is as important to me as anything so I guess it's not a regret.

Wondering if I should buy a brush hog, but that's my concern......will I use it enough. We have a small horse farm and don't have that much area that needs brush cleared, but it has to be easier than weed whacking all of it!

 

[fried1765]

A few recently are saying regret buying box blade.

I am about to buy one, so why did you regret buying the blade exactly ?

I have a regular grader blade, but it is fairly light, so is prob not much better at moving around gravel than my rake would be.

Was thinking of box blade, so I can move some earth, kind of like a quasi FEL, or mainly for loosening, box blades have rippers, and you could add weight, so they should be able to break up some harder earth then collect in the box to move around, filling in gaps and removing high spots, you would be disappointed if you were thinking it was turning a tractor into a dozer, but I can also see where it may be useful to rip to a shallow depth in an area I may want to sow or till as well, but the depth is limited to about 4 inches.

So, should I get a box blade, or is this thinking madness ?

You really don't need a HEAVY box blade.
I have a KK 5' box blade (447 lbs.), and added almost 400 pounds of lead (free). Plenty heavy for me with 32 HP.

 

[greggyy]

I use my box blade quite a bit, but having a top and tilt kit on the tractor makes it much more useful. You're able to adjust for the terrain and can tilt it forward or back to control how much it digs in. I've found the top and tilt kit from fit-rite hydraulics is one of the best purchases I've made. When augering holes you can use the side link cylinder to make the hole vertical even if you're on a little bit of slope and it makes it easier to hook up to the quick hitch.

So far the only implement I haven't used much is my backhoe, but having it for when I need it is as important to me as anything so I guess it's not a regret.

Wondering if I should buy a brush hog, but that's my concern......will I use it enough. We have a small horse farm and don't have that much area that needs brush cleared, but it has to be easier than weed whacking all of it!

I was thinking some of the complaints about the blade may be due to angles.

When i use one, I will want it too dig in And collect the dirt.

A top hyd link would be useful, I have rear remotes, but I bet I never end up with one as often I need the link off too, well, TBH, I just need more tractors.

Get some temp fencing and some goats that do not jump or climb, or some dorpers, let them do it, I have often thought about one, but would prob get a finishing mower first, my animals keep everything under control. In saying that, things seem pretty affordable in the states.

For the cheaper brand king cutter does (not sure if US or China made) they are about 1500 bucks AUD for a 6 ft one, slashers/brush hogs are much more expensive for anything half decent, even the cheapies are above 1500 here

 

[greggyy]

You really don't need a HEAVY box blade.
I have a KK 5' box blade (447 lbs.), and added almost 400 pounds of lead (free). Plenty heavy for me with 32 HP.

Yeah, I am with you, I meant you can easily find ways to add weight to a box glade cause of shape and frame as opposed to trying to use a regular and comparatively lighter rear blade, and the dirt will end up everywhere and no rippers, I would not even try my rear blade.

Which brings up another question for me, I could prob easily sell my rear blade, I do not have gravel driveways to maintain, so I am not sure I am going to have much use for it really & it's sale price would cover a fair bit of a cheaper box blade (my rear blade is an expensive AUS made one

 

[greggyy]

You wont regret a Box blade. Very handy and very good for driveways. The angle blade has other uses, so having both is a good matchup

If your not maintaining driveways, and thinking more toward some minor earth work/moving here and there, could you see other uses for a rear blade ? it does swing to any angle as you say.

I am going to start and make some smaller compost piles, I have the below I could use and no FEL, what do you think could be used in some way for this task...

1 Small roto tiller
2 Smaller sized 3pl rear bucket
3 Rear blade
4 Landscape rake
5 Very large hay rake with approx 3 quarter tynes and 3ft high (this could turn over lots of material if piles were low, but is a pain to get on and off as is huge and heavy)
6 Possibly a box blade (it could prob turn over a bit too, but may get to messy once it spills over top)

I could also get my hands on a 3pl rear bucket that is on a boom, so it could lift from bottom of a pile and dump at top much easier than the one that is close to the 3pl.

One day I will get a tractor like in your avatar with a decent bucket and capacity

 

[Bigpuddie]

If your not maintaining driveways, and thinking more toward some minor earth work/moving here and there, could you see other uses for a rear blade ? it does swing to any angle as you say.

I am going to start and make some smaller compost piles, I have the below I could use and no FEL, what do you think could be used in some way for this task...

1 Small roto tiller
2 Smaller sized 3pl rear bucket
3 Rear blade
4 Landscape rake
5 Very large hay rake with approx 3 quarter tynes and 3ft high (this could turn over lots of material if piles were low, but is a pain to get on and off as is huge and heavy)
6 Possibly a box blade (it could prob turn over a bit too, but may get to messy once it spills over top)

I could also get my hands on a 3pl rear bucket that is on a boom, so it could lift from bottom of a pile and dump at top much easier than the one that is close to the 3pl.

One day I will get a tractor like in your avatar with a decent bucket and capacity

I plow snow with mine, crown my driveway. Install small ditches for drainage, and general grading

 

[Industrial Toys]

I just got beat to death at a big on-line auction (Bryons). Lot's of goodies lost out on. Can one have regrets for NOT buying something? Who knows? I need more stuff like another hole in my head!

 

[GuidoSarducci]

I just got beat to death at a big on-line auction (Bryons). Lot's of goodies lost out on. Can one have regrets for NOT buying something? Who knows? I need more stuff like another hole in my head!

I have been using Auction Time and it seems like stuff is going for the cost of new. Also the auctions don’t seem to be linear. We will get a steady rhythm going on an item $50..$100...$150 and then all of a sudden someone bids $2000.00 any bids after that are automatically outbid and the item ends up selling for more than new.

Something is definitely up with that. I thought I was being paranoid on a couple items but it’s happened now on a bakers dozen.

Sorry for the rant. What other auction sites do you use?

 

[Industrial Toys]

I liked the in person auctions. But obviously they can realize a much broader group of suckers on line. This auction had 3000 lots. And regardless of how often you remind yourself, it's hard to remember there is 13% buyers premium and 13% Tax on top of that!

I got no Buffalo turbine blower or Genie Lift, or anything for that matter, but there was much building material and I did get a great deal on engineered flooring for my Lady friends first house, which closes today. At least someone was happy!

 

[3Ts]

... automatically outbid and the item ends up selling for more than new.

I went to an estate auction for some T-posts, they had about 400 unused on a pallet. They went for a little over $4 each (plus 10% buyers premium and the same posts were being sold at TSC for $3.19 (and no sales tax with the AG exemption). I don't get it, so I don't go to auctions anymore.

 

[masseyrider]

I went to an estate auction for some T-posts, they had about 400 unused on a pallet. They went for a little over $4 each (plus 10% buyers premium and the same posts were being sold at TSC for $3.19 (and no sales tax with the AG exemption). I don't get it, so I don't go to auctions anymore.

You have to know your prices before going.
I've been to auctions at both extremes.
A local dealership went out of business several years ago.
I got an orchard sprayer that listed for almost $20K for $1500, nobody else bid. Original stickers still on it never saw daylight.
That auction just about everything went about $0.10-15 on the dollar.
I've seen other auctions where used, beat junk went for more than new list. Just depends who is there.