New Owner / Must haves?

[Catoosa]

As someone posted depends allot on what your property is and how you use the tractor. I have trees and pasture but not woods and most of my tractor time is spent mowing. If I had woods I would probably want a grapple but as it stands I would never use it.

 

[Captain Dirty]

. . . Waiting for my [first tractor] New LS XG3140H to be delivered . . . What are some accessories or DIYs that you guys use alot or can't go without?

While waiting, put a paper copy of the owner/operator's manual the bathroom. Reading it while you sit may not be as pleasurable as perusing attachment catalogs, but familiarity with the manual may save a lot of unpleasantness later.
More sooner than later you will want to have the service/workshop manual as well, especially if you are a DIYer. Also get a loose leaf binder and some document protectors so you can take pertinent pages into the field and protect them from grease and water.

You will find out soon enough what tools and supplies you will need. While I have a portable, "medium" sized tool box with spare pins, select tools, etc, the stuff that stays on the tractor (in the order of most use to less) is a rag tied to the hand grip on the fender, insect repellant, sunscreen, and a 15" crescent wrench. A water bottle usually accompanies me. Hopefully LS provides a cup holder and other recesses to stash such small stuff, if not, "U" bolts around the ROPS can attach small containers to hold the stuff.

 

[txdon]

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

If you don't have a lot of brush, trees or rocks to move on your land you do not need one.

 

[aloha]

- Best bang for the buck have been chain hooks welded on the FEL, one on each side.
- A close second is a good toothbar. I have really liked my EZ tooth bar (EZ Standard Tooth Bar Attachment from H & H Sales & Manufacturing Inc.. Manufacturer of Excavator Attachments from usa) and with its V construction it has held up to lots of abuse. It changes the FEL from being a loader into being a digger, gives some ability to use like a rake, and helps when scooping up brush, and makes it possible to carry in the FEL lumber, pipes, etc. that are longer than the FEL is wide.

Beyond those it depends on one's individual needs, but in particular:
- Having a backhoe has saved me a huge amount of money, far more than what the BH cost, by not having to hire out excavation work.
- I agree with everyone who said pallet forks. I have a pallet mover (http://www.kingkutter.com/store-product.aspx?id=3392) that is designed to use on the 3PH. I have a pallet with a 25 gallon 12 v. spray tank permanently mounted that I carry on the pallet mover when spraying but the pallet mover is one of my most frequently used implements. I also have found that I can chain it into the FEL bucket (those chain hooks are essential for this) when I want to lift something higher than the 3PH can manage.

And for easy mounting of heavy implements on the 3PH, park them under a sturdy beam that you can attach a comealong to. When you can ratchet them up they will virtually float into alignment.

 

[kebo]

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!

Here's my tool box, chain bucket, and fire extinguisher. Also, someone else already suggested this, but I added a canopy and it was WELL WORTH the money. I typically don't like to wear a cap, so it helps keep the sun from cooking my already feeble brain. The canopy mounts had U-bolts that face to the rear, and I was able to use those as mounting points for the metal guard that I added also, which is what the fire extinguisher and hammer holster are bolted to. The chain bucket was a section of PVC that I bolted to part of an old trailer hitch frame, and it simply slides into the open end of a piece of square tube on the side of the engine block, which is part of the mounting for the front end loader upright masts. The tool box got some upholstery added to it, and makes for a nice arm rest. :thumbsup: I'm still adding stuff to the tractor, next on the list are some LED lights on the front & back (and maybe sides too) of the canopy. The chain saw carrier is a piece of square steel tube that is welded to a plate that is also bolted to the same square tube that the chain bucket is mounted on (I moved my original fire extinguisher mount as it was too hard to get to). I have threads somewhere on this forum that gives more detail on how I built all that stuff

One last comment... do consider wearing hearing protection when you operate your tractor, you can develop hearing loss in a specific frequency range from listening to a sound that is in a constant frequency range. Also wear good leather gloves, but that goes without saying. Good luck with your new tractor, and enjoy it!