RDrancher
Veteran Member
Not all, but most of the threads in the NH section of TBN are posted in regards to problems with our tractors and how to go about getting them fixed and back to work. We're not alone, it's the same for all of the other brand-specific sections too. So I thought...why not share all of the good things about my own blue machine and find out what the rest of you like about yours?
Just like most folks, my Boomer TC35D is used to maintain my property, but it's also used for my business. In fact, my tractor has been responsible for over 90% of my income since I've re-focused on performing jobs I want to do instead of dealing with a bunch of employees or subcontractors, and taking on projects that I know beforehand will be a PITA. I wanted to have more fun working, and in the last 35+ years of being a contractor operating equipment had been the most fun...there just wasn't enough of it. The downturn in the economy and a move halfway across the country made this change possible and I feel truly blessed for it. Since I've made this change its been amazing to witness first-hand just how much work can be accomplished with one guy on a tractor, and sometimes a laborer or two.
My tractor works almost daily performing tasks it was never designed to perform and does it quite well. I still brushog here and there, but in a typical week the little blue tractor can be found installing gravel driveways, cutting grade on smaller jobs, or moving hundreds of yards of dirt for landscape grading. In fact, in the last six months that has included a 1000+ cubic yard select fill landscape job and most recently a large gravel parking lot. The parking lot job involved mixing and installing 900 cubic yards (45 semi loads) of road base over geotextile. This was accomplished in two and a half days, installing 400 cubic yards a day in the first two days and then the last 100 yards of gravel used for dress-up. My material supplier commented that he had been putting it on me pretty heavy and couldn't believe that a 35 hp tractor with a box blade could keep up. I was pretty amazed myself, and it gave me even more appreciation for the tractor and more "ammo" to fire at customers when I don't show up on the job with a skid steer or compact track loader.
All of this work with the tractor hasn't been without some substantial breakage and normal wear and tear. In the last 2200 hrs of use I've broken quite a few 3PT lower sway control arms (inner and outer) and even broke the upper loader pivot at the loader frame completely off. It turned out that the bung weld lacked sufficient penetration. Got it welded up and back working the next day. The radiator split at the seam and was beyond repair so I had to replace it. That breakdown was actually my fault. I was brushogging a place I call "****'s Ten Acres" and the radiator plugged with cottonwood seeds and overheated. I'm much more diligent now in keeping the radiator clean. Once, during a Texas blizzard (all you folks up North can laugh now) I broke off one of the quick attach arms. I guess hitting it with a sledge to get it closed isn't such a good idea. I also had a failure of one of the final drive bearings. Luckily I caught it before it really tore anything up. The loader and bucket pins have been replaced (some twice) and I've done quite a bit of welding and reinforcing on the "Heavy Duty" bucket too. The old bucket is on it's second bolt-on cutting edge so I shouldn't complain. I've gone through an annoying injector pump leak, 3PT bounce and the dreaded no start syndrome...the latter two being repaired with a ton of help here on TBN. The tractor is in the shop now for the diesel leak and I'm none too happy with the shops ability to fix then break it, or for the EPA for requiring tamper proof bolts to get to six little o-rings, that's for sure!
Anyway, I thought I share some of my experiences owning the Little Blue Tractor That Could. It's been fun!
Just like most folks, my Boomer TC35D is used to maintain my property, but it's also used for my business. In fact, my tractor has been responsible for over 90% of my income since I've re-focused on performing jobs I want to do instead of dealing with a bunch of employees or subcontractors, and taking on projects that I know beforehand will be a PITA. I wanted to have more fun working, and in the last 35+ years of being a contractor operating equipment had been the most fun...there just wasn't enough of it. The downturn in the economy and a move halfway across the country made this change possible and I feel truly blessed for it. Since I've made this change its been amazing to witness first-hand just how much work can be accomplished with one guy on a tractor, and sometimes a laborer or two.
My tractor works almost daily performing tasks it was never designed to perform and does it quite well. I still brushog here and there, but in a typical week the little blue tractor can be found installing gravel driveways, cutting grade on smaller jobs, or moving hundreds of yards of dirt for landscape grading. In fact, in the last six months that has included a 1000+ cubic yard select fill landscape job and most recently a large gravel parking lot. The parking lot job involved mixing and installing 900 cubic yards (45 semi loads) of road base over geotextile. This was accomplished in two and a half days, installing 400 cubic yards a day in the first two days and then the last 100 yards of gravel used for dress-up. My material supplier commented that he had been putting it on me pretty heavy and couldn't believe that a 35 hp tractor with a box blade could keep up. I was pretty amazed myself, and it gave me even more appreciation for the tractor and more "ammo" to fire at customers when I don't show up on the job with a skid steer or compact track loader.
All of this work with the tractor hasn't been without some substantial breakage and normal wear and tear. In the last 2200 hrs of use I've broken quite a few 3PT lower sway control arms (inner and outer) and even broke the upper loader pivot at the loader frame completely off. It turned out that the bung weld lacked sufficient penetration. Got it welded up and back working the next day. The radiator split at the seam and was beyond repair so I had to replace it. That breakdown was actually my fault. I was brushogging a place I call "****'s Ten Acres" and the radiator plugged with cottonwood seeds and overheated. I'm much more diligent now in keeping the radiator clean. Once, during a Texas blizzard (all you folks up North can laugh now) I broke off one of the quick attach arms. I guess hitting it with a sledge to get it closed isn't such a good idea. I also had a failure of one of the final drive bearings. Luckily I caught it before it really tore anything up. The loader and bucket pins have been replaced (some twice) and I've done quite a bit of welding and reinforcing on the "Heavy Duty" bucket too. The old bucket is on it's second bolt-on cutting edge so I shouldn't complain. I've gone through an annoying injector pump leak, 3PT bounce and the dreaded no start syndrome...the latter two being repaired with a ton of help here on TBN. The tractor is in the shop now for the diesel leak and I'm none too happy with the shops ability to fix then break it, or for the EPA for requiring tamper proof bolts to get to six little o-rings, that's for sure!
Anyway, I thought I share some of my experiences owning the Little Blue Tractor That Could. It's been fun!
