The time has came to replace a tractor.

Discussion in 'Functional Gear & Equipment' started by Thunder5Ranch, Jun 29, 2022.


  1. SB21

    SB21 Monkey+++

    You've got a lot going on ,, you're definitely going to be busy for a while . Don't forget to try and kick back a little every now and then and slow down and regroup ,,, but ,, sitting atop that new tractor might be all the relaxing and regrouping you'll need ,, lol,,
     
  2. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    I will be glad when 2022 and all of the projects this year are in the rear view mirror! That will only leave two big projects to wrap up in 2023 The solar systems and getting the house interior finished and habitable. Was planning on the house being finish over the winter and early spring but the sawmill manufacturing and shipping delay shot that all to hell. And I have managed to get behind on other things that have and keep chipping away at precious days that are shrinking fast as October and the next mud season approach.

    The money thing came down to Mrs T5R had considerable income and assets and I had considerable assets but less income but we were pretty much equal in total assets and neither of us had any debt or liabilities. LOL I had already been through a diver back in my mid 20s that cost me pretty much everything but my uniform and enlistment, swore after that I would never get married and be that broke ever again. Mrs T5R had never been married and was very leery of losing everything she had worked for and to say the least is a very independent and strong willed woman. So we kept what was ours prior to the marriage as ours with will that easily transfer the assets to the other in the event of death and a contract that totally protects them in the event of divorce. So we each contribute a equal amount of money into the ours fund every year to pay the things that we both benefit from and pay the bills out of. It amounts to about 40% of my annual income and 30% of hers. So our bills just don't amount to much and the money in the general fund grew to a sizeable amount over the last 12 years of being married. After the first year it was obvious there was going to be a lot left over after paying the bills, so we started putting it in safe investments like 3 year treasuries, CDs, a good amount in a money markets that returned 8% to 12% per year. Didn't make us billionaires by a long shot but it did safely grow the OUR Money. And gave us the money to mutually spend on all of these projects. She is retiring in December and I have already pretty much retired. Personally I bring in around $30,000 per year from investments and leases without doing any business If I run the Food Trailer here and there I can add another $20,000 to that per year. Her pension will give her $64,000 per year and her investments another $30,000. SO individually we are both in great shape to retire and together we are in better than great shape to retire. Can't complain about being able to retire at 55 and her at 59. Our annual living expenses are a hair under $12,000.... would be half of that if there were no property taxes!

    Our last big talk/debate was what are we going to do after we are both retired. I WILL NOT ever give up my cattle and hogs so traveling and cruises are pretty much off the table for me. And I really have no interest in going someplace 100s of miles away to do the same thing I can do here and have already been around the world 3 1/2 times...... It just ain't that interesting to me. She wants to go on some cruises and go visit strange foreign lands now and then. And I got no problem with that and might find someone to take care of the livestock and tag along on occasion. What we both agreed on was turning the farm into our own personal private park, fishing and hunting reserve and a nice private beach on the lake. She did draw the line at me naming the lake "Lake Placid" and stocking it with giant mutant alligators and crocodiles :( But in my mind why bother going to a resort when you can transform what you have into your own private resort! I am a very strong anti social introvert in the real world. She on the other hand is a extrovert that loves dealing with people. If left to my own devices I would go to town once or twice per year. If left to her own devices she would go to town every day LOL. I have a flip phone that I only charge when I NEED to call someone. She has 4 smart phones that I still can't figure out how she juggles. LOL we are oil and water in many ways and mashed taters and gravy in many others. But somehow it all works out and we are a very strong team together.
     
  3. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    That Tractor blew a hydraulic hose 10 minutes ago
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    And dropped this log very fast from 12' up LOL
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    No pic but I believe the 5 gallons or so of blow out hydraulic oil mostly hit me! At least I got a message when I came inside that the new tractor will be here in about 30 minutes!!! I REALLY DO HATE THAT MF'R!!!
     
  4. SB21

    SB21 Monkey+++

    T5R ,, I love reading your posts ,, I'm not really sure why ,, cuz ,, it just shows me where I screwed up in life ,,, my biggest problems was the wrong damned women ,,, I might die butt freeking broke ,, hungry and starving ,,, but I ain't gonna complain ,,,, I'da done different if I thought I'd lived this long ,,, but ,, it is what it is now ,,, carry on soldier ,, I'm just happy to hear your progress out there ,, sounds like it's going to be a beautiful place in a short time .
     
  5. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

    I also enjoy the reads .
    Life 3 for me , and looking at #4 ? maybe FWB might be better
    Sloth
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2022
  6. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    My only regret is that I could not have done all of this 15 years ago. I would be in a much better position today but if I had done all of this 15 years ago, I would still be up to my eyeballs in debt today. I hear a lot that I would have nothing if not for Mrs T5R, semi accurate, I would have half as much. Nope would not be able to all the stuff now without her 50% contribution to the cause. And in response to why you like my post.... Mrs T5R would say "He does all the really stupid stuff so others don't have to :) " A good example was about 10 years back...... I needed to get to a tree limb 40 feet up, my extension ladder was only 30' , so I put the extension ladder in the massey bucket, which goes up 12' thus allowing me to reach the limb. This btw is when I first discovered the Massey HATES ME. So I am up at the top of the ladder and just finish tying the rope off on the offending limb, when the massey rolls backward on perfectly level ground! Dumps the ladder off and leaves me hanging on the limb. I fortunately got a arm looped over the limb before the ladder fell. Still made a little rosebud in the panties as the ladder crashed down, Mrs T5R hears the crash of the ladder and comes out to see me hanging like a monkey from the limb. Is she concerned about me....... nope. She sits down in a lawn chair watching the show and laughing. I tie really good knots and it was a 1" rope so I just slid the 40 feet down the rope to the ground. I know I set and locked the brakes on the massey and when I checked both right and left brakes had popped the locks. It was then I suspected that tractor was trying to kill me! LOL I never go up in the bucket now without setting both brakes and chocking both rear tires front and back.

    LOL I still go up in the Massey bucket by myself...... O have a long pole with a hook on it to raise and lower the bucket. Picking the hard to reach big sweet persimmons after a hard frost in this one.
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    How to properly catch a row of round bales on fire with a tracer round :)
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    Fortunately I make a a a lot of bales :)
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    When the dogs lock you out of the house on a really cold day......... And then Mock YOU!
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    What happens when your Chow Get knocked up by a Coyote..... You get a JC.
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    Staying up all night helping a First time sow through a very hard farrowing.
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    It all worked out well though.
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    Picking more delicious sweet persimmons..... What is scary my brother took the pic of me hanging from a limb.
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    Helping a hawk that got blasted out of the sky in a bad storm......
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    And then the Hawk thinking you are his best friend and following you around every place.
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    Putting on a dress and wig just to see if anyone would notice.
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    Going Smurf Hunting in the woods.
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    The general craziness when my brother comes and spends a week or 6... Yes we really are full brothers LOL I just got more of the Irish half than he did.
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    Making this the first company LOGO.

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    Then Mrs T5R came along and convinced me to change it to this. I still like my Skunk better!
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    And at the end of the day I have sunsets like this that make it all OK
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    Last edited: Jul 2, 2022
  7. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    So the new tractor finally got delivered today around 6pm. I got to play with it a bit, the shuttle shift on the side, rather than a stick between my legs is going to take some getting used to. I went with the 8 speed instead of the 12. I kind of regret not getting the 12 with a creep gear. This tractor has a lot of torque and spins the wheels pretty easy even in low 1st.

    I revisited the log that blew the Massey hydraulics this morning. I really did not expect the results I got from the 60hp new tractor vs the old 85hp Massey.

    I figure it would push this crown and log up on the pile and did not expect it to be able to lift it and move forward with it. Lifted it right up and moved the 10 feet forward with it and dumped it on top of the pile. Pic does not do the logs size justice and it is a very dense oak log. Tried lifting the log next to the one with the chain
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    The new tractor failed to lift it. But to be fair that log is 35 feet long and 29" diameter and is the trunk of the crown and log with the chain on it. Got it lifted about 2 feet before the rear wheels came off the ground.
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    Be a guy I just had to see how fast the tractor would go. So drove it down to the South Corner and then over to the SW Corner. Not very fast in low 4 going down to the S corner and 90 degree turn. Made the turn and flipped the lever to the high side.... Yeah it flies in high 4.

    Back up at the downed trees, I have 20' 50" Diameter post oak log in the ditch. From the 35' log I knew the new tractor had zero chance of lifting it. It did however push/roll it out of the ditch up on to the road. I tried pushing it end to end to the drive way and all I accomplished was spinning the wheels. Could push from the end side ways and spin it around to where I could push roll it to the drive way for the next test. Chaining onto the log and pulling it. Tractor struggled with it but did get it pulled into the log part of the lot. So I fired Oliver up and hooked the chain up to him. He easily pulled the log but Oliver is much heavier and is a 95hp tractor. Just wanted to compare the new tractor to the old Oliver. Massey is still sitting with a busted hose.... Just did not feel like building a new hose for it in the shop today...... It was really hot and I am a sissy :) Still has a lot of features I have no explored and played with yet but I WILL :)

    Overall I am happy with the new tractor so far. Plenty of power and plenty of speed. It suffers from the same ailment pretty much all newer tractors with a bucket have. There is no lip the protrudes from the buckets base making it very difficult to get any size log balanced on the bucket. It does have a skid steer quick connect plate to easily change the bucket out for something else. I am seeing brush and log forks in the near future with a grapple or thumb. I also foresee finding a good 8" wide piece of plate steel to weld onto the bucket and a make a protruding lip that can bite in and flip stuffs up and into or onto the bucket. May as well get a bale spear attachment for it as well or not and just keep using my bucket clamp on spear.
     
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  8. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    Not a bad line up of tractors. Oliver is missing because he is hooked up to the haybine waiting for the rain over the weekend to pass and the 7 days of blistering heat and sun next week for hay making.
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    That big log in the background is going to be a total PITA to move. Its to big for the mill by a long shot, so probably just going to cut it into firewood lengths where it is and take out in chunks :) DSC02839.JPG
     
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  9. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    So one thing I have dislikes about Kubota Buckets for decades is how squared off they are on the bottom lip like there is no lip at all to catch and flip stuff into the bucket. The smaller BX models are not so bad as they have the curve on the edges. The L models are kind of hit and miss some have the curve and some do not. The old MF'R had a similar problem when I got it but the angle was much more relaxed than the Kubota M bucket. I corrected the MF'R problem by finding a good piece of 1/4 inch steel and bolting it on to the bucket (Plate under the bucket... That is important!) and then welding it top front and bottom back. LOL I obviously abuse buckets! I have more patch steel holding the Massey bucket together than original steel ok not that much but A LOT. One does not simple rip bucket steel like I have on the Massey Bucket........ you have to work hard to do that kind of damage :) 2000 pound round bales on a clamp on bale spear help a lot in tearing a tractor bucket up!

    SO on the new Kubota I will be making the same quality of life mods that I did on the Massey bucket. The Chain Hook welded in the center is priceless for lifting, the loops on each top corner have multiple uses and benefits like for chaining things on to the bucket and the things not falling off when you lift.

    I will be burning pin hole in the frontish center of the Kubota Bucket. Just makes moving pin on implements around much easier than pinning them on to the back draw bar. I will weld on a 6x6 1/8th plate centered on where the hole will be burned out for a bit of additional support.

    This M5660SU has the Skid steer quick connect on the front. Dealer advised I was very lucky to get that on a new one, It seems the vendor that manufactures them for Kubota can't get the parts to manufacture them consistently and the general rule for Kubota buckets right now is Pin On Buckets Only.

    So with the front quick connect on this one, I am not going to weld a lip extension onto the bucket. I ordered a Titan Clamp on Brush/Rock Forks for it this morning. 72" wide and rated at 4500 pounds lift. $500 on Amazon. Rocks/Brush/Logs are primarily what I would use the lip for and it will work for hay ring manure collection just fine. Hit RK this afternoon and snagged a quick connect pallet forks and a quick connect bale spear..... Those big rounds using the Titan Clamp on Spear really do play hell on a tractor bucket. Still shopping the best deal on a good 6 or 7 foot bush hog, Have to go to one of the other Rural Kings for a 7' box blade of course they have them all around me except for the one closest to me LOL. And I need a 7' or 8' Landscape rake....... it just makes keeping the woods trails neat and debris free a lot easier and great for cleaning up all the little stuff after cutting a tree down to a log.

    No real complaints with the new tractor...... After I found the 4wd lever LOL I try to find stuff myself without reading the manual first. I tend to log it in my brain and remember everything that way. We now know with the 4wd engaged that it will move those giant diameter logs....... Won't lift them but it will push them and roll them along :)
     
  10. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

    i'll take a few pix of my tricks to pick up logs
    did you get loaded tires ?
    wet brine,, plus go on line with R king and order it to be picked up at your store ,, I do this from Canukland and pick it up when down
    Sloth
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2022
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  11. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    I have 3pt back lift that I can put 5k pounds on for better front log lifting. I am just going to have to adapt to this tractor can only lift 2500 pounds, maybe a little more, the hydraulics just won't do more. If I do the lift while pulling forward trick I can get around 4,000 up a couple of feet. Old massey as much as I hate it can easily do 4500 LOL might have the front tires pushed down to the rims and ready to pop but it can lift it.

    Nope on the loaded tires, I believe in counter weights not a fan of sloshy tires :)
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2022
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  12. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

    not a fan of slushy tires for my belly as well , but they work well for my logging tricks .
    I'll take pix tomorrow after the kids leave , 4H leader on small engines and such .
    bucket roll can pick up huge weight .
    S
     
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  13. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    I got that big log in the background of the pic moved last night. Measured it 45" diameter end to end and 15 feet long. Green Log Weight Chart for a post oak put that one at 725 pounds per linear foot of log making that log in the neighborhood of 10,875 pounds. Pushed the end so it was sideways and rolled down into the ditch, hooked the bucket over the back of the log and to my surprise the new tractor pulled it right up out of the ditch and onto the road. Then pushed it longways down to the driveway entrance and got back on the side of it skid pushed it to the log line up. For a little 60hp tractor it has some Mojo!
     
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  14. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    A hook welded centerline of the bucket is a must have, but I've also gotten to where I weld a pad eye for use with a shackle. Myself I always weld a base to the bucket, then the hook/pad eye to that. Helps to keep them from ripping out of the back of the bucket.

    I think this is a great idea and will prolong your bucket life.
     
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  15. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    Can kind of see in the Massey bucket the plate I have under the center hook, I welded it onto the under top and welded another plate on top and then welded the chain hook to the top plate. First attempt I just welded the hook to the bucket and first heavy lift cut the hook off and spent way too much time heating and beating the top of the bucket back into shape LOL. Even with the plates and staying within the hook limitations the top of the bucket had still deformed quite a bit over the years since.

    Got to thinking today, now that I have a good concrete floor in the machine shed......... I should get a tractor stand and break Massey in half and rebuilt the Transmission and coat the entire inside and ouside of the housing with high temp epoxy to maybe extend the life of all the hairline cracks in it. And replace the PTO shaft, seals and plates while I am at it. And take the bucket off and pull the rose bud out and super heat the bucket base and put that junk harbor freight jack hammer to it to beat that bow out of it LOL and then get a sheet of plate to fit the base and weld it on top of the old base. Wouldn't hurt to fix him up a bit and keep him sitting in a barn corner to have a heavy lifter around for the rare occasion I need to lift something that weighs 2 1/4 tons. On the other hand do really want to add a Project Tractor to long list of other Projects LOL
     
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  16. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

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  17. SB21

    SB21 Monkey+++

    Lol,,,, you sound like me. No sense in throwing something away,,, there's gotta be a use for it ,, I can't seem to throw anything away either . My problem is having time to put into the projects. Something to do when I retire . If I quit collecting projects now ,, I might have enough to get to a 100 years old .
     
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