I like that you guys aren’t afraid to tell people about products you sell that people don’t like, even if it might hurt your business. It makes you seem more honest.
Hi Neil. Love your videos!! I bought my first and only tractor in January of 2019, a B2650 with a front loader and a rear mounted snowblower. The snowblower has full hydraulic controls. Where I live, we typically get 16 feet of snow per winter. After using walk behind snowblowers for over 40 years, including Hondas for the past 35 years, I can tell without any qualification that the little bit of ‘neck craning’, is an utter joy compared to snow whipping into your face. Plus, with the cameras now available, I might invest in one for when time ravages my body a wee bit more. And, for full disclosure, I live in a city with a house lot of 61 foot frontage. Before anyone chimes in asking why I have this, I am tired of having to work like a dog first thing in the morning to go to work and do it all over again when I come home and try to get into my driveway. Now, I can sit with comfort in my heated factory cab, clear the snow with ease. With 6 years to retirement, I think I can indulge myself a little!😁. Keep up the great work!! Thank you!
Update: I had my dealer install a Kubota camera system last November and after using it this past winter, it was the right decision and money well spent. Less craning around and vastly improved rear visibility at all times which provides for a more comfortable and less stressful operator experience.
Although drilling into hard ground can sometimes be a problem, I have found that having 2 different size bits definitely helps. It's like drilling a pilot hole first, then come back with the larger bit. Secondly, I put my auger on my tractor by myself without any problem at all. Under the shed I store it in, I drilled a hole in the ground. Then, when I get ready to disconnect the auger, I lower the bit into the hole. That way the auger stands upright after I disconnect it.
@@mattfleming86 That "idea" was 3 yrs. ago. Since then, I have come up with a better idea that doesn't require leaving the bit in the ground. I had a outdoor swing (you know the kind. It was padded with a canvas top over it and seats 2 or 3 people). The seat finally succumbed to the elements so I removed it and used the frame. I hang the auger from the hook at the top and attached a chain from either side to hold it straight. The bit itself sets on a concrete pad. It's a little hard to describe, but it works even better than drilling a hole to set the bit in.
This means the poor craftsman blames his tools for a poor outcome on the work. A craftsman (or farmer or land owner, etc) has every right to find a tool frustrating and difficult to use, and also every right to demand a better tool. I helped a friend with some woodworking once... They'd bought the cheapest table saw available and the fence didn't self-square. So every time I moved the fence, I had to re-square it to the blade manually. Then, when locking it down, it'd sometimes move. There comes a point when it's not worth the time and effort to fight a bad tool.
I love my rear mount snowblower... the local dealer talked me out of the front mount so I'd always have my bucket... After 10 years I still agree it was a good choice.
I agree wholeheartedly with your selections and logic with items 1-4 - mostly based on personal experience over the past decade and a bit. A couple of comments: Quick attach - you are correct - even within the brand there are issues. I'm a hobby farmer with three small tractors (25 - 50hp), and all have quick-attach all the time. Had to make small modifications to two of them, and took great care when I was selecting the third one and any new implements (I've had 10 rear mount attachments in total). I sold the post-hole auger and cement mixer almost as quickly as I bought them. Lessons learned. I've got a Frontier rear-mount snow blower. Love the price point, and LOVE that I can still have a bucket on the front and that I can quickly and easily swap that for forks (hobbyist sawmiller) while still keeping my snow blower. The 'pain in the neck' that you refer to while real, is also a 'prompt' that gets me back to some yoga and stretching so that I stay limber. Easy to attach and is bullet-proof. One of my favourite implements (Canada). Was surprised to see it appear on the list.
When I was in High-school back in the 70's I had a PHD in hooking up regular 3 point hitches by my lonesome ... being young and able to mount and dismount the tractor very many times may have helped ... (especially on uneven ground) secret is Wood Wedges and don't get in a hurry
I’ve got a massey 1705 with the drive over 60” deck and I love it. Hooks up easy every time and I’m constantly taking it on and off from mowing to dirtwork
I love 3 point quick hitches. One thing that I really like about them is they really help to keep hoses out of the pto. Really a peace of mind with how much hydraulic oil and hoses cost.
I totally agree with the belly attached mower deck. I had a 3 point hitch finish mower and used it one year and sol;d it. I bought a zero turn mower that will mow two-three time faster.
In case it helps you guys, we hang or post hole digger from a tree by chains. Then we can back the tractor up and adjust the three-point to fit up to the post hole digger. It makes it a lot easier than having to pick it up.
My Tractor does not have a PTO and so far I have not yet needed a PTO attachment. I have 1982 IH 260A (74HP) with 7 foot front loader and a 7 foot Box blade. These two implements so far have been full filing all my needs around the property. Only additional hardware I purchased were two Clamp on Forks, They worked great for moving tree trunks around and lifting the 8 to 10 foot Norway Spruce trees I planted around the property.
I will agree with everything except the mid mount mower. I finally got one after 30 years of 3pt mowing. I think the cut is awesome and no tail swing is what makes it great. Taken it on and off 10 times so far. It is not perfect but not any worse than a 3pt.
I had the identical auger and found that if you chained it to a pole or a fence it was easier to put on. The thing I really didn't like about it was that you had to be careful and not screw it into the ground and not be able to get it out. In soft dirt it will go screw itself right in and you can't lift it out because it's stuck and you can't turn it backwards. I know of cases where it happened. Gotta dig it out. I traded mine for a skid steer auger and never looked back.
At work we recently bought a Wood's RD990X Bush hog along with a quick hitch from Messicks. Had it unloaded, hooked it all up to our Kubota M7040D and cutting grass in a little over an hour. 👍 Two person job if you want to keep the aggravation level down. 😁 Thanks Messicks!!
I have a 6 ft snowblower mounted on a quick hitch on my L4701. Trust me, when you live on a mountain in British Columbia, Canada this setup is a lifesaver. I have no problem blowing in reverse when you have 3 ft of snow fall in just 24 hours!
When I bought my 1025r I wanted the iMatch quick hitch and it’s the best. Lot of my attachments are quick n easy. Just need to take your time and get to know your machine and it’s quirks.
Very good ! For me the first rule of hooking easily to a three point hitch is to pay attention to where and how you unhook! Level open ground is a key. For the post hole digger, a chain hanging from a good tree limb is a very good option. I would hang mine by gearbox so auger was just clear of ground on a level spot. This allows unit to float and I have hooked up by myself many times. Two tall posts with a good crossbeam also works. Never owned snowblower, backhoe, quick attach hitch or belly mower. Did keep a 6 foot steel fence post , pipe or wood post handy to adjust implements during hitching. Better for me than trying to push/ pull units by hand. Again, how one unhooks makes major difference on reattachment . Good subject.
There is one great auger out there and it’s the Belton brand with the hydraulic cylinder pushing down. That helps to get down pressure and it’s also not as flimsy
The closest I have seen of a 3-pt snow blower on the rear of a tractor that doesn't hurt your neck is Kubota F series mower tractors. They resemble the BX series if you put the seat in the opposite direction and flipped the trans.
Love my drive over deck. Gotta say the first couple times I put it on I was sick. There is no video that shows the right way. One night I dug in and figured it out. Massey 1725.
That's a good video. Agree with the frustration of the 3 Pt Quick Hitch for not fitting all implements. I need to find a 1/2 inch cotter pin to hold the top pin holder so I can move it without wrenches to undo the two bolts/nuts. I am also going to get a metal fabricator to modify the top pin holder so it has more range as it doesn't go low enough for all my implements (including one of the manufacturer's ones which is frustrating!). Aside from that, it seems to be more convenient than doing a lot of adjustments; long story short however, I maybe should have just gotten used to doing it the manual way and then I would be faster now; that may be on the agenda for next year and sell the quick hitch.
I knew a guy who made a side-on linkage for his "drive over" and just used it kinda like a side mower, but he could run up and down with the discharge underneath and pile up his clippings in "wellkinda rows". He put a folding wheel on the "side-on" so he could just roll it under and lever it up into place. Ended up damaging the side pegs on the extended side but it reminded me so much of the old sicklebar side-mounts. It strikes me that a 4 "drum" mower that side mounts on smaller tractors might be a great thing.
mounting my 3 ph post hole digger is simple. I use a chain hoist hanging from a shed rafter or roof joist and hang the fully assembled digger in the air so I can back up to the digger and adjust it using the chain hoist to line it up on the pins. works really well and allows me to attach digger by myself.
I do a similar thing. The auger is stored hanging by a chain permanently attached to beam overhead. The storage height for the auger about midway up on the lift, although the height isn't critical, just needs to be somwhere in middle 2/3 or so of 3 pt movement. Back up anywhere close to it, extend & connect the telescoping lower links (myJD 2440 & 2755 tractors have these fitted), connect top link and PTO, move 3 pt lift lever up to lift auger a bit, unhook chain and drive away. Reverse the process for removal and storage. It's all very easy when the chain is holding the weight of the unit. It would be a bit more difficult with fixed lift arms as on most compacts, but I think still ok as the auger is dangling, effortless to move around.
Surprised to see the quick hitch on the list. I have a SpeeCo on my 2021 JD 1025R and it is a huge time & labor saver compared to what I had to go through with my prior 1956 Ford 640. I have a drive-over deck (the JD is a quick attach . . . after four hours of adjusting everything right). I like that I have the lift brackets so I can store mine vertically in the shed on a castered dolly and work on it.
I really like that post hole auger. I have figured out how to put it on with ease by my self, no special tools or hangers, and I am 66 years old. It's only problem is that there is no reverse direction on the PTO. So, if the bit burries in too deep, it is hard to extract.
When you lift the front of a 966 off the ground, you know the auger is stuck. When the rear of the 4020 comes off the ground, you know the bucket-mounted auger is stuck.
A couple points I make… First, I wholeheartedly agree with your list, but for the QuickHitch part: nice, informative video. While your info is cautionary, I have a new system and do not buy attachments that are not popularly sold in the US and I also verify, as you noted, make sure they are a QuickHitch compatible. Thus this is a minor, if at all, issue for me. The backhoe is useless unless one has soft and / or high organic soils. I live in a (high desert) area with high, tight clay soils and / or rock (not 2-3 inch rocks, but 4-20+ inch rocks). The backhoe, no matter how intimidating the teeth appear and objectively well designed, WILL NOT make a “backhoe” dent in soil. I specifically bought the backhoe attachment to allow me to dig up and plant new (fruit) trees. I sold that attachment, along with the 1025R JD tractor: I needed more power for use in my area. There are front-attaching, V-shaped buckets that do a better job, but still limited usefulness in my area. Incidentally, when I took off (and then replaced) the backhoe, I needed to remove large (~18"x12" plates that were ¾+") plates held on by large, metric bolts with large 30mm and 45mm heads; now WHO has those wrenches in their tool box? I question whether a socket would have been strong enough to "break" the bolts. The wrenches had to be ordered at a cost of $40± each. Furthermore, I needed to remove the back wheels just to access these bolts, and other tractor parts were held on with the same bolts. Geesh, what a mess - and then I had to put it back together when I sold the tractor with the backhoe. I needed to remove the plates because they hung down so low, I had, literally, 4" of clearance. One (of the many rocks in our area) would have stopped my tractor in its tracks - or slid around the rock if I was moving fast enough. Next the mowers… It does not make ANY sense to get 3-point hitch or “drive-over” mower (including nearly all riding mowers) because driving over grass with big, fat tires squishes the grass down and is counter-productive to a clean mowing effort. The only mower worth getting is a front, loader-attached mower. Now, if one is doing general brush mowing, a 3-point hitch mower, would probably be OK. Also note that front-loading attachments’ standards appear to be more universally implemented than QuickHitch stuff.
Thanks for the tip on being careful of pto shaft lengths on a new tractor. I could have caused damage to my new B2650 if I had not cut it 2” shorter on my generator. This was on one of your other videos.
Gotta say i love my quickhitch. I can change between my blade, rake, and bushhog in seconds. You just have to have matching equipment. If your using a bunch of different brands I guess it could be an issue.
Most people have no idea how tractors work and quick hitches are the only way to go especially for home owners and situations where you would swap equipment very often. ya get what ya pay for and this especially rings true in this day and age I grew up using these and my neighbor had these all set up and it took a bit of tuning but man when ya got that shit set right it's insane how much more productive one can be
I think a front buck and rear backhoe are annoying for a "garden tractor" because no matter how big of one you get for your tractor, you always want one bigger. Super handy at times (mainly front bucket) but perpetually wanting a larger/more powerful size is annoying
About the drive over deck . I have a 1025R JD that is a lot better system than Kubota. I made little adjustment one time and now work very well. I like it as I take out the mower to go in the forest within 1 minute in the garage or outside on the grass. So I love this feature. it made 2 years that I have this tractor.
One alternate to the Three Point Quick Attach option are the "Pat's Quick Hitch". They fit on the lower arms and give you the ability to slide in under the pins and lift up to lock it in place. You still have to get off the tractor to hook up the top link, but there's a LOT less fighting with the lower arms to get things to link up. My only problem with them is that they extend the lower arms by a few inches so you have the extend the top link a bit more than you might want to with some accessories.
I have a 60 inch drive-over deck and have been using it for over a year now. Maybe I just got lucky, but mine works perfectly every time. I can get the deck off or on in about 1 to 2 minutes. I hope it stays that way. It's only a year old. So far, so good. Thanks for the heads-up.
I love my quick hitch. Granted my attachments are compatible. But it's nice, especially with things like a box blade and grading blade. Things you don't have to hook up a PTO or hydraulics. Don't even need to leave the cab. And it's quick enough to pop off for a post hole digger.
If you put a hydraulic top link on your tractor you will LOVE the quick hitch and almost never take it off! I have 7 attachments that go on my quick hitch but wouldn't work without the hyd, top link cylinder. You guys at the dealerships should be selling those like mad! Put one on and try it for yourself!
#5 SNOW blower, It's called ' large rear view mirrors on the tractor ' cheap compared to front mount SB's. #4 Post auger, it is what it is ! Sometimes you just have to go and do some work but, we set a post with what works like an boat oar lock (Gimbal) mounted at the top of the post, one man can swing, pitch or rotate it as needed to install on the 3 point.
I don't see any cons except if you're not careful your knees might start bending backwards if it launches a log back at you because of the huge force it produces. We've got a 17t (that's metric tonne) vertical splitter with added 1t PTO driven cable log puller and it eats anything for breakfast. I've done 3ft+ diameter 1.5ft tall oak logs with it without problems. Capacity up to 3ft+ height of logs with mechanical standup lift.
I have a quick hitch and yes its a love hate relationship, on the finish mower its almost dangerous to hook up trying to align the floating arms on the finish mower, on the bush hog I still have to pin the top link if I want the float feature of the bush hog to run over uneven ground but it is easier to hook the bottom links with the quick hitch, the tiller works pretty good, the landscape rake hooks up nice in the lower links but must be pinned in the top link instead of hooked. If I had it to do again I would probably use the PATS quick attach lower links and just pin the top link since I find myself doing that alot anyway, you have to get off to hook or unhook the drive line so is it really a big deal to hook the top link, I find the bottom links are the ones I use to fight anyway. Good video!
Great informative video . I did my auger by myself. I had to take it appart and put it on in peices then I made a stand for it so I can put it on and take it off easily by myself . I add weight to it to help it dig. easier easier
I grew up on farm and with a lot of implements you need to look to the right rear or directly behind the tractor which is a pain in the neck. In 2012 I bought a Toro 520xi. Within a week I traded it’s mint 48” deck for a 60” deck. It’s quite a chore attaching or detaching that huge deck. Slide, turn steering wheel, slide, turn steering wheel, slide, turn steering wheel, slide, turn steering wheel. Then try to get the front bar lined up, then up into the attach-amatic receiver on both sides. It’s supposed to be a no tools operation but it’s much easier with two people. Much easier if you just lift the front of the tractor with a floor jack. That 60” deck was too big for a 20hp Kohler. I should have removed the side panels so that the engine could run cooler. I sold that deck for $600 and now I run 52” decks.
I'd draw a distinction between a drive over deck, and a deck that tries to auto attach. I think the B2601 deck you can drive over, but you still attach it by hand like normal. That'd suit me just fine, I don't like dragging the deck out from under, but quite happy to attach the mid PTO shaft myself.
My snow blower is front mount, a real pain to attach unless on perfectly level ground. However the rear ones shown here had sprockets & chains exposed to ice buildup, no way would I touch that model (we get 20 ft. per season). On the post hole digger, huge point missed is that in clay they will screw themselves into the ground in a heartbeat not to mention hitting roots and rocks and also hitting the target is better suited to having an assistant, seems to me front mounts would be better to keep an eye on. With the quick hitch, his point with incompatibilities is spot on but when they work they are great.
Never seen a snowblower like that. What we usually got here in Finland is rear mounted but we pull it forward instead of backing up and pushing it. No neck problems.
I agree, I live in the US and have the same type of snowblower as you but I'm one of the few. I would never buy one where you have to drive in reverse the whole time.
I went with Pats Quick Hitch system. I like it much better then dealing with the style of quick hitch that you show. A lot of my attachments are not quick hitch adaptable.
Wow! That is interesting Neal. I expected the auger but not the quick attach. It makes sense though. A salesman at my local dealership warned me against getting one for the reasons you mentioned. I ended up getting extensible links on the 3 point stabilizer. Great video as always.
I have never had dealings with a drive over deck personally, but having torn a bicep tendon sliding a mower deck under a zero-turn I can say that I will definitely be looking into a drive-over for my next mower purchase.
On my zero-turn I just pop a wheelie to get the deck back under it. Lol My pulley shields aren’t plastic though. They are heavy diamond plate and can handle an impact from the front wheels very easily.
Yeh, my place is a mixture of black clay, and chert. Just about impossible to put a hole in with a shovel. A manual post hole digger is pretty useless. I don't know if one of those three-point screwdiggers will be any better but it certainly be a lot easier even if it doesn't dig a hole. I'm sure they probably are a pain to put on, but you can't be any more of a pain than trying to dig a hole deep enough to put a fence post in with narrow shovel post hole digger.
I suppose you've never let out a few cuss words here and there working with tractor equipment. And it's safe to assume that all the pencils in your house do not have eraser's on them either do they.
@@ubertocreote3198 I'd imagine, farmers that dont cuss aren't farmers, they're investors. But there's a huge cross section of indiduals that aren't capable of doing the work and can't learn it either. And not due to intelligence or lack of try. Many just aren't mechanically inclined. Then you get on it and change hats to Mr. Green zJeans the plant master. And later you put on your veterinarian hat. And then your financial advisor hat. And your bull got out and your asshole neighbor is seeing, so lawyer hats next. Really is a huge set of skills that you MUST have to survive...
As a 3rd generation grain farmer.... I admire and enjoy my neighbors who didn’t grow up farming but like to dabble in it. One of my neighbors is a CPA and another a dentist. They both like to piddle around on their 20+ acres putting in food plots, maintaining gravel etc.. I have helped them several times... pulling them out of a wet field, setting up an implement, instructing on how to use certain equipment, warning them of risks etc... It’s all second nature to me because I grew up around it. My dentist neighbor met me at his office last Sunday when a limb sprung and hit me in the mouth. No need to deride others, we all have our talents and we all need each other.
@@jphickory522 : Agree, to a point. There are PLENTY of not-so-great people that we (society) don't need around, but unfortunately must learn to deal with. I get a kick out of "play farmers" that have a wealthy professional career doing something completely different. No faster way to waste all your money, especially if you didn't grow up a farmer, or are just clueless to farming. That said, they're usually very well off financially, so they can afford the constant losses that they typically incur. Many also do it for the tax breaks that they receive. A buddy of mine is a home remodeling contractor. He started his farm originally, simply to evade as much taxes as he legally can. Smart man.
Very good info! Interesting to hear about the problems with the quick hitch. That was something I was looking for, for my tractor. I never thought the category 1 was not a perfect standard. Good video!!
Interesting, I have very little issues with my quick hitch or drive-over mower. Maybe once every season do I have to make an adjustment to the mower linkages and usually, it's minor. I haven't used a post-hole digger, but I can already tell that one would be an issue.
I love my quick hitch, I use it on everything including my 3 point hitch mounted snowblower. I have both a finish mower and brush hog for my B2601 and it was a major pain swapping them before I got the quick hitch, Now the hardest part is connecting the pto
Since we have a front 3pt hitch / PTO / hydraulic remotes on our MF 5713 S, we mount a 3pt snow blower out front and a sand dropper on the rear. It makes quick work of our long lane and big area we have to blow/sand each winter storm.
Very good video Neil. Had to laugh a couple times watching it, thinking "I can relate to that". I have people ask me frequently when they see my 3pt snow blower "Do you have to back up to use that?" I tell them yes, its not as hard to do as they think, and I like having the loader in combination with the blower.
Reversing is one of those things where it's only really hard until you start doing it regularly and start getting used to it. It's how i learned to reverse with trailers. Just do it and let it take it's time, and eventually you'll get at least decent at doing it.
I can see why an after market backhoe would cause breakage and damage, but my Kubota BX25D backhoe that comes stock is awesome and I have had no troubles with it (and I've used the hell out of it). Also, I did have an auger initially, and the guy who ran me through the installation gave me a tip on how to mount/unmount it: first off, once you have it mounted, dig a hole and THEN unmount it. He recommended that you actually store the thing in the ground! That way, when you go to use it, you back up, hook it up, then use the PTO to put it out and begin using it -- that worked great
I have a big piece of pipe mounted to a skid to keep mine in same idea but it lets me store it in the back of barn easier it makes a great shelf for dust
Wow, you had to expect a lot of comments here. Those who can’t look behind and drive should leave it to someone who can. When the non tractor driver is using farm implements that require skill, some skill is required. I can see the frustration in the post hole digger and attaching some implements. That’s just reality. A simple set up is good. Both the blower and post hole digger are the simplest setups available. Keep it simple for transferring the most power and decrease breakage. Maybe the high expectations are not on the machine but the dealer expects too much from the home user.
I don't mind putting on and using my rear mount snow blower, yes it can be hard on the neck but it allows me to mount a front blade for pushing snow and it is better at the start of the snow season to push the wet early season snow rather than blow it on soft ground , you throw a lot of gravel in the early season till the ground freezes. That's when the blade is best.
Don't have a blade, I can see the benefits for the reasons you mention. I do put a loader on the front though as snow blowers can only be lifted so high.
Moreover, if your Joe office and you bought a piece a land to be Joe Farmer, get ready to bust a knuckle . Nature and precision, what it ought to be, but it ain't, no matter how pretty it starts out looking. Ha
I have alotta fence farms here , like you say. I barely see any critters but they have tons of fences. Top dollar equipment too. Its all a big tax writeoff for em.
My girlfriend's family has a couple old tractors. One of them uses an auger on the back and as soon as it hits the dirt it wants to tilt to one side, digging a diagonal hole. We remedied this by putting a rope on it and pulling it one way by hand to keep it going straight. Not very practical. It requires at least one other person, usually two.
i have watched a whole lot of tractor videos since i bought my first sub compact tractor in 2016. i have 650 hours on it and i have quite a few implements. tomorrow i will be getting a pto stump grinder. i love my drive over mower deck. for 5 years its worked great. super easy and fast. but i had to adjust it after delivery. i dont think its possible to make any attachment thats flawless so that people that are anti-mechanically orientated to not have problems and say that sucks. but most could take the steps to learn. but dont. i dont think that after this far along in creation that this will change.
Should do a top 5 list now. But I think we all know the brush hog, loader and grapple would win. I recently fell in love with wood working attachments (woodsman buzz saw, log splitter, and wood chipper).
I like my Woods quick attach, but the one implement that it will not pick up, due to interference from the structure of the implement, is my Woods back blade. Go figure....
Belarus 420 had 3 pt hitch down pressure. My JD drive over is excellent...no issues. Rear mount blower is a must where we are. If you get serious snow, as we do, a front mount is all but useless. Also you still have your loader when needed to knock down 5-6 ft drifts.
I often wish I had a drive over mower deck, not being young I find sharpening/changing blades on my BX23S heavy going especially since I have no flat surface to work on.
True story, my leg was almost torn off by a 3pt post-hole digger. in East-Central Colorado there is little top soil and a lot of clay and rock so my dad told me to use a T-post as a cheater bar and hang on it to get the auger to bite. The auger caught the ankle of my jeans and swung me around, thankfully my jeans tore off Daisy Duke style and I kept both legs. We stopped working for that day and went home, i'm not sure if we ever told Mama
You might think that after 15 years with my TC33DA with a LA14 loader that I must have no frustration as I have never even considered any of your top 5 . Not do fast. I have 5 3-pont devises and 2 have been frustrating but not in regards to the 3-point rear mounting. The first is (now replaced) was the OEM NH ballast box. I thought It was a case of fill it with stony-sand to the very top and hang it then I would be good to go. I guess it did function that way for 10 years but by the end of ten years it had rusted out to the point I did want to hang it as there was no meat holding the bottom 3-point pins. The sand started out bone dry but 10 years of precipitation took it's toll. I replaced that with a cast concrete block with a single continueous solid bar providing the 2 lower pins for the 3-pont and 2 large pieces of 4' angle iron providing to top link. The second and far more frustrating device is a 2 bottom field plow. I thought that 33 horse power would be able to handle 2 14" plow bottoms but in this case it was not because of the combination of a rocker foot accelerator pedal and a hydrostatic transmission. I would strongly advise anyone with a compact Tractor to return to your tractor dealer fir advise on plow selection - Do Not go to Tractor Supply for this! If your Compact tractor has a Hydrostatic Transmission or if it has only a foot throttle and no manual throttle setting, don't expect to field plow with it - It WILL drive You CRAZY :
steve holton the old rule from my uncles for a bottom plow was 20 hp for each blade in worked ground. That leaves you a few hp shy at best. In ground that had not been worked the previous year, the rule was min 30 hp/blade and more was better. At best you need a 1 bottom plow or a larger hp tractor.
steve holton if the ground has not been turned in 50 years, 1) 33 hp will not pull a 2 bottom plow through that ever! But you figured that out the hard way! 2) cut the sod and sell it! 3) be careful of how deep you turn the ground! You want to keep top soil on top. I would suggest a 6 ft disc or smaller followed with a tiller. Again removing sod would be helpful. You could rent a sod cutter, but know what you plane to do with it prior to cutting. If you don’t want to use a disc, get a middle buster, potato digger (single plow runs centered behind tractor) some models also include an adapter to be a subsoiler which may be beneficial for you for drainage. Good luck, sorry but you have too much bottom plow for your tractor unless you are in ground that does not need a bottom plow.
The bottom line is that a lifetime of observing farmers both on and off this property did NOT make a FARMER out of this HOBBY farmer. I learned most of the lessons the hard way by MAKING ALL THE MISTAKES. I now know that I should never have begun with less than 55 horse power and that when it comes to the fields totaling about 12 acres, I should have hired a real farmer to reclaim them by turning it all at once with a much larger tractor and plow and then disking it into a good seed bed for me to the work with and maintain.
Out of interest why do American tractors still often the enclosed linkage ball arms rather than hook type quick connect like a lot of the European tractors as I noticed that I believe in you Kubota M5-111 video which had lower link arms similar to our old Ford 6610 with the slide out ends while out M5-111 has the hook type with stabilizer bars?
My neck and back doesn’t miss my 3 point snow blower! Though I LOVE LOVE my new B2650 with a beautiful cab!! Though it’s not as powerful with heavy snow I just have to go a little slower no problem with a heated cab I don’t get cold 🥶 any more!
Love my 8N with 72" finish mower!!! Can be put on and off in under 5 minutes and repairs are a dream since the 3 point is its own lift! You can easily crawl under there and change the blades in 10 minutes flat! Try that on one of those under belly decks or a zero turn...
With a belly mount mower on a tractor even without the drive-over deck run the front of the tractor up on blocks, or lower the bucket and raise the tractor to get easier access, using non-harbor freight jack stands of course for safety. The non-drive over decks disconnect pretty quickly and easily and if you drop the deck on a paved or concrete driveway or other hard surface turn the deck gauge wheels to the side you can simply roll the deck out from under the machine. With my lawn tractor I have one of those mower lifts, that thing works great, not only for mowers, but I've used it to remove and re-install bumpers on my pickup after painting, and to install a receiver hitch on another vehicle. Can't use that thing with a tractor though LOL.
I've worn out 3 augers on a cheap, 3 point Howse post hole digger, mostly by myself. It sure beats a hand operated digger. I have an ancient one shovel head manual post hole digger that can get every last crumb of dirt out of a 3 foot hole that an auger digs that my dad gave me. It is over a hundred years old and works off of a hinged shovel with a linkage. The weak link on the 3 point auger is once that center point sits on hard pan or a big rock it's not going anywhere even if you have two tractors and put the bucket on top of the auger.
I would think the quick hitch would be much easier than struggling trying to get pins into mis-aligned holes in old equipment. Plus changing implements would be quicker I'd think, I guess it all depends on how much you use the quick hitch and the equipment as to the pain it is to use. You'd think in all these years of tractor and implement building there would be an industry standard measurement for a 3-point hitch by now...then again if that were the case every implement could work on any tractor keeping the proprietariness (ooh look new word LOL) out of the pricing equation.
A hydraulic cylinder on one of the lift arms (instead of the link) makes a 3pt auger a dream to use. Especially if you weld on some brackets to hang tractor weights on and attach a level to the gearbox.
5. For the 3 point hitch snowblower, I'd say that installing a backup camera will make operation much less of a pain in the neck. 4. Given how rocky my soil is, I don't think a 3 point hitch auger would be useful. 3. I feel like I would rather buy/rent a mini excavator instead of using a 3 point hitch backhoe. At least I can drive and dig at the same time. Adding/removing them would be a PITA. 2. I'm on the fence whether to get a quick hitch...I guess I could modify my implements so they work right. 1. I use a 3 point hitch finish mower, which is faster to add/remove than any belly mower.
@@danmorris6387 wallow it out and line with green pipe and a cap. Tap for drain and drop a bit of gravel first, then pipe. Should work. Corner of equipment she'd better yet. Don't forget a piece of something stiff to cap it when empty...that liability word is rolling over my eyes like a slot machine again
I like that you guys aren’t afraid to tell people about products you sell that people don’t like, even if it might hurt your business. It makes you seem more honest.
I’ve ordered hard to find parts from them several times, they are always that genuine and honest. They have been a pleasure to work with!
You know what's even more frustrating? Shoveling snow, digging holes by hand and cutting grass with a push reel mower.
Most of the people in my area playing around with compact tractors look like they could benefit from a little manual labor lol.
Exactly!!!
Hi Neil. Love your videos!! I bought my first and only tractor in January of 2019, a B2650 with a front loader and a rear mounted snowblower. The snowblower has full hydraulic controls. Where I live, we typically get 16 feet of snow per winter. After using walk behind snowblowers for over 40 years, including Hondas for the past 35 years, I can tell without any qualification that the little bit of ‘neck craning’, is an utter joy compared to snow whipping into your face. Plus, with the cameras now available, I might invest in one for when time ravages my body a wee bit more. And, for full disclosure, I live in a city with a house lot of 61 foot frontage. Before anyone chimes in asking why I have this, I am tired of having to work like a dog first thing in the morning to go to work and do it all over again when I come home and try to get into my driveway. Now, I can sit with comfort in my heated factory cab, clear the snow with ease. With 6 years to retirement, I think I can indulge myself a little!😁. Keep up the great work!! Thank you!
Well Said.
Update: I had my dealer install a Kubota camera system last November and after using it this past winter, it was the right decision and money well spent. Less craning around and vastly improved rear visibility at all times which provides for a more comfortable and less stressful operator experience.
ANYONE WHO HATES THEIR ATTACHMENTS ARE WELCOME TO DROP THEM AT MY PLACE!!
LOL I WILL FIGURE A WAY TO TOLERATE THEM, LOL!!
SAME HERE
I'd have to have them drop their BX off at my place too LOL.
Just call me and I guess we can take it off your hands
Although drilling into hard ground can sometimes be a problem, I have found that having 2 different size bits definitely helps. It's like drilling a pilot hole first, then come back with the larger bit. Secondly, I put my auger on my tractor by myself without any problem at all. Under the shed I store it in, I drilled a hole in the ground. Then, when I get ready to disconnect the auger, I lower the bit into the hole. That way the auger stands upright after I disconnect it.
That’s a great idea!
I hang mine from a sturdy branch and just hook it up from there.
wow - I'm definitely following this advice.
Not gonna lie... if you are on somewhat dry ground that is an AWESOME idea.
@@mattfleming86 That "idea" was 3 yrs. ago. Since then, I have come up with a better idea that doesn't require leaving the bit in the ground. I had a outdoor swing (you know the kind. It was padded with a canvas top over it and seats 2 or 3 people). The seat finally succumbed to the elements so I removed it and used the frame. I hang the auger from the hook at the top and attached a chain from either side to hold it straight. The bit itself sets on a concrete pad. It's a little hard to describe, but it works even better than drilling a hole to set the bit in.
My father always said “ it’s a poor craftsman who blames his tools”.... sometimes a little thought and ingenuity goes along way
Or what my father always says its the Indian not the arrow
My old man used to say it's always the workman and never the tools
@@trevorgrampp6789 My old man never said much at all. No indians no huh
This means the poor craftsman blames his tools for a poor outcome on the work. A craftsman (or farmer or land owner, etc) has every right to find a tool frustrating and difficult to use, and also every right to demand a better tool. I helped a friend with some woodworking once... They'd bought the cheapest table saw available and the fence didn't self-square. So every time I moved the fence, I had to re-square it to the blade manually. Then, when locking it down, it'd sometimes move. There comes a point when it's not worth the time and effort to fight a bad tool.
Remember the Pyramids were built with hammers and chisels. Or aliens...
I love my rear mount snowblower... the local dealer talked me out of the front mount so I'd always have my bucket... After 10 years I still agree it was a good choice.
I agree wholeheartedly with your selections and logic with items 1-4 - mostly based on personal experience over the past decade and a bit. A couple of comments:
Quick attach - you are correct - even within the brand there are issues. I'm a hobby farmer with three small tractors (25 - 50hp), and all have quick-attach all the time.
Had to make small modifications to two of them, and took great care when I was selecting the third one and any new implements (I've had 10 rear mount attachments in total). I sold the post-hole auger and cement mixer almost as quickly as I bought them. Lessons learned.
I've got a Frontier rear-mount snow blower. Love the price point, and LOVE that I can still have a bucket on the front and that I can quickly and easily swap that for forks (hobbyist sawmiller) while still keeping my snow blower. The 'pain in the neck' that you refer to while real, is also a 'prompt' that gets me back to some yoga and stretching so that I stay limber. Easy to attach and is bullet-proof. One of my favourite implements (Canada). Was surprised to see it appear on the list.
Try a 12 row planter mounted on the 3 point. You won't complain about the small stuff anymore.
When I was in High-school back in the 70's I had a PHD in hooking up regular 3 point hitches by my lonesome ... being young and able to mount and dismount the tractor very many times may have helped ... (especially on uneven ground) secret is Wood Wedges and don't get in a hurry
Mine is hanging in my pole barn. I just back up to it and hook it up. Easy that way. Couldn't imagine trying that if it's laying on the ground though.
I’ve got a massey 1705 with the drive over 60” deck and I love it. Hooks up easy every time and I’m constantly taking it on and off from mowing to dirtwork
You left out the biggest attachment problem; The operator. :)
Ah yes, the ole loose nut behind the wheel. We tend to cause most of our own problems.
The operator is genarally not an attatchment, they're more often a tool🤣
daddynichol52 the nut behind the steering wheel is certainly the cause of most problems.
I’ve explained that to folks who ask if it can be adjusted!
Would the "operator" be an attachment or an accessory??? lol
Amen brother! For us small farmers, please start making all 3-point hitch implements quick hitch ready!!!!! Oh, how this drives me crazy!
I love 3 point quick hitches. One thing that I really like about them is they really help to keep hoses out of the pto. Really a peace of mind with how much hydraulic oil and hoses cost.
I totally agree with the belly attached mower deck. I had a 3 point hitch finish mower and used it one year and sol;d it. I bought a zero turn mower that will mow two-three time faster.
In case it helps you guys, we hang or post hole digger from a tree by chains. Then we can back the tractor up and adjust the three-point to fit up to the post hole digger. It makes it a lot easier than having to pick it up.
My Tractor does not have a PTO and so far I have not yet needed a PTO attachment. I have 1982 IH 260A (74HP) with 7 foot front loader and a 7 foot Box blade. These two implements so far have been full filing all my needs around the property. Only additional hardware I purchased were two Clamp on Forks, They worked great for moving tree trunks around and lifting the 8 to 10 foot Norway Spruce trees I planted around the property.
I will agree with everything except the mid mount mower. I finally got one after 30 years of 3pt mowing. I think the cut is awesome and no tail swing is what makes it great. Taken it on and off 10 times so far. It is not perfect but not any worse than a 3pt.
I had the identical auger and found that if you chained it to a pole or a fence it was easier to put on. The thing I really didn't like about it was that you had to be careful and not screw it into the ground and not be able to get it out. In soft dirt it will go screw itself right in and you can't lift it out because it's stuck and you can't turn it backwards. I know of cases where it happened. Gotta dig it out. I traded mine for a skid steer auger and never looked back.
3pt snowblower is used a lot because it's generally used in conjunction with a snow pusher or blade on the loader
At work we recently bought a Wood's RD990X Bush hog along with a quick hitch from Messicks. Had it unloaded, hooked it all up to our Kubota M7040D and cutting grass in a little over an hour. 👍
Two person job if you want to keep the aggravation level down. 😁
Thanks Messicks!!
I have a 6 ft snowblower mounted on a quick hitch on my L4701. Trust me, when you live on a mountain in British Columbia, Canada this setup is a lifesaver. I have no problem blowing in reverse when you have 3 ft of snow fall in just 24 hours!
When I bought my 1025r I wanted the iMatch quick hitch and it’s the best. Lot of my attachments are quick n easy. Just need to take your time and get to know your machine and it’s quirks.
Ya said it right there. I feel the same way bout my JD 1025R, the attachments i have, & the Imatch.
See but if your looking for something Easier then get a ventrac
Very good !
For me the first rule of hooking easily to a three point hitch is to pay attention to where and how you unhook! Level open ground is a key.
For the post hole digger, a chain hanging from a good tree limb is a very good option. I would hang mine by gearbox so auger was just clear of ground on a level spot. This allows unit to float and I have hooked up by myself many times. Two tall posts with a good crossbeam also works.
Never owned snowblower, backhoe, quick attach hitch or belly mower.
Did keep a 6 foot steel fence post , pipe or wood post handy to adjust implements during hitching. Better for me than trying to push/ pull units by hand.
Again, how one unhooks makes major difference on reattachment .
Good subject.
There is one great auger out there and it’s the Belton brand with the hydraulic cylinder pushing down. That helps to get down pressure and it’s also not as flimsy
Danuser has a down pressure kit too.
Fuss? Try digging, shoveling snow, making a post hole with out one of these.
I mounted a large screen backup camera for the snow auger. Rarely have to turn my head around to see what is going on.
For the auger issue ... being difficult to attach etc ... drill a shallow hole where you want to park it. Park it upright in the hole.
I'm in Canada , I have a snowblower for my compact . Hard on the neck but beats the hell out of shovelling .. LOL
Front mounts are great. My old Simplicoty Legacy XL had a front PTO with the snowblower. I loved that tractor.
I have an inverted 3 point hitch snowblower, just drive forward. You don't get snow in the face like you do with a front mount either.
The closest I have seen of a 3-pt snow blower on the rear of a tractor that doesn't hurt your neck is Kubota F series mower tractors. They resemble the BX series if you put the seat in the opposite direction and flipped the trans.
Love my drive over deck. Gotta say the first couple times I put it on I was sick. There is no video that shows the right way. One night I dug in and figured it out.
Massey 1725.
That's a good video. Agree with the frustration of the 3 Pt Quick Hitch for not fitting all implements. I need to find a 1/2 inch cotter pin to hold the top pin holder so I can move it without wrenches to undo the two bolts/nuts. I am also going to get a metal fabricator to modify the top pin holder so it has more range as it doesn't go low enough for all my implements (including one of the manufacturer's ones which is frustrating!). Aside from that, it seems to be more convenient than doing a lot of adjustments; long story short however, I maybe should have just gotten used to doing it the manual way and then I would be faster now; that may be on the agenda for next year and sell the quick hitch.
I knew a guy who made a side-on linkage for his "drive over" and just used it kinda like a side mower, but he could run up and down with the discharge underneath and pile up his clippings in "wellkinda rows". He put a folding wheel on the "side-on" so he could just roll it under and lever it up into place. Ended up damaging the side pegs on the extended side but it reminded me so much of the old sicklebar side-mounts.
It strikes me that a 4 "drum" mower that side mounts on smaller tractors might be a great thing.
mounting my 3 ph post hole digger is simple. I use a chain hoist hanging from a shed rafter or roof joist and hang the fully assembled digger in the air so I can back up to the digger and adjust it using the chain hoist to line it up on the pins. works really well and allows me to attach digger by myself.
I do a similar thing. The auger is stored hanging by a chain permanently attached to beam overhead. The storage height for the auger about midway up on the lift, although the height isn't critical, just needs to be somwhere in middle 2/3 or so of 3 pt movement. Back up anywhere close to it, extend & connect the telescoping lower links (myJD 2440 & 2755 tractors have these fitted), connect top link and PTO, move 3 pt lift lever up to lift auger a bit, unhook chain and drive away.
Reverse the process for removal and storage.
It's all very easy when the chain is holding the weight of the unit. It would be a bit more difficult with fixed lift arms as on most compacts, but I think still ok as the auger is dangling, effortless to move around.
@@glenbreaks5448 backyard engineering ingenuity is a wonderful thing - like the old saying "necessity is the mother of invention"
Surprised to see the quick hitch on the list. I have a SpeeCo on my 2021 JD 1025R and it is a huge time & labor saver compared to what I had to go through with my prior 1956 Ford 640. I have a drive-over deck (the JD is a quick attach . . . after four hours of adjusting everything right). I like that I have the lift brackets so I can store mine vertically in the shed on a castered dolly and work on it.
I really like that post hole auger. I have figured out how to put it on with ease by my self, no special tools or hangers, and I am 66 years old. It's only problem is that there is no reverse direction on the PTO. So, if the bit burries in too deep, it is hard to extract.
When you lift the front of a 966 off the ground, you know the auger is stuck.
When the rear of the 4020 comes off the ground, you know the bucket-mounted auger is stuck.
A couple points I make… First, I wholeheartedly agree with your list, but for the QuickHitch part: nice, informative video. While your info is cautionary, I have a new system and do not buy attachments that are not popularly sold in the US and I also verify, as you noted, make sure they are a QuickHitch compatible. Thus this is a minor, if at all, issue for me.
The backhoe is useless unless one has soft and / or high organic soils. I live in a (high desert) area with high, tight clay soils and / or rock (not 2-3 inch rocks, but 4-20+ inch rocks). The backhoe, no matter how intimidating the teeth appear and objectively well designed, WILL NOT make a “backhoe” dent in soil. I specifically bought the backhoe attachment to allow me to dig up and plant new (fruit) trees. I sold that attachment, along with the 1025R JD tractor: I needed more power for use in my area. There are front-attaching, V-shaped buckets that do a better job, but still limited usefulness in my area. Incidentally, when I took off (and then replaced) the backhoe, I needed to remove large (~18"x12" plates that were ¾+") plates held on by large, metric bolts with large 30mm and 45mm heads; now WHO has those wrenches in their tool box? I question whether a socket would have been strong enough to "break" the bolts. The wrenches had to be ordered at a cost of $40± each. Furthermore, I needed to remove the back wheels just to access these bolts, and other tractor parts were held on with the same bolts. Geesh, what a mess - and then I had to put it back together when I sold the tractor with the backhoe. I needed to remove the plates because they hung down so low, I had, literally, 4" of clearance. One (of the many rocks in our area) would have stopped my tractor in its tracks - or slid around the rock if I was moving fast enough.
Next the mowers… It does not make ANY sense to get 3-point hitch or “drive-over” mower (including nearly all riding mowers) because driving over grass with big, fat tires squishes the grass down and is counter-productive to a clean mowing effort. The only mower worth getting is a front, loader-attached mower. Now, if one is doing general brush mowing, a 3-point hitch mower, would probably be OK. Also note that front-loading attachments’ standards appear to be more universally implemented than QuickHitch stuff.
Thanks for the tip on being careful of pto shaft lengths on a new tractor. I could have caused damage to my new B2650 if I had not cut it 2” shorter on my generator. This was on one of your other videos.
dan d Sounds like the HF 3 point one.
Gotta say i love my quickhitch. I can change between my blade, rake, and bushhog in seconds. You just have to have matching equipment. If your using a bunch of different brands I guess it could be an issue.
Most people have no idea how tractors work and quick hitches are the only way to go especially for home owners and situations where you would swap equipment very often. ya get what ya pay for and this especially rings true in this day and age I grew up using these and my neighbor had these all set up and it took a bit of tuning but man when ya got that shit set right it's insane how much more productive one can be
I think a front buck and rear backhoe are annoying for a "garden tractor" because no matter how big of one you get for your tractor, you always want one bigger. Super handy at times (mainly front bucket) but perpetually wanting a larger/more powerful size is annoying
About the drive over deck . I have a 1025R JD that is a lot better system than Kubota. I made little adjustment one time and now work very well. I like it as I take out the mower to go in the forest within 1 minute in the garage or outside on the grass. So I love this feature. it made 2 years that I have this tractor.
One alternate to the Three Point Quick Attach option are the "Pat's Quick Hitch". They fit on the lower arms and give you the ability to slide in under the pins and lift up to lock it in place. You still have to get off the tractor to hook up the top link, but there's a LOT less fighting with the lower arms to get things to link up.
My only problem with them is that they extend the lower arms by a few inches so you have the extend the top link a bit more than you might want to with some accessories.
I have a 60 inch drive-over deck and have been using it for over a year now. Maybe I just got lucky, but mine works perfectly every time. I can get the deck off or on in about 1 to 2 minutes. I hope it stays that way. It's only a year old. So far, so good. Thanks for the heads-up.
Great Video Neil. I would agree with number 1, my 54D autoconnect is terrible.
I love my quick hitch. Granted my attachments are compatible. But it's nice, especially with things like a box blade and grading blade. Things you don't have to hook up a PTO or hydraulics. Don't even need to leave the cab.
And it's quick enough to pop off for a post hole digger.
If you put a hydraulic top link on your tractor you will LOVE the quick hitch and almost never take it off! I have 7 attachments that go on my quick hitch but wouldn't work without the hyd, top link cylinder. You guys at the dealerships should be selling those like mad! Put one on and try it for yourself!
The only attachment that doesn’t work on my JD quick hitch is my 500# 3 point hitch seed spreader. Other than that they all fit and work well
#5 SNOW blower, It's called ' large rear view mirrors on the tractor ' cheap compared to front mount SB's.
#4 Post auger, it is what it is ! Sometimes you just have to go and do some work but, we set a post with
what works like an boat oar lock (Gimbal) mounted at the top of the post, one man can swing, pitch or rotate it as
needed to install on the 3 point.
Do a video about the pros and cons of tractor driven wood splitters and generators.
I don't see any cons except if you're not careful your knees might start bending backwards if it launches a log back at you because of the huge force it produces. We've got a 17t (that's metric tonne) vertical splitter with added 1t PTO driven cable log puller and it eats anything for breakfast. I've done 3ft+ diameter 1.5ft tall oak logs with it without problems. Capacity up to 3ft+ height of logs with mechanical standup lift.
I have a quick hitch and yes its a love hate relationship, on the finish mower its almost dangerous to hook up trying to align the floating arms on the finish mower, on the bush hog I still have to pin the top link if I want the float feature of the bush hog to run over uneven ground but it is easier to hook the bottom links with the quick hitch, the tiller works pretty good, the landscape rake hooks up nice in the lower links but must be pinned in the top link instead of hooked. If I had it to do again I would probably use the PATS quick attach lower links and just pin the top link since I find myself doing that alot anyway, you have to get off to hook or unhook the drive line so is it really a big deal to hook the top link, I find the bottom links are the ones I use to fight anyway. Good video!
I don't have any problem with my quick hitch.
I would get my ex wife to sit on the auger frame. She was so heavy it would drill through solid rock.
Didn't need a 20 foot joint of pipe for leverage? That's heavy.
Good one!
LOL. That is funny...
LAMO
XD.
Great informative video . I did my auger by myself. I had to take it appart and put it on in peices then I made a stand for it so I can put it on and take it off easily by myself . I add weight to it to help it dig. easier easier
Auger from JD I modified with an PTO hydraulic pump for reverse function and down force plus drill positioning. Perfect.
I grew up on farm and with a lot of implements you need to look to the right rear or directly behind the tractor which is a pain in the neck.
In 2012 I bought a Toro 520xi. Within a week I traded it’s mint 48” deck for a 60” deck. It’s quite a chore attaching or detaching that huge deck. Slide, turn steering wheel, slide, turn steering wheel, slide, turn steering wheel, slide, turn steering wheel. Then try to get the front bar lined up, then up into the attach-amatic receiver on both sides. It’s supposed to be a no tools operation but it’s much easier with two people. Much easier if you just lift the front of the tractor with a floor jack. That 60” deck was too big for a 20hp Kohler. I should have removed the side panels so that the engine could run cooler. I sold that deck for $600 and now I run 52” decks.
That drive over deck assembly protects the under side of my bx and has saved my hydro fan many times!
I'd draw a distinction between a drive over deck, and a deck that tries to auto attach. I think the B2601 deck you can drive over, but you still attach it by hand like normal. That'd suit me just fine, I don't like dragging the deck out from under, but quite happy to attach the mid PTO shaft myself.
I'd agree with you there.
My snow blower is front mount, a real pain to attach unless on perfectly level ground. However the rear ones shown here had sprockets & chains exposed to ice buildup, no way would I touch that model (we get 20 ft. per season). On the post hole digger, huge point missed is that in clay they will screw themselves into the ground in a heartbeat not to mention hitting roots and rocks and also hitting the target is better suited to having an assistant, seems to me front mounts would be better to keep an eye on. With the quick hitch, his point with incompatibilities is spot on but when they work they are great.
Never seen a snowblower like that. What we usually got here in Finland is rear mounted but we pull it forward instead of backing up and pushing it. No neck problems.
I agree, I live in the US and have the same type of snowblower as you but I'm one of the few. I would never buy one where you have to drive in reverse the whole time.
Only way to go rear snow blower for sure (Grand L 3560) would never give up front bucket !!
@@davem4193 crazy I would never give up bucket (Grand L 3560) rear blower for sure ! Must not do much snow removal
I went with Pats Quick Hitch system. I like it much better then dealing with the style of quick hitch that you show. A lot of my attachments are not quick hitch adaptable.
Kubota B6100 love the post hole auger. Hate when I hit rock in Missouri clay. Hate putting it on. Still better than digging it buy hand.
Wow! That is interesting Neal. I expected the auger but not the quick attach. It makes sense though. A salesman at my local dealership warned me against getting one for the reasons you mentioned. I ended up getting extensible links on the 3 point stabilizer. Great video as always.
I have never had dealings with a drive over deck personally, but having torn a bicep tendon sliding a mower deck under a zero-turn I can say that I will definitely be looking into a drive-over for my next mower purchase.
On my zero-turn I just pop a wheelie to get the deck back under it. Lol My pulley shields aren’t plastic though. They are heavy diamond plate and can handle an impact from the front wheels very easily.
Yeh, my place is a mixture of black clay, and chert. Just about impossible to put a hole in with a shovel. A manual post hole digger is pretty useless. I don't know if one of those three-point screwdiggers will be any better but it certainly be a lot easier even if it doesn't dig a hole. I'm sure they probably are a pain to put on, but you can't be any more of a pain than trying to dig a hole deep enough to put a fence post in with narrow shovel post hole digger.
Using a tractor is work people. If you can't handle it hire it done.
I suppose you've never let out a few cuss words here and there working with tractor equipment. And it's safe to assume that all the pencils in your house do not have eraser's on them either do they.
@@ubertocreote3198 I'd imagine, farmers that dont cuss aren't farmers, they're investors. But there's a huge cross section of indiduals that aren't capable of doing the work and can't learn it either. And not due to intelligence or lack of try. Many just aren't mechanically inclined. Then you get on it and change hats to Mr. Green zJeans the plant master. And later you put on your veterinarian hat. And then your financial advisor hat. And your bull got out and your asshole neighbor is seeing, so lawyer hats next. Really is a huge set of skills that you MUST have to survive...
As a 3rd generation grain farmer.... I admire and enjoy my neighbors who didn’t grow up farming but like to dabble in it. One of my neighbors is a CPA and another a dentist. They both like to piddle around on their 20+ acres putting in food plots, maintaining gravel etc.. I have helped them several times... pulling them out of a wet field, setting up an implement, instructing on how to use certain equipment, warning them of risks etc... It’s all second nature to me because I grew up around it. My dentist neighbor met me at his office last Sunday when a limb sprung and hit me in the mouth. No need to deride others, we all have our talents and we all need each other.
@@jphickory522 : Agree, to a point. There are PLENTY of not-so-great people that we (society) don't need around, but unfortunately must learn to deal with.
I get a kick out of "play farmers" that have a wealthy professional career doing something completely different.
No faster way to waste all your money, especially if you didn't grow up a farmer, or are just clueless to farming. That said, they're usually very well off financially, so they can afford the constant losses that they typically incur.
Many also do it for the tax breaks that they receive. A buddy of mine is a home remodeling contractor. He started his farm originally, simply to evade as much taxes as he legally can.
Smart man.
Very good info! Interesting to hear about the problems with the quick hitch. That was something I was looking for, for my tractor. I never thought the category 1 was not a perfect standard. Good video!!
This dude looks like Mac from Always Sunny in Philadelphia
The quick hitch is GREAT! Just depends on how you use it and understand how it works.
your honesty is appreciated.
Interesting, I have very little issues with my quick hitch or drive-over mower. Maybe once every season do I have to make an adjustment to the mower linkages and usually, it's minor. I haven't used a post-hole digger, but I can already tell that one would be an issue.
I love my quick hitch, I use it on everything including my 3 point hitch mounted snowblower. I have both a finish mower and brush hog for my B2601 and it was a major pain swapping them before I got the quick hitch, Now the hardest part is connecting the pto
Since we have a front 3pt hitch / PTO / hydraulic remotes on our MF 5713 S, we mount a 3pt snow blower out front and a sand dropper on the rear. It makes quick work of our long lane and big area we have to blow/sand each winter storm.
Would never give up bucket to put snowblower on front of my Grand L 3560
Thanks Neil, isn’t it about time for another Neil’s deals? Wishing you and yours a very blessed, happy and healthy New Year.🎉
I need to do another. They take a long time to edit.
Very good video Neil. Had to laugh a couple times watching it, thinking "I can relate to that". I have people ask me frequently when they see my 3pt snow blower "Do you have to back up to use that?" I tell them yes, its not as hard to do as they think, and I like having the loader in combination with the blower.
Reversing is one of those things where it's only really hard until you start doing it regularly and start getting used to it. It's how i learned to reverse with trailers. Just do it and let it take it's time, and eventually you'll get at least decent at doing it.
I can see why an after market backhoe would cause breakage and damage, but my Kubota BX25D backhoe that comes stock is awesome and I have had no troubles with it (and I've used the hell out of it).
Also, I did have an auger initially, and the guy who ran me through the installation gave me a tip on how to mount/unmount it: first off, once you have it mounted, dig a hole and THEN unmount it. He recommended that you actually store the thing in the ground! That way, when you go to use it, you back up, hook it up, then use the PTO to put it out and begin using it -- that worked great
I have a big piece of pipe mounted to a skid to keep mine in same idea but it lets me store it in the back of barn easier it makes a great shelf for dust
Wow, you had to expect a lot of comments here. Those who can’t look behind and drive should leave it to someone who can. When the non tractor driver is using farm implements that require skill, some skill is required. I can see the frustration in the post hole digger and attaching some implements. That’s just reality. A simple set up is good. Both the blower and post hole digger are the simplest setups available. Keep it simple for transferring the most power and decrease breakage. Maybe the high expectations are not on the machine but the dealer expects too much from the home user.
WE'RE NOT WORTHY!!! WE'RE NOT WORTHY!!!!! OH GREAT MASTER OF ALL THINGS MECHANICAL!!!!!!!!!
I don't mind putting on and using my rear mount snow blower, yes it can be hard on the neck but it allows me to mount a front blade for pushing snow and it is better at the start of the snow season to push the wet early season snow rather than blow it on soft ground , you throw a lot of gravel in the early season till the ground freezes. That's when the blade is best.
Don't have a blade, I can see the benefits for the reasons you mention. I do put a loader on the front though as snow blowers can only be lifted so high.
What group of people did you get your data from. These are my number one accessories.
I'm new school. I have never attached a 3 point implement without a QH. Love then darn thing.
Oh man I have a kubota tg1860 and that mower deck does not like to keep still and it's not even a drive over
Moreover, if your Joe office and you bought a piece a land to be Joe Farmer, get ready to bust a knuckle . Nature and precision, what it ought to be, but it ain't, no matter how pretty it starts out looking. Ha
I have alotta fence farms here , like you say.
I barely see any critters but they have tons of fences.
Top dollar equipment too.
Its all a big tax writeoff for em.
Need a reverse lever pto on the post auger needs it bad in case it gets hung up, the only one I've seen was on a Long,
My girlfriend's family has a couple old tractors. One of them uses an auger on the back and as soon as it hits the dirt it wants to tilt to one side, digging a diagonal hole. We remedied this by putting a rope on it and pulling it one way by hand to keep it going straight. Not very practical. It requires at least one other person, usually two.
i have watched a whole lot of tractor videos since i bought my first sub compact tractor in 2016. i have 650 hours on it and i have quite a few implements. tomorrow i will be getting a pto stump grinder. i love my drive over mower deck. for 5 years its worked great. super easy and fast. but i had to adjust it after delivery. i dont think its possible to make any attachment thats flawless so that people that are anti-mechanically orientated to not have problems and say that sucks. but most could take the steps to learn. but dont. i dont think that after this far along in creation that this will change.
Should do a top 5 list now. But I think we all know the brush hog, loader and grapple would win.
I recently fell in love with wood working attachments (woodsman buzz saw, log splitter, and wood chipper).
Tainted backhoe
I like my Woods quick attach, but the one implement that it will not pick up, due to interference from the structure of the implement, is my Woods back blade. Go figure....
Belarus 420 had 3 pt hitch down pressure. My JD drive over is excellent...no issues. Rear mount blower is a must where we are. If you get serious snow, as we do, a front mount is all but useless. Also you still have your loader when needed to knock down 5-6 ft drifts.
The drive over deck on my 2601 is awesome. But I made a set of small wooden steps for each side. Helps the tractor drive up on the deck vs pushing it.
I often wish I had a drive over mower deck, not being young I find sharpening/changing blades on my BX23S heavy going especially since I have no flat surface to work on.
True story, my leg was almost torn off by a 3pt post-hole digger. in East-Central Colorado there is little top soil and a lot of clay and rock so my dad told me to use a T-post as a cheater bar and hang on it to get the auger to bite. The auger caught the ankle of my jeans and swung me around, thankfully my jeans tore off Daisy Duke style and I kept both legs. We stopped working for that day and went home, i'm not sure if we ever told Mama
You might think that after 15 years with my TC33DA with a LA14 loader that I must have no frustration as I have never even considered any of your top 5 . Not do fast. I have 5 3-pont devises and 2 have been frustrating but not in regards to the 3-point rear mounting. The first is (now replaced) was the OEM NH ballast box. I thought It was a case of fill it with stony-sand to the very top and hang it then I would be good to go. I guess it did function that way for 10 years but by the end of ten years it had rusted out to the point I did want to hang it as there was no meat holding the bottom 3-point pins. The sand started out bone dry but 10 years of precipitation took it's toll. I replaced that with a cast concrete block with a single continueous solid bar providing the 2 lower pins for the 3-pont and 2 large pieces of 4' angle iron providing to top link. The second and far more frustrating device is a 2 bottom field plow. I thought that 33 horse power would be able to handle 2 14" plow bottoms but in this case it was not because of the combination of a rocker foot accelerator pedal and a hydrostatic transmission. I would strongly advise anyone with a compact Tractor to return to your tractor dealer fir advise on plow selection - Do Not go to Tractor Supply for this! If your Compact tractor has a Hydrostatic Transmission or if it has only a foot throttle and no manual throttle setting, don't expect to field plow with it - It WILL drive You CRAZY :
steve holton the old rule from my uncles for a bottom plow was 20 hp for each blade in worked ground. That leaves you a few hp shy at best.
In ground that had not been worked the previous year, the rule was min 30 hp/blade and more was better.
At best you need a 1 bottom plow or a larger hp tractor.
Coy Patton or start with a sod buster?
OH, did I forget to mention that the sod I wanted to turn had not been so much as overseeded in 50 years?
steve holton if the ground has not been turned in 50 years, 1) 33 hp will not pull a 2 bottom plow through that ever! But you figured that out the hard way! 2) cut the sod and sell it! 3) be careful of how deep you turn the ground! You want to keep top soil on top.
I would suggest a 6 ft disc or smaller followed with a tiller. Again removing sod would be helpful. You could rent a sod cutter, but know what you plane to do with it prior to cutting.
If you don’t want to use a disc, get a middle buster, potato digger (single plow runs centered behind tractor) some models also include an adapter to be a subsoiler which may be beneficial for you for drainage.
Good luck, sorry but you have too much bottom plow for your tractor unless you are in ground that does not need a bottom plow.
The bottom line is that a lifetime of observing farmers both on and off this property did NOT make a FARMER out of this HOBBY farmer. I learned most of the lessons the hard way by MAKING ALL THE MISTAKES. I now know that I should never have begun with less than 55 horse power and that when it comes to the fields totaling about 12 acres, I should have hired a real farmer to reclaim them by turning it all at once with a much larger tractor and plow and then disking it into a good seed bed for me to the work with and maintain.
Would it be asking a lot for you to do a dealership in Kentucky
Out of interest why do American tractors still often the enclosed linkage ball arms rather than hook type quick connect like a lot of the European tractors as I noticed that I believe in you Kubota M5-111 video which had lower link arms similar to our old Ford 6610 with the slide out ends while out M5-111 has the hook type with stabilizer bars?
My neck and back doesn’t miss my 3 point snow blower! Though I LOVE LOVE my new B2650 with a beautiful cab!! Though it’s not as powerful with heavy snow I just have to go a little slower no problem with a heated cab I don’t get cold 🥶 any more!
Love my 8N with 72" finish mower!!! Can be put on and off in under 5 minutes and repairs are a dream since the 3 point is its own lift! You can easily crawl under there and change the blades in 10 minutes flat! Try that on one of those under belly decks or a zero turn...
With a belly mount mower on a tractor even without the drive-over deck run the front of the tractor up on blocks, or lower the bucket and raise the tractor to get easier access, using non-harbor freight jack stands of course for safety. The non-drive over decks disconnect pretty quickly and easily and if you drop the deck on a paved or concrete driveway or other hard surface turn the deck gauge wheels to the side you can simply roll the deck out from under the machine.
With my lawn tractor I have one of those mower lifts, that thing works great, not only for mowers, but I've used it to remove and re-install bumpers on my pickup after painting, and to install a receiver hitch on another vehicle. Can't use that thing with a tractor though LOL.
I've worn out 3 augers on a cheap, 3 point Howse post hole digger, mostly by myself. It sure beats a hand operated digger. I have an ancient one shovel head manual post hole digger that can get every last crumb of dirt out of a 3 foot hole that an auger digs that my dad gave me. It is over a hundred years old and works off of a hinged shovel with a linkage. The weak link on the 3 point auger is once that center point sits on hard pan or a big rock it's not going anywhere even if you have two tractors and put the bucket on top of the auger.
I would think the quick hitch would be much easier than struggling trying to get pins into mis-aligned holes in old equipment. Plus changing implements would be quicker I'd think, I guess it all depends on how much you use the quick hitch and the equipment as to the pain it is to use. You'd think in all these years of tractor and implement building there would be an industry standard measurement for a 3-point hitch by now...then again if that were the case every implement could work on any tractor keeping the proprietariness (ooh look new word LOL) out of the pricing equation.
A hydraulic cylinder on one of the lift arms (instead of the link) makes a 3pt auger a dream to use. Especially if you weld on some brackets to hang tractor weights on and attach a level to the gearbox.
And you make a dismount hanger for the post hole digger that allows easy one man hookup.
5. For the 3 point hitch snowblower, I'd say that installing a backup camera will make operation much less of a pain in the neck.
4. Given how rocky my soil is, I don't think a 3 point hitch auger would be useful.
3. I feel like I would rather buy/rent a mini excavator instead of using a 3 point hitch backhoe. At least I can drive and dig at the same time. Adding/removing them would be a PITA.
2. I'm on the fence whether to get a quick hitch...I guess I could modify my implements so they work right.
1. I use a 3 point hitch finish mower, which is faster to add/remove than any belly mower.
honest and well presented, keep up the no bull shit approach
Wow, nice honest video. I’m buying tomorrow. I’ll still buy, this is just great to know and helps me get the right one.
Auger> First time using, drill a hole to park the Auger, set it in, unhook & drive away.
What about rust, sitting in the ground that much?
@@danmorris6387 wallow it out and line with green pipe and a cap. Tap for drain and drop a bit of gravel first, then pipe. Should work. Corner of equipment she'd better yet. Don't forget a piece of something stiff to cap it when empty...that liability word is rolling over my eyes like a slot machine again
@@willroland9811 great idea. Thanks