clearing trails through brush

[cajun in texas]

Thanks to everyone for all of the good advise. I feel dumb to ask this but does anyone know a site that explains how to swap implements. The guy that loaned me the tractor doesn't know how to do it either. It was inherited from his dad along with 25 acres. We are both city boys new to country life. I need to remove a post hole digger and attach the shredder.

[cajun in texas]

I am not familiar with the plants you mentioned. Are you trying to leave the trail grassy or turn it black? I bought a Rachet Rake this summer and love it. It would make your FEL much more prepared to do exactly what you want. I pulled out a gob of prickly ash and honeysuckle this summer all with my little BX. Awesome tool.

Ratchet Rake, LLC - Rip and Dig, Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holland, Bobcat,

Oh, and to TBN!

It doesn't matter how the trails look. I'm mainly concerned about flat tires. I love to ride my buggy so I'm sure the grass will have trouble growing... Lol

[MBTRAC]

Thanks to everyone for all of the good advise. I feel dumb to ask this but does anyone know a site that explains how to swap implements. The guy that loaned me the tractor doesn't know how to do it either. It was inherited from his dad along with 25 acres. We are both city boys new to country life. I need to remove a post hole digger and attach the shredder.

Sequence should be :-
1. Unload the hydraulics & disengage the PTO drive
2. Stop the tractor engine, remove the key from the ignition & ensure the tractor is secured from movement, that is park brake engaged & left in low gear &/or rear wheel chocked
3. If fitted on the implement unhook the PTO shaft, & then (make certain all hydraulic pressure is removed & the implement/3PL/FEL is firmly grounded, levelled & stablised with chocks/landing legs/stands ..etc) then uncouple the hydraulic remotes
4. Uncouple from the drawbar or if a 3PL implement uncouple the top link first, then the lower arms, another option which I don't use though some say is safer in all situations is to disconnect the right lower arm, then the top link & finally the left lower arm.
If the linkages are difficult to remove you haven't levelled/stabilsed the implement sufficiently (quite often wood blocking works well to park an implement) & it's going to be +10times more difficult (& potentially dangerous) to reattach
Attachment is the reverse of the above; the links below explain the 3 optional coupling methods & implements/situations where they are best employed(this website has a wealth of info for those new to farming practices):-
Attach a 3-point linkage-Method 1 ｫ Informed Farmers
Attach a 3-point linkage-Method 2 ｫ Informed Farmers
Attach a 3-point linkage-Method 3 ｫ Informed Farmers

Major injuries often occur during the coupling/uncoupling of implements, it's a potentially dangerous exercise, so
don't rush or be tempted do it after a hard days work; accidents are usually due to :-
1. Operator fatigue, oversight or inexperience
2.Inadverting starting or drive engagement of the tractor
3.Tractor rolling/movement
4.Hooking up implements with the tractor running, don't trust park brakes as quite often they are marginal & only enage on the rear wheels, & PTO clutches can fail at any time leading the shaft engaging prematurely
5. Unexpectly movement of the implement, due to the hydraulics not being fully unloaded or the implement not stabilised.lvevellled
6. Placing feet, hands & other body parts under heavy implements or in their path
7. Though rare, but lethal or with devastating injury, hydraulic fluid injection from failed pressurised hydraulic lines (this can occur as low as 100psi )

Be safe, & personally I always wear steel capped boots,riggers gloves & safety glasses ( & absolutely no loose fitting clothing) when fitting/removing implements on any of our 16-600hp tractors

[kneedeep]

Thanks to everyone for all of the good advise. I feel dumb to ask this but does anyone know a site that explains how to swap implements. The guy that loaned me the tractor doesn't know how to do it either. It was inherited from his dad along with 25 acres. We are both city boys new to country life. I need to remove a post hole digger and attach the shredder.

some folks hang the Post Hole Digger (PHD) from a tree limb, barn rafter, etc. You could drill it in the ground about a foot and un hook it. The Tractor should have two lift arms secured with snap pins and the adjustable toplink stays hooked to tractor. Get everything loose and disconnect it.
To hook up- first connect the lift arms, then the adjustable toplink, then the PTO shaft. Make sure the pto is locked on the tractor's shaft before powering up. Be careful. Lots of people get hurt or killed on tractors.
A good source of info is the tractor owner manual and the equipment manual. Look on line for manuals

good luck

[woodchuckie]

If the blades are good and dull, the stubble will be feathered and frayed if cut down to 1-2 inches and not sharp enough to puncture healthy tires.

Using this method I have never had trouble with miles of trail. What stubble that is left will usually come out with the first cutting the next year since it'll be rotted.

[Don87]

Now that we know that that the current tractor owner knows little about the implements, we can be pretty sure that the blades will be dull, and we can assume that the stubble will be frayed good enough that the tires won't be punctured.

But I have gone thru fields after the owner has sharpend blades, and have had the stubble cut up my shoes while walking.

[TripleR]

Thanks to everyone for all of the good advise. I feel dumb to ask this but does anyone know a site that explains how to swap implements. The guy that loaned me the tractor doesn't know how to do it either. It was inherited from his dad along with 25 acres. We are both city boys new to country life. I need to remove a post hole digger and attach the shredder.

If you are completely new to tractors, this may help: How To Video Demos - Implements & Attachments

[Gary Fowler]

On PTO shafts there are a couple of types of safety locks. Some really old one just required a bolt thru a center shaft hole. Most have either a collar or push pin that needs to be pushed or pulled to release the implement shaft from the tractor. Failure to properly release this safety mechanism will not allow you to get the PTO shaft off.

[TripleR]

Another one that might help: 3 Point Hitch Overview - YouTube

[EddieWalker]

I've cut a lot of trails by just cutting them down. First time through is the slowest, and I cut it fairly high. Then I'll go back and cut it as low as I can. I've never had issues with anything needing to be removed, and it seems that in a very short time, there isn't anything there anyway.

Make your trails twice as wide as you think they need to be.

Try to make them as straight as you can. What might feel like it's going to be fun to ride on or even walk on when you are cutting them on the tractor, is totally different when riding the four wheeler or even walking them.

Rotary cutter blades are supposed to be dull. They are also supposed to be in faily good shape. Take a look at them and replace them with new blades if they are wore out or rounded at the ends. If not, you will probably break the tip off of one while you are working and have to do it anyway. The nut holding them on is going to be very tight. Mine are torqued to over 400 lbs.

Go slow and remember that it's a long term project to create and maintain trails.

Eddie