What attachments did you THINK you needed but don't use much?

[IslandTractor]

Gauge wheels for the rake and the PTO chipper. One is lost somewhere in the barn and the other has sat under a tarp outside for the past three years untouched.

 

[LBrown59]

Like Eddie, I haven't used my box blade much in the past 4 years. In fact I haven't used it at all. I did use the heck out of it when I first got it.
Same story with the Kuhn tiller.
I used it a lot when I first got it but once I got everything tilled up I haven't used it more than once a year to get the veggie garden in shape. Since I've got a 6' bush hog on the L4740, I've not used the 4' one on the B2400 though it still might be useful in the tight spots down in the "thicket".

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Same would be true for me if all I used a tiller for was for gardening.
But the other things i use one for makes it a valuable frequently used tool.

 

[LBrown59]

I'd miss my forks immensely an they're just clamp ons.

A very interesting question with interesting replies.
To answer the original posters question, for me it was the forks for the FEL.
I looked high and low to find a used set of forks so I could build my own set. I've had them (and plans to build) for almost 2 years now and haven't needed them yet. I do have a forklift truck in my barn so maybe that's why. But I envisioned using them out in the field on the tractor where the forklift truck would not go ... it's not an off road model.

But there again that's only for me, in my case.
I guess it really depends what you mostly use your tractor for and what is the least you use it for. That will (to some larger degree), dictate what implements you use most. And it will vary from year to year as your place comes around from what it was to what it is, and what it's going to be in the future. Following suit, it also depends on what your place was like when you got the tractor and implements you thought you needed.

In my case, my property was a wild Oak forest on a sloping piece of property.
I pretty much needed one of everything to do what I wanted to do. My needs lean towards building roads, clearing, pulling trees, ditching, footings, building pads, preparing to have my home and barn built. I did not need any farming implements (yet) since that was on the back burner. When I did need to plow I improvised and used the boxblade for that too. Now we have a tiller because things have changed (again).

I'll bet my box blade (for me) along with the FEL and bucket grapple have been the most used.
Then the backhoe. At the time, the added bucket grapple and backhoe were life savers for me. My sloping ground need an implement that I could "tilt" different than the wheel base to build roads and trails on my sloping property. That way I could contour and not just follow the lay of the land. Like banking my roads in the turns cutting into the hillsides. But again, that is because my set of circumstances required those types of implements more than others.
No doubt your needs may vary, of course.
Rob-

 

[jas67]

The wife, havent got as much use as I though I would unfortunately there isnt resale value, you even have to pay after its scraped

Brutal! You better hope she isn't looking at TBN?

 

[jas67]

A ballast box is a poor investment = use an implement or attachment instead.

I use my ballast box when working in tight quarters where I would end up clipping something with the box blade (which is my only other implement that is heavy enough to be used as a counterweight for the FEL).

I had a home made concrete-formed around a drawbar counterweight that I made for my B7100, because I couldn't see spending the $$ on a ballast box (cost me like $50 to make), but since a ballast box was included with the B7610, I use it. It's currently loaded up with some pavers left over from another project.

 

[jas67]

A FEL and a tiller is a better combination than a Fel and box blade in my book.

Umm., yet, for tilling. A lot of people here use their box blades, and rakes to grade and maintain gravel driveways. I don't think that a tiller is very useful for that

 

[jas67]

If I didn't have a BH I'd think I didn't have a tractor.

Um, just checked.... my B7610 is definitely a tractor. And guess what? No back hoe? It is very useful despite not having a hoe. It does help, that my one neighbor has a CAT mini track hoe. It is much quicker for me to just pay him (he does it for a living, can't expect him to work for free) to do what ever hoe work I need. He usually changes me way less than what he quotes. I usually throw in a case of his favorite beer too.

 

[jas67]

I don't see why anyone who has a FEL would need a Box Blade.

Aren't they just a poor mans fel anyway?

Back blading with a FEL is fast for initial spreading of soil, but I still find that I can do a better, faster job of final grading with the box blade. The FEL is one of those tools that is very versatile for many jobs, but not necessarily the best tool. I bought pallet forks for my B7100, but learned quickly that a rear fork on the 3PH is much better in many ways; it puts the heavy load on the much larger rear tiers (easier on the ground, and steering), it is easier to see where you are going, and easier to maneuver said item into position. However, the FEL forks are better if you need to lift something higher than 2 feet (like up onto a deck or porch, or stacking pallets).

 

[jas67]

If you have a fel you don't need a box blade .
If you have a box blade you still need or could use a fel.

To quote JohnThomas -- "Cha Ching!"

How many times do you need to say the same thing?

 

[cowboy357]

But it would be pretty hard to load a truck or a trailer with a Box Blade to take that soil elsewhere.

I dont guess I get Your point LB . I couldn,t live without the loaders & have them on both the tractors , I dont need one on the little tactor .

I just dont get where You think You can do anything with a loader & backhoe that you cant with a BB , like cutting a ditch . You might be able to , But I can do it much quicker . To Me for the money the BH would be an entire waste of money in My case .

Also to be honest the ( arent they only a poormans fel anyway ) I thought was a very tacky statement . Just My opinion though. . Bob