What tools in tractor toolbox?

[Bob Vanderlinde]

Hi guys,
I'm new to farming, (retired-- and able to pursue a lifelong dream of owning my own land and doing some farming and hunting).
I just bought a MF 596 100hp tractor 2009.
It will be delivered to my 57 acre field of goldenrod and with a bushhog i hope to return this field to hay.

About the tractor: the field is in the middle of nowhere (no pole barn or other structures on the property). I know i'll need some tools in the tractor tool box, and i have a bunch of automotive tools, but what tools should i have on the property--?socket set, prybar?, wire cutters? -- in other words, what should i keep in the tractor toolbox or a small lockbox on the property that I am likely to need? I know I need a grease gun, but what else? I don't want to find I need a small hand tool and have to walk/drive 10 miles to get it.

Thanks in advance for this help,
Bob

 

[2LateIWon]

An adjustable wrench, pliers, fuses, piece of wire in case you need to jump a lead, duct tape. On my tractor I had shear pin style brush hog and I kept a big bag of shear pin bolts nuts and washers with a small hammer and punch.

Good luck and congrats!!! I'd be interested to see what other people carry.

 

[smstonypoint]

Bob,

Congratulations on your purchase.


You might try checking the parts listing for your tractor. I don't have a MF, but I discovered that NH sold a tool kit with the sockets and wrenches for my tractor. I used the listing of the components in the kit to assemble my own kit for the tractor.

Steve

 

[Bob Vanderlinde]

2lateiwon,
Thanks for the help--
Looks like i'll have to figure this out myself.
your advice and smstonypoint was a helpful start.

Since I will be brushhogging a neglected field-I'm figuring big wirecutters and maybe channellocks to get fencing off the hog if it gets wrapped around it!
thanks again,
Bob

 

[5030]

I'd be walking the ground prior to doing anything mechanized to it, searching for hidden objects in the grass (glodenrod is grass after all.

If it was me, I would mow it and bale it not brush hog it. It's not brush, it's edible long stemmed grass, that's all.

Had a good friend who was running his Loftness flail mower over what he thought was corn stubble and hit a set of bed springs. After $3,000.00 worth of parts and custom machining (I did the machining of the companion flanges) he had a mower again.

You wrap some wire around a spindle, it will immediately take out the seal, bearing and possibly the gearbox. Why take a chance.

I do custom forage and when it's a new account, first thing I do is walk the acreage. It's just the proper way to do things.

 

[Bob Vanderlinde]

I'd be walking the ground prior to doing anything mechanized to it, searching for hidden objects in the grass (glodenrod is grass after all.

If it was me, I would mow it and bale it not brush hog it. It's not brush, it's edible long stemmed grass, that's all.

Had a good friend who was running his Loftness flail mower over what he thought was corn stubble and hit a set of bed springs. After $3,000.00 worth of parts and custom machining (I did the machining of the companion flanges) he had a mower again.

You wrap some wire around a spindle, it will immediately take out the seal, bearing and possibly the gearbox. Why take a chance.

I do custom forage and when it's a new account, first thing I do is walk the acreage. It's just the proper way to do things.

Thanks 5030,
I didn't describe the field accurately-- it has a lot of goldenrod, but all kinds of other weeds as well, a small amout of timothy and clover, but mainly weeds. I was given the advice to brush hog it by our local Coop extension site expert. I have been walking the field quite a bit, but it is so thick with growth that it would be impossible to see all of it. I wish I was doing this in late October-- then it would be much easier to see the ground.
The field was bush hogged about 3 years ago-- I'll try to find out who did it and whether they encountered anything "unusual".
thanks for the advice-- my brush hog has a clutch so hopefully the gearbox wouldn't get torn up if i hit wire-- but I didn't know there would be a big repair bill if i hit any wire fencing. I'm going to make two cuts-- with the first about 10-12 inches-- so maybe i'll be able to see better after that cut.
Anyways, thanks for the advice--
I'm new at this and this forum has already helped me avoid other mistakes.
Thanks again,
Bob

 

[banjodunn]

G'day Bob i would prob have a roll of ring/ o.e spanners,socket set ( check your trctor as to whether you need metric or imperial), a couple of flat and phillips head screwdrivers, two hammers ( small and big) a couple of good punches and chisels ( can't always get the wire cutters in some spots!!), some elec tape, fuses, wire, zip ties, a couple of different pliers, a pair of vice grips come in handy too and as mentioned shear bolts for any of your imp that might need them


Jon

 

[IronHog]

Hi guys,
I'm new to farming, (retired-- and able to pursue a lifelong dream of owning my own land and doing some farming and hunting).
I just bought a MF 596 100hp tractor 2009.
It will be delivered to my 57 acre field of goldenrod and with a bushhog i hope to return this field to hay.

About the tractor: the field is in the middle of nowhere (no pole barn or other structures on the property). I know i'll need some tools in the tractor tool box, and i have a bunch of automotive tools, but what tools should i have on the property--?socket set, prybar?, wire cutters? -- in other words, what should i keep in the tractor toolbox or a small lockbox on the property that I am likely to need? I know I need a grease gun, but what else? I don't want to find I need a small hand tool and have to walk/drive 10 miles to get it.

Thanks in advance for this help,
Bob

A tractor absolutely MUST have a set of channel locks on board. You can hammer, adjust a top link, pull pins, etc.

You will also want a prybar for working with the 3pt hitch.

 

[Bob Vanderlinde]

Thanks to everybody- i have a pretty good idea what to carry in or have near my tractor.

 

[savagesultin]

Well congratulations on your purchase, I just purchased a Farmall 55 compact tractor for my horse farm. One tool that I carry with me all times is a pair of fencing pliers. Here is a link to a set on Ebay ( I have no connection to this seller it is only for picture reference)

Fencing Pliers Barbed Wire Electric Fence Tool 10-1/2" | eBay

fencing pliers - Google Search

If you encounter fence they will cut any type of fencing, you can hammer in staples or pull them out if found in the field.

Also I carry an extra draw bar pin and shear bolts. Lynch pins for your bush mower because I have had times where I lost or broke a pin while mowing. A hammer if possible, and something that I keep is a bottle of water. Mowing causes stuff to fly into the air and if you look back at just the wrong time you might get something in your eye so a bottle of water to flush out crap is handy. An old rag is handy as well, good luck and remember it would not be farming if things went as planned