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I think Item 1 makes some sense. I think Item 2 would make me run the other way.

I use a QH for everything but still find it convenient to have the implements level when hooking up. For the stuff that's outside, I have "landing spots" that I have level with concrete blocks or 4x4's.

Certified checks aren't guaranteed. Cashiers checks are but they can be forged. With a face to face deal, go to the buyers bank and get a cashiers check. (Or cash)

You can put any amount of power through and underground line, but the cost goes up drastically as you increase the capacity. The lines have to be larger, the insulation is much more expensive, and a certain point, the lines need to be in some type of conduit that provides cooling.

Buried lines are great in a subdivision with a few dozen houses. The problem is main lines that carry a high current. That generates a lot of heat and underground lines eventually overheat unless you provide cooling or increase the wire size.

Just saw an old newspaper from 1930. A subscriber was outraged because the monthly electric bill was $18 and their only appliances were a toaster, an icebox and the pump on the oil furnace (and I suppose lights). Times have changed.

Looks like they are pretty equivalent. You don't mention the hours on the other ones but a 2720 with 300 hours is almost new. I bought the 2320 because I mow a lot but often wish I had the 2720 for the greater hydraulic power and weight. The two speed isn't an issue for me. The ranges overlap...

When I was a kid, we had a beagle rabbit dog that lost a leg to a sickle. She was the best tracker we had. She was a little slower but when the other dogs lost the scent she could find it.

Sounds normal.

Use it to clean greasy parts and to start brush fires.

I can't imagine a heat problem with a three point splitter. With an open center system, the hydraulic fluid circulates all the time. The additional work associated with running a splitter would be a lot less than loader work or especially a hydrostat tractor.

I seem to remember an episode of Top Gear with a special model of Mercedes that had a backward shift pattern. Hilarity ensued.

Without seeing the property, with only an acre, I would think a mid mount mower would work better. As noted above, look at the mounting process carefully. I have a drive over deck and it only takes a few minutes to install or remove. The only part that requires getting on the ground is the PTO...

Seems like a lot of money for a 30 year old 26 HP tractor but if it's in excellent condition, might be OK for your current needs. Seems a little small for much row crop use.

I'm going way back in the memory hole, so this may not be 100% accurate, but as I recall, synchros worked on pairs of gears, so when they were added to 3 speeds, they worked on 2nd and 3rd. Four speed auto transmissions (neglecting the truck "granny" four speeds) were fully synchronized when...

What CVTs are only good for 60k? I've had two and they both went over 100k and required no maintenance.

Relative to clutches, I've never had to replace one except for a car I bought with a warped clutch plate. A few years ago, I drove around Portugal and France in a leased Peugeot with a stick. To get to a small hotel at the top of an ancient village I had to drive up a high hill with narrow...

Maybe Toyota will move production back to San Antonio where they used to be made.

During acceleration there is some loss due to the hydraulic flow in an auto. But all the current automatic transmissions lock up in the higher gears.

Rural King and Tractor Supply are in the same business sector, but very different companies. Tractor is very large and public owned (you can buy the stock). Rural King is smaller and privately owned, I think by the descendants of the original founders. RK is expanding but doesn't seem nearly as...

Back in the day of grass fed beef, everyone had one. Years ago, when we had a grocery store, we had a machine that we would feed pieces of thin beef through and then sell them as "tenderized steak".

When did you lose control? Admit it, when you got married whether you realized it or not.

With your 350, 1000 lb or more tongue weight is probably no big deal. Those of us with 1/2 ton trucks need to be a little more careful.

My daughter had a car from the southeast coast. When I tried to rotate the tires, the fronts were seized on from the salt atmosphere. I used a 4x4 and a hydraulic jack between the rims to put a lot of pressure on them. Then I tapped them with a sledge and they came free.

The 10% is a good guideline but you are OK if you have a reasonable tongue weight. For example, I have a normal 1/2 ton and the hitch weight should be limited to 500 lbs. I have a 7K trailer that's a little under 2k empty. So, no matter what I'm hauling, I want the tongue weight to be between...

I always get a burn permit before I burn anything. In our area, you can do it on line in a couple of minutes. If a fire gets out of control and you have a permit, it's just bad luck. If you don't have a permit, it's on you.

If you want electronic check out the Haul Guage. I have one and it seems to work well. Haul Gauge: Know what you tow. Cheaper than a new truck.

I think the drops to the house are considered disposable. At least that's the way it is for coax service here like Xfinity. Mine seems to be 2 to 3 inches deep and I've found it several times doing yard work. Apparently never damaged it enough to cause a problem.

I think most of these QH just come out of the same factory in China. Harbor Freight is about the cheapest and I've been using mine for almost 15 years with no complaints. As far as counterweight, if you are going to fill it with concrete, why bother with the box. Just form up a wood box...

I put a fence around them for the first three or four years. I also spray with Bobex which I've found to be fairly effective if used regularly.

When I was in high school, a (maybe THE) major east west phone trunk line ran through our county. Underground work was going on and they marked the phone line. When the trencher got about 5 feet from the first flag, small pieces of colored wire began coming up. If I remember the cable had...

I think we obsess way too much over warm up. I can't imagine there is any difference between sitting and running and driving slowly. I do try to warm my tractor up a bit before I do anything serious, but I drive it around and do light things right away.

I would start with the insurance company before I escalated this and got lawyers involved. It seems that your insurance should reimburse you and go after the other insurance company.

Original or replica?

Make sure the overflow vent is clear. If it isn't, air can't come back in and let the coolant return. I'm a little confused by the statement that there is pressure on the system after shutting down. If there is pressure in the cooling system after it cools off, that would keep the coolant from...

I don't think there's anything to be concerned about here. My mid mount mower has a single acting lift cylinder with one hose. I attach it to the curl up loader port. To lower it I just push it in the down direction. It doesn't need to go into float.

If you talk to Vanguard or Fidelity they will usually explain how to do things, not sell you. At least that's been my experience.

I can't really tell from the pictures, but does the plow have a trip? That's more important than how it floats (although I would rather have the plow blade float than the loader arms). If it doesn't trip, it will plow fine until you accidentally hit something and then the loader arms will be bent.

I've had them on cars and they were very effective. You need to make sure when they are located so the heated water rises into the engine and not the radiator, but that's usually easy.

In Michigan it's 150 yards (450 feet).

A setback for fences is new for me. I'm familiar with 5 foot and 10 foot setbacks for buildings, but everywhere I've lived, fences can go on the property line.

I also use the shop vac since I don't have a drain. I just have to be a little careful where I park so the melt doesn't get into areas I don't want it to.

Trying to understand regulations is not good for your mental health. Originally it was required that commercial facilities like repair shops and industrial facilities have drains with oil separators. If you've noticed, these don't drain outside, at at least all the ones I've worked in. That...

Most places prohibit drains now unless there is an oil separator. I have drains in my garage but it's 50 years old. I helped a guy pour a garage slab one time and he formed in a french drain but then skimmed it with 1/2" of concrete. After inspection, he broke it out. Where there's a will...

My property was, at some point, cut out of a larger plot. I have clearly marked (white plastic poles) corners. I cut brush and mow beyond the boundaries to maintain the original layout and keep the poison ivy and briars out of my yard. I don't expect to ever get a complaint about it and don't...

Probably a $100 sofa or a curbside pickup.

I've had great luck investing in index funds on my own. I've tried small investments based on advisors and they were both losers. In one case I bought a stock on their recommendations and it tanked. I looked into it and saw a rebound coming, wanted to buy more but the broker wouldn't return my...

That's true. It's nice to have money and my IRA/401K investments have been extremely successful. I also max out on Social Security payments because I always made more than the limit and didn't take SS until I had to at 70. However, it means I pay tax on my SS and have increased Medicare...

There's a bit of advice embedded in the first post. When you have cataract surgery (and almost everyone who doesn't die young does) spend the extra money to get the vision corrected. Standard surgery just clears your vision and you still need glasses. Go to an experienced surgeon and you will...

Your wife has good taste - at least in trucks.

No, I only moved the original after tax contribution so there was no tax liability.

One minor clarification that doesn't apply to most people - if you have some money in a traditional IRA that was put in after tax instead of before tax, it can be converted to a Roth IRA. In my case, I sometimes contributed to my traditional IRA with after tax money because I put in more than I...

If you are taking required minimum distributions from a traditional IRA, realize you can only contribute to a Roth IRA if you are working and have income. If that is the case, the Roth would let you accumulate gains tax free but you the money you put into it must be earned income that has been...

I think what he was saying was that there is very little market for used EVs in Holland now. I remember the Norwegian situation. The subsidies made EVs so cheap, it was a no-brainer to buy them. However, most people that them kept their ICE cars. If I recall, over half of the new cars sold...

If there is no need to grease them, they wouldn't put zerks on them. I grease mine and they are doing fine after 15 years.

It's looking to me like this is a reasonable approach for a very difficult situation. There are so many variables in soil type and configuration, it's hard to guess. It may not last so well but it may be in fine shape 30 years from now. I do like that the overall slope is so steep that with any...

If the holes are on top, the water level has to be at the top of the pipe to drain. I've always used drain pipe with holes all around.

I don't have much interest in owning an electric vehicle, but the concerns about battery life seem overblown. Current replacement cost for Tesla batteries seem to be in the $12K to $15K range and the failure rate is very low. The warranty is for 100K to 150K miles depending on the model and...

Current Ford F-250 is rated at 14K to 22K depending on engine, rear axle ratio and body/frame configuration.

If you get the first layer perfect, everything goes very quickly after that. With drainage and good rock fill, it will probably work. And if it doesn't, you'll always think it should have. :ROFLMAO:

Back up camera?

I have had an Original Tractor Cab for my John Deere for about 13 years now. It's been great. I'm just starting to see a little wear in spots but nothing to be concerned about. I think OTC can provide replacements for anything they have sold. I put mine on in the fall and take it off in the...

I've had good luck with those blocks and no tie backs. I put a drain tile below them and backfilled rock behind them. It's important to get the base layer really level, so they don't end up tilted out.

I'm not sure how the Cyber Truck brakes work, since it's 4WD, but the Ford hybrids that are front wheel drive always slightly apply the rear brakes for stability control. It changes the old way of thinking because the rear brakes wear faster than the front.

The distance between the lower and upper pins are 18" which is the 3 point standard. Quick Hitches are 15". Compatible implements have holes to put the upper pin at either dimension. Even if you drilled new holes in that device, the vertical plate would prevent the QH hook from getting under...

Why on earth would they produce a product like that and not make it Quick Hitch compatible?

I made my own "suitcase" weights out of concrete, but this is the kind of bracket you need. Mine is also a trailer receiver. Mine is made of a drawbar, receiver tube and flat bar.

Morning Wood?

I don't have any experience with the Kubota system, but the JDQA is really easy to build your own attachments.

Also, I don't know how much snow you get but I find a front blade is better than a blower. I adapted a used ATV blade to my tractor, so I only have a few hundred $$ in it.

I see no one has responded about removing small trees and bushes. First thing to try is a chain and tire. You can also make a tripod - anything to allow to pull and turn it into a vertical pull. Fasten to the drawbar to keep the pulling point as low as possible. You can pull small stuff with the...

I prefer a manual but my MG is the only one I have. Neither my current "new" car or truck was offered with a manual transmission.

Medicare Advantage plans are becoming less available in some areas because they are like HMOs in that they only pay fully for "in plan" medical providers. If the reimbursement is below market, the local providers won't participate so the plan becomes unavailable.

Supplement plan costs are not standardized. They vary by location and insurance company. Mine is subsidized by employer as a retirement benefit but I think the total cost is currently about $182/month. It can vary widely. Part D is additional. It's going up a lot faster than supplemental plans.

If you have adequate electrical service, electric resistance heat would be the cheapest to install, although not necessarily to run. You can get line voltage thermostats that will control down to 40 degrees or less. You can just wire them into a circuit to control outlets for the plug in heaters...

I'm not sure what's going on with that specific picture, but I think this used to be a common way to pick up motorcycles for service. Again, I'm not sure how the rear dollies were attached but it allowed one person to transport the bike.

I'm grandfathered into Plan F also. Plans F and G are no longer offered. The only real difference between them and Plans C and N are that the current ones don't cover "Excess Charges" when a non-Medicare provider charges more than allowed. In some areas this isn't an issue because state law...

First step is probably to decide if you want a deck over or a car hauler type. The deck over gives you a lot of flexibility and load space, but will probably require more ground clearance on what you are hauling.You've probably looked at DR Trailers in Milan. They have a lot of options and good...

There's probably a special code in Texas for "it only has to work once".

Glad it's getting fixed. Underground service can fail in strange ways. When I bought my place I couldn't get a 120v air compressor to come up to pressure in the pole barn but the 240 volt swimming pool pump in the building ran fine. I checked it and only had about 80 volts on the 120 lines but...

Which direction does it go and what kind of deformity must you have to drive it? :LOL:

Find an independent insurance agent. They know how to solve problems like this.

Those hitch scales are really convenient but I can't justify the cost with the limited amount of towing I do. Instead, I find the "Haul Gauge" that plugs into the OBD port and connects to a cell phone app works well for less than $50.

Dry gas is the generic term for additives like HEET or STP water remover (assuming you weren't being sarcastic).

We had a rental car company try to charge us for a broken fog light months after the rental. We contested it with the credit card company, demanded documentation and they gave up.

I've always used Sta-bil and had good luck with ethanol fuels. Other than concentration, is there a difference between regular Sta-bil and Marine Sta-bil?

I have Carhartt and Berne. Overall, I like the Berne better. Cheaper and easier to get in and out of.

I prefer red and yellow for my vehicles. The exception is my MG which just had to be British Racing Green.

I always lower everything, but I sometimes go by construction sites and I see equipment like air compressors raised up on cranes, excavators or cherry pickers. I assume it's to discourage theft, but I always wonder about safety/liability in those cases.

Speaking of steering trailers, I assume they still use hook and ladder fire trucks with a rear driver steering the back end.

It was a pretty nice design and a terrible build. I knew a guy that put a a big block V-8 in one and that was really good.

If you keep the ductwork under the ceiling, you don't need insulated ducts.

Also, I wish I had put my electrical in surface mounted conduit instead of in the walls and ceiling. It would have been a lot easier and more flexible.

In an open shop, you don't really need a lot of ductwork. I would not run anything above the ceiling. Just blow a lot of insulation above the ceiling. If you have the doors in one end, I would put the furnace in the center of the opposite end, run a metal duct down the center 20 feet or so and...

There are appropriate needs for these things. My daughter is bad about taking care of her car, but it does have a low pressure warning light. I bought her one of those compressors so she wouldn't wait to take it to the station and spend a couple of dollars every time a tire was low. The first...

Those laws may still be on the book but it's been a long time since I saw a refrigerator that had a latch as opposed to a magnetic seal.

Costs seem high now, but even beyond inflation, you have to remember the old time costs. Tune up every 5 - 10K, oil changes every 2000 miles, tires every 15 - 20k. Also drum brakes that barely worked in the wet, no antilock, marginal power etc. etc. etc.

I noticed early on you said you didn't want a seat cover because of interference getting on and off, but I don't see much difference in mine with and without the seat cover. I got a small crack in my seat some years ago and put a $20 seat cover on. It's much more comfortable and looks better. I...

Our Kitchenaid induction cooktop is absolutely silent. Sometimes I think a little feedback to tell it's on might be nice.

Kind of depends on individual conditions. The specs for the OEM John Deere battery for my tractor have higher CCA than any replacement battery I could find. When the original battery went bad I replaced it with a SuperStart battery from O'Reillys that had over 100 less CCA. It worked fine and...

Everyone likes to complain about batteries but I've had really good luck over the last few years. My tractor is 15 years old and I put the third battery in it last year. My truck is 8 years old and has the original battery. My wife's car is 12 years old and I replaced the battery two years ago...

Years ago there was Celotex factory near my home town. Once a week they would take all the foam insulation board rejects to the dump. The rejects usually only had a small defect. The smart guys would pick up those and insulate their houses and sheds with them. After a few years they changed to a...

Whatever route you take, you need to think carefully about the footings at the end of the bridges. You don't mention this but without a good footing like a deep poured concrete pier, it will move on you. For dimensional treated lumber, 4x4 or 6x6 isn't the best choice. Depth gives you strength...

I think that's why trucks like the eco-boost get relatively poor gas mileage when towing, but a lot better unloaded (almost never on boost). Which is why the turbo engine makes sense for occasional towing but the diesel or V-8 is probably better if you tow a lot. As an unrelated side note, I...

Interesting. Language issues? Did you already speak Portuguese or Spanish?

Loader mounted plow? Are you plowing in float?

The zipper works because it minimizes the length of the slowdown. It blocks less intersections and reduces the gaps due to stop and go. If everyone would do it potential road rage would be reduced.

Using both lanes to the merge point is more efficient but it feels rude.

A nice pile of split kindling looks nice but I just walk through the woods with a 5 gallon bucket and pick up sticks.

That's a pretty small tractor to put forks on. A skid steer plate would be really heavy. If your bucket is a quick attach, you could build a fork frame to attach to the loader arms.

I have a three point receiver set up for my quick hitch. That's very convenient. I also have a quick hitch that I can mount on the loader arms in place of the bucket. Hitch on the rear is very quick. With it on the front, it's great for backing a trailer into a tight spot, but takes a little...

I keep a bag of chimney fire stop by the stove. Don't expect to ever need it but it's there.

Lots of potential ways to address this but if it's a standard residential opener I would just replace it. They aren't that expensive compared to the cost and time required to repair.

I have a 2017. There were two tow packages. One just had the wiring and hitch. I got the one with the controller.

In general we've found that booking directly with the hotel gets the best price in the US and Europe. Lower income countries my upcharge people from the US but we haven't looked into that. Pricing is always based on what the market will bear. In Korea, after a few beers, my tailor explained how...

Assuming this tractor is pretty new and a gallon low I would have some questions about leaks and/or dealer prep.

Does anyone else use a Haul Gauge? I just got one and it seems to work well. It just plugs into the OBD port and Bluetooths to the cell phone app. I've used it for truck weight and tongue weight and it seems to be pretty accurate.

Our induction does a wok pretty well but some "professional" chefs are nuts about cooking power. In a previous house we had a cooktop with, if I remember correctly, a 50,000 btu burner. The required vent fan was so high powered we remote mounted it above the garage. Crazy and totally unnecessary.

Of course. The other combustion devices (furnace, wood stove) have outside air supply. The water heater is a very intermittent use.

If I remember correctly, you don't have to register to get coverage on anything. The text may indicate that registration will make warranty claims quicker and easier, but I think the law requires warranties to be honored as long as you have the sales documentation.

Even without combustion appliances, houses will need makeup are because of the "stack effect" that promotes leakage out of the upper areas and results in negative pressure in the lower areas. My house is two story with basement and is pretty well insulated and sealed with newer windows. I have a...

Aluminum trailers look really nice, but how many people are they really cost effective for? I just bought an 18 foot double axle Big Tex for $4K. A comparable aluminum trailer would have been twice that. I'd love to have one but probably never will.

Ask your dealer about hydraulic fluid dye. If he can't help you find a John Deere dealer and get some.

We bought a house with a KitchenAid induction cooktop. Had to replace a few pans with induction compatible ones but now we wouldn't consider anything but induction. Clean, safe, responsive and controllable.

Let's see... the truck hitch is usually rated for 500 lbs, the truck is probably about 5000 lbs, about 2500 on the hitch with the rear wheels off the ground. Maybe the upload capability is a lot more than the download?

The one you are looking at must not have the tow package or be a 2WD short bed. Per this page, it would have up to a 13K tow capacity in some configurations. https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/content/dam/brand_ford/en_us/brand/resources/general/pdf/guides/21Towing_Ford_F150_Dec3.pdf

Are you looking at new or used F-150s? My 2017 is rated over 11K and I believe all the current ones are rated over 10K except the non-turbo V6 and the "hot rod" high horsepower versions.

This seems like a good idea for a stationary compressor, especially if it is mounted high enough to put a drain in. Industrial systems often have a tank separate from the compressor, mounted above it with drain legs at the system low point so water never collects in the tanks.

I'm pretty tolerant about what other people want to drive. After all I once had a girlfriend with an AMC Pacer and I kept my mouth shut about it.

There are a lot of different grades and processes for stainless, most notably 304 and 316. Some are more corrosion resistant than others, some are magnetic, some are not. Allegedly the CT is a proprietary 301 alloy which I know nothing about.

This may be true for the old NiCd batteries. The current Lithium Ion batteries are more likely to last 10 to 15 years. I have a number of Dewalt 20 volt batteries that are over 10 years old. A construction professional may not get that life from them but for the homeowner, life is pretty good...

I don't think it will be a problem but I've noticed that some freezers are marketed as "garage ready" and others aren't. Maybe some compressors don't run well at low temperatures?

Lots of complication on panel pricing. Around here, Menards is similar to cost of roof suppliers, but HD and Lowes are more expensive. Roof suppliers have lots more choices on colors, styles, etc and trim but have delivery charges that are high for most homeowner quantities. Fortunately, the...

29 gauge is the standard for interior panels. Some places provide interior panels at a slightly lower price than exterior. Interior panels don't have quite the same coating but most people just use the exterior ones. They only need to be supported every 4 feet and they will never sag. For my 48...

Tie downs on the floor would be in the way for loading some items unless they are recessed, which have their own problems. My F150 has attachments on the bed wall on all four corners just above the floor which are effective for holding down anything more than about 3 inches thick.

I've had good luck with off brand replacement batteries for my Dewalt tools. They are a lot cheaper and generally work ok. That's another reason to stick with the better known tool makers - it's more likely you can get off brand replacements.

As has been discussed before, using a finished panel on the ceiling makes sense when you look at the cost and time of finishing and painting a drywall ceiling. Look at the cost of metal liner panel vs. the total cost of drywall.

19 inches. Again, it wouldn't work for everyone but I have a stove that takes 16 inch wood. Unfortunately I don't know of an available small 3 point splitter now.

I wonder why the small two way splitters are no longer available. They clearly aren't for everyone but it's ideal for those of us with moderate use and small tractors. I've had this one for almost 15 years with zero maintenance.

I use the tractor hydraulics. I do have the small (13 ton I think) PowerHorse, which I think is no longer available. Now they only have the 22 ton listed. I may have some of the numbers wrong, but I think mine as a 3 or 3-1/2 inch cylinder instead of the 4" or so cylinder on the larger units...

We've had the three pt. vs stand alone "discussion" before here. Each to his own. I have a 3 point splitter on my 2320 and it works well for me. It has a relatively small cylinder so it's not super powerful, but that makes it quicker and it's a two way splitter so no retract cycle. Wear on the...

For me it would take about three rounds to justify the splitter. I quit using a maul about 20 years ago.

Should be simple to track down. You should have power to the starter. If that's okay check for power to the solenoid when you turn the key. If you don't it's the ignition switch or one of the safety switches.

I figured out a long time ago that Europe and Asia didn't agree on odd vs even metric wrenches. A lot of wrench sets jump from 17 to 19 but I have 18s on tractors and cars. I'm comfortable with metric and US for measurements and temperature. Both have strengths and weaknesses and manufacturers...

As far as lights go, I added two 12 volt LED floodlights to my Shelter Logic shed. Easy to install and I run them off an 10 year old battery I replaced in my wifes car "just because". Switched with a regular household switch. They light up the 20 x 24 shed well and, when I forgot to turn them...

Actually, that's speed. Maybe barrels per league?

How do you guys usually talk about economy? Kilometers per liter? Liters per 100 kilometers?

I have a quick hitch adapted to my loader that I use for things like my trailer mover and my boom pole. I would be a little hesitant to use it for ground engaging implements for fear of overloading the loader arms.

I've been using a 16 foot utility trailer but the sides make it difficulty to haul vehicles. (The tractor is OK because I have D-rings in the deck.) I just bought a Big Tex 18 foot car hauler. With the stake pockets, I've built 16" removable sides and I think it will work well for all uses.

Once on a church mission trip we had two 15 passenger vans, one Chevy and one Ford. They were the same length but the Chevy had a significantly longer wheelbase. It rode better on the highway but turning it around in a tight spot was an adventure.

Here are some pictures of the original parts and the modified ones I made. I have the independent lift system, not the three point, if that makes any difference. It was a nuisance to have to do this, but it's worked out OK. This is the only issue I've had with the tractor, other than changing...

I have the same tractor/deck. Initially I was able to get close to the full up position using the turnbuckles. After a few years, something happened and I didn't have adjustment left to get to the top position. I'm not sure whether something wore or was bent. I fabricated my own version of the...

I knew a guy who towed fully loaded hay wagons with a Ford 8N. Going down hills he would just turn the ignition off and on.

This could be a whole new thread, but is it bad to run a 2 stroke out of fuel? That's how I know it's time to refuel my chainsaw.

You are going to find you use it more and more. I hope you have the large batteries. I find mine is weak with the small batteries. I have to remember to run the gas out of my Stihl because I use it so seldom now.

This isn't really true. Very high pressure can be achieved with only a little HP if the volume/stream size is small. That's why you will see 110 volt units advertised with up to 4000 psi. My 110 volt unit is advertised at 2100 psi and it cleans well but not as fast as a big gas powered unit would.

Sounds like a click bait article, but the part that gets me is less than 30% have been off road in the last year. I'd guess less than 5%. Of course, to me a dirt road or gravel road is still a road. My F-150 4x4 has never been off road and I don't intend for it to be.

Off the wall question - is the drain valve closed? I've forgotten to close mine before and couldn't figure out why the pressure wasn't coming up.

If the leaves are at all wet, it does get pretty heavy to dump. I try not to fill it completely if there is any moisture. They do offer the electric dump option if you want to spend a few bucks. Storage space isn't much of an issue if you get the hanging brackets. When you fold it up and hang...

The easiest thing is to get a roll of reflective foam insulation and cut to fit the panels in the door. Get closed cell foam, not the bubble wrap stuff. It won't be perfect but it will help. You could get more elaborate with rigid foam but you will still have the ribs that bypass the insulation...

With this solution you would have to add a switch to cut the power and still let the engine run. Seems like a lot of complications to avoid closing a manual valve. I have a valve on a mower and have never used it. I just run the tank dry at the end of the year.

Electric power washers will do the job but they will be slower than gas powered. As long as you don't have too much to do, they are very effective. You see all kinds of strange advertising for "psi" but the key is to get up to the 13 to 15 amp power and a range of nozzles. I recently replaced...

Crushed Concrete might be a cost effective solution.

Not sure the reason but my supplemental prescription plan went up a good bit last year and another 60% for 2025. It's now over $1000 a year in addition to the Medicare cost.

As a cyclist, I've been surprised at the apparent increase in the number of people who think it's OK to run oncoming traffic into the ditch so they can pass me without slowing down. Of course, I should probably be happy because they are probably the people who used to run me off the road. (And...

I've never quite understood the "it'll be worth more when you sell it" argument. But then, I've never kept a new car or truck less than 10 years and tractors are more or less permanent for me.

We all wish there was some consistency in batteries. The AGM in my 2017 F-150 is original and going strong. I may replace it next year at 8 years old just on principle. You can get cheaper non-AGM batteries that will fit the F-150 but if the truck has start/stop technology, they will have zero...

If you will have natural gas available, look into the on line cost of something like a Goodman forced air furnace. It's a low end product but they do work and can be installed by a DIY'er. If you go high efficiency you can vent with PVC.

Whoops! I just checked something and it looks like pellet stoves are pressurized, so regular black stove pipe may not work.

Stove pipe is expensive when it is double insulated. I don't have pellet stove experience, only wood stove, but the pipe only needs to be double insulated in enclosed areas. It's actually better to have single wall pipe in the inside of the occupied space since you get more heat that way. If you...

Maybe the sun is particularly hard on vinyl in Texas but up here we figure on at least a 50 year life span on good siding. I know you can find claims on line that the life is only 20 to 40 years, but around here we consider it semi-permanent.

Vinyl siding is pretty simple and is the best value for exterior finish. I have seem poor installations and it amazes me because you don't have to be very skilled to do it correctly. Either remove the ledge or shim out to it. A perfectly flat and square surface will result in a perfect finished...

All languages have regional or local differences. I can remember in France being told that French Canadians didn't really speak French. On a tour in Spain, our guide began by telling the Americans that spoke Mexican Spanish a list of things they couldn't say in Spain because it would be...

All this is making me glad to live somewhere that virtually nothing is trying to kill you.

You all are starting to make me feel sorry for those that have no good weather. :p

Really don't get much. The soft cab doesn't seal very tight so moisture doesn't build up.

I've got the optional glass windshield for my Original Tractor Cab. I didn't get the wiper but I've never needed it. After 13 years, there are a few scratches on the side and rear plastic windows but not enough to affect visibility. No heater but it cuts the wind and cold enough that I'm...

String trimmers are a great application for battery power. My 20v DeWalt has been a best buy.

Removable soft cab. Summer/winter

Here is my QH modification: Another Quick Hitch Mod

In the pre-hydrostat days we never changed hydraulic fluid, just topped off to replace leakage. Today I would probably change it in a gear tractor but at 550 hours I would wait for a convenient time.

I had a 1968 Datsun that I hauled 2200 lbs of crushed rock in. It survived but it was bad judgement.

If the bolts are the problem I made a mod that replaces the bolts with flush pins. There's a post on here about it and I will add a link if I can find it.

Quick solution - Pull the upper mount bolt and either put on a smaller bushing or leave the bushing out completely. Actual problem is probably that the upper hook is forged a little crooked or undersized and an angle grinder would fix it. I'm not sure what brand of quick hitch it is but this is...

Valve adjustment, oil and filter changes on schedule. Everything else should be what we used to call RTF (Run To Failure).

It's just random. These things aren't very sophisticated. They probably pick up names from obituaries or court filings and them sell the list to all the different scammers. You just happened to get picked up instead of your brother.

Our local rental place has Bluebird stump grinders similar to the one shown. I tried it and never again. Eventually it got the oak stumps out but worked very poorly on the pine stumps. I think the softer wood just bounced back and the unit (heavy as it was) didn't have the mass to actually take...

I'm no expert but I've had very good luck with the posts I've set. Even though they are treated, I've coated the below ground portion of posts with a copper wood preservative. I don't like setting wood in concrete, it seems to easy to get cracks and trapped water. I put gravel around the posts...

Batteries are kind of a crap shoot, but my recent experience is that they now last a good while. The original battery in my tractor gave up in less than 5 years, but the replacement lasted 8 years. I put a couple of layers of foam underneath in hopes it will cut down on the vibration. I...

Most 25HP tractors have instructions that specifically say don't lift large bales. Get the size tractor you need and then get the best your budget will allow.

Sealant is behind the cover plate. I've mounted fixtures that needed a bead of caulk to seal, but with outlets, it doesn't need to be visible.

I cut the siding. Secured to a post. I like the way it came out.

The local county fair just started and I was amazed at the range of tractors on display. When I bought my JD, the only other local choices were Kubota and New Holland from marginal dealers and maybe Mahindra if you wanted to drive a distance. This year, besides JD and Kubota, we had Case IH...

Regarding Deere tie downs, my 2320 has a weight bar on the front with holes that are very convenient for hooks. Do the larger tractors have this?

Tow rating is about more than safety. When I had a Dodge Dakota 6 cylinder, the tow rating was much lower than the V8 version but the only difference was the power. I definitely exceeded the "official" rating from time to time, but I didn't feel unsafe.

I'm not sure how they do it now since I don't currently have an SUV, but Michigan DMV didn't have an SUV category so they were titled as "Station Wagon".

I got a trailer when I bought my tractor, because I knew I wanted to be able to move it and not worry about the dealer picking it up. In the last 14 years I've hauled it a lot of places but never back to the dealer. :LOL:

Again, time is money. When an employee is costing you 50k to 100k per year or more you give them the tools to be productive.

If we only talked about what we know, the conversations would be pretty short - and a lot less fun.

Your Rangers must be bigger than ours. US Rangers have an empty weight of less than 4500 lbs and have a 7500 lb towing capacity. My F-150 is about 5200 lbs empty with a 1900 lb load capacity and 11K towing rating. I wouldn't want to regularly tow 10K with it but it would be within the...