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I had the same problem with my grapple. As others have mentioned, it is due to pressure buildup in the lines due to temperature changes. I built this simple apparatus to attach to the grapple ends of the connectors while in storage. Each side is simply the two plastic pieces viewed, available...

How about something like this: Amazon.com

Another vote for mounting to the drawbar. I use a similar setup mounted to the front bed of equipment trailer for loading disabled vehicle. But I find I have more options using my RAM 2500 4x4 diesel with its front mounted winch. I also have various sized, quality, recovery ropes.

I have been using gasoline and electric powered units for many years. I use an electric unit from Northern Tool for washing vehicles. It is getting old and less powerful and I am going to purchase that Westinghouse unit next, that someone else posted earlier. The typical electric units are very...

I have not read this entire thread. We do have mice I have been fighting who seem to have an affinity for the "shoe tags" I tie to each 5 gallon can of stored fuel that is outside under a tarp. I caught a lot of mice in traps but not enough to help much. I was able to finally fix (crossed...

I have bolt-on or welded grab hooks on all of my FEL attachments so chains can be used to stabilize a load that is being carried in or by the bucket. I would find it difficult to work safely without these hooks.

Another vote for adding a layer of material, working it in and seeing how it works. I built my new driveway and retirement home located in SC in 2014. My soil is clay and very rocky- finger sized to 3' in diameter- like mountain property with the driveway on a moderate grade. The property is...

It happens. I got my tractor stuck in a similar, but not quite as bad situation while I was working on my new home build during a 100 year rain/flood event. A contractor with a large track steer was on the property and pulled me out. After a heavy rain event, I also dropped the entire left...

I also use the work lights on a stand but needed multiple light stands due to me blocking the light as I moved around the weld area when welding something like pipe and preferring to make a continuous weld. Stand lights warmed up the area when welding inside my workshop during the hot months...

I used to mix my own 2-cycle fuel using name brand oil (which one escapes me now) and non-E fuel for my Husky XPs, that were picky about their fuels. I stumbled onto an excellent Home Depot TruFuel sale eight years ago, and my stock of 2-cycle oil has sat unused since. I do not use much...

I had a similar predicament some years ago when I decided to clear my deeply wooded (oaks primarily), very hard clay and large rock encrusted property for our retirement country home site. Investigation showed purchasing a CUT and basic implements would most likely pay for themselves, and in...

From the picture, I can't get the nitty gritty detail of how bad this is, I did similar while having my home built a few years ago and we had a lot of rain that year. Fortunately a big Cat track steer was on the property and he pulled me out.

+1 on the dozer. A few years ago I needed to clear a spot in virgin timber for a home site, driveway, yard, garden and workshop. Long story short, after digging out a few stumps of large, old oak trees with my 45 HP tractor and stump bucket, I gave up as it was FAR too tedious and I was...

Another vote for a grapple bucket, along with lots of counterweight on the 3PH for the largest rocks. I have dug, moved and placed many tons using this method at my home site. With practice, one can get pretty accurate with placement, along with a narrow stump bucket for adjustments once in...

When I was clearing my property for the new home build and then the workshop build- which also serves as tractor, truck and UTV storage, my vehicles were stored outside for several years. We have our share of mice around here and had zero mice issues using small mesh bags with a few moth balls...

+1. Exactly what I do. I only have the time and money to perform things one time and not every few years due to issues. I call it, "Once and Done". No saggy gates, doors, fencing around my place.

I quit mixing my own non-ethanol 2 stroke fuel ~8 years ago for my Husqvarna equipment and switched to TruFuel 50:1 for the convenience and ease of transportation, if required. In my experience, TruFuel surpasses its rated "Lasts 2 years opened and 5 years unopened" web site comment. Since I...

4.4 acres and 45HP with FEL here. I originally purchased this machine and lots of attachments for clearing our retirement property and building a long driveway for our new home build. We still need it a few times a year to work projects around here, especially ground engaging projects, in our...

Another vote for pressure washing.

I have used an earlier model of this mounted to a piece of wood I clamp to a bench for use, for years, and it works much better than my less than professional hand filing abilities. It is not a high quality tool, the adjustments can be kind of fiddly- but the finished chains work well...

My welding and plasma cutting projects are not numerous so I can't justify a large spot in the shop that already has a truck, tractor, UTV and lots of tools and project storage space used. So I use two small portable welding tables with two platforms I made that works great for clamping...

+1. They key is to wait until the ground dries out enough to support the tractor without sinking in but is still workable enough for the implements. I have done a lot of this type of rutting. You may find a good rake is all you need. You most likely will have to make a final pass with a rake...

This is my 100 yard range and it works well. It needs to have dirt moved from the bottom to the top once or twice a year depending upon rainfall. The soil is a sandy loam and I had no trouble digging with a Kioti DK45HSE nor a TYM 394, although the TYM's reach is a bit short to reach the top...

I have not been receiving email notifications of additional comments for most threads I am subscribed to for quite some time so most likely will not receive any notifications for this one either. Just an FYI if anyone expects a response from me as I do not live on the web sites/forums I am a...

+1 on the Motor Guard filter. Mine is mounted on the plasma cutter cart fed by a reel of 1/2" hybrid air line for cart portability and 40' of 3/4" copper tubing for a radiator with an automatic drain water/debris filter at the Quincy dual stage air compressor outlet and a dual auto. drain set...

Here is what they are speaking of concerning a hydraulic pressure gauge, along with some helpful guides. I built mine so it could be used as a Tee if necessary and have all of the various male and female QDs for any hydraulic connection on my tractor for troubleshooting. With this setup you...

A friend is ordering this or a similar set. However, we have to mod it for greater length to get the wheels back a bit further. We used my EA rake with EA wheels as a template: Another supporter of a good rake with a set of wheels (and TNT). For most any type of work I typically set the...

As others have mentioned, a standard problem with temperature changes and fluid/pressure expansion in the lines during storage. This is what fixed my problem with reinstalling the fittings after implement storage. Simply attach mating connectors to PVC caps that have a tiny hole drilled in...

Looks great. Mine weighs 1235# measured with concrete fill and works well for my Kioti DK45 tractor. I can also add a bit more weight if required. I use mine only for weight as I have lots of storage on the tractor.

Without verifying the sizes, the overall looks about right to me. The fittings at the gauge end are a bit different than mine. My hose is longer (36"?) which allows me to hookup to a QD at the rear remotes, underneath at the FEL connectors or at the other side, top of the loader arms for the...

For those who want to carry long guns securely. These pics are of a steel roof on a Polaris Ranger 900XP with no mountings through the roof structure.:

The ground type may dictate which model you purchase. I have drilled holes in sandy loam and dense, hard, rocky soil. I think the TSC/Speeco HD PHD is a great bang-for-the-buck being used in soil that is not dense and hard rocky clay like I have. I destroyed one SpeeCo standard 12" auger and...

Here is a simple build for outside storage that makes handling very easy. I will be adding a small roof section made from an old pickup truck bed liner soon.

Hoover buildings recently completed a 40 x 40 x 12 for me with a roll type insulation I have never seen before and must be designed for this type of building. It is a fiberglass blanket sealed in a moderate thickness, pliable, plastic, attached before the metal skin and works very well so far...

Kioti, as well as LS are about the best bang for the tractor buck, in my opinion. My nearest dealer is several hours away and I have not needed him in the four years I have owned the tractor and the over 400 hard use hours I have put on it. Kioti used to make tractors for BobCat and LS used...

My 40 x 40 x 12 structure was completed two weeks ago and and am trying to arrange concrete install so the doors can be installed. I have installed the 200 amp. power service entrance and CB box, ordered the rest of the electrical parts and foresee full use soon :-)

Oh, a couple last pics of work this morning and the last couple weeks. We are sodding, etc the front. Typically I unload the sod from the truck using the tractor. But we have had a lot of rain recently and the clay soil is still soft and muddy. So used the lighter weight UTV to transfer the...

Cab and related: As mentioned previously, I live down south and do not have a significant need for a cab due to our mild winters. But if I lived in Vt!!!, I certainly would have a full cab I could remove the doors from during the summer months. Roofs to me are steel for longevity and support...

Lighting: My tractor and UTV have auxillary LED work lights I added front and rear (in process of wiring the rear) and should be mandatory, I think. I also added a LED dome light for inside the cab and a LED bed light outside the cab. LEDs use much less power while providing greater light...

Winches and pulling tow points: I have mounted winches on my vehicles for many years and have even used one on my Kioti DK45HST and on my trailers. I have never had to use them for self extraction but have used them for many other things, such as pulling out my stuck truck with the UTV...

Just for reference, my UTV has low hours and 98% have been working hours and this is how my Ranger is outfitted. I viewed your Mechron on Kioti's web site and it looks like a sweet machine designed for working on hard surfaces and established trails per the tires that are on it. Kioti's basic...

A couple years ago I was following a guy on a moderately busy two lane highway going downhill a bit slower than the speed limit and I was trying to get around him. He had an older truck with some kind of 60s era car on the trailer. I started to pass just as the trailer started to twitch a...

Thanks. Chuckle. Pretty medievil looking during the construction. Just assembled three steel hanging targets (not shown) and have plenty of paper target stands. Next build on the list (this fall/winter) is a tractor towable 12' x 12' wood platform with lightweight roof and leveling jacks on...

*** I had an extremely hard time getting the data to stay lined up. Every time I would go to "Preview", the data would bunch up by moving to the left side. So I finally just took an image in Note Pad and made a pic- attached. Click on the pic to enlarge.*** Last week I completed building a...

Depends on what the usage will be. I investigated long and hard on my 2016 UTV purchase and drove what was available locally. Besides a work type UTV, I also wanted to be able to play with it. Playing dropped diesel from the list and also the work specific type UTVs as they did not have the...

Have thought about a roof but have not gotten there yet. My ETA PHD is hanging at a great balance point that allows easy movement for hooking up.

Lots of different experiences with weight boxes on TBN. My factory suggested weight is ~ 850# if I recall correctly for my 2785# FEL lift capacity. I have a ROBB that weighs 710# and extends 26" from the rear pins and it is not near enough weight for maximum FEL carrying capacity. A friend...

I carry/store four chains on my tractor and use them very often. Here are my PVC pipe setups. But I do not see an easy way to transfer installation to your tractor:

I do not live in a cold part of the country. My tool box is a Stanley weatherproof type and is going on four hard years old. Still works great:

Mine came standard with the cage. These are replacements I stocked up on: C1394 Spacer Spring Fit Cebora P7 CP-7 Trafimet CB7 S45 CV1 743.149 5PK | eBay Contact tips are optional, which I have yet to purchase. I have no photos of it in actual use. Attached are a few pics of a weigh...

Good day. I have been reading another post on TBN about purchasing a metal cutting band saw and am getting interested in purchasing one for my new shop. I may or may not need a band saw but am certainly not adverse to purchasing a tool that can make my life easier; I fully understand the...

Can't help you with the HST issue. I test hydraulic pressure using the standard rear ports with this I made:

You might also check used farm implement sellers and auctions. I am in the middle of building a weight box using a donated 3PH pallet mover and a job box after not finding anything locally pre-built. Filled 1/2 full of concrete it will weigh ~ 1250# and still leave room for storing...

Here is my setup. All of my standard jumper cables are 1 gauge CCA or solid copper 25' in length, with Anderson type QDs on both ends. My truck and Jeep batteries also have mating QDs and winches mounted. And the jumper cable alligator jaws also have QDs. Very flexible setups. My 20+2...

The connect under pressure type of QDs help a lot but were not a total solution for my FEL grapple bucket as the pressure buildup in the grapple hoses while in storage due to temperature expansion would still build up enough pressure to make mating the connectors difficult- but possible. The...

... sdef, I also like that chainsaw scabbard. I have been planning on something like that for certain. I'm tired of carrying my saw in my lap while I drive my 8N in the timber. Looks like yours might be made from PVC pipe? How is it connected to your machine? Yes, 4" and 6" PVC pipe. Attached...

I needed more weight than a 55 gallon drum would provide so am going a similar route you are considering. Goal is to start at 1050 pounds and work up during testing to 1250 pounds, which I think will be my sweet spot with usage vs. loading tractor on a trailer and having that weight on the back...

I understand your frustration and they appear to be faulty welds, from what I can see, and your dealer should have spent a few minutes repairing for good customer service. Really, this would irritate me more than the LS response. I do seem to recall LS buckets were a bit lighter in...

+1. Here are a few pics of my 500# rock bucket. It has dug out many large rocks from my heavy clay soil and only has scratched paint to show for its efforts. Did have one tooth break off but that was due to a strange metal weak point early on in its life.

I have had a couple WDHs and like them a lot. My latest is a Blue Ox Sway Pro and includes sway control in the hitch head. No adjustments to this other than the typical chain length when hooking it up depending upon how much weight transfer one wants. Its a keeper. I would start here and...

Thanks for the PM to this link Disney. First class box! I have needed one for a couple years but am just now getting around to building one. I also went with a job site tool box with mine welded on a donor 3PH fork from a friend. I decided to just build the weight box with additional...

lots of 3PH weight ideas on TBN. My 710# ROBB is not enough weight on the back of my 7200# tractor with filled tires and I decided to build a weight box using a 15 cu.' job site tool storage box on a 3PH fork set a friend donated for the project. I am adding a 36" long 2" trailer receiver tube...

Depends upon the type of ground you have whether PHD down force is helpful. I have used a TSC PHD and own an ETA (Everything Attachments) mid level PHD that is heavier than the TSC unit. At a friend's farm that has sandy loam soil, I can drill a 12" hole quickly and move on to the next one...

A KRM48 is a Kubota rotary mower, google says. I use a flail mower on occasion and it is a totally different device than a rotary cutter. Plus a rotary cutter does well as a brush cutter, in my experience. Flail blades are much smaller than rotary mower blades, far more numerous and not...

Can't help you with the see or touch- sorry. My Kioti tractor is similar in size to yours. I used my grapple to help clear a home site from a forest. A quality grapple is made of heavy steel. The wider it is the heavier it is with resulting less lift capacity for the load. I chose a 48"...

+1. I have a Streamlight TLR-1 HL Long Gun light kit on my primary 556 AR and on my primary BCM/CMMG conversion AR .22LR. 800 lumens at night is a lot of light. They are controlled with a pad switch on the hand guard where I grip it. I also have picatinney rail mounts and pad switch on other...

Yep. Large scale maps of most types for anything are great for an overall look. But in my experience at the micro level are not as good. Example: When I bought my property a few years ago, I knew it would be a troublesome piece to get septic approval, underground power installed and overall...

The wife had one hit her recently on the way to work. Funny conversations with the deputy, insurance company, rental car company and body shop: "... no, the DEER HIT ME, I did not hit the deer..." Our area is very dense with trees, like a forest with two lane roads cut through it, so she did...

I use a couple large zip ties loosely tied but had a couple failed installs before I got the length vs. movement correct. I do like the bungee cord idea better. Camera focus is not very good but you get the point:

Pretty hard to get one for less than $$$$. I think they are terribly overpriced relative to what a decent automobile costs. But I bought one- 2016 Polaris Ranger XP900EPS. Runs great but has a LOT of plastic. I preferred the build quality (steel) and warranty of the Kawasak Mule Pro-FX EPS...

+1. I use 5/16"-70 when using the tractor and tie down on the trailer with 3/8"-70 and 3/8" high strength ratchets for my tractor weight of ~ 7200# with implements and loaded rear tires. Two chains on the front and two chains on the rear going from the tractor and over the implements to 5/8"...

Similar circumstance here with my Kioti, bucket and various 3PH implements. My 20' 10.4k is as small as I want (wish I had a 12k) and allows me a smidgen of room to adjust load balancing. My trailer weighs ~ 3200 empty (I carry a lot of stuff in the front trailer boxes) and has ~ 450# - 500#...

The 83" is just a little bit more money, ~$100 and I think a better buy. My dealer also suggested the 83" as maybe a better buy but all of his landscape customers use the 77" width due to maneuverability- my reason also. 77" width is all I need and do not want more width than necessary for...

I have a new Ranger XP 900 EPS and this is how I brought it home: I also have a 6' x 10' utility trailer with 4' ramp. Knowing the trailer would be too small but needing to weld a bunch of 1/2" D-rings on the trailer and UTV, I took them together to a friend's farm last weekend where my...

I have investigated many different ways to store a PHD. Most seem to weight ~ 175 pounds up to 250 pounds for the mid weights many of us use. A friend's TSC/SpeeCo PHD weighs ~ 187# and my ETA 6900 HD weighs ~ 237 pounds. At my age I can barely manhandle the TSC unit when stored laying on the...

I should have posted all of my thoughts into a single post but it is kind of disjointed today. My actual preferred method of moving logs is to cut them into manageable lengths, depending upon terrain and weight and carry them with the grapple. BTW: the grapple is the second best logging tool I...

+ 1 as the generally preferred method and the method I use if possible. But if dragging something like a tree that may be prone to dig into the ground as it is being pulled, it is probably best to chain the log end to the 3PH in some manner and lift the end off the ground a small amount to keep...

I am building a 72" woven wire horse fence with two top wires for 7' total height to keep the pesky deer and predators out. Since the deer feel the wife's new garden and new fruit trees are part of a restaurant menu, I decided to put up a temporary 6' tall fence around her most important items...

A lot of great ideas. I tried turning the PTO shaft to no avail. It took the tractor pulling on the 48" pipe wrench to budge it most likely due to the damp, sticky, red clay. Had it been sandy loam soil it never would have gotten stuck. I read an old TBN post this afternoon about a gentleman...

Making post holes in my soil is a combination of trying to start the hole with the auger and when it stops digging after a couple inches, get out the digging bars and manual rock post hole digger. Then back on the tractor with the auger for a few more inches- or none at all or dig a foot if one...

I plan on purchasing a sidexside UTV this year and have been eliminating vehicles. I am down to Yamaha Viking EPS, Kawasaki Mule Pro-FX EPS LE and the Polaris Ranger 6x6. I do not need a UTV but want one. It will serve as a carryall on my small acreage for tools, firewood and such, along with...

+1 I never worry about low spots holding water as I do a repair as the water helps to keep the immediate area soft so I can add larger/coarser material and then pound/push it into the ground. The soft areas will always be soft until fortified with coarse material, in my experience. My...

I have a 2013 Kioti DK45 HST and have been using the PTO and PHD digging 9" - 24" diameter fence post holes in very hard, very rocky ground. The last (so far) 9" hole took 4 hours to create (ended up being 18"), mainly using a 20# digging bar, heavy manual rock post hole digger, four PTO post...

In the end, I am glad to see the aluminum bodied F150 do well in this test and hope other manufacturers follow Ford's lead for increases in fuel economy and capacities. I almost purchased one with the ecoboost when I thought I wanted a heavy duty 1/2 ton. Then almost purchased a GM...

I have the same blade jeff9366 has except in the 72" version and really enjoy the usefulness and quality of this ROBB. My soil is very hard clay and very rocky with rock sizes in excess of 1000#. Sometimes I wish for a heavier blade- one maybe twice this weight for better penetration in my...

I have the ETA rake you mentioned at 84". I purchased the 84" version due to all of the trees on my property and limited maneuverability. I also have the gauge wheels and would not own this rake without them. They make final finish grading or any other use easier other than use as a blade...

I received the keys from MIE today. Was quoted $9.xx per set of two and was charged $16.xx per set, plus shipping. The part number in the parts manual is for the double cut key. The single cut key pair part number is T5515-75191.

Background: This is a new home and we are making improvements almost daily. My ground is very rocky with rock sizes from gravel size to well exceeding a thousand pounds, plus hard clay. Digging in any capacity manually with a shovel is not possible except in areas of fill. The wife has...

No. I bought it cheap as NOS (New Old Stock) as it had been sitting at a tractor supply yard for what appeared to be years. Took it home and sanded and painted it Cat yellow. I have it strictly to use in case nothing else will work. I highly prefer to lift and carry things by the FEL with...

Measured my pole and it is 9' long from the lift pins. lots of leverage out back for a 6800# tractor.

About a year ago I ordered a bunch of small parts I knew I would need in the future for my tractor. One of those part numbers were four spare ignition keys, part # T4625-75191 from MIE. The part number on the bag is the same as the only part number in my Kioti parts manual and the same on the...

Me too. I saw a bucket tooth displayed earlier in this thread. Here is mine off of a grapple rock bucket after months of extreme use. I do not have a pic of the gaping hole where the tooth had been but the tooth's welds and metal surrounding the tooth appeared to have just been torn off...

I am a neophyte welder (MIG and steel) and have been using brake cleaner (unknown if chlorinated or not) for my standard degreasing as I have been using most of my life. Works great and I do not have to touch the chemicals with potential absorption into the skin. However, found out last night...

I installed a 12k winch on my Kioti DK45 HSE at the 3PH using a purpose built portable winch mount for a 2" receiver I had laying around. Ran 0 or 1 gauge cable from the standard tractor battery back to the winch using Anderson QD type mounts. Exact same setups I use in my 1996 Jeep GC and...

These look pretty neat. But I just use a battery connector from BatteryMinder and let it hang out the front of the tractor to use with the diesel refueling pump. Also have these connected to all other items I own that have automotive type batteries.

I have a 2015 RAM 2500 Cummins, 6.4 bed, crew cab, fairly loaded Ram Horn 4WD. It is rated to tow 17,180# on the bumper and no WD is mentioned in any literature. There is no V5 rating sticker on the 2.5", Class V receiver. Following is a Dodge caveat mentioned on the same page as the...

I was airing up all of the various tires at the house today and noticed this damaged valve on the rear of the Kioti DK45HST. It is a two piece stem with the top piece being screwed into the actual stem piece. As can be seen in the pics, the top piece is damaged as is the core and the core...

We are also building our retirement home- rather the contractor is. We cleared the forest and built the driveway. Ours is 3300', brick, wired and plumbed for natural gas generator. Were supposed to take possession in a week or so but that is now delayed due to water damage from the floods in...

It took me awhile to come up with a simple, yet strong way of doing so. I basically fabricated 3 "L" shaped brackets (like standard shelf brackets) out of 1.25", 1/8" angle to support each box and then a down piece at ~ 45 degrees to tie it all together. I actually only created the top...

Yep. I have a new Ram 2500 diesel, 4x4, crew cab Ram Horn and did a lot of setup and testing with a 10.4k 20' equipment trailer and an old Ford tractor. With 1150 pounds on the ball (~13% TW), measured by a Sherline tongue scale (Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scale - 2,000-lb Capacity...

I have narrowed down my options of non-weight distributing hitches/ball mounts to the Weigh-Safe #WS10-2.5 (or WS8-2.5) [12.5k#] or the Andersen #3299 EZ HD [16k #]. I want an adjustable ball mount for the Ram 2500 4x4 diesel to carry in the truck to hook up to anything I may need/want to pull...

I recently finished clearing a smaller, similar tract on very rocky, dense clay soil. I have a HST DK45 and would not have wanted anything smaller. I hope yours is HST for this type of work, as all of the back and forth with a geared unit will be troublesome. I did not have a hoe and sure...

I am in a quandary for selecting a tow vehicle rated at 11k # or greater. My heavy towing needs are only occasional and most of the time the truck will be inside with the tractor once our new place is built and all of the outside landscaping, etc. is completed, will not be a daily driver and...

Here is what I dig rocks and stumps with. 48" wide and 550 pounds. Great multipurpose tool that is extremely strong. I have dug out and carried many rocks this size and larger stumps. This is a better digger due to it narrow front, but is more difficult to carry with without a grapple...

I could not find a commercial method I liked for carrying my chains, saws and things with handles. So I stumbled upon this idea somehow. Most parts are from the big box building stores. My Kioti has a bracket on each side of the cowling to mount the clear Plexiglas that stops mud, etc. from...

Well, I have heard it best to keep log chains oiled. But I can't imagine then using them when necessary. So I keep mine on the tractor hanging inside PVC tubes where I can readily use them.

Yep. I live in these daily, and worse, created by my continuous "logging" with the FEL at near max. capacity as I am clearing my property home site and the very wet spring we are having. When the ruts get too deep I spend some time with the ROBB and bucket leveling it out and hopefully letting...

+1 on the Dirt Dog RO720. I have used mine many hard hours clearing very rocky, hard clay soil and the only damage is some bending on each of the outboard scarifiers when they were hooked and slid off the sides of buried mini boulders, with the other scarifiers firmly planted; normal wear and...

+1. Although I did not see the 6.2 option for the 2015 model. Attached are the specs for the 2014 model. A 2014 is still on my list, especially if I stumble upon a great deal on one.

With the high resale values I am seeing, I am now pricing new trucks as a reference point. And I may be better off purchasing new with some rebates when available, like when the 2016s are available. So for moderately equipped XLTs with not too many fancy things, I am getting ~ $44k for each...

Per some instructions MtnViewRanch posted some time ago about how to setup and use draft control, I created a new driveway in my property I am clearing using a ROBB (6', 725#) and a rake with gauge wheels (7', 725#), along with TnT. In my scenario starting from scratch, draft control and the...

I have found some pics of my winch setup for the 3PH with Anderson type plugs. I originally thought I had used welding cable from the tractor battery, but now see it is not. For storing the cable when not in use, I just drape it around the tractor seat and the plug end lays under the seat on...

I agree your current one does not look fixable... Here is one, 72" x 710 pounds. New and used:

Recently I built a driveway on very rocky, heavy clay soil. While grading the surface, each pass of the rollover box blade (ROBB) with the shanks down brought up more rocks, some very large in the range of baseball sized to hundreds of pounds each, or larger. Even once I filled the large holes...

Sure. Will post if I can actually get any meaningful data. However, I believe the vast majority of my FEL digging has been completed as my driveway is now built. I still have to clear 1.5 acres of trees/stumps for the home site area, but have decided to hire a mini-x and operator to dig the...

Really nice tractor. However, it is wayyy too clean :-)

I wish I could wash mine but it is located where there is no water to wash it with. So it stays dirty and will at least until next summer when the new home should be completed and I will have facilities. The operator's station floor looks pretty much like the tires:

Thanks BeezFun. My thoughts also and thanks for confirming. Bucketdriver.com also has an option to help with driving T-posts (the bending issue) in hard soil. But I still think overall the t-posts may end up a difficult project, with the stronger well pipe an easier install The front half...

Wow! Gorgeous piece of equipment. Makes mine look awfully puny. Pics are of it mounted on the back of my Jeep. Have not gotten it to the tractor yet. Mine will be used to haul out logs I cut from a downward slope I do not want to drive the tractor down.

This post is primarily directed at folks who have used one of the bucket drivers mentioned below. From a previous post of mine, along with other posts I have read, I decided I will purchase DRIVER-5 PRICES to attempt to drive the posts into my very dense, very rocky, very hard clay soil. I...

You could also consider a rock grapple, which is designed differently:

I broke my ASC QH a few weeks ago and ordered a HFT as a replacement. I find the apparent construction to be very similar between the too, from the parts I can see, anyway. For the record the ASC is wider at the lower mounting pins by 1/4" and the top link hook is set back another 3/4" or so...

I usually only purchase heavy duty equipment that will last a lifetime of hard usage and this means the equipment's weight is heavy. I saw no reason to purchase a grapple bucket greater than 48" due to maneuverability and weight considerations. My WildKat 48" grapple weighs 525 pounds empty...

Over the years I have standardized on AGM batteries for all of my vehicles and have tried a few brands. Optima's had provided the best experience and I am happy with them. I also carry high quality 2 gauge jumper cables, along with a home made emergency battery jumper system. Due to poor...

I have one also on my 6' wide bucket and it works well for a lot of things. But digging stumps out in my very hard clay/rock soil is better left to my 4' wide grapple, as the narrower width makes digging much easier in my soil, along with having more pressure on the individual teeth to break up...

Using PVC tubes and all hardware from the big box stores. I have been told several times they look factory and my wife thought they were. They have been through a lot this year and still look and function like new.

Filling in ruts and finish grading are too different things. Ruts are easy and finish grading takes a lot of skill, experience and the right equipment. I believe you can fill in the ruts okay but need to add a good landscape rake to your equipment list (with wheels). I would not attempt...

Really nice works as always, James K. Rolling that slotted edge up front for the top link access is a first class touch. OP: I am one of the folks who use a heavy implement- 710# rollover box blade (ROBB) and a 100# tool box. And at times it is just BARELY enough counterweight, along with...

I will try and respond later but am tied up most of today. As a reference point, look at a Kioti CK27 tractor. A lot of folks on TBN have one. You will also need a box blade, with the heavier the better. But it depends upon your soil type, how much weight it will need. A landscape rake is...

I would love to have the soil type something like that would dig in, but I am sure it would just skip across the top of my very hard clay/rock "soil". To understand what I deal with, imagine someone mixing up a few billion cubic yards of expansive clay with rocks from fist size to small boulder...

It sounds to me like there is not enough weight on the shanks. I used my 700# ROBB to do the same in my heavy clay soil and the ROBB's weight was just barely adequate. A 1000# - 1500# box blade would have been better.

I just did similar on a small scale while clearing a new driveway through densely wooded, small boulder encapsulated at depth, heavy clay soil. I also had large holes from digging out stumps (~ 4' to 8' x 4' x 4' or so) and quite a few large, buried rocks. The FEL was taxed daily and many...

I have three more years on you so I do this. I use the round cans to transport in the car/Jeep for filling, but they have a flame arrester and I can't insert the tube for sucking out the fuel. I use the round cans to fill several square, plastic diesel containers, which I insert the diesel...

I test all of my oils at strategic points in the equipment's life at Blackstone Labs. On my new Kioti DK45HSE, this turned out to be at the 50 hours and 100 hour checks. I will also do another engine oil at 150 to make sure things have completed getting better. The kioti manual has...

Yep. Same here. After the house and shop are built, I have no idea how I will build a fence. My best guess is to drill a hole with a 1/2" bit, 24" long to search out a doable spot and then drive a HD, metal t-post using a driver from bucketdriver.com.

I am clearing my retirement home site and am currently finishing up on the driveway. Next I will tackle the many trees, in excess of 150, mostly hardwood with diameters of 5" - 36", with the bulk in the 8" to 12" range, with quite a few in the 16" range and only a couple in the 36" range. I...

When I first read this post's title, I was thinking Glock 36 or Taurus 445C. Further reading brings this photo to mind. My tractor is 35 miles from my home, clearing some property. I am able to keep most anything I need in this tool box, along with a quality pocket knife. There is no way a...

I replaced my flat face couplers with connect under pressure types on the tractor and grapple. This fixed about half the problem, but enough pressure could still build up to cause issues I did not want to deal with and I searched for a 100% fix. After posting my issue, several TBNers came up...

Oh man. The whole place is like this and looks nothing like typical SC or Ga soil. Long story short, the place would not perc for a septic tank- which I knew when I purchased it as I had the country test it. So we hired a soils engineering firm out of Charlotte, NC, along with a guy and a...

In the foreseeable future I will be fencing in a 1 acre garden area off the back of the house. With all of the rocks on my property I have decided not to use wooden 4 x 4 posts except at the corners and gates (or possibly metal pipe) and use T-posts everywhere else. From responses to a previous...

This thread is getting a bit old but I wanted to respond. The work light wire on my DK45HSE is only about 18 gauge and due to voltage drop is not enough to power any lights to capacity other than some low current LEDs. I run all of my wiring for anything directly to the battery, connections...

I need to fence 1 acre around the back of my new house that is only in the planning stages at this moment, as we are still clearing the property. The ground is dense clay and very rocky, like a glacial dumping ground. Manually digging any fence posts would be an exercise in futility and...

I sure wish my tractor looked as clean and shiny as yours :) It currently has a lot more mud on it than the picture shows.

I imagine you will get a lot of comments and I am surprised there have been none yet. I have a very challenging situation clearing my retirement property that is densely wooded and a glacial dumping ground for rocks up to 3.5' or so in diameter with most of them ~ 2' x 1', densely interspersed...

The link supplied only takes me to the OEM's main web site and not to a particular grapple I can compare the specifications on. I have read the first 6 pages of this post, skipped the rest of them and have the following comments based strictly upon my personal experience with the equipment I...

Agreed. A bulldozer is the best equipment for my driveway, but I do not want to deal with the aftermath. Fortunately bedrock is not my issue, but I have serious amounts of large, heavy rocks. If they are large enough, I pick them up with the grapple bucket. If too small for the grapple. we...

Found photos of the tractor covered and not:

My tractor as configured weighs ~ 7500 pounds, has 45 HP and a 710# rollover box blade. My heavy clay, rocky soil is not hardly touched by the box blade unless I break it up first with the scarifiers. Same thing goes for the bucket with a tooth bar added.

I had a similar problem with my skid steer type, ISO 16028 couplers. I replaced the standard connectors on the tractor side with connect under pressure types, and that fixed that end. Then I had a problem with pressure building up in the grapple hoses and they were VERY difficult to connect...

My tractor is 35 miles away at my densely wooded, very rocky property I am clearing for a home site. I have no room for any kind of stationary shelter and use a $90, large SUV type car cover. I put the ROPS down to allow the cover to engulf the tractor to ground level. Works great for a...

Update with a lot of new experience: With my heavy, dense, wet and slippery clay, along with the amount and size of rocks buried below the surface and forcing the bucket lip up and over them, I am not doing a very good job of scooping the rocks into the bucket with the tractor. So the rock...

That is a nice, clean, third function remote install. The dealer welded the bracket on mine a bit lower than yours and also towards the center somewhat. I believe yours looks like it may be a bit easier to use:

Good day, I was working at my new property clearing a spot for the driveway in a very rocky, densely wooded area. The front wheels spend as much time off the ground as they do on the ground, while digging out tree stumps and large rocks. And the tractor is constantly bouncing and in a...

Another vote for a Brush Grubber. I have the BG-11 and prefer it over chain alone, as chain tends to slip to find the angle it wants to ride at, while the BG grabs where one places it. Although it does slip sometimes, usually due to loose bark or the teeth being clogged from a previous pull...

Yeah, I seriously considered that ATV chainsaw carrier, but the back of my tractor is already full and I need full mobility of the ROPS. Where did you get the ignition switch cover? I am very interested in this.

I looked all over for a commercial method to mount my chainsaw, including ATV mounts and found nothing that was simple, easy to use and fool proof. I like your idea. I need to carry a lot of tools with a goal of storage flexibility for the many various items I am using to clear my new home...

Okay, this can get you started but you will need to modify for your circumstances- coupling type, whether or not you want to add a hose, gauge mounting type- bottom mount or back mount, etc. It will be for a system that can be used as a pass through or dead head. Parts are from Discount...

Thanks Jack. My model is an EFG not the EFGC like what your blades are for. I do know the EFGC blades are heavier than my EFG blades but know nothing else about them. The inside diameter of the mounting bolt hole is 0.512" (13.02 mm) Photos of mine:

I did this to my Kioti DK45 HST. Conceptually it is the same process on any system I would imagine. Per my shop manual I was to have 2702 PSI at a rear remote at wide open throttle. I had 2600 PSI. The actual adjustment was a quick 10 minute fix from beginning to end. My adjustment was on...

Hi HillCountry. I have similar rocks on my 4 acres of densely wooded, rocky land that I will start clearing next month. I thought about the rock issue long and hard and settled on a 48" unit. My plan is to pick up the larger rocks individually and move elsewhere. Then go back with the...

I have had some time to think about this mower situation and it will not live up to its potential with the OEM blades that came with mine. I spent a bit of time on a 2nd blade today using two cuts with a 14" cut off and a bench grinder. The end result is a perfectly shaped, hopefully high...

Blades comparison. The original is the smaller one. They would have worked well had the new blade not have the extra material at the top. And if these blades are any indication of Flail-Master's other products, I think they would be a good place to purchase parts from.

I did not check current draw/output of the Schumaker's v. battery draw without them hooked up. Just know I had identical experiences with multiple units on multiple vehicles by different OEMs. I think the factory alarm systems are the culprits. My CTEKs are equivalent to the NOCOs and I never...

I am going to try and run around the stump/tree with my subsoiler first to cut any roots I can before digging with the stump bucket and see how this works. I will not be able to get as close initially, but it is a relatively easy thing to do first. Then go to work with the CID stump bucket as...

I just found this on Flail-Master for what seems to be rotary mower blades. Measuring with this as a guide, my blade is 4" long with a working length of 3.5" and width of 1 3/4". It is also 0.212 inches thick. So the overall measurements, including the metal thickness make it a nice blade...

I am reporting back with my findings. It took me awhile to figure out the four different hydraulic couplings types- 1/2" ISO 5675 (Ag- rear remotes), 1/2" ISO 16028 (skid steer flat face at the grapple), 3/8 ISO 7241-1 series A (joystick-FEL disconnects) and ISO 7241-1 series B (WR Long 3rd...

Leonz: Attached are some photos. I picked the mower up on one side with the FEL. I did note a couple blades may be dinged up a bit, which I would not have expected with the very light usage it has seen just testing mulching leaves and sticks. And they are lighter weight than I expected. I...

Uploading a few pics. Note the skids are pretty much flat on the ground (pic 294). You can't tell by the photo but the rear of the skid is elevated about 1/8". But the top surface of the unit is at a larger angle down indicated by the level. I am going to either replace the top link with a...

My new Chinese EFG175 medium duty fail mower will be delivered tomorrow. I really wanted the Caroni, but Agri Supply is out of stock until mid-January and I need it by the middle of this month. I would have preferred the EFGC175 heavy duty model, but they are out of those until January. It...

Good day, I have a fairly new DK45SE HST and have been doing a lot of maintenance items around the house, learning how to operate it, modifying it, etc. before I take it to my property 35 miles away, where it will stay while I am clearing the lot for our retirement home. The FEL is rated at...

I have a RO72 on the back of my 7000#, 45 gross HP, R4 tired, HST and have similar vines I have removed in clay soil. The large diameter vines, even just a few inches below ground, can easily stop the tractor due to having a long length anchored at each end, with the many off chutes grabbing...

Agreed. No getting off the tractor. Just scoop and grab, then move on. Photos of the grapple tearing down an old shed last Friday evening and loading the results into a trailer for the dump the following morning. No puncture wounds nor scratches from rusty nails either.

Excellent point. Proper storage and use for any item. This is my chain storage: This is my hand tool storage:

I have no idea about the picture question, but here is my tool box. The OEM box was a tiny thing, immediately behind the seat on the cross bar. Pretty useless for my personality. I installed a Stanley FatMax 28" that is weather sealed and is stuffed with tools. The location is over the rear...

Here is what I did to my Kioti DK45. It is a water sealed Stanley FatMax 28" and holds all of the stuff I need. It is stuffed full... Stanley also makes an identically designed 23" wide box. The first photo shows the steel supports for the box which are Stanley 1/4" flat mending plates and...

My trek is not as colorful as some, but much more convenient. But it is nice to walk out onto the deck that surrounds the house as it juts out into the densely wooded property. It is too dark to take photos tonight.

I have both Kioti rear hydraulic remote sets on my DK45HSE and use them for top and tilt for my box blade. The long handled remote control lever also has a long travel and easy usage/3PH implement adjustability because of it. The short control lever has detents at either end of its very short...

I have a grapple rock bucket with 1/2" flat face skid steer couplers (Stucchi) and of course mating couplers (Dixon) at the FEL. This is controlled by a W.R. Long electric/hydraulic unit. I have connected the grapple to the FEL once and it was very difficult, but I got it done after a lot of...

Whichever path you choose, make sure your front couplings match your intended grapple. My couplings are skid steer 1/2" flat face, which are sealed against dirt and leakage when disconnected, unlike the agricultural couplers. I need three remotes so I added the additional factory rear remote...

Really long story short- new tractor, new W.R. Long 3rd function remote at the FEL and new rock grapple bucket. System worked fine for first couple hours of intermittent grapple operation. I didn't like how the electric button worked, with press the top rocker switch position to close the...

Oh it certainly seems sturdy enough to do that but I have not tried it yet. I think the larger question would be does the tractor have enough traction/weight to do this? I was using the BB to uproot some very large parasitic vines and had the rock grapple on the tractor using it to clean up...

Good day. I am envisioning a need for a decent welder to modify and repair small farm equipment, but am in a quandry about which type would be best for my purposes- a wire feed/MIG or a stick. I am considering the Everlast PowerArc 200 stick and the Hobart 500559 MIG. Welding is not a current...

Good day, Shortly I will be purchasing a new Kioti DK45SE HST and will have the dealer install a third remote at the loader for operation of a rock bucket grapple. At this point I am planning on purchasing a WildKat 48" model. I have the option of installing any kind of hydraulic connector...

I am narrowing my 72" box blade options and believe I want something in the 700 pound range, like the RO72 rollover model. I also like the standard type box blade, ETA Xtreme for $1240 delivered, but am not sure its 630 pounds is heavy enough for my rocky, clay soil and would rather have the...

Almost ready to purchase a new tractor and have my choices down to a LS R4041H/R4047H or Kioti DK40SE HST/ DK45SE HST, primarily depending up how the dealers come back with the quotes for a package deal. Recently the LS dealer mentioned in his experience, the draft control just raises and...

Almost ready to purchase a new tractor and have my choices down to a LS R4041H/R4047H or Kioti DK40SE HST/ DK45SE HST, primarily depending up how the dealers come back with the quotes for a package deal. Recently the LS dealer mentioned in his experience, the draft control just raises and...

I am headed to a dealer in the morning that is 100 miles away to test drive a DK50SE HST. No one within reasonable driving distance has a DK40SE HST in stock, which is the one I am considering, along with the LS R4041/4047H models. From the specifications the DK50 seems to be identical to the...

Good day, I just stumbled across this T-N-T kit, item: HTSP-DKSE and wonder how it might compare to other kits, such as those from Fit Rite Hydraulics or Hay Tools- specifically concerned about the cylinder drifting while in use due to no check valves, smooth, consistent operation, etc. I will...

Good day, I will be clearing my slightly sloped, densely wooded and very rocky, 4.4 acre retirement property soon and will be purchasing a CUT tractor in the low 40 HP range with HST. Most of my tractor work will be using the FEL and 600+ pound box blade (ETA or Woods BSM72), primarily to dig...

I will be purchasing my first CUT and using it to clear our new home site on 4.4 acres, that is densely wooded and rocky- similar to mountain type property, with some small boulders that will tax the FEL, along with the majority of rocks that are maybe 12" - 24" in diameter. The tractor work...

and new to this web site. This is a long post. I have decided on a LS, independently of this site which I just discovered, for all of the reasons most folks here have expressed and also found what I feel is probably a great dealer in Hartley Enterprises, Monetta, SC, that is 55 miles away...