Bending and Breaking Attachments.??

[jnjpream]

Lots of implements get torn up because the buyer tried to save a couple bucks and disregarded the fact that the attachment they were buying was not rated for the tractor they were pulling it with.. If you have a 50 HP tractor and you put a blade on it only rated for 25 HP, unless you're careful, you will turn it into a pretzel.

Others get torn up due to mis-use or use other than the intended purpose of the attachment.. Knowing the attachment is designed to be pulled, but using it to push and getting careless. o)

And still others get torn up because of just plain bad luck.. Nuts, bolts, or pins coming off. Or finding something in the ground you didn't expect.

But other than the bad luck category, if the operator knows his equipment and understand the forces and stress he is applying to the equipment and stays withing the limits of the equipment, the equipment will last a long time.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

Lots of implements get torn up because the buyer tried to save a couple bucks and disregarded the fact that the attachment they were buying was not rated for the tractor they were pulling it with.. If you have a 50 HP tractor and you put a blade on it only rated for 25 HP, unless you're careful, you will turn it into a pretzel.

Others get torn up due to mis-use or use other than the intended purpose of the attachment.. Knowing the attachment is designed to be pulled, but using it to push and getting careless. o)

And still others get torn up because of just plain bad luck.. Nuts, bolts, or pins coming off. Or finding something in the ground you didn't expect.

But other than the bad luck category, if the operator knows his equipment and understand the forces and stress he is applying to the equipment and stays withing the limits of the equipment, the equipment will last a long time.

All good points, 95% of which are operator error.

My point is there is no point in telling someone to buy the heaviest, strongest, most pricey attachment you can afford. Go slow, pay attention and match the attachment to the size of your tractor and you will have few problems.

 

[bp fick]

All good points, 95% of which are operator error.

My point is there is no point in telling someone to buy the heaviest, strongest, most pricey attachment you can afford. Go slow, pay attention and match the attachment to the size of your tractor and you will have few problems.

The heavier pieces can sometimes also do a better job. Their weight causes them to apply more force, making them a better tool. Hours of expected use per year also comes into play. If I am only going to use an implement once a year AND if the tool will perform adequately, then I have no problem with the garden variety implement. (no pun intended).

Personality comes into play. Some guys are just more gentle, more careful and more willing to take their time.

Yes, choices between utility, quality and price must often be made. Nothing new about that in life.

 

[carpenter383]

I was dragging some dirt down a hill with the teeth down on my box blade, one of the teeth hooked a large root and the tooth broke.

 

[Phineas7]

All good points, 95% of which are operator error.

My point is there is no point in telling someone to buy the heaviest, strongest, most pricey attachment you can afford. Go slow, pay attention and match the attachment to the size of your tractor and you will have few problems.

I think it's kind of a "given" that if you buy a real tractor and treat it like a garden tractor / lawn mower and its associated attachments, it will not break.

I'm no tractor expert or profesional, but I think buying strongest is a good point. When I got mine, I really had no clue what I was getting into. I got the Frontier BB at the dealer. It looked heavier built than what I saw at Tractor supply (for much less). So far I've been unable to bend or break it. Maybe some would say I'm abusing my equipment, but when I want to get a stump out, I want to worry about what it will take to break that root that's driving me crazy! Not worry about if I'm going to break the scarifier on the BB or a tooth on the toothbar. I have snatched the tractor to a stop by hooking a low stump with the blade. The blade did not break. If it had, some might say I wasn't being careful, others would say I should have bought a better BB.

I sure wished I had a heavier built rotary cutter. I keep bending the blade carriage (or whatever you call it) and I've bent the edges up quite a bit too, but I'm not cutting hay in a field.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

My only real problem was on a countyline 84" Landscape rake....we did some landscaping last spring...I was raking by hand because I really didnt want to spend $$ on a nice Woods landscape rake because I was in the middle of my power rake build....once the power rake was done safe to say I didnt need a landscape rake anymore. Anywho....after an hour of raking and seeing minimal progress I thought, **bleep** it, I'll run down to TSC, talk em down 10% and save myself hours...not to mention, just resell or part out the Countyline rake once I was done....I picked the rake up at noon and no joke by 1:30 it was bent beyond recognition. I loaded it up and by 2:30 I had my money back in my wallet and the ol bow rake in my hands.

I was going slow, I did nothing wrong (seriously I'd admit it if I did)..
I think ultimately the twigs/leaves/etc made it so I was pulling too much dirt and the rake couldnt handle it...tractor wasnt even forcing... I've done similar things with my Dad's Land Pride and it didnt phase it....

I wouldnt write off all the Countyline/TSC attachments. General concensus here is bang for the buck, you just cant beat the KKII tiller. On the other hand, looking at the rear blades, I think I'd have one bent up in 15/20 mins.

If your not in a hurry, the best way to "have it all" is keep your eyes peeled for used "higher end" equipment....Usually you can get it for the same if not less then the Countyline stuff...

Another important factor for me personally is how and when do you need it? For example, I gladly paid more for a better quality snowblower....I dont want to be working on it when its -12 outside and the snow is coming down. I want and need a dependable blower.... In the case of the landscape rake I bought...even if it was junked, no big deal....I just parked the tractor and had to seed the grass a few days later....nothing really "lost"....

 

[Ductape]

The only attachments i bend or break are the ones i borrowed from my neighbor.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I find this thread to be somewhat ironic.....

When someone posts a question on the purchase of an attachment 18 guys will speak up and say "buy the heaviest, strongest attachment that you can afford. I have busted lots of equipment trying to save a buck, now I buy the good stuff. Be prepered to visit your local welder often."

This thread is telling me if you go slow and pay attention the attachment will last a long time without issue. Although, we haven't heard much from the guys that have busted equipment and moved up to the "good stuff" so that they can go fast and not pay attention. Where are they.??

I will continue to use my CountyLine equipment with care in order to "save a buck." My $319 rear blade has performed as well as an $800 LandPride blade.

Anyone get my point.??

Well, here I am. I am one of the guys that is saying to buy the best quality that you can afford, and here is why.

When I bought my Mahindra 7520 (75hp) I also bought a rear blade, among many other implements. When I made these purchases, this was the first time that I had bought new tractor stuff. I trusted the dealer.(mistake) Well when I took delivery, the rear blade was the first implement that I used. I was finish grading with it from some of the dozer work that I had done. The blade snagged the top edge of a root that had been cut off with the dozer. One of the turn table guides on the rear blade got bent. I took a picture of the damage and showed the dealer. I was told that I had abused the blade and that there would be no warranty coverage. This was on a $1000 rear blade. I continued to use the blade and after a year or so besides the guides getting bent more, the blade itself was bending, actually straightening out the curve on the moldboard. This I believe is simply because the unit was actually designed for a 50 or so HP tractor. So here is what I would consider middle of the road quality blade being used on a heavier application than it was ever intended for. But the dealer seemed to think that it was fine for my sized tractor.

My first blade was top of the line manufactured by MidWest. But their top of the line is-was not good enough for my tractor and what I need to do with it. So when I could afford it I bought a top of the line Land pride rated for the size and weight of my tractor. The quality of the blade is far superior and it grades far better than the MidWest blade. It also costs almost 4 times the price, but you get what you pay for. Now if I wanted to baby a cheaper blade and not get any work done, then I could probably get away with a cheaper blade, but I have work to do and no time to pamper my implements.

Oh, I did purposely by a MidWest landscape rake, cheap, pretzel-ed it in only a few hours. Who new that a landscape rake needed to be strong? Lesson learned, I rebuilt the rake area only to bend the hitch area that still needs to be addressed.

As far as your CountyLine blade, glade that it works for you. You obviously have saved some $$$, hope that it holds up for you.

Enough of my rambling, buy the best implement that will work for you, you shouldn't be sorry.

 

[JoelD]

I ripped three of the teeth off of my woods boxblade

I hit rocks and they ripped the teeth off

I was using the tool for it's intended use

tools fail all the time and some parts are just more prone to failure than others

that is why they sell parts

also a reason why I purchase craftsman tools

I have yet to see an indestructble tool even anvils brake

Joel

 

[zzvyb6]

I go along with Joel's comments. But, I NEVER loan out a tool, attachment, or a tractor. I do the work. I sense the loading. I have to fix it or repair it. I don't listen to the radio during heavy operations. I don't run into trees or fences or immovable objects by choice. I drink a beer after the job is done, not before or during. A steel piece bends elastically (returns to original shape) before it bends plastically (permanent set). If you pay attention to what you are doing and go at a reasonable ground speed the first time you go over it, you will never find the elastic limits of your stuff.

In a hurry? Give the scrap dealer on Craigslist a call.

(But I know I can use my rototiller on my gravel driveway and not hurt it. Why? Because I went about it in a smooth, slow, deliberate way).

Never used my bush mower on the hedges or trees. Nor my chain saw on the loader bucket, or my posthole digger on the cement. Some will try though...