Wrote this a week or so ago on another site:
"So yesterday was an excellent example of what I've been recommending in these tractor threads here for years: Make sure your FEL is quick detachable and make sure all your 3ph implements are Quick Hitch compatible.
Yesterdays events:
- Tractor is configured with the bucket and rock rake in the morning; I was working my road the day before and planned to continue doing it yesterday. However, I ran into a neighbor and he offered me several very nice downed Hickory trees. Since I like to use Hickory for smoking, I took him up on it. Changed out the bucket for the grapple and changed out the rock rake for the box blade (BB is far heavier and is a better counterweight; also the BB has a hitch so I could tow my trailer up there and load it vs using the tractor to transport one log at a time).
- Got the Hickory logs unloaded at my Pole Barn; swapped out the grapple for the bucket again and swapped the BB for my EA ED 8' grader blade for road work.
- Got the road work done; swapped out the bucket for my forks and installed my work platform on it. Installed two 16,406 lumen High Bay lights in my shop. My tractor work platform allows me to safely work at heights of 8'-16' (my shop trusses are 14'). (Those lights are fantastic BTW! , see link below).
- Got done with the lights; swapped out my forks for the bucket so I can work on my road again today.
So here's what the FEL looked like for the day: Bucket >> Grapple >> Bucket >> Forks >> Bucket
3ph implements looked like this: Rock Rake >> Box Blade >> 8' Grader Blade
With a pinned FEL, anything not using a bucket would have been virtually impossible. For the 3ph implements, I didn't have to move and wrestle +1,000 lb implements trying to line up the pins or attaching upper links. Other than driving and getting out to work the latches, both operations were simple, easy and especially important: Fast.
Hence the two most important colors for a tractor are:
- FEL is Quick Detachable
- 3PH implements are Quick Hitch compatible"
High Bay Light:
LED Linear High Bay - Rebate Qualified High Bays – Green Light Depot