need attachment advice

[albert]

Just bought a 5600 T (2008) Toolcat with 70" finish mower and combination bucket. We have 5 acres of lawn and 20 acres of fields to mow (some with thick grass), 1/2 mile of sloped and rocky dirt road to maintain, logs to move, brush piles to move, trails to cut and maintain in the woods, and some general landscaping to do. Question: are there any other attachments we might find useful enough to buy rather than rent?

 

[3Bladz]

some forks might be nice. i use mine to dig out trees, bushes and rocks, carry brush piles, as well as what they are supposed to be for. one of the land plane things might work for the lane.

 

[theoshin]

i would exchange the 72 for a 90 mower if possible. the tc has more than enough power for the 90.

i would get a set of forks also. i find my 60 inch bucket with teeth to dig much better than my bucket without. just need to be careful using it as the teeth really bite. the brushcat works very well but is very expensive.

 

[MetroX]

If you get snow, the Toolcat is great at plowing with the angled snow blade, It is one of my must-have attachments. I agree that forks are very useful for general clean up work, removing stumps, and unloading heavy stuff from a pickup truck, I use my forks almost every day. If you plan on installing or maintaining fences and gates, the auger with a 12" bit is handy too.

 

[Gadgetnut]

Hello, Albert. Welcome. Gosh, twenty acres of fields to mow-- that will take awhile-- like theoshin suggests, try to trade up from 72" to 84" wide near finish mower, if possible. Not sure what "rev." of TC you have ("C" or "D") but make sure to keep the radiator area clear of grass clippings.

Regarding other attachments, ditto the recommendations on the forks. I have found my Anbo Grapple Rake endlessly useful. I've used it to rake, gather, and move rocks, boulders, sticks and brush, extricate and move logs, etc. And as I've become more skilled, I've used it many times as a big pair of Vise-Grips. For keeping my gravel roads looking good, I use a 84" Box Blade Grader Box to level out pot holes and distribute dress coats of gravel, and I use the Bobcat 84" Angle Broom (rotating brush) to sweep the asphalt driveway. For cutting woods paths and clearing tall, tough grass and weeds I really love the Brushcat. Good luck!

 

[Spudgunner]

...
For cutting woods paths and clearing tall, tough grass and weeds I really love the Brushcat. Good luck!

Gadgetnut,
The BC website specifies the 60" Brushcat as appropriate for the 5600 and 5610 and not the 72" attachment. If you wouldn't mind me asking...Which one do you have?
Thanks!

 

[theoshin]

72 is not approved - the 60 is at the limit of the tc - it is very heavy.

 

[theoshin]

Hello, Albert. Welcome. Gosh, twenty acres of fields to mow-- that will take awhile-- like theoshin suggests, try to trade up from 72" to 84" wide near finish mower, if possible. Not sure what "rev." of TC you have ("C" or "D") but make sure to keep the radiator area clear of grass clippings.

Regarding other attachments, ditto the recommendations on the forks. I have found my Anbo Grapple Rake endlessly useful. I've used it to rake, gather, and move rocks, boulders, sticks and brush, extricate and move logs, etc. And as I've become more skilled, I've used it many times as a big pair of Vise-Grips. For keeping my gravel roads looking good, I use a 84" Box Blade Grader Box to level out pot holes and distribute dress coats of gravel, and I use the Bobcat 84" Angle Broom (rotating brush) to sweep the asphalt driveway. For cutting woods paths and clearing tall, tough grass and weeds I really love the Brushcat. Good luck!

angle broom also works very well for most light snow - under 5".

 

[theoshin]

Hello, Albert. Welcome. Gosh, twenty acres of fields to mow-- that will take awhile-- like theoshin suggests, try to trade up from 72" to 84" wide near finish mower, if possible. Not sure what "rev." of TC you have ("C" or "D") but make sure to keep the radiator area clear of grass clippings.

Regarding other attachments, ditto the recommendations on the forks. I have found my Anbo Grapple Rake endlessly useful. I've used it to rake, gather, and move rocks, boulders, sticks and brush, extricate and move logs, etc. And as I've become more skilled, I've used it many times as a big pair of Vise-Grips. For keeping my gravel roads looking good, I use a 84" Box Blade Grader Box to level out pot holes and distribute dress coats of gravel, and I use the Bobcat 84" Angle Broom (rotating brush) to sweep the asphalt driveway. For cutting woods paths and clearing tall, tough grass and weeds I really love the Brushcat. Good luck!

how does that grader work? do you have the 84 or the 72. i see the 84 is rated for 60hp. i am looking for something to help spread gravel for washouts on my 4 miles of woods roads. i have been using the 72inch low profile bucket but not the best solution.

 

[radman1]

I think a set of pallet forks are very useful and not too expensive. Snow blade if you have snow. There are just so many options.

Maintaining the road maybe a bit of challenge. This is where rear blades work better than most front attachments. The 84" box blade is expensive and may not be the best tool. Often I need to drag the rocks/gravel from one side to the other and a box blade doesn't do that well.

I considered buying the 84" box scraper for the Toolcat 5610 I ordered. That may make a reasonable scraper without the higher cost of the 84" box blade. With the 3 pt of the 5610, I will instead use my existing box blade which has hydraulic scarifers. If you plan to move hard or packed soil the scarifers are great to loosen the soil so it can be bladed. There are no scarifers on the bobcat box blade or box scraper. My brother keeps trying to use his large, heavy 9' ag blade to move dirt which weighs close to 2000 lbs. Once the big blade removes the loose topsoil, it is done. I can take my little Case-IH Dx29 and 60" box blade and move hard dirt by using the scarifers to break up the top and then move the loose soil.