</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I need to invest in two things ASAP: a grease gun and a torque wrench. Without spending as though I had money, which I don't, any recommendations?
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Bruce, it's great to see you are getting that tractor going and getting some real work done. Do you feel comfortable scooping up firewood with the bucket? Takes some gettin' used to, doesn't it? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Watch out for falling objects...they can do damage to more than your hood if the bucket is up high enough. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I think I'd be conservative about the grease gun and torque wrench. You can use a very cheap bar type torque wrench for most applications if you are not building engines or doing other critical work. Also you might even find one of those cheap, approx. $40 1/2" ratchet/dial indicator torque wrenches (10-150 lb/ft) from Harbor Freight, Northern Tools or some other similar seller of chinese made tools. They will work and last for long time if you don't use them every day. My wife bought me a Craftsman last year to replace one of those cheap one's I'd had for over 10 years before it broke (my fault for using it as a ratchet). When you buy a grease gun, look at the ones just in the mid-range around $25 or less. Most of them don't come with a flexible tip, but you'll need that to get into tight places on your tractor, so that little hose tip is one accessory you might add. The tips on grease guns and how well they fit over the zerks is the most important thing to me. The really cheap guns seem to work only for a short while and then you have trouble getting the tip to seat properly on the zerk so it won't leak. By paying a little more and getting a better tip, I think you'll be happier with your gun. I have one that's a Plews brand I believe and I have to really pull to get the fitting off the zerk. That's my favorite greasegun. I have one with the fixed tube and another with the hose so I can use either when I need it.
I'm sure others will have some good suggestions. I'm certainly not an expert in greasguns or torque wrenches and I'm sure there may be different/better suggestions. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif