This stuff gets heavier as I get older

[OzKioti]

Ah, ha - so you guys have noticed that. Well, wait until you are as old as I am - 79. I have a JD X570 mower. That's all it does - mow. You should try changing Class 2 implements on a 3-point. I have a rear blade, LPGS, ROBB, single bottom moldboard plow, BX62S chipper - ALL are too heavy to man handle for hook up. Thank God for extendable 3-point arm ends. AND a whole lot of patience.

72yo here, but for years have been storing all my implements (except the 6' slasher/rotary cutter) either on pallets or low trolleys with wheels/castors. All in a shed with smooth concrete floor, and a pallet jack/pallet truck to wheel them up to the rear of the tractor. My collection includes a 400 litre air-blast spray unit, chipper, fertiliser spreader, and rotatiller, and soon to get another 400 litre spray unit, this one with a 6 metre boom. Same goes for the 4-in-1 bucket and forks for the FEL - both loaded onto pallets when not on the tractor.

As for the slasher hitchup, I set the lower arms to the correct width, then back in and raise the quick hitches.

All in all, next to no heavy lifting, pushing and shoving, which is so different from hitching and unhitching implements in the field. I remember when I had the old Fordson, I used an "endless chain" to suspend the slasher from the rafters (dirt floor shed then) then bring the tractor in close proximity, and swing the slasher back and fro till the pins lined up! Bloody nightmare.

 

[Frankenkubota]

I Hand mixed 8 80lb bags of concrete yesterday for 2 post footings. turns out the Truss co screwed up the entrance trusses so my entrance posts missed the original footing by, to quote a famous Bob Uker movie line........a bit outside.

$40 total.

The truss co told me to pound sand, they would rebuild all the trusses involved but, it might take a while.

I like the new look better.

Learned real quick to 1/2 empty the bags before lifting. I'm guessing a pound of cement weighs a lot more than a pound of feathers?

 

[MiserableOldFart]

70 here. Fighting the 54" deck on the GR2120 every spring drives me nuts, as does the struggle to line up the balky splines on its drive shaft. I would do away with the lawn tractor completely except that it fits under the apple trees in our orchard of about 15 mostly semi-dwarf trees. What really irks me is that the design of lawn tractors today is ridiculously high seats, and I end up banging my head on limbs all the time anyway. The GR sits a little lower than the Deere 4x4s, and that's the main reason I bought it. The old Wheelhorse sat much lower, though it didn't have power steering or the tight turning radius of the Kubota GR. I am not a happy camper when it comes to working on that little machine, and it seems there is always something going wrong to get me into it.

 

[locknut]

70 here. Fighting the 54" deck on the GR2120 every spring drives me nuts, as does the struggle to line up the balky splines on its drive shaft. I would do away with the lawn tractor completely except that it fits under the apple trees in our orchard of about 15 mostly semi-dwarf trees. What really irks me is that the design of lawn tractors today is ridiculously high seats, and I end up banging my head on limbs all the time anyway. The GR sits a little lower than the Deere 4x4s, and that's the main reason I bought it. The old Wheelhorse sat much lower, though it didn't have power steering or the tight turning radius of the Kubota GR. I am not a happy camper when it comes to working on that little machine, and it seems there is always something going wrong to get me into it.

I have a GR also. Wrestling 200lb decks is no fun when you're older. I made the process easier using an electric hoist in the garage. Set cutting height knob to lowest position and lower deck. Unhook deck front and back,raise the front of the tractor up,then take the bolt out of the driveshaft at the deck end. Before sliding it back, mark the shaft and the coupler with a white paint marker for realignment. Pull deck out and let the tractor down and move back a few feet. Hoist the deck up to clean and sharpen the blades. Before rolling the deck under the tractor, raise lift arms,lift the shaft up high and slide a stick of wood or similar across the arms to keep the shaft up out of the way. Maybe this can help.

 

[beenthere]

Thinking this is in the John Deere Lawn & Garden tractor forum.
But sorry to hear about the Kubota GR problems.

Many things get heavier as we get older. Fact of life, and beats the alternative.

 

[oosik]

Hmmm - - I have a new JD X570 mower. I've NEVER even thought about removing the mower. One read thru the Owners Manual convinced me. I have the Kubota M6040 for serious tractor duties.

So ....... to clean the underside and remove/sharpen the blades. Hydraulic floor jack under the front. Up she goes to max height. Under I go with sharpened stick to remove dirt/grass build up. Then remove, sharpen, reinstall blades.

The JD sits in a carport stall all winter - waiting for spring and more grass to mow. I take the battery in the house.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’m telling you, just buy a tractor for each implement.
While you’re getting older, get wiser! Lol

 

[PILOON]

All this talk reminds me that I'll need to program my SIL for my annual winter switch over to blower, plow and chains.
Thankfully he is nearby and always willing but then it goes 2 ways (well went) when they did major cottage updates.

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

Hmmm - - I have a new JD X570 mower. I've NEVER even thought about removing the mower. One read thru the Owners Manual convinced me. I have the Kubota M6040 for serious tractor duties.

So ....... to clean the underside and remove/sharpen the blades. Hydraulic floor jack under the front. Up she goes to max height. Under I go with sharpened stick to remove dirt/grass build up. Then remove, sharpen, reinstall blades.

The JD sits in a carport stall all winter - waiting for spring and more grass to mow. I take the battery in the house.

I just put the deck back on. Hardest part is lifting it the 1-2” to attach the rear draft link while you’re laying on the ground.

 

[beenthere]

I just put the deck back on. Hardest part is lifting it the 1-2” to attach the rear draft link while you’re laying on the ground.

I put a board under the lower deck edge and lift that edge to connect the rear links, or lower the deck wheels so that edge remains high enough to fasten the links.
Or place some blocks of wood under the edge to raise it high enough.
Any of a number of tricks to avoid lifting and connecting at the same time, while laying on the ground.