Toolkit revisited: What do I actually NEED?

[paccorti]

BlurryBill,

Personally, I like the solid metal tube grease guns. It makes it much easier to apply pressure to keep the grease gun against the fitting. I'd look for any large hand pumped model with a short solid tube. Recently, I went to TSC and bought an air powered grease gun. Now I can grease the FEL in half the time. I feel like I'm in a NASCAR pit crew.

I'd echo to torque wrench comment but I'd go higher for FT*lbs (at least 250# 1/2" drive). Here are some other thoughts.

1. popsicle sticks to clean excess grease off of fittings
2. zip lock bags to keep funnels clean (and might keep some of your tools from rusting)
3. a screwdriver with flat and phillips fittings that can be switched. You often see these in the checkout aisle of Home Depot.
4. Large and small adjustable cresent wrench (these are good for backing up the torque wrench)
5. tire pressure gauge
6. 3/8" drive metric socket set also buy a 1/2" to 3/8" adaptor
7. Determine the size of your wheel bolts and FEL frame bolts. Buy 1/2" drive socket and extension as appropriate
8. Plenty of rags or paper towels

Peter

 

[looch]

Just my take on the solid vs. flexible grease gun tubes - I have one of each (tubes, not guns). I like the solid one for the reason Peter gave. I have no choice but to switch to the flexible one for awkwardly placed fittings - such as the ones on my snow blower.

If I remember correctly, when I bought the grease gun, both types of tubes were included in the package.

Paul

 

[JonLeonard]

One more to add, which I dont think anyone mentioned. A good 4"+ blade pocket knife. Seems like enevitably someone has put someting like a piece of string or a plastic bag, etc in tall grass that I dont see ahead of time and it winds up wrapped around the blade shaft. /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

Jon

 

[drpepper]

I don't care where, but somewhere on the tractor itself, put a couple of cresent wrenches, fence pliers, staples, and a little bailing wire. When mowing the fence line, I always see a spot that needs a little repair. The two cresent wrenches will tighten up most things to get you back to the barn where your real tools are.

 

[poorboy]

A 12" good quality cresent is my most valuable tool. Kind of hurts when I substitute it for a hammer though..

Patrick

 

[Kodiak]

Its just not a good day if you don't use some black electrical tape to fix something.

 

[Carl_NH]

Its just not a good day if you don't use some black electrical tape to fix something.


Or duct tape!!

 

[jyoutz]

Go to a hardware store or garden shop and buy a 6 foot digging bar. Your back will thank you many times for this. A long bar is the only way to muscle heavy implements into position when attaching/detaching without straining your back.

 

[Rover]

Don't forget the micro adjustment tool aka "the hammer".

Get a rubber one its makes less noise and does leave dents.

Rover

 

[RoyJackson]

"Get a rubber one its makes less noise and does leave dents.
"
I think you left "not" out of that statement.

I prefer a dead blow mallet. They're great for getting those "almost positioned" lower links onto the implements. They don't bounce, as most mallets do, and they don't mar the surface. Dead blow mallets have shot shell or BB's in the head. That's what eliminates the "bounce".