Purchasing the Right Implement

Have a list of  tractor task to do on your property? It's a lot easier to find the right implement for the job if you know what you want to accomplish.  But buying mismatched attachments is a risk that can cause you extra expense, wasted time, poor performance and possibly physical injury. If the implements you need are not made by your tractor manufacturer, do your research and then come talk with our implement experts.

First off, make certain the implement you want meets minimum standards for a three-point hitch and PTO driveline. Also, be use to know the weight of the implement, because it's important that it's not too heavy for your tractor.

If you can, buy the implements when you first buy the tractor. If you’re buying them at a later date, please let one of our experienced implement salespeople help you determine which attachment you need.

Rotary Cutters

Rotary cutters, (also called brush hogs), are heavy duty attachments. They employ the tractor PTO’s  power to push their way through tall grass, tough shrubs, even 3” saplings. Their primary uses are for roadside maintenance, working in heavily weeded areas, and keeping meadows free of woody invaders. The rotary cutter is also often used to manage intensive grazing areas, because you can cut  just-grazed areas to a uniform height.

Rotary mowers usually feature a single vertical drive spindle and blade carrier with a “stump jumper” pan. A shear bolt or slip clutch works to protect both driveline and gearbox from damage. We carry rotary cutters in a variety widths and blade sizes.

A rotary cutter can easily throw objects  for several hundred feet. Chain shielding is used to help avoid operator injuries.  Still, caution is always advised. The rotary cutter is does not substitute for a lawn mower, because there's not much tolerance for small changes in the land’s relief. Cutting too low may cause the cutter to scrape the soil.

Box Scrapers

Use box scrapers for leveling, scraping, and breaking up even the hardest ground.  With strong  blades on both sides of the box, they push or pull material when the box scraper is used either a forward or backward position.

The scraper has ripper teeth on the front end of the box to loosen compact soil. The blade follows, scraping and smoothing the ground. If you want to maintain your driveway, you drag the scraper behind the tractor, moving gravel from high elevation areas and redistributing it to low spots. To form a crown on the roadway,  adjust the three-point hitch’s arms to tilt the scraper to the desired angle.

Box blades are also perfect for landscaping tasks.

Make sure your box scraper's width matches the width of your tractor's tires so you can get most from the attachment.  A blade that's too wide could overpower your tractor. Most scrapers are 5 to 6 feet wide, and do not use the PTO at all.

Rear Blades

Driveway grading, planting preparation, scraping manure, snow removal. These chores need a rear blade.  Select one that is about the same width as your tractor for best results. A too-wide blade can strain your tractor, but a too-narrow blade with be inefficient. Blades generally range from 5 to 8 feet wide and come either front- or rear-mounted.

The more adjustable the blade is, the higher the price. The most economical blades only offer vertical axis adjustments. Cost increases for blades that provide vertical and horizontal axis rotation, but that rotation allow you to lower the blade to one side or the other. They offer greater utility during use. If you plan do to a lot of rear blading work, the more versatile blades may be a better option for saving time and giving a better finish.  Check with our staff to make sure the blade you’re considering is the right one for the tasks you want it to do.