The obvious use for a loader on your tractor is to move material from a seated position rather than with a shovel in your hands.  The loader can scoop, transfer, and dump all manner of material as well as do some minimal digging if you take your time.

But there is a secondary use for that loader, and that is lifting heavy stuff.  Maybe you need to move a filled fuel drum from your pickup into the shed.  Or perhaps you need to position some railroad ties for new fencing and get them ready to set squarely in the ground.  The loader on your tractor can save your back and save your time.

However, you’ll likely find that the owner’s manual that came with your tractor will instruct you not to lift with the bucket.  Only move gravel, dirt, compost or other scoopable  materials.  Lifting is inherently dangerous and should not be done.

But, you live on a farm and have heavy stuff to move.  You now have a tool in your possession that can make your life easier and allow you to accomplish more work in less time and with less people to help you.

If your tractor loader is like mine it did not come equipped with any way to secure a chain to the bucket to lift with.

You certainly do not want to just wrap chain around the bucket.  Without solid anchor points that chain can slip and cause your load to shift or fall.  You need solidly placed chain hooks to secure your load.

On a Sub-Compact or Compact Utility tractor you are likely dealing with a bucket that is made of 1/8″ thick material.  Like mine, you may have a square or round reinforcing bar welded inside the top edge to help prevent bending and add stiffness to the upper edge of the bucket.  If you are set up to weld you can easily add a couple chain hooks to your bucket with readily available weld-on hooks.  However, if you are like me, you are not set up for welding at home, yet.  Now what?  How do you safely add the attachment points you need if don’t have ready access to a welder and want to keep costs at a minimum?  The solution is simple:  Bolt On Hooks.

After some reading and researching various websites and blogs I decided this was an easy, cost-effective way for me to add hooks to my loader bucket.  The process for ordering was easy and 5 days later my hooks arrived in the mail.  All the hardware and detailed mounting instructions are included in a very well packaged box.

Below are the tools I used to install the hooks on my tractor.  I did have to grind just a bit off the big washers so they would sit flat against the bucket.  Remember that reinforcing bar on the top edge?  In order to properly locate the hooks and have full contact on the top of the bucket, the mounting holes were just a little too close to the reinforcing bar.  That said, 5 minutes with a pair of Vise Grips and the grinder and all was ready to assemble.

Ken, at Bolt On Hooks, recommends mounting the hooks in line with the lift arms on sub-compact and compact tractors as this is the strongest point of attachment.  I used blue painters tape to mark my location and the centers of the 1/2″ holes for the mounting bolts.

I used a nail to center punch my drilling locations then drilled a pilot hole with a small drill bit.  I lubricated the bit and metal with WD-40.  I then switched to step bit from Harbor Freight to drill the 1/2″ holes.  Having never used a step bit before I was a bit skeptical.  However, I will never be without step bits in my tool box again.  These bits drilled perfect holes in a matter of a couple of minutes for the entire project.  I highly recommend them.

Next, I used a round file to take off the burrs on the inside of the bucket and wiped off all the WD-40.  I did a quick test fit to ensure everything was properly placed.  Ken suggests putting a bead of silicone caulk around the edge of the hook plate to help keep any moisture from getting under the hooks and causing rust on the bucket.  I added the caulking then tightened up the bolts with a 3/4″ wrench and socket.  Installation complete.

I now have a safe and secure way attach my chains to my bucket to assist me in lifting heavy items.

For information regarding the strength of the Bolt Hooks and the hardware included please see the FAQ Page on the website.

The link below shows a video of how simple the installation is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDQ2Bs3koJw

 

Owning a slice of the American Dream is a lot of work.  Whether you have two acres or 20 or even more, having the proper tools for the job makes country living not only feasible but enjoyable.

For many, owning land is a means to an end.  There is room for a garden, some chickens, maybe      larger livestock such as horses or cattle and perhaps a woodlot to harvest your own firewood to warm the house on those long winter nights.  But with the opportunity to become more self-sufficient, comes work.  The garden needs tilled or more top soil is needed for the raised beds.  The pasture land needs mowed, seeded and fertilized.  The stalls need cleaning and the compost needs to be turned and eventually loaded up in someone’s truck so they can add organic nutrients to their gardens.  And, if you live where the winter comes early and stays long, you have a driveway to plow and keep clear for yourself and maybe your neighbors.

Enter the farmers helper, a tractor.  With a proper tractor you can accomplish more, in less time, and with less potential for strains and injury on your body.  For us, our first venture into land ownership and having four acres of pasture and a long driveway began 15 years ago.  The first year I managed to keep up with things, sort of, with a riding mower and a small trailer.  The next year I purchased a 1962 International B414 tractor.  I paid $1000 for the old orchard hand with a 5-foot Bush Hog mower, a spring-tooth harrow and a nearly worthless back blade.  A good gas tank cleaning, a new fuel pump and an oil change and I was officially a farmer!

The old tractor is still with us after four relocations and two winters of record setting snow fall in Deer Park, WA.  It has a few hydraulic leaks, looks about like it did when I bought it and still starts on the first crank.  But, this year, with heavy snow and cold temperatures that kept the Yakima Valley white for months we decided that a tractor with a loader and preferably four wheel-drive was now a priority.  We just didn’t have any place to pile more snow this winter with the ATV.  A loader to pick up and move snow would have been a blessing.

Then spring came.  What happens to all that snow when the temperature goes up and the rains come to the foothills?  It all turns to water with no place to go.  Enter the Flood of 2017.

Within a few hours on the night of March 15 our little creek went from high to out of control.  In the early morning hours there was as much as 8″ of water coming down the drive.  Fortunately, our neighbor had an emergency overflow ditch dug after a similar issue in the spring of 2016.  However, this year the water came down the road and into our front yard in a matter of minutes.

Again, thankfully, our neighbor was prepared.  He had purchased a Kubota tractor with a loader last year.  We were able to build a dam in a matter of minutes to slow the flow of water into our yard and protect our home.  Justification number 2 for having a loader at our disposal!

I had been researching tractors, loaders and brands for several weeks when the flood hit.  The night we built the dam I spent my time between checking the ditch and the yard learning everything I could about compact tractors with loaders.    Of course Craig’s List was my first stop.  I found quite a few tractors for sale in and around central Washington.  However, I was finding a lot of what I would call glorified riding mowers with small loaders.  These were tractors with anywhere from 18HP to 24HP at the engine.  Meaning that the PTO horsepower would be somewhat lower.  As my research deepened and my knowledge increased, I determined a 30-35HP tractor would be a better long-term investment.  It would allow ample power for our current property and allow us to have a powerful tool for our ultimate dream of a nice piece of timbered land in North Idaho.

The Craig’s List ads almost always had a some photos of nice tractors that had loaders, were in the 27-35HP range and fit my budget.  The ones that really caught my eye were a couple of Yanmar diesels from a dealer in Thorp, WA called TractorCo.com.  TractorCo.com has been in business has been in business for over 20 years and was an early adapter to utilizing the power of the internet to advertise and sell used tractors all over the Pacific Northwest.

The tractors that TractorCo.com sells are all used diesel imports.  Many times these tractors are called “gray-market tractors”.  Quite simply these are tractors that were made for another market, typically the Asian market, and are legally imported to the US for resale by various dealers.  The tractors are used, reconditioned and upgraded with various US safety gear then sold on the used market.  Many of the tractors have very few hours on them and are upgraded with a new front loader.  This coupled with a durable Yanmar diesel engine and their reliable Power Shift transmission makes loader work a breeze.

Other upgrades and enhancements include ROPS (Roll-Over Protection System), new seats, seat belts, emergency flashers and PTO shaft shields.  The tractors have new fluids and filters, and in the case of all the tractors we saw at TractorCo.com very good or new body-work and fenders and paint.  There is a new battery installed and the tractors all start quickly and function correctly.  The tractor we eventually chose was a Yanmar 3110D with 883 hours on the meter.

Of course, as with all used equipment, it is buyer beware.  We had the good fortune to speak with Buck, the mechanic at TractorCo.com and he gave us a full run-down of the features, operation and the goods and bads of the tractor we chose.  I also read nearly every Tech Article at the Hoye Tractor website to learn about the various Yanmar models and the specs.  Hoye Tractor also carries a full inventory of new and used parts for imported Yanmar tractors.  They are a wealth of information when trying to decide if a used import is right for you.  I highly recommend ordering the Operation Manual for the tractor you choose so you know exactly what all the levers do and how to safely operate your tractor.  Also included in the manual is detailed service information and specs on fluids that you need to be sure your tractor lasts for many years.

Upgrades that we will make to this tractor include the following:  bolt on hooks on the bucket from boltonhooks.com, two pairs of LED work lights mounted on the ROPS; one forward, one rear for night-time work, a new gas cap with functional fuel gage and a new ignition switch and keys.  Again, this is a used tractor.  While it is a major upgrade from the old International, it is an early 1980’s vintage and is not perfect.  However, with some care, maintenance and a few minor upgrades it should provide us with the mechanical advantage we need to complete our work around the farm safely and efficiently.

Next time we’ll take a look at a couple of the updates and see the tractor in action around the farm.