The 10 Best Tractor Attachments to Own
The 10 Best Tractor Attachments to Own
by Mark Perea - Application Specialist - Team Tractor Company
Compact utility tractors are popular with homeowners, ranchers, farmers, landscape contractors and landowners of all kinds. We all know that tractors can get a lot done on their own, but when paired with the right implements and attachments, almost any job can go from a difficult chore to an absolute breeze!
Whether you are looking for tools for your compact tractor to help maintain property, to complete major home projects or improvements, or just to keep your acreage well cared for, the right attachments can make your tractor a productive machine that can save you time, and thousands of dollars! There are tractor implements to maintain horse arenas, grazing lands, landscaping, lifting heavy items, moving dirt, or to clearing away winter snow. With so many different types, sizes, and brands of tractor implements, choosing the best tractor attachments for your needs can be confusing, to say the least. So how do you choose which attachments are the best? While it ultimately comes down to your specific goals and projects to determine what attachments may be best for you, I can give you some help and beginning guidance. In this article, you will find an important list of the 10 Best Tractor Attachments to Own.
Each attachment that made this list are here because they meet two important criteria; i) each attachment or implement on the list serves a unique purpose but is still versatile enough to get many different types of jobs done with a single attachment; and ii) each will work well on any type of compact or utility tractor. So here we go – here are my picks for the 10 Best Tractor Attachments to Own.
#10 Tractor Backhoe Attachment - A tractor backhoe is one of the best attachments you can own for many types of different jobs. Backhoes vary in capabilities, including digging force and dig depth, depending on the size chosen, as well as the horsepower and hydraulics of your compact tractor. The larger and deeper the hole, the more horsepower and hydraulics you'll need on the tractor. Digging depths generally range from 6 to 12. Tractor backhoe attachments mount on the rear of a compact utility tractor, and usually rigidly mounted on the tractor with a steel sub-frame. They also require rear auxiliary hydraulics sometimes referred to as “power beyond hydraulics.” Backhoes have four primary hydraulic functions including the boom, swing, dipper, and bucket functions. They also use hydraulic power (from the tractor) to power the rear stabilizers. Different backhoe buckets are available and choosing the right bucket important to getting the most out of your backhoe attachment. Narrow buckets for trenching are available, as are wide buckets for general digging, wider more shallow trenches, as well as moving higher volumes of dirt. Very wide, smooth buckets are best for ditch cleaning as well. Because buckets are often interchangeable, it may be worthwhile to own more than one size for different kinds of jobs. If you have trenching to do or deeper holes to dig, a backhoe attachment for your tractor is a “must have.”
#9 Tractor Rotary Tiller - are ideal for homeowners and property owners, landscaping, small nurseries, vineyards, gardens, hobby farms, or residential use. A rotary tiller has curved forks or “tines” that are attached to a heavy duty rotating shaft and is powered by a tractor’s power take off (PTO) and a shaft. While the primary function of a tiller is to penetrate and break up soil and dirt, rotary tillers are also often used to mulch organic matter, blend fertilizer into existing soil, create beds for new lawns, mix gravel and soil for road beds, and many other uses. In general, the larger the tiller, the deeper maximum tillage or cultivation depth. Compact tractors can handle most properly sized rotary tillers, and excel in landscape installation, gardening, and on small farms. They are especially useful in transforming a vegetated or scrub surface to a clean tilled surface, in one pass. Rotary tillers can be run from an inch or two deep down to 8-9 inches depending on the size, model, and soil conditions. Rotary Tillers vary in available widths from three (3) to seven (7) feet wide. Because tractor tillers typically require ten (10) to fifteen (15) horsepower per foot of operating width, it is critical to match the correct tiller to your tractor and application.
#8 Tractor Front-End Loader - The most popular attachment for compact utility tractors is a front-end loader. Loaders are very versatile and can do much more than just scoop dirt. While tractor loaders are great for digging and hauling dirt and gravel, they also do very well picking and hauling rocks, firewood, plant materials, and in fact any heavy load. Loader pallet fork attachments are available to turn your tractor into a great rough terrain forklift! Many tractor loaders are sold with just a general bucket, but there are many other options in addition to forks like grapple bucket, rock and root buckets, light material buckets, manure forks, bale spears, blades, as well as lifting and towing hitches. Many tractor loaders are equipped with quick coupler attachments that makes changing out loader attachments quick and easy. Overall, loader attachments are a great investment, and one to at least consider.
#7 Tractor Disc Harrow - A disc harrow is a tractor implement primarily used to till soil, chop and bury unwanted vegetation and weeds, and is also used in wildfire containment and in the prevention of fires. Disc Harrows are the ideal tool for tilling your land or fields and chopping up the unwanted weeds or crop debris. The harrow mounts to your tractor’s 3-Point hitch, which makes for very easy use, storage, and transport. To use, the tractor pulls the disc harrow, which consists of multiple carbon steel round offset disc blades, to loosen and slice all of the ground in its path. The harrow action churns the soil and buries all vegetation in the process. Essentially, disc harrows break up the soil, chop growth and residue, and incorporate it into back into the topsoil, causing the rapid decay of the material. This tractor attachment is a solid choice for maintaining property and preventing unwanted vegetation growth.
#6 Tractor Landscape Rake – Landscape rakes, also known as rock rakes or york rakes, feature curved rake tines that are pulled behind a tractor to scrape through dirt, grass, rocks and other soil. Landscape rakes use tine that are maintained firmly on the ground behind the tractor, but do not penetrate too deeply as not to disrupt the soil below the surface. A landscape rake can also be used to clear rocks, roots, and other debris such as sand and rubbish. These rear rakes mount to a tractor 3 point hitch and are great for cleaning, grooming, and maintaining grounds, preparing for seeding, or sodding of turfgrass. They break up clumps of dirt and can rake away hard clods of soil and rocks. They scratch the soil and leave just enough roughness to provide a good surface for seeding, as well as removing rocks, trash and other types of debris.
#5 Tractor Finish Mowers - Finishing mowers are built for fine and groomed mowing. They typically have three blades with mowing height controlled by four gage wheels. These mowers typically use belts to drive the blades. Tractor Finishing Mowers provide a great cut quality and work well for mowing open areas to a low cutting height with minimal scalping, for a well-manicured look. If you have finished lawn to maintain, a grooming finish mower is the right choice.
#4 Tractor Rear Grading Blade - A rear blade is a great tool for driveway grading, planting preparation, and snow removal. If you're looking to purchase a blade, select one that is about the same width as your tractor. Blades generally range from 5 to 8 feet wide. If the blade is too wide, your tractor might not have enough power to operate it; if it's too narrow, the blade will not be as efficient. The more adjustable the blade is, the higher the price. The most economic blades allow vertical axis adjustments only. More expensive blades have vertical and horizontal axis rotation, allowing you to lower the blade to one side or the other. Before purchasing, make sure to check that the blade is strong enough to hold up to the tasks you'll be using it for. Choose a blade that stalls or stops the tractor if it strikes an object that might cause it to bend.
#3 Tractor Rotary Cutter – Brush Hog - A rear-mounted tractor rotary cutter, which is often referred to as a Brush Hog, is designed for heavy cutting. If you have large areas of brush and overgrown grass on your land, a rotary cutter is a must. Cutters are designed for heavy-duty mowing and can cut brush up to approximately 2 inches in diameter, depending on the size and model chosen. It will cut heavy grasses and ground growth, with cutting height adjusted by moving both the rear wheel and the 3-point hitch. Be aware that a rotary cutter is not a lawn mower substitute. The most common error with the use of rotary cutters is cutting too low. Although some cutters can be set to lower cutting heights, the implement is designed to cut grass no shorter than 3 inches. Rotary cutters are not designed to be finish mowers. To achieve the best results from a rotary cutter, set the rear gage wheel to position the blade at the desired height, and then set the 3-point hitch control to hold the front of the deck at the correct height. When you set the deck approximately level with the 3-point hitch, measure the height from the ground to the cutting edge of the blade at the rear and then adjust as needed to obtain a cutting height of at least 3 inches. Set and operated properly, this is a fantastic tool for clearing, maintaining, and cleaning almost any property!
#2 Tractor Posthole Digger – Post Hole Auger - Digging post holes is a common job for tractors. Whether you're building fence, fencing an entire property, planting trees, making holes for concrete pylons, digging shallow wells, or for general landscape improvements, posthole diggers are the way to go! Many augers widths and depths are available ranging from 4 inches to 24 inches. Post hole diggers are effective in most soil conditions, and in extremely hard soil with rocks, you may want to consider heavy duty tip teeth. All in all, post hole diggers are a good choice to make quick work of jobs that may take literally hours with a pick and shovel.
#1 Tractor Box Scraper – Box Blade – Gannon Box – No matter what you call it, box scrapers / box blades for tractors are the best for leveling, scraping, and breaking up even the hardest ground. Tractor box blades have cutting edges on both the front and back of the box (blades on both sides of the box) and are functionally used as scrapers in a forward or backward direction to push or pull material – they do both functions of pushing dirt like a dozer, and pulling dirt create a level surface and grade. Most box blades also have ripper teeth on a toolbar that can be adjusted for depth or lifted out of the way when grading. These teeth allow you to penetrate and break up hard soil quickly. Ripper teeth on the front of the box loosen compact soil, and then the blade follows to scrape or and smooth the ground for a nice finish. Box blades are great for driveway maintenance and washouts; as the scraper drags behind the tractor, it moves gravel from high spots and areas and redistributes it to low spots. They also make good snowplows and snow-removal devices, especially in heavy or wet snow conditions. Box blades range from 4 to 8 feet in width and need to be properly matched to the tractor. Box Scraper Blades do a lot of things well, and if you had to choose only one tractor attachment, this is it!
About the author: Mark Perea is the service and applications manager at Team Tractor Company in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information visit www.teamtractor.com