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Table of ContentsIntroduction ......................................................................................................... 2Aerator/dethatchers ............................................................................................. 2Backhoe ............................................................................................................... 2Bale Spear ............................................................................................................ 3Bed Shaper .......................................................................................................... 3Blade-angle .......................................................................................................... 4Blade-box ............................................................................................................ 4Blade-front ........................................................................................................... 5Broom-rotary ....................................................................................................... 5Chipper-shredder ................................................................................................ 5Cultivator ............................................................................................................. 5Dirt scoop ............................................................................................................ 6Disk bedder ......................................................................................................... 6Disk harrow ......................................................................................................... 7Generator ............................................................................................................. 7Grader blade ........................................................................................................ 8Harrow ................................................................................................................. 8Hay Implements .................................................................................................. 9Loader .................................................................................................................. 9Log splitter ........................................................................................................ 10Middlebuster or lister ....................................................................................... 10Mower-finishing ............................................................................................... 11Mower-flail ....................................................................................................... 11Mower-mid-mount ........................................................................................... 12Mower-reel ....................................................................................................... 12Mower-rotary cutter ......................................................................................... 13Mower-sicklebar .............................................................................................. 14Pallet forks ........................................................................................................ 14Plastic mulch layer ........................................................................................... 15Post hole digger ................................................................................................ 17Rake-landscape ................................................................................................ 17Rake-lawn and pine straw ............................................................................... 17Rotary tiller ....................................................................................................... 18Sprayer .............................................................................................................. 18Spreader ............................................................................................................ 19Stump grinder ................................................................................................... 19Subsoiler ........................................................................................................... 20

Implements for Compact TractorsImplements for Compact TractorsSelection, Use, Maintenance and Safety

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Introduction Compact utility tractors are popularwith farmers, landscape contractors and rural landown-ers. In fact, compact tractors are by far the best-sellingtractor category. These small tractors are virtuallyuseless by themselves, but they are versatile whenequipped with the proper implements and attachments.A separate publication discussed the selection and useof compact tractors. This publication discusses theselection of suitable implements for use with compacttractors.

Not every contractor, farmer or rural homeownerwill need all of these implements, but a select few ofthem can make any tractor more versatile.

Compact tractor implements can be classifiedseveral ways such as agricultural or landscape; tillage,maintenance or materials handling; front, mid or rear;etc., but these categories are sometimes confusing andoverlapping. Implements in this publication are listedalphabetically.

Aerator/dethatchers Turf aerators (Figure 1) areused to cut turfgrass tillers and cut or puncture the soilsurface. Some are designed to puncture the thatch layerand bring soil cores up on top of the thatch to aid inthatch decomposition.Dethatchers are similar ma-chines, but generally use springtines to rake up thatch ratherthan slicing or puncturing thethatch and soil. Some machineshave two kinds of tines toperform both operations. Theoverall purpose of these ma-chines is to reduce thatch inturfgrass.

Aerators and dethatcherswork well on compact tractors. They can be either 3-point mounted or pull-type. If using the 3-point type,you must be careful not to turn with the implement onthe ground. Most aerators have some provision foradding weight to the machine, and extra weight is oftenneeded for adequate soil penetration.

Several types of aerator tines are available. Someare flat blades that slice the soil. Others are solid roundtines that puncture the soil. The best tines are hollowand bring up cores of soil from the holes rather than justpushing holes into the soil (and thus compacting the soilaround the holes). When using any of these dethatchers,the holes should be refilled with porous material to holdthem open. This can be done by topdressing with a thinlayer of sand or by using a harrow or drag to break upthe cores and sprinkle the loosened material back intothe core holes – and into the thatch layer.

When a dethatcher is used, the thatch that isloosened should be raked up for disposal. Massiveamounts of thatch are loosened by dethatching.

Of all the methods of thatch control discussedabove, using a core aerator to remove cores and thenbreaking up the cores and scattering the material in thethatch layer and back in the holes is the most effectiveat breaking down and controlling thatch.

Backhoe A backhoe is one of the most expensiveattachments, but they are fairly popular. Backhoes(Figure 2) mount on the rear of a compact tractor butoften do not use the 3-point hitch, or at least not thestandard upper arm. They are usually rigidly mountedon the rear of the tractor. Because they require a highflow rate of hydraulic oil, they typically have their ownhydraulic pump that mountson the tractor PTO. Backhoeshave four primary hydraulicfunctions (swing, innerboom, outer boom andbucket curl) plus hydraulicactuation of the stabilizers. Inpurchasing a backhoe, youwill have two choices incontrols: two lever and fourlever (plus two levers for thestabilizers). Older operatorswho have used four-levercontrols in the past mayprefer that style, but thenewer two-lever designs aregenerally easier to learn touse and becoming popular.

Backhoes for compact tractors are much lighterand lower in capacity than dedicated industrial-qualitytractor loader/backhoes. Some companies make smalldedicated tractor loader/backhoes similar in size tocompact tractors; even these are considerably heavierduty than add-on compact tractor backhoes. The small-est full-size industrial tractor loader/backhoes are ratedfor a 13- to 14-foot digging depth. Most add-on back-hoes are rated for digging depths in the 6- to 10-footrange, with correspondingly lower digging forcesavailable.

Different buckets are available for backhoes. Youcan buy narrow buckets for trenching or wide bucketsfor general digging. Very wide, smooth buckets areavailable for ditch cleaning. Other accessories to in-crease the versatility of your backhoe are also available.

Operating a backhoe requires considerably moreskill and experience than operating most tractor imple-ments. Mounting and removing a backhoe is muchmore difficult and time consuming than for most otherimplements. Be sure you really need a backhoe beforecommitting to the expense and effort. They can behandy but require a major investment of time andmoney.

Figure 1. Turf aerator oncompact tractor. (Photofrom Deere andCompany)

Figure 2. Backhoe forcompact tractor. (Photofrom BushHog)

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If you do have a backhoe, it is important to protectyour investment. First, be sure to lubricate all greasefittings on the recommended schedule. If the backhoe isnot kept lubricated, the pins and/or bushings will wearand the whole machine will be loose and wobbly.Replacing pins and bushings can be expensive. Second,it is important to protect the seven hydraulic cylinderrods from corrosion. If you park a backhoe outside inthe weather with any of the cylinder rods extended, pitcorrosion will occur on the rods. The pits will then ruinthe hydraulic seals the next time you try to use themachine. Frequent operation will minimize this prob-lem. Ideally, a backhoe should be stored inside. If that isnot possible, you should smear a layer of heavy greaseover any exposed cylinder rods before storage. Storageinside away from sunlight will also help preserve thehoses.

Safety is always a concern. Because of the highhydraulic pressures associated with backhoes, hydraulichose leaks can inject oil under the skin. Furthermore, itis all too easy to tip a tractor over when swinging abackhoe – especially if working on a slope. If possible,you should be under the ROPS and secured with aseatbelt. Be careful to keep any bystanders away whileworking. A swinging backhoe boom can injure or killsomeone. Before digging, have all underground utilitieslocated and then stay several feet away from them.Also, watch out for overhead wires.

Bale spear If you have to handle large round haybales, a bale spear (Figure 3) is essential. You can put abale spear on a front-end loader or on a 3-point hitch.But, remember that large round bales can weigh from500 to 1,500 pounds. If you use a bale spear on a front-end loader on a compacttractor, you will needcounterweight on therear of the tractor; a 3-point hitch bale spearcan provide this. Besure to pick up the rearbale first and drop it offlast. If you use only a 3-point hitch bale spear,you will need frontweights on the tractor.Hauling bales on a compact tractor is a challenge andrequires caution. A bale spear on the back will make asmall tractor difficult to handle and can block visibilityto the rear. Extra care is needed when using a bale spearon a front-end loader. Keep the load as low as possible,and drive slowly. If you must lift the load up high, becareful not to let the spear roll back. The bale couldthen roll down the loader arms and crush the driver.Always wear your seatbelt when hauling bales in casethe tractor overturns.

Bed shaper If you are using a compact tractor forfarming or working a large garden, a bed shaper (Figure4) is a useful implement. Most row crops in the DeepSouth, including garden crops, are grown on beds.Shaping the beds with a bed shaper helps to prepare agood, firm seedbed forplanting or transplant-ing. A bed shaper willcrush the clods whilefirming and smoothingthe soil. A planter willrun much better on ashaped bed.

It is important toselect a bed shaper thathas sides tapering infrom front to rear sothat the sides of thebeds are compacted somewhat. It is also important toadjust the tractor 3-point hitch so that the rear of the bedshaper is a little lower than the front. This will cause theshaper to compact and firm the bed top. Additionalweight on the shaper may be necessary, but often it isadequate merely to allow some soil to spill over ontothe top of the shaper pan; the weight of the soil thenhelps firm the bed.

In some soils, especially light sands, it is possibleto form a shaped bed directly from flat ground. Nor-mally, it is necessary to lay out rough beds with a diskbedder or middlebuster, then knock the beds down andshape them with a bed shaper.

A pan-type bed shaper must carry a wave of soil infront of it to build firm, full beds. Without a wave ofsoil, you will not form a complete bed or a firm bed.The need to maintain this wave of soil makes a bedshaper challenging to operate. The driver will probablyhave to adjust the height of the 3-point hitch frequentlyto maintain the soil wave. You cannot merely drop thebed shaper and run. Using the draft control on thetractor rather than the position control will help, but itusually is not sufficient. The wave of soil causes aproblem at the ends of the field. When you lift theshaper at the end of the row, the wave of soil from thefield is deposited on the headland. Careful driving canspread the soil and avoid a pile, but you are still movingsoil from the field to the headland. A spool shaper canavoid this problem, but spool shapers are generally notcommercially available. Pan-type shapers are availablefrom several sources.

Some larger commercial bed shapers have a plasticlining to reduce soil buildup under the shaper pan. Thisis helpful in some soils, but is not necessary in sandysoils. Operating at the correct soil moisture helpsprevent buildup under the shaper. The soil should bedry enough to avoid stickiness, but still have enoughmoisture to allow firming into a shaped bed. If the soil

Figure 3. Bale spear for 3-point hitchon compact tractor. (Photo fromHowse Implement Company)

Figure 4. Bed shaper for compacttractor. (Photo from Buckeye TractorCompany)

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sticks to the shaper, it is too wet; if the beds collapsebehind the shaper, the soil is too dry.

Blade – angle One of the handiest implements youcan put on a compact tractor is an angle blade (Figure5). Of the several types of blades available, an angleblade is probably the most versatile. It can be used forleveling, moving smallamounts of soil, cuttingshallow ditches andback-dragging. Since itmounts to the 3-pointhitch, it is easy to mountand remove.

The back-draggingfunction might be itsmost important use forhomeowners. Back-dragging means that the blade isturned 180 degrees so that the blade is dragged back-ward. In that mode, the blade can be used to drag andlevel a gravel road or driveway with little effort. A bladecan be used in the forward direction to level gravel, butmuch more operator skill is required than when back-dragging.

Angle blades are available in several configura-tions. The cheapest blades merely allow the blade to berotated in one plane around a vertical axis. Better bladesalso allow rotation around a horizontal axis so that oneside of the blade can be lowered. A further refinementon some blades allows the blade to be offset to one side.This can be accomplished by sliding the blade sidewaysor, on some models, by swinging the frame arm to theside. Operating the blade offset to the side may notwork well with compact tractors since a small tractormay not be heavy enough to handle an offset blade.This offset feature tends to be found mainly on largerblades.

The adjustments on angle blades can be accom-plished several ways. Some models have a series ofholes and pins to hold the blade in the rotated positions;others have a lever that locks into notches. Some use aturnbuckle or other adjustable-length arm for some ofthe adjustments. On those models, it is possible tosubstitute a hydraulic cylinder for the turnbuckle toallow power adjustment from the tractor seat. Thisfeature is more commonly found on larger blades thanthose used on compact tractors.

Another feature found on some larger blades is agage wheel on the rear. This makes the blade easier tocontrol, allowing the tractor and blade to act more like aroad grader. These units normally use a hydrauliccylinder to control the gage wheel.

Angle blades are available in a wide range ofquality and strength levels as well as sizes ranging fromabout 4 feet on up. The widths most commonly usedwith compact tractors are 5 to 7 feet. If the blade is

much wider, a compact tractor may not have the powerand weight to handle it, but if the blade is narrower thanthe tractor wheel width, it is hard to do a good job. A 6-foot blade is a good compromise on most compacttractors. Some cheap blades are light and easily dam-aged (bent) if you hit a rock, root or stump. You need ablade heavy enough to stall or stop the tractor beforethe blade or frame bends.

Another feature to watch for is overall length.Some models put the blade a long way behind thetractor. The closer the blade is to the tractor tires, theeasier it is to control depth. This factor makes a tremen-dous difference in ease of use. The only exception is ablade with a gage wheel; in that case, extra length is anadvantage.

An angle blade is not a major investment, but it isuseful. Be sure to pay enough to get one that is strong.It is better to sacrifice some size and features than to getone that is so light it bends when used.

Blade – box A box blade (Figure 6) is usefularound building and landscape construction sites oranywhere loose material such as soil or gravel needs tobe moved short distances. Box blades have blades onthe front and back side of therear of the box, thus they canpush or pull soil; however,they can only constrain soilin the box when movingforward. Most box bladeshave ripper teeth on the fronttoolbar that can be adjustedfor depth or lifted out of theway. The teeth allow you to break up hard soil beforescraping. On some heavy-duty box blades, the teeth canbe rotated up and down with a hydraulic cylinder, but,on most box blades sold for compact tractors, the teethare manually adjusted with mechanical latches.

With a box blade you can scrape up a pile of soil(or gravel, sand, etc.) and drag it a short distance, thenspread it or dump it. You can also operate the blade inreverse to smooth or level the surface.

Box blade widths range from 4 feet on up. Mostbox blades for use with compact tractors are 5 to 6 feetwide. As with an angle blade, the implement should beat least as wide as the tractor tires for practical opera-tion, but a blade that is too wide will overload thetractor.

Quality is less of a problem with box blades thanwith angle blades, but select one that is heavy enoughto stall the tractor before bending. The ripper teeth tendto be the most easily damaged part of the implement.Even though the box blade is heavy enough to handleimpacts with objects like stumps and roots, you shoulduse caution since these impacts can damage the 3-pointhitch or other components on the tractor.

Figure 5. Angle blade for compacttractor. (Photo from MonroeTufline)

Figure 6. Box blade for compacttractor. (Photo from MonroeTufline)

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Blade – front Blades can also be mounted on thefront of compact tractors (Figure 7). Front blades aremuch less common than rear blades, but they offer anadvantage in visibility. Front blades are more difficultand time consuming to install since they do not fit on a3-point hitch. Most front blades can be angled from sideto side; some can beangled vertically, but thatfeature is much lesscommon. Some modelscan be angled hydrauli-cally.

Raising and lower-ing the front blade isdone in different ways.Some models use ahydraulic cylinder;others are linked to the3-point hitch. Themodels linked to the 3-point hitch avoid the need forremote hydraulics on the tractor but prevent other usesof the 3-point hitch when the blade is installed.

A front blade cannot be used for back-draggingunless the tractor is operated in reverse. Probably thebest use for a front blade is clearing snow – not a majorproblem in Louisiana.

In addition to dedicated front blades, it is possibleto buy front blades that fit on front-end loaders in placeof the bucket.

Broom – rotary A rotary broom can be attachedto the front of a tractor similar to the way a front bladeis attached (Figure 8). These powered rotary brooms areuseful for cleaning hard surfaces – roads, driveways,parking lots. They areoften used in the North forremoving light snow. Thisimplement would be oflittle value to most farmersor homeowners, but itmight be of value to acontractor. Many widthsand brush diameters areavailable. The drive can bemechanical or hydraulic.The broom is usually runat an angle so material isswept to the side.

Chipper/shredder Small engine-driven chipper/shredders are popular with homeowners. Many com-mercial maintenance contractors use large engine-driven chippers towed by trucks. There is a category inthe middle that works well with compact tractors. Manycompanies make mid-sized PTO-powered chipper/shredders (Figure 9) that mount on the 3-point hitch of a

tractor. These machines are readily portable, easy to useand have high capacity since they can use the tractor’sfull PTO powerinstead of a smallengine.

Some of thesePTO chippers canhandle limbs 6inches or more indiameter. Somemodels are strictlychippers; others canalso shred leaves andclippings. Thecutting mode differs from model to model.

The machine should be lowered to the groundbefore use, and the 3-point hitch attachment should besecure before engaging the PTO.

Any chipper or shredder is dangerous, and therelatively high power input available from a tractor PTOmakes these machines even more dangerous than smallengine-driven homeowner units. The two primarydangers are thrown objects (from the input or the outlet)and being pulled into the cutting area. Exposed drivecomponents, including the PTO shaft, are anotherhazard. When operating a chipper/shredder, you shouldwear full eye protection (goggles or full face shield),hearing protection and gloves. Stay out of the line ofthrow from both the intake and outlet. Do not wearloose clothing. Be careful when feeding material intothe hopper. Do not reach into the hopper. Do not holdonto limbs while feeding. Throw them in and let go ofthem before the machine grabs them. Do not exceed thecapacity of your machine.

A PTO chipper should have a safety bar at theintake that allows an operator to stop or reverse thefeeding mechanism.

Some chipper/shredders are designed to throw thechips onto the ground; others have a discharge chutethat can direct the chips into a truck or trailer.

Cultivator A row-crop cultivator (Figure 10) canbe used with a compact tractor to help control weeds ina large garden or a small commercial vegetable opera-tion. Mechanical weedcontrol is ecologicallysound and inexpensivecompared with herbicides.Unlike herbicides, me-chanical weed control isnot crop-specific.

Cultivators areavailable in many configu-rations including rigidshank, spring tine, sweep,point, rolling and indi-

Figure 7. Front blade on compacttractor. (Photo from Kubota)

Figure 8. Rotary broom oncompact tractor. (Photo fromDeere and Company)

Figure 9. PTO chipper on compacttractor. (Photo from Vermeer Manufac-turing Company)

Figure 10. 1-row row-cropcultivator for compact tractor.(Photo from Howse ImplementCompany)

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vidual floating gangs; however, the inexpensive cultiva-tors most frequently sold for use with compact tractorstend to have several spring tines with points rather thansweeps. This type of cultivator is considerably lesseffective than the individual floating gangs with sweepsthat are normally used on multi-row cultivators. Single-row cultivators with individual floating gangs andsweeps can be configured from available components,but they will cost much more than the readily-availablespring tine and point cultivators.

For commercial operations, consider cone guidewheels. These, operating on shaped beds followingprecision planting, allow much more precise cultivationwith less effort. Cone guide wheels are hard to justifyfor a garden.

Dirt scoop A dirt scoop (Figure 11) is a handyattachment for small tractors. It will allow you to dig,move and dump small quantities of soil, gravel, sand orother materials much easier than you can do with ashovel and wheelbarrow and much less expensivelythan with a front-end loader on your tractor. A dirtscoop may be called byother names such as arear bucket, slip bucketor slip scoop. It mountson the 3-point hitch of atractor. It is raised andlowered by the tractor,and usually has a manualdump, triggered bypulling a rope. The scoopor bucket can be re-versed (by hitching toeither end), thus allowingyou to dig in either forward or reverse, depending onthe requirements of a given project. The normal modeof action is to scoop up a load of material in the bucket,haul it wherever needed and dump it.

The most important advantage of a dirt scoop islow cost. One can be purchased for less than $300. Itprovides a low-cost mechanized alternative to a shoveland wheelbarrow. It is useful for small digging projectsaround a homestead and for small grounds maintenancejobs. It is certainly not as versatile as a front-end loader,nor does it match the capacity of a front-end loader, butit costs much less. Because it mounts on the rear of thetractor, good traction is available for digging. A dirtscoop cannot handle as large a load as a front-endloader. Because a dirt scoop is behind the tractor,visibility may be limited and awkward.

A simple dirt scoop is a useful implement for yourcompact tractor and performs some of the functions of afront-end loader, although not as efficiently.

Disk bedder Most gardens and row crops in theDeep South are planted on raised beds. In most cases,the best way to lay out beds is with a disk bedder(Figure 12), also locally called a “hipper.” Disk beddersmay have two or three blades on each side; the bladesmay be the same or different sizes, depending onmodel.

A disk bedder can beused for primary tillage(operated on ground thathas not been previouslyworked with anotherimplement) or secondarytillage (operated after someother operation such asplowing or disking). A diskbedder is an aggressive toolcapable of slicing throughplants or plant residue.Notched blades enhance the ability of the tool to slicethrough plants and plant residue and make the imple-ment more aggressive.

Some commercial vegetable growers bed up theirfields in the off season and plant a cover crop such aspeas or soybeans on the beds, then come in beforeplanting their main crop and split the beds open with adisk bedder, burying the cover crop in the old middlesunder the new beds.

The primary challenge in using a disk bedder isgetting straight beds at the proper spacings. With largertractors, multi-row bedders ensure proper spacingbetween beds; with a one-row bedder, it is all up to thedriver. In some cases, it is best to make one light pass tolay out the beds, then a second, deeper pass to attain thedesired bed height.

Hitching, unhitching and storage of disk bedders isa problem since they will not stand up by themselveswhen unhitched. Simply leaning the implement againsta post or tree is not safe; it could fall on someone. Ifyou must lean an implement like this against a tree orpost, tie or chain it to the tree or post so it can’t fallover. It is possible to build a simple frame to support adisk bedder (or any similar implement) (Figure 13). Aframe like this is much safer and makes hitching andunhitching much easier.

Figure 11. Dirt scoop on compacttractor.

Figure 12. One-row disk bedderon compact tractor. (Photo fromBuckeye Tractor Company)

Figure 13. Homemade frame tosupport disk bedder or similarimplement.

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Disk harrow Although moldboard plows are usedfor primary tillage in more northern areas, a disk harrow(Figure 14) is frequently the primary tillage tool ofchoice in the South. Disk harrows are available inseveral configurations: single, tandem and offset. Themost common disk harrow for use with a compacttractor is the tandem disk that has four gangs as shownin Figure 14. The front gangs throw soil out, and therear gangs moveit back towardthe center. Theangle of theindividual gangscan be changedto make the diskmore aggressive;the greater theangle, the moreaggressive thedisk.

Disk harrows depend on weight to penetrate thesoil, thus many disks have some provision for extraweight to be added. This is particularly important onlight, inexpensive disks for compact tractors. Widths of4 to 6 feet are common with compact tractors. Bladediameter and spacing influence cutting depth andquality of tillage. Spacing the individual blades closertogether provides finer tilth. Bigger blades can cutdeeper. Many disks have notched blades. The notchescut plant residue better and also act like gears, engagingthe soil to keep the blades turning rather than slipping.

A disk harrow has a tendency to leave a furrow atthe edge of the pattern where the outer rear blade digssoil to throw inward. Some larger agricultural diskshave an additional small disk on the outside of each reargang to fill this furrow; this feature is normally notfound on small disks. The operator has to correct for theperiodic furrows with another tillage tool such as aspike harrow or drag, or live with the furrows.

If a disk harrow is used as the only tillage tool,multiple passes will be necessary in most cases to getdecent tilth and incorporation of plant residue. Makingadditional passes at various angles to the first pass ismost effective.

Two primary wear areas on disks are the bladesand the bearings. Bearings on larger ag disks cangenerally be lubricated, but most small disks use sealedbearings that cannot be regreased. Blade wear is a factorof both use and soil type. If you do disassemble a diskgang to replace bearings and/or blades, you musttighten it back up correctly. The normal rule is to use acheater bar on your wrenches and get the axle nut astight as you can get it; then give it another turn.

A small disk can be useful for preparing a gardensite, working small farm fields, preparing wildlife foodplots and loosening soil on landscape construction sites.

It is an inexpensive and fairly high speed tillage tool. Itcan be used for either primary or secondary tillage.Small disks are available from many manufacturers.

Generator Most folks in the Gulf Coast areaunderstand the value of home generators to keep powerin their homes when hurricanes strike. Further from thecoast, home generators are useful when ice or snowknocks down power lines. Generators are also handyfor projects requiring the use of electric tools whenaway from an electric outlet. Although most people optfor small engine-driven generators, there are some realadvantages to a generator that connects to a tractorpower-take-off (PTO).

Advantages of a PTO generator (Figure 15) com-pared with an engine-powered generator are:

- No additional engine to maintain- Since you don’t have to buy an engine, you can

get more capacity (kilowatts) for your money.- No need to start the generator regularly to keep

it ready to run – a PTO generator can sit unused formany months and still be ready to go.

- Assuming you use your tractor regularly, it ismore likely to start and run when you need it than asmall engine on a generator.

One horsepower equals 0.75 kilowatt (kw), so youcan multiply your tractor’s PTO hp by 0.75 and get anidea of the maximumsize of generator yourtractor can handle.Because the generator isnot 100% efficient, youwill probably not be ableto actually deliver quitethat much power. On theother hand, you canalways buy a generatorthat is rated a little toolarge for your tractor,and just not connect up a full electric load. If you dooverload the equipment, PTO rpm will drop, causing thefrequency of the current to drop and the tractor maystall. Depending on size of the tractor and generator, thesystem may or may not allow you to run the wholehouse. Typically, you will be able to run lights andappliances, but not an air conditioner or heat pump.

It is absolutely essential that you connect yourgenerator to your house in a safe and approved manner.Most small engine-driven generators just have outlets toplug in extension cords so that you can disconnect yourappliances or whatever from the house circuit andconnect them directly to the generator. PTO generatorsmay also have some outlets for extension cords, buttypically have one big outlet for a large 240-volt plugthat can be used to connect to the house service en-trance.

Figure 14. Disk harrows for compact tractors.(Photo from Monroe Tufline)

Figure 15. PTO generator oncompact tractor.

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NEVER CONNECT TO A HOME SERVICEENTRANCE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ANAPPROVED DOUBLE-POLE DOUBLE-THROWTRANSFER SWITCH! This switch (Figure 16) willcompletely disconnect the home service entrance boxfrom the utility’s power lines when the generator isconnected and vice versa. This is essential to avoid yourgenerator feeding current back into the utility line andrisking killing a utilitylineman who isrepairing the line. Italso prevents utilitypower feeding backinto your generatorwhen the line poweris restored. Consultyour utility companyand use only anapproved transferswitch and have theinstallation approvedby the utility com-pany. People’s lives depend on it! You can then wire upa cable from your transfer switch to connect to thegenerator (Figure 17).

Running computers and other sophisticated elec-tronic equipment from any generator is not recom-mended since the power may not be stable or “clean”enough. Don’t take the chance of ruining your com-puter or other electronics.

Maintenance ona PTO generator ispretty simple: keep itsheltered and out ofthe weather, be surethe tires are aired up(unless permanentlymounted on a pad ormounted on a 3-pointhitch), and grease anyfittings on thepowershaft or otherdrive components.

New PTO generators can be expensive, but gener-ally cost much less per kw than engine-powered genera-tors. PTO generators are a little harder to find but stillavailable from tractor dealers and some mail-ordersupply companies. Some farmers have PTO generatorsto provide backup power for poultry houses, dairybarns and greenhouses. It is sometimes possible to buya used PTO generator from a farmer for considerablyless than the cost of an equivalent new one. If thegenerator has been sheltered and cared for, it shouldfunction as well as a new one for backup purposes.Whether new or used, it is easier and less expensive tobuy a generator when the weather is good rather than

waiting until a storm hits and generators are in demand.PTO generators can provide a lot of peace of mind.

They are far less trouble than engine-driven generators– if you already have a compact tractor. They can offermore kw for your investment than an engine-drivengenerator.

Grader blade A relatively new implement forcompact tractors that is becoming increasingly popularis a grader blade, sometimes called a road scraper(Figure 18). Models from different companies offersomewhat different configurations, but generally havetwo or more angled blades mounted rigidly in a frame.They mount on a tractor 3-point hitch. They are used todrag and level gravel or dirt roads and driveways. Theyare easier and faster to use than an angle blade or a boxblade. They are generally available in widths from 5 to7 feet. It is importantthat the 3-point hitchbe properly adjustedto keep the imple-ment level. There areno moving parts toreplace. Like anyblade, there aredifferent qualitylevels available; it isworthwhile to getone that is heavyenough that it won’t bend in use. Although this is afairly specialized implement, it can be useful if youhave a lot of road or driveway to maintain.

Harrow Harrows are valuable implements forsecondary tillage – smoothing and leveling soil andbreaking up clods. They are useful for preparing bothfields and landscape areas for planting and for spread-ing manure piles in pastures. Several types of harrowsare available; they differ in aggressiveness and depth oftillage.

Spring-tooth harrows (Figure 19) are the mostaggressive. The tines can be C-shaped tines as shown inFigure 19 or S-shaped (“Danish”) tines that provideside-to-side vibration. The tines can be tipped withpoints or small sweeps. Sweeps do a better job ofuprooting all weeds. The spring tines of either type

catch and then springloose, thus vibratingand removing weeds.They also break upclods. Spring-toothharrows are usuallymounted on a 3-pointhitch.

Figure 16. Transfer switch for safeswitching between line power and

Figure 17. Large cord and plug toconnect house transfer switch to PTOgenerator.

Figure 18. Grader blade for a compacttractor. (Photo from Howse ImplementCompany)

Figure 19. Spring-tooth harrow forcompact tractor.

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Spike-tooth harrows (Figure 20) are relatively rigidtools that are not as aggressive as spring-tooth harrows.Spike-tooth harrows are usually available in sectionsabout 4 feet wide. They can be ganged on a bar asshown in Figure 20 to provide a wider working width.They can be pulledfrom the drawbar ormounted on a 3-point hitch. Adrawbar hitch is lessexpensive, but itcomplicates trans-port. The angle ofthe teeth can beadjusted fromvertical to angledback almost flat. Themore vertical theteeth, the moreaggressive the action.

Chain harrows (Figure 21) are offered by severalcompanies. They are popular for landscape use and areused in agriculture. They are flexible and do a good job

of smoothing andleveling beforesodding or seedingturfgrass. They areavailable in manywidths and do notrequire a great deal ofpower. Most modelsare pulled from thedrawbar. Some can berolled up for storageor transport.

Harrows are useful in farming and landscapeoperations as a final secondary tillage tool. They aregenerally inexpensive, easy to use and require minimalpower to pull.

Hay implements Although compact tractors aresmall, they can be used to pull some smaller hay imple-ments including mower/conditioners, rakes and balers.Hay equipment will not be covered in detail in thispublication.

Most hay in the South is cut with disc mowersrather than sicklebar mowers because disc mowershandle fire ant mounds better. Most farmers have nowgone to mower/conditioners rather than just mowers.The conditioners can either crush the stems betweenrubber rolls or crimp them between corrugated rolls – orboth. Conditioning allows the hay to dry faster, reduc-ing the likelihood of the crop being rained on before itis baled. Mower/conditioners can leave the hay in aswath or a windrow.

Hay rakes come in two functional styles: basketrakes and wheel rakes. Both types are considered side-delivery rakes and convey the hay to the side to form awindrow. Both types of rakes are ground driven.

There are also two types of balers that can bepulled with compact tractors. Small rectangular balescan be made by conventional balers and the powerrequirement is reasonable for a compact tractor. Com-pact tractors can also operate the smaller sizes of largeround baler. A third type of baler, one that makes bigsquare bales, generally requires a larger tractor.

Loader One of the most popular implements forcompact tractors is a front-end loader (Figure 22). Aloader will allow you to dig, move soil or other bulkproducts, carry bags andother bulky items, liftequipment (using achain), move hay bales,lift pallets and even dolight grading. Not allcompact tractors areequipped with the neces-sary hydraulic connec-tions for a loader, so besure you check on hy-draulics if adding a loaderto an existing tractor. Some manufacturers now offerfront-end loaders that are much easier to attach andremove (once initially mounted) than in the past,making it more practical to remove a loader when youdon=t need it. A loader for a compact tractor may cost$2,000-$3,000, depending on size and quality. In mostcases, a loader made by the tractor manufacturer willcost more, but it should fit better and will be designedspecifically for your tractor model.

Most loaders use a single-lever control instead ofthe two-lever controls of the past. The fore-and-aftmovement of the lever raises the loader and the side-to-side movement tilts the bucket.

Most front-end loaders are sold with just a materialbucket, but there are many other options that canincrease the versatility of a loader including pallet forks,manure forks, bale spears, blades and grapples. Someloaders and attachments conform to the quick-attachstandard for skid-steer loaders so that skid-steer attach-ments can be used on those loaders.

Front-end loaders are popular, but expensive,options. Many people who buy a small tractor with aloader find that they seldom use the loader. The loaderis a nuisance to leave on the tractor, reduces visibilityand makes it more difficult to maneuver, but can be ahassle to remove – even with the new, faster mountingsystems. If you really do need a loader, consider gettinga compact tractor with front-wheel assist for bothimproved traction and increased front-axle load

Figure 22. Front-end loader oncompact tractor. (Photo fromFarmhand)

Figure 20. Spike-tooth harrow forcompact tractor. (Photo from

Figure 21. Chain harrow forcompact tractor. (Photo from Kovar

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capacity. If you are going to use a loader extensively,consider either a shuttle shift or a hydrostatictransmission to ease the frequent direction reversals.

Counterweight will be needed on the rear of thetractor to balance the front-end load. This can beaccomplished several ways. Rear wheel weights andfluid in the rear tires will help, but more weight may beneeded. If so, the weight can be added to the 3-pointhitch either by just hitching to a heavy implement or byusing a 3-point mounted weight box filled with sand,concrete, gravel, soil, etc. If a quick hitch is used, it iseasy to hitch or unhitch from a weight box as needed.

There are several safety issues with front-endloaders. Never leave a tractor without lowering theloader completely to the ground. This is both a safetyissue and an important step in protecting the loaderhydraulic system. When the loader is left in a raisedposition, sunlight heating the hydraulic lines can buildup pressures in the lines that are much higher than ratedoperating pressures, leading to possible hose rupture.When driving with a loader, keep the bucket as low aspossible. This will make the unit more stable, reduce therisk of encountering overhead power lines and improvevisibility. Be careful to keep the bucket level whenlifting objects such as hay bales high to prevent themfrom rolling back down the loader arms onto the driver.Be careful not to raise the bucket high when on unevenground because an overturn could occur. Be especiallycareful to keep your ROPS raised and wear your seatbeltwhen using a loader.

Log splitter Many people use log splitters toprepare firewood for stoves and fireplaces. Many smallengine-driven log splitters are available, but if you owna compact tractor, a better choice might be a log splitterpowered by your tractor’s hydraulic system (Figure 23).This avoids the problem of maintaining another smallengine and can provide bettersplitter performance.

Some tractor log splittersoperate vertically and somehorizontally. The horizontaltype are generally better forsplitting smaller logs, but thevertical type makes it easier tosplit large, heavy logs. Somemachines can be used ineither mode (Figure 23).

Splitting force is a factorof both hydraulic pressure and cylinder diameter.Because of the high pressure available on tractors, thecylinders may not need to be as large on tractor units ason units powered by a small engine. Operating speed isdetermined by hydraulic flow rate and cylinder size.The smaller the cylinder, the faster the cycle time. Thus,it is desirable to use the smallest cylinder that will

provide the necessary force; a cylinder larger than thatwill slow you down.

For safety reasons, a tractor-powered log splittershould have a separate hydraulic valve on the splitteritself and not depend on the tractor hydraulic lever.Using the tractor hydraulic lever to control the motionof the cylinder usually requires two people: one han-dling the log and one running the lever. It is dangerousto have the cylinder operated by someone other than theperson holding and maneuvering the log. To use aseparate control valve on the splitter, the tractor hydrau-lic lever must be held in the “on” position while usingthe splitter. Some tractor models have a lock position(intended for use with hydraulic motors); others requiretying the lever in the “on” position with a rope orbungee cord. Either method can create a hazard if thetractor hydraulic lever is not released when the splitter isnot in use.

The fact that a log splitter operates slowly tends toenhance safety; nevertheless, if a body part is caught bythe splitter, it can be crushed or severed. There is also adanger of flying objects when a log suddenly splits and/or drops. Safety glasses are needed. Foot protection isessential when running a splitter – wear steel-toe boots.Gloves will help protect hands from splinters.

Middlebuster or lister A middlebuster or lister(Figure 24) is shaped like two moldboard plows joinedtogether. It opens a furrow and throws soil in bothdirections. One middlebuster can be mounted on atoolbar (Figure 24) to make a furrow, or twomiddlebusters can be mounted on a toolbar to formbeds.

A middlebuster is goodfor forming a furrow forplanting crops such as pota-toes. It is also useful forbusting out existing beds. Acommon practice amongvegetable growers is to plantcrops such as cucumber orcantaloupe on every otherbed; then when the crops startto run, the alternate beds arebusted out to make wide beds.A similar use for a middle buster is to plant a cover cropsuch as peas or beans on beds, then bust out the bedsand bury the cover crop in the middles.

A middlebuster is generally harder to control thana disk bedder. It will tend to catch on roots, rocks oreven hard clay and jerk the tractor to the side; a diskbedder will tend to ride over such obstacles. Amiddlebuster needs to be able to trip in some mannerwhen it hits an immoveable object. Most small, inex-pensive middlebusters just have a pivot bolt and asecond bolt in an open slot that allows the bottom to

Figure 23. Log splitter forcompact tractor. (Photo fromBrave Products)

Figure 24. Middlebuster forcompact tractor. (Photo fromCimarron)

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trip, but must be manually reset with a wrench. Moreexpensive models have spring trips that reset withouttools.

Mower – finishing Finishing mowers (Figure 25)are also called grooming mowers. Finishing mowershave decks that are virtually the same as the decks onmid-mount mowers. They typically have three blades.Height is controlled byfour gage wheels (twowheels on cheap mod-els). These mowers varygreatly in quality withcorresponding pricedifferences. This is a casewhere it is worthwhile tobuy a high-qualitymower with a heavydeck, four heavy gagewheels, heavy frame andheavy power transmis-sion components. The better models use separate beltsto drive the outer blades and eliminate the need for aback-side idler on the drive belt; this dramaticallyimproves belt life. Finishing mowers can provide cutquality equal to mid-mount mowers. They work well formowing open areas, but they are difficult to maneuveraround trees or other obstacles. They are easily attachedand removed. They are not designed to cut tall, weedygrass. They have multiple gage wheels and rollers thatallow a relatively low cutting height with minimalscalping.

Some gage wheel heights are controlled by pinsin a series of holes and some by moving bushings. Bysetting all four wheels to the same setting, you cancontrol the height of cut. You then merely drop the 3-point hitch all the way down and let the mower ride onthe gage wheels. Some cheaper finishing mowers haveonly two gage wheels, so the front of the deck must becarried by the tractor the same way a rotary cutter iscarried, and must be adjusted the same way as a rotarycutter. To measure the height of cut for a finishingmower, park the tractor and mower deck on a smooth,level (preferably paved) surface, and measure thedistance from the ground up to the cutting edge of theblades (be sure the tractor engine is turned off). Thismeasurement should be the same for all blades.

It may come as a surprise to you that the deckshould not be run level. With any rotary mower, it isdesirable to set the front slightly lower so that the bladecuts at the front, and the rear of the blade does not recutthe grass or drag on the grass. This will reduce thepower requirement and provide a cleaner cut. Thisslight angle should be designed into your finishingmower so that all you have to do is set the front and reargage wheels to the same position to achieve the correct

“nose down” position.When you are running a finishing mower, the sway

bars or chains on the 3-point hitch of the tractor shouldbe reasonably tight to assure that the mower followsstraight behind the tractor and doesn’t sway. This isespecially important when you have to back up.

A finishing mower must be able to pivot verticallyabout the lower link pins of the 3-point hitch to allowthe mower deck to follow ground contours, yet it musthave a limit on this flexing motion to allow the mowerto be raised for transport. All finishing mowers employsome type of moving linkage on the upper hitch pointto allow this, but improper adjustment can negate it. Youmust adjust the upper link of the 3-point hitch on yourtractor to allow some flex of the mower deck, but stillbe able to lift the mower. This adjustment is somewhatsubjective, but adjust the length of the upper link outenough that when you lift the 3-point hitch above thenormal operating point, the rear gage wheels remain onthe ground for a while as the front of the mower lifts,but the rear gage wheels eventually lift at least a foot offthe ground when the 3-point hitch is completely raised.

A finishing mower must also be level from side toside. The easiest way to check this is to bend downbehind the deck (with the PTO disengaged) and sightover the deck at the tractor rear axle. If the deck is notparallel with the tractor axle, you will need to adjust oneof the lower 3-point hitch lift arms until it is parallel.

All of these steps are simple to do and take only afew minutes, but they contribute significantly to boththe quality of cut and the longevity of your mower.

Safety is a consideration with any mower. If it cancut grass, it can cut hands and feet. All finishing mow-ers should be equipped with safety chains, front andrear. These chains substantially reduce, but don’teliminate, the hazard of thrown objects. Do not operatethe machine within 200-300 feet of any bystanders.Before operating, pick up any rocks, trash or anythingthat could be thrown. Be sure blade bolts are tight so theblades can’t come off. Avoid hitting any solid objectsthat could fracture a blade. Always avoid contact withthe PTO shaft. The PTO should be turned off before youleave the tractor seat, and the mower rotation should becompletely stopped before anyone approaches.

Mower – flail Flailmowers (Figure 26) areoften used by highwaymowing and park mainte-nance crews because theyare somewhat less likely tothrow objects. On a flailmower, the blades are free-swinging and rotate arounda horizontal axis. The cutfrom a flail mower is

Figure 25. Heavy-duty finishingmower on compact tractor.

Figure 26. Flail mower oncompact tractor.

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distinctive and different from rotary mowers. The bladesare often Y-shaped (or sometimes, half a Y), so themown grass has a combed or ridged appearance. Somepeople like this effect; some do not. Control of cuttingheight may depend on the tractor 3-point hitch, al-though some models have an adjustable roller to controlheight.

Even though flail mowers are less likely to throwobjects than a rotary mower, there is still a thrownobjects hazard and caution is needed. Also, as with anymower, there are hazards from the PTO shaft and themoving blades.

Mower – mid-mount Mid-mount decks are popu-lar on the smaller compact utility tractors and on sub-compact tractors (Figure 27). They tend to be moredifficult to remove than rear-mount mowers, so they aremore popular on the smaller tractors used primarily formowing. On some currentmodels of tractor, it is nowpossible to leave a mid-mount mower in placewhile using a front loaderor a rear-mounted imple-ment such as a tiller;nevertheless, operatingother implements with amid-mount mower in placecan compromise perfor-mance of the other implements, and it certainly reducesground clearance. Mid-mount decks generally providegood maneuverability and allow close trimming. Mid-mount mowers on compact tractors are usually ground-carried (they ride on the ground when in use and aremerely pulled along by the tractor, whereas mid-mountmowers on lawn and garden tractors are usually sus-pended from the tractor with the cutting height con-trolled by the suspension linkage). Cutting heightadjustment is made by moving the gage wheels up ordown.

Mid-mount mowers for lawn, garden and compacttractors typically have two or three blades and aredesigned for quality mowing of turfgrass. They are notdesigned to cut tall, weedy grass. They have multiplegage wheels and rollers that allow a relatively lowcutting height with minimal scalping.

With a “ground following” deck, you set the heightof cut by adjusting all four gage wheels to the sameheight setting. This might involve moving a pin at eachwheel, or moving a stack of spacers at each wheel. Youroperator’s manual will explain how to set your specificdeck. To measure the height of cut, park the mowerdeck on a smooth, level (preferably paved) surface,lower the deck and measure the distance from theground up to the cutting edge of the blades (be sure the

tractor engine is turned off). This measurement shouldbe the same for all blades.

The deck should not be run level. With any rotarymower, it is desirable to set the front slightly lower sothat the blade cuts at the front and the rear of the bladedoes not recut the grass or drag on the grass. This willreduce the power requirement and provide a cleanercut. Your operator’s manual will tell you how to adjustyour mower to achieve the correct “nose down” posi-tion.

A mower deck must also be level from side to side.You can check your deck by lowering it and measuringthe height from the ground to the cutting edge of theblade on each side with the blades turned at a rightangle to the direction of travel (be sure the tractorengine is turned off).

Most mid-mount decks have two or more anti-scalp rollers that must be adjusted for height of cut.These components should be adjusted so that they donot contact the ground when the deck is lowered to thepreset cutting height and the mower is parked on levelpavement. Your operator’s manual will give specificinstructions on adjusting these components. Differentmanufacturers recommend different ground clearances,but ¾ inch is fairly typical. These components will thenlift the mower deck when a high spot is encountered buthave no effect on level ground. Furthermore, properadjustment will reduce wear on the wheels and rollerssince they will normally not be contacting the ground.

Adjusting a mid-mount mower is more compli-cated than some other types of mowers, but once it’sadjusted, you shouldn’t need to change the adjustmentsunless you change the cutting height. These adjustmentswill contribute significantly to both the quality of cutand the longevity of your mower.

Safety is always an issue with a rotary mower. It isimportant to keep the discharge chute in place to reducethrown objects hazards. Never operate a mower whenany bystanders are in the area. Disengage the mid-PTOand allow the mower to stop completely before dis-mounting. Do not operate the mower in the raisedposition.

Mower – reel Reel mowers are much less com-mon than other mowers, but gang reel mowers (Figure28) are available for compact tractors. Reel mowers areused primarily where a high cutting quality and lowcutting height are requiredsuch as golf courses, ath-letic fields, parks and sodfarms. Pull-type gang reelmowers can be grounddriven or driven by ahydraulic motor on eachunit. Reel mowers will notcut tall or tough grass and

Figure 27. Mid-mount mowerdeck on subcompact tractor.

Figure 28. Reel mower (Photofrom Locke)

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weeds, but they will do an excellent job of maintainingquality turf. If the height of the turf to be cut is notexcessive, reel mowers give a very clean cut. The powerrequirement for reel mowers is relatively low, allowing acompact tractor to pull a fairly wide mower. The rollerson reel mowers give the turf the striped look commonon sports fields. Reel mowers should be used only withtractors having turf tires; it does not make sense to go tothe expense of a reel mower to attain high-quality turfand then drive on it with lugged tires. Pull-type gangreel mowers are best suited to open turf areas with few,if any, trees or other obstacles.

Reels are easily damaged if you hit any obstacleswith them or run anything except grass through them.Reel mowers are much more difficult to sharpen thanother mowers. In addition to sharpening, they have tobe back-lapped to achieve the close tolerances required.

The primary safety issue with reel mowers isavoiding contact with the moving blades.

Mower – rotary cutter A rear-mounted rotarycutter (Figure 29) is often referred to as a Bush Hog7 -equivalent to referring to all soft drinks as Cokes. Thesemowers have a single blade (in the sizes used on com-pact tractors) and aredesigned for heavy, roughcutting. They are notdesigned to mow grass asshort as is common forlawns and should not beset to cut lower than about3 inches. They will cutlight brush (1 to 2 inchesin diameter, depending onmodel). They are nothighly maneuverablebecause of their length. Cutting height is adjusted bymoving both the rear gage wheel and the 3-point hitchon 3-point hitch models. Pull-type models with twowheels are available but less common. Both types areeasily attached and removed. Widths of 4 to 6 feet arecommon with compact tractors.

The most common error with the use of rotarycutters is cutting too low. Rotary cutters are not de-signed to be finish mowers. If you want to cut turfgrass2 inches high, you should use a lawn mower or afinishing mower (also called a grooming mower). Sincea 3-point hitch rotary cutter typically has a wide deckwith only one large blade and only one gage wheel, itcannot follow ground contours and is prone to scalpingif run too low. To achieve the desired cutting height on atypical 3-point hitch mounted rotary cutter, you must dotwo things. First, you must adjust the rear gage wheel toposition the blade at the desired height, and then youmust set the 3-point hitch control to hold the front of themower deck at the correct height. You should make

these adjustments with the tractor and mower parked onsolid, level ground – preferably pavement. The gagewheel may have a slide adjustment, a series of holes foradjustment or a stack of bushings that are moved aboveor below the collar. Set the deck approximately levelwith the 3-point hitch, measure the height from theground to the cutting edge of the blade at the rear (withthe tractor turned off) and then adjust as needed toobtain a cutting height of at least 3 inches.

The deck should not be run level. With any rotarymower, it is desirable to set the front slightly lower (¼ to½ inch on a 4- to 6-foot rotary cutter) so that the bladecuts at the front, and the rear of the blade does not recutthe grass or drag on the grass. This will reduce thepower requirement and provide a cleaner cut. After youhave set the cutting height at the rear using the gagewheel, you will need to adjust the 3-point hitch so thatthe cutting edge of the blade at the front is ¼ to ½ inchlower than at the rear. If your tractor has an adjustablestop on the 3-point hitch control, you should set it atthis point. If the tractor has a marked scale on the 3-point hitch control, note and remember the setting. Ifyour tractor has neither, just take a pen or marker andmake a small mark at the correct setting so you cancome back to it again after you raise or lower themower.

When running a rotary cutter, the sway bars orchains on the 3-point hitch of the tractor should bereasonably tight to assure that the mower followsstraight behind the tractor and doesn’t sway. This isespecially important when you have to back up.

A rotary cutter must be able to pivot verticallyabout the lower link pins of the 3-point hitch to allowthe mower deck to flex up when the rear of the tractorgoes into a depression and flex down when the rear ofthe tractor goes over a bump, yet must also have a limiton this flexing motion to allow the mower to be raisedfor transport. All rotary cutters use some type of movinglinkage on the upper hitch point to allow this, butimproper adjustment can negate it. You must adjust theupper link of the 3-point hitch on your tractor to allowsome flex of the mower deck, but still be able to lift themower. This adjustment is somewhat subjective, butyou should adjust the length of the upper link outenough that when you lift the 3-point hitch above thenormal operating point, the gage wheel remains on theground for a while as the front of the mower lifts, butthe gage wheel eventually lifts at least a foot off theground when the 3-point hitch is completely raised.

A rotary cutter must also be level from side to side.The easiest way to check this is to bend down behindthe deck (with the PTO disengaged) and sight over thedeck at the tractor rear axle. If the deck is not parallelwith the tractor axle, you will need to adjust one of thelower 3-point hitch lift arms until it is parallel.

Figure 29. Rotary cutter forcompact tractor.

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Figure 31. Pallet forks tofit front-end loader oncompact tractor. (Photofrom Sweepster FFC)

All of these steps are simple to do and take only afew minutes, but they contribute significantly to boththe quality of cut and the longevity of your mower.

All rotary cutters are inherently dangerous. Repu-table manufacturers do all they can to reduce the risksassociated with rotary cutters, but the ultimate safetyresponsibility rests with the operator. Hazards withrotary cutters include thrown objects, direct bladecontact and PTO entanglement.

Of all the hazards inherent in a rotary cutter, thehazard of thrown objects is perhaps least recognized byoperators and bystanders. The blades on a rotary cuttermay have a tip speed of more than 150 mph. Objectssuch as stones, cans, bottles (or fragments), pieces oflimbs or roots and other debris can be thrown more than300 feet. Too many people assume that a rotary cutterwill not throw objects very far, but testing and docu-mented accidents have demonstrated that objects can bethrown farther than the length of a football field – andstill have enough velocity and momentum to causeserious injury. Objects thrown from a rotary cutter caninjure you in several ways. Sharp objects can causesevere puncture wounds. Heavy objects can strike thehead or body, causing concussion or death. The mostcommon injury, however, is eye damage. Even smallobjects can injure an eye and cause blindness.

A properly designed and equipped rotary cuttercan reduce the risk of injury. The cutter deck should bedesigned to conform to American Society of Agricul-tural Engineers Standard S474.1 – Agricultural RotaryMower Safety. This standard prescribes several safetyfeatures for rotary cutters and also contains a procedurefor testing rotary cutters for thrown objects using nailsdropped through tubes inserted in the deck. Conformingto this standard means that the manufacturer has de-signed the machine to conform to the state of the art inthrown objects reduction. Nevertheless, the standarddoes not require or imply total elimination of thrownobjects, just a significant reduction in the incidence ofthrown objects. Chain guards on the front and rear ofthe mower can reduce the thrown objects hazard evenmore, but they will not eliminate the hazard. Chainguards will typically reduce the number of thrownobjects by half and significantly reduce the velocity ofthose that are thrown. Other shielding such as rubberbelting or metal bands are used on some machines, butmay interfere with mowing efficacy. Most manufactur-ers offer chain guards; some make them standardequipment, but with a delete option. The cost of chainguards varies with the size of cutter and with the manu-facturer. The cost of chain guards may range fromunder $100 on small economy machines to well over$500 on larger heavy-duty cutters.

As an equipment operator, you must be aware ofthe hazards inherent in thrown objects and take steps tominimize the danger. The first and most important step

is to operate a rotary cutter only if there are no peopleor animals within 300 feet (or more). If anyone ap-proaches within that range, you should immediatelyturn off the tractor PTO to stop the cutter and notresume operation until the site is clear of bystanders.Using chain guards is also recommended. It is impera-tive to use chain guards if you will be working in anarea where bystanders might approach within 300 feet.Operating without chain guards is acceptable only insituations where there is no possibility of another personwithin 300 feet.

Bystanders also have an obligation to stay awayfrom rotary cutters. Although rotary cutters are typicallynoisy and are visibly dangerous, you should warnfamily members or anyone else who might approach ofthe dangers and tell them to stay back at least 300 feet.If a person must approach within several hundred feetof a rotary cutter, he should wear safety glasses. Themost dangerous area is the rear of the machine.

The thrown object hazard with rotary cutters is notfully recognized by everyone. It is a very real hazardthat can cause injury, blindness or even death. Youshould buy and use a safe rotary cutter and neveroperate if anyone gets within 300 feet (or more) of themachine.

Mower – sicklebar Sicklebar mowers (Figure 30)are no longer common, but they have some advantages.They are useful for reach-ing down into ditches orup onto a slope while thetractor remains level. Theywill cut tall materialwithout plugging. Theyrequire little power. Theydo not cut or shred the cutmaterial, so the full-lengthclippings will be left lyingon the ground. Althoughsicklebar mowers usuallyincorporate a safety break-away, they are susceptible todamage if you run them into obstacles.

The primary safety hazards with sicklebar mowersare sicklebar contact and entrapment in the powertrain.Although these mowers tend to be safer than rotarycutters, care in operation is still required.

Pallet forks There areseveral ways to handle palletswith a compact tractor. The mostcommon way is with a palletfork attachment (Figure 31) toreplace the bucket on a front-endloader. Maneuvering forks in thisconfiguration is more awkwardthan with a dedicated fork lift,

Figure 30. Sicklebar mower onsmall offset tractor.

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but it is still a reasonably handy way to pick up andmove pallets. Loaders on small compact tractors willnot be able to lift heavy pallets. Counterweight on therear of the tractor will be needed to pick up and move apallet safely.

A faster and easier way of adding forks to a front-end loader is to mount the forks to the front of thebucket. There are kits that consist of hooks that mountto the top of the bucket. The forks are attached to aheavy steel bar across the tops of the forks. The driverjust drives up to the forks, tilts the bucket so that thehooks grab the forks, then tilts it back and is ready togo. Some systems reverse the attachment method andput the bar on the bucket and the hooks on the forks.This system is easy to hitch to but has two majordrawbacks: because it fits out in front of the bucket, itmoves the load even further forward and reduces loadcapacity, and it is often impossible to see the forksbecause of the bucket. This makes it difficult to pick upa pallet.

Fork lift attachments are also available for the rearof the tractor. Some mount to the 3-point hitch and aresimilar to hay forks; others are on wheels and pullbehind the tractor. The 3-point hitch units can carry theheaviest load (for a given tractor size) of any tractor-mounted type. They are reasonably easy to maneuver,relatively inexpensive and easy to attach. They allowyou to move pallets, but not lift or stack them.

The primary safety issues with pallet forks areavoiding overloads and overturns. Do not pick up morethan your tractor is rated to handle. Be sure to keep theload low. Don’t lift a pallet high when on roughground. If using pallet forks on a front-end loader, becareful to keep the forks level as you lift.

Plastic mulch layer Theuse of plastic mulch is acommon practice for nearly allstrawberry growers, manyvegetable growers and somehome gardeners. Plastic mulchmay be used with a fumigantand drip irrigation. Plasticmulch layers (Figure 32) thatmount on compact tractors areavailable to mechanize theseoperations.

Preparation for laying mulch starts well before themulch is installed. Beds must be formed with a diskbedder or middlebuster. The beds must be firmed andshaped, either before the mulch laying operation or aspart of the operation. It is important that both the topand sides of the beds be firm, and there should be nodepressions on the bed top to hold water on the mulch.Some growers install the plastic drip tape before layingthe mulch, but it is more commonly done simulta-

neously with the mulch laying. It is important to coverover the drip tubing furrow completely to avoid adepression on the bed top.

It is usually best to apply the fumigant with themulch layer so that the fumigant is immediately sealedbefore it can vaporize. Occasionally a grower will usetwo tractors, one knifing in the fumigant and the secondtractor immediately behind laying mulch. This proce-dure risks not getting the fumigant sealed promptly andalso exposes the driver of the second tractor and theworker on the mulch layer to more fumigant. As withthe drip irrigation knives, it is important that the furrowsin the bed from the fumigant knives be closed. Manymulch layers have either compression panels on thesides or a complete bed shaper pan to squeeze the bedand seal the furrows ahead of the plastic mulch. Someinexpensive mulch layers do not have this and merelyrely on having a firm bed ahead of the mulch layer.

Adjusting a mulch layer is somewhat of an art. Theshaping components of the mulch layer (if so equipped)must be adjusted in both dimensions to deliver a firmbed to the mulch area. There is usually some means ofcutting a small trench or furrow at the bottom of the bedsides to receive the sides of the plastic sheet. Rubbertires, frequently smooth, are run on top of the sides ofthe plastic at a small angle to hold the plastic down andstretch it over the bed. Single disks (or sometimesshovels) on each side are then used to throw soil overthe sides of the plastic in the furrow – referred to as thecup. This soil is what holds the plastic mulch in place.Adjusting the tires and covering disks is probably themost critical part of the process. It is also important tomaintain the proper fore-and-aft angle on the mulchlayer for all of the components to function properly.Some high-end mulch layers have four gage wheels tohelp with this.

Aside from the usual mechanical safety consider-ations, chemical safety is a major issue since mostfumigants are highly toxic. Care must be taken to besure workers are not exposed to excessive amounts offumigant. All workers should wear the personal protec-tive equipment mandated by EPA on the fumigant label.Careful operation can help reduce the problem. Forinstance, not turning on the fumigant until the knivesare in the soil and then turning it off before the knivesare raised will help a great deal. Installing a solenoid ormotor valve down near the knives will reduce theamount of excess fumigant that drains out at the fieldends.

Commercially available mulch layers range fromsimple light-duty machines to heavy, rigid implementswith a corresponding range of prices. The light-dutymulch layers can work satisfactorily if properly adjustedand used, but keeping them in adjustment is much moredifficult. The heavy-duty machines tend to be more

Figure 32. Plastic mulchlayer on compact tractor.

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reliable and cause less trouble – but require a largertractor and are more expensive.

Laying plastic mulch along with the accompanyingdrip tube and fumigant is a major expense and technicalchallenge for most commercial growers and gardeners.Properly adjusting and using a good mulch layer canminimize problems. For most small growers and gar-deners, a good custom operator is often the best solu-tion.

Plastic mulch lifter The use of plastic mulch is acommon practice for strawberry and vegetable growersand for some home gardeners, but there are two majorproblems with plasticmulch: it is expensive toinstall and at some pointit has to be removed fromthe field. Several ma-chines can help simplifythe removal of the mulch(Figure 33).

The traditionalmethod of removingplastic mulch was to firstloosen the mulch from the “cup” on each side of thebed by passing a cultivator sweep under the cup andthen pick up the mulch by hand. Picking up mulch byhand is a filthy, strenuous task.

Several companies now offer mulch lifters that doa better job of loosening the plastic mulch than a simplesweep. These lifters typically have coulters that runbeside the beds to cut any weeds or plant residue andloosen the soil, followed by one-sided blades that rununder the cup and under much of the bed to furtherloosen the soil and lift the plastic mulch. Guides on theback of the blades lift the plastic in the air to allow theloosened soil to fall off. Some of the soil tends to fallback onto the center of the plastic sheet, thus makingthe plastic difficult to pick up. A coulter running downthe center of the bed slices the plastic strip in half,allowing the soil on the center of the plastic to fallthrough when the plastic is picked up later.

After the plastic is loosened and lifted, somegrowers pick up the plastic by hand; however, there areseveral machines that can pick up the plastic. The mostcommon design has a powered spool to roll up theplastic. In most cases, a worker has to tie the strip ofplastic to the spool at the beginning of the row and thenthe plastic can be rolled up. A major problem with thistype of pickup device is that as the spool fills, itsdiameter increases and thus the peripheral speed of theplastic increases. As the spool fills, either the tractorground speed must constantly increase or the spoolrotational speed must constantly decrease. This problemis addressed in different ways on different models ofmulch collectors.

Figure 33. Plastic mulch lifter oncompact tractor.

Figure 34. Plastic mulchcollector on compact tractor.

Some use a belt drive to the spool and allow thebelt to slip to maintain constant tension on the plastic.Others have a variable-speed valve in the hydraulic lineto the spool motor that must be manually adjusted(constantly) by an operatorriding on the machine. Adesign developed by theLSU AgCenter (Figure 34)senses the tension on theplastic and automaticallyadjusts spool speed toprovide relatively uniformtorque loading on the spool.An entirely different designuses rollers to feed theplastic sheet into a big wirecage instead of rolling it up.

It is possible to combine a lifter and collector into aone-pass machine. Although this seems efficient, it isnot necessarily desirable, at least in humid climates likeLouisiana. Collecting the mulch is much easier whenthe loosened soil on top of the mulch is completely dryand doesn’t stick to the plastic mulch. In the humidSouth, it is unusual for the soil in the cup to be that dry.It is helpful to run the lifter when the soil is reasonablydry, then allow the loosened soil on top of the mulch todry further before attempting to pick up the plastic.

Removal of plant residue from the mulch beforeattempting to lift the mulch will make the operationmuch more efficient and will reduce the volume andweight of the collected product. A rotary cutter or othermower run as low as possible (without cutting themulch) before lifting will help.

By far the most common problem in lifting andremoving plastic mulch is tearing of the plastic. If theplastic holds together and comes off in one long strip,the task is easy, but in too many cases the plastic tearsinto small pieces that have to be picked up individually.Removing plant residue, proper lifting and carefulcollecting will help, but in some cases the plastic is justtoo weak or brittle and tears too easily. When thathappens, picking up the pieces by hand is about theonly option.

Removal of plastic mulch continues to be a prob-lem for strawberry and vegetable growers and homegardeners. There are some machines that help with theprocess. Under ideal conditions, the process can bemechanized, but problems remain, primarily because oftearing of the plastic.

Plow – moldboard The traditional implement forprimary tillage is the moldboard plow (Figure 35). Amoldboard plow is an effective tillage tool that slicesone side and the bottom of a strip of soil and inverts thatslice into the adjacent furrow from the previous soilstrip. While inverting the soil strip, the curved shape of

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Figure 35. Moldboard plow forprimary tillage. (Photo fromHowse Implement Co.)

Figure 36. Post holedigger for use oncompact tractor.(Photo from Danuser)

the plow bottom twistsand fractures the soil,leaving it loose andfriable (if the moisture isright). Surface vegetationis buried and the invertedsoil is broken up some-what. In most soils,compact tractors will beable to handle only oneor two bottoms, althoughdraft depends on soiltype and depth as well as width of the plow bottom(s).A moldboard plow on a compact tractor is usefulprimarily for home gardens and market gardens.

Since moldboard plows have not been popular inthe South for many years, few people know how toadjust or use one correctly. For a small moldboard plowto work correctly, the right tires on the tractor must beset the correct distance from the tractor centerline sothat the tires run in the previous furrow. The plowoperator’s manual should give this specification. Theplow must then be leveled correctly from front to rear,and adjusted from side to side so that the plow frame islevel when the tractor is running in the previous furrow.

A coulter ahead of the moldboard is often neces-sary to slice the sod or other surface vegetation ahead ofthe moldboard. It should be adjusted to run about ¾inch to the left of the side of the plow. It is also neces-sary to set the tail wheel properly to hold the plow inplace. Some plows have other accessories like trashboards to help invert taller sod.

A correctly plowed field is beautiful and forms thebasis for a good seedbed, but moldboard plowing seemsto be a dying art. Problems with moldboard plowinginclude soil compaction by the plow and lack of residueon the surface, leaving the surface prone to erosion.

Post hole digger Digging post holes is a commonjob for compact tractors. Many companies make posthole diggers that mount on the 3-point hitch of a com-pact tractor (Figure 36). They are powered by the

tractor’s PTO. Rural homeownersuse post hole diggers for settingfence posts, and landscape contrac-tors use them for both fence postsand for planting trees and shrubs.Augers are usually sold separatelyfrom the digger head and areavailable in sizes from 4 inches to12 inches. Augers for tree plantingare available in sizes to 30 inches,but the larger sizes are usuallyintended for larger tractors.

Post hole diggers work well insome soils but may have trouble

penetrating hard soils. Although post hole diggers areoften used to dig planting holes for trees and shrubs, theaugers have a tendency to “slick” and compact the soilon the sides of the hole, limiting root growth.

If an auger encounters roots or other obstacles inthe soil, they can be forced down rapidly and maybreak a shear pin. Both the PTO shaft and the auger cancause serious injury if a person becomes entangled. Donot wear loose clothing around an auger; keep peopleaway from the machine while in operation.

Rake – landscape A useful tool for landscapecontractors is a landscape rake (Figure 37). These rakesare used primarily for preparing ground for seeding orsodding of turfgrass. They break up soft clods and canrake away hard clods. They lightly scratch the soilsurface and leave justenough surface roughness toprovide a good basis forseeding. Many landscaperakes are designed to allowthem to be angled to the side– helpful in removing andwindrowing rocks, trash orhard clods. A landscape rakeshould not be used to rakeleaves, clippings or pinestraw from turf. It is tooaggressive and will damagethe turf.

Rake – lawn and pine straw Most lawns need tobe raked at one time or another to remove clippings orto collect leaves or pine needles. Pine straw (dead pineneedles) is a valuable resource in the Deep South. Anexcellent mulch, it is much in demand for landscaping.Commercial operators bale pine straw and sell it tocontractors and garden centers who in turn sell it tohomeowners. If you own some land with pine trees,you can easily rake your own pine straw.

If you have a limited area of lawn or pine straw torake, you can use a garden rake or a leaf rake. If youhave a larger area or want to collect a considerablequantity of pine straw, a small tractor rake will save atremendous amount of work. Many commercial opera-tors use an old dump rake for pine straw. This has theadvantage of allowing the driver to back and maneuveramong trees, but it tends to tear out grass and may evenact like a harrow and tear up the sod and soil. Dumprakes are scarce and hard to find now. Many companiesmake 3-point hitch landscape rakes with strong springteeth. The teeth on these landscape rakes tend to be tooaggressive for lawns and raking pine straw; they will doeven more damage to the soil than the old dump rakes.Another option is a small landscape wheel rake (Figure38). These rakes are sold for use on lawns – raking

Figure 37. Landscape rake oncompact tractor. (Photo fromDeere and Company)

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Figure 39. Heavy-duty rotarytiller on compact tractor.

Figure 40. Sprayerfor 3-point hitch oncompact tractor.(Photo fromAgSpray EquipmentCompany)

leaves, grass clippings and pine straw. They do anexcellent job of windrowing pine straw and, if properlyadjusted, will not damage the grass or gouge the soil.Easy to use, they are available in widths from 4 to 8feet. They are not popularwith commercial operatorsbecause they are not asmaneuverable as dumprakes nor are they astough.

A wheel-type pinestraw rake can be pulledby a small tractor, a ridingmower, a utility vehicle oran ATV. Proper adjustmentis essential: too high and you will miss the leaves orpine straw; too low and you will damage the turf andpossibly the tines. A hydraulic cylinder for easy adjust-ment is an option, but for a machine that has limiteduse, the standard screw adjustment is usually adequate.A major concern when raking pine straw is to avoidhitting the trees with the rake. Since pine straw is foundonly under pine trees, you will be constantly dodgingtrees. Sideswiping a tree can bend the rake tines.

The rake will leave a neat windrow of leaves orpine straw. Normally, a homeowner will just pick it upby hand (using a leaf or garden rake) and haul it towherever it is needed using a garden cart, utility vehicleor carrying it by hand. Most farm hay balers are far toobig, heavy and expensive for occasional use on ahomestead. A few companies make small balers aimedat the pine straw market, but even they are pricey for ahomeowner.

If you have a large lawn or if you rake up and usea lot of pine straw on your place, you might want tolook into the use of a wheeled lawn rake.

Rotary tiller Compact tractors can handle smallrotary tillers (Figure 39). These tillers are useful inlandscape installation andfor gardens and smallfarms. Rotary tillers can beused for primary or sec-ondary tillage. They areespecially well suited toonce-over tillage and arecapable of going from avegetated surface to atilled seedbed in one pass(under ideal conditions).

The widths available in rotary tillers for compacttractors run from about 3 to 5 feet. Since rotary tillerstypically require 10-15 hp per foot of width if operatedat full depth and normal operating speed, a compacttractor cannot handle a large tiller. Some smaller com-pact tractors are not capable of handling a tiller that

matches the full width of the tractor, thus the tiller mustbe offset to one side and will thus till up wheel trackson only one side. Some tillers have a fixed offset; otherscan be shifted to the side or centered.

Most rotary tillers have a hinged flap on the backthat can be fastened up out of the way or allowed todrag and smooth or level the soil behind the tiller.Rotary tillers are powered by the PTO to a gearbox andthe tiller shaft is then driven by either gears or a heavychain. Less expensive models use a chain; higherquality models use gears. It is important to maintain theproper oil level in the gear case or chain case. The PTOshaft universal joints and any other grease fittingsshould also be lubricated as recommended by themanufacturer.

Rotary tillers can be run from an inch or two deepdown to 8-9 inches on some models. Tilling quality isaffected by ground speed. The faster the tiller is moved,the fewer cuts per foot and the coarser the tillage. Byslowing down (perhaps as slow as one mph), an opera-tor can achieve very fine tillage of soil. In some cases, arotary tiller can do too much tillage and destroy soilstructure. After a heavy rain, some rotary-tilled soils will“melt” together into a solid mass with no structure orsoil aeration. If a tiller is operated too fast, it will “walk”across the surface instead of digging.

Rotary tillers can be used for cultivation, but usingthem in this manner requires a wide spacing betweencrop rows. Vegetable growers can use a rotary tiller tomaintain the middles between wide-spaced rows oftomatoes, eggplant and similar crops. For most gardens,a walk-behind tiller is much more practical for cultiva-tion.

Safety issues for rotary tillers primarily involvecontact with rotating parts (PTO shaft, cross shaft andtine shaft/tines). It is possible for a tiller to throw objectswith considerable force, so safety glasses are needed forthe operator and any bystanders. Do not engage thePTO if anyone is near the tiller.

Sprayer Spraying pesticides isa common job for compact tractors.The most common type of sprayer isa boom sprayer mounted on the 3-point hitch (Figure 40) althoughtrailer sprayers (Figure 41) areavailable, too.

Most of these sprayers are verysimple. They normally use a spraypump mounted to the tractor PTO.Roller pumps are common on lessexpensive units, although centrifugalpumps also are used. Roller pumpscan develop higher pressure. Cen-trifugal pumps are limited to around60 psig, but they can deliver much

Figure 38. Rake for lawns andpine straw on compact tractor.

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Figure 42. Pendulum-actionspreader on compact tractor.

Figure 41. Trailer sprayer forcompact tractor. (Photo from Century)

higher volume – anadvantage for fluidagitation. Simplepressure regulation,bypass and/or jetagitation, and a flowcontrol valve completethe plumbing.

Most of thesesmall sprayers have aboom with multiplenozzles for relatively uniform broadcast spraying. Theycan be used for applying herbicides, fungicides, insecti-cides and even liquid fertilizers to turfgrass or to othercrops.

Sprayers are easily customized for a specific needby changing nozzles, pumps, nozzle spacing, boomheight, type of agitation, etc. Most of the commerciallyavailable sprayers are made by small companies usingoff-the-shelf components.

Sprayers have several safety issues – primarilydealing with the nature of pesticides and fertilizers.Spray drift into non-target areas is a serious potentialproblem as is overapplication. Calibration is critical toobtain the correct rate and minimize problems. Informa-tion on calibration is available on the LSU AgCenterWeb site (www.lsuagcenter.com). Appropriate protectivegear should be worn when mixing, calibrating orspraying. This personal protective equipment (PPE) isspecified on the product label.

Spreader Both rotary and pendulum-actionspreaders (Figure 42) are available for 3-point hitchmounting on compact tractors. Many of the inexpensiverotary spreaders are of poor quality and will not yield auniform distribution pattern. All rotary spreaders requirethe operator to adjust the pattern setting(s) for eachproduct. Even when thepattern settings areoptimized, the patternswill be non-symmetricalin most cases. A series ofpattern tests is necessaryto determine the optimumpattern settings and theeffective swath width.Some products, particu-larly turfgrass products,will provide patternsetting and width recommendations on the bag labels.Settings are seldom available for ag-grade fertilizers.

Pendulum-action spreaders should give a sym-metrical pattern with all products without the need forany pattern adjustment. It is still necessary to determinethe effective swath width, either by testing or from thebag label. Pendulum spreaders can also be used for

banding fertilizer. With a shortened spout, they canthrow two bands on opposite sides of the tractor withthe spacing between bands determined by spout length,PTO speed and spout height. If the spout is removedand a splitter box mounted, they can drop bands offertilizer for sidedressing row crops.

With either type of spreader, the rate setting mustbe determined by calibration. Even if the product labelprovides a setting, this should be used only as a startingpoint for calibration.

More information on calibrating and using spread-ers is found on the LSU AgCenter Web site(www.lsuagcenter.com) and in LSU AgCenter ResearchBulletin #866, Granular Spreaders: Selection, Calibra-tion, Testing, and Use. This bulletin is available fromcounty agents.

Stump grinder A few companies manufacturestump grinders that mount on a tractor 3-point hitch andare powered by the tractor’s PTO (Figure 43). Thesestump grinders are not as versatile as dedicated stumpgrinders, but they are much less expensive and areadequate for occa-sional use by acontractor, farmer orrural homeowner.They require a com-pact tractor with atleast one remotehydraulic outlet, andsome require twohydraulic outlets.

Stump grindersuse a wheel with carbide-tipped teeth to grind upstumps and roots. The wheel cuts as it is swung fromside to side and lowered and/or moved into the stumpbefore each swing. Tractor stump grinders rely on thetractor hitch or a hydraulic cylinder for height adjust-ment and use a hydraulic cylinder to swing the cuttingwheel. The tractor has to be backed up to advance thewheel into the stump for the next cut. It is important tolimit the amount of wood cut per swing. Lowering thewheel too much or backing too far into the stump willoverload the wheel.

Stumps are often ground down several inchesbelow the soil surface so soil can be backfilled over thestump. This will entail grinding surface roots as well asthe stump.

Stump cutters are extremely aggressive machines.The cutting wheel can easily remove a foot or leg.Allow no bystanders in the area when cutting. Neverleave the tractor seat with the PTO engaged, and waitfor the wheel to stop turning before approaching therear of the tractor. Thrown objects are a serious hazardalso. The operator should wear safety glasses or gogglesand hearing protection.

Figure 43. Stump grinder mounted oncompact tractor. (Photo from Wikco)

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Figure 44.Subsoiler forcompact tractor.(Photo fromHowse ImplementCompany)

Subsoiler For breaking compacted subsoil, a subsoiler shank (Figure 44)is the tool of choice. The power requirement for a subsoiler is high, so only thelarger compact tractors will be able to handle a subsoiler, and even they will belimited to one shank if the subsoiler is run at normal depth. Subsoilers aretypically run from 12-20 inches deep. The purpose of a subsoiler is to break upa compacted hardpan in the subsoil. To shatter a hardpan effectively, you mustwork with reasonably dry soil. If a subsoiler is run in wet soil, the soil will justflow around the subsoiler.

Straight shank subsoilers (Figure 44) are most common for compacttractor use since they are the least expensive, but curved (parabolic) subsoilershanks require less power for a given depth.

Most subsoilers have some type of “foot” at the bottom to aid in shatteringthe soil. The most effective type depends on soil conditions.

All subsoilers need some type of trip mechanism to allow the subsoiler toswing back if it encounters a stump, rock, root, etc. On most small units, ashear bolt is used.

If subsoiling a field intended for row crops, it is usually most effective tosubsoil directly under the row location. This will provide an open path for croproots to grow through the compacted hardpan.

For additional information on compact tractors Additional informationon compact tractors is available in LSU AgCenter Extension Bulletin #2906,Compact Tractor Selection, Use and Safety. It is available on the LSU AgCenterWeb site (www.lsuagcenter.com).

Author:Richard L. Parish, Ph.D.

Hammond Research Station

Louisiana State University Agricultural CenterWilliam B. Richardson, Chancellor

Louisiana Agricultural Experiment StationDavid J. Boethel, Vice Chancellor and Director

Louisiana Cooperative Extension ServicePaul D. Coreil, Vice Chancellor and Director

Pub. 2917 (Online Only) 5/05

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, incooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service

provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.