Contents

Mower types

Tiller

Plow

Loader

Rear scoop

Aerator

Box scraper

Rear blade

The Small Tractor FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions

"What attachments will I need?"

What implements you will need depends on what you will be doing with your tractor. When shopping for a used tractor, it is a good idea to try to find one with as many model-specific attachments as possible. These include belly mowers, loaders and backhoes, which are custom-fit to that particular make and model. They are expensive to add later and not interchangeable among different tractors, as with 3PH implements.

Here is a list of some common attachments and how they might be useful to you. For definitions of terms, please see the glossary.

Mowers. There are many different kinds of mowers to choose from, from basic to very specialized. Here are some examples.

Finish Mowers - These are used to cut smooth grass lawns to a finished or groomed appearance.

Mid- or belly-mounted mowers are common and can be found in widths up to 72 in.

PTO powered units are available for pulling behind larger tractors.

Self-powered units are also available for towing behind small tractors or All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). An increasingly popular method for increasing mower width (and decreasing mowing time) is to tow a self-powered mower, offset to one side, behind an ordinary, mower-equipped lawn or garden tractor.

Aside from the above rotary-style mowers, there are reel-type mowers that clip grass to precise length, for that "manicured lawn" look. Since these mowers are easily damaged and quite labor-intensive to maintain and adjust properly, they are generally used only by commercial mowing services.

For more mowing width, several mowers can be pulled together as a group, or "gang."

Field Mowers - These types of mowers are used to rough-cut fields, brush, or tall grass, especially over uneven ground.

Rotary cutters (also called brush hogs or shredders) have heavy, swiveling blades that cut and then chew up just about anything in their path. These are generally powered by the tractor PTO and towed behind the machine, although self-powered units are also available. Useful for fields or overgrown areas. Can be damaged by hard objects (rocks, stumps) and may launch small objects at impressive speeds. Note- requires an overrunning clutch for safe operation on older tractors (such as Ford 2N or 8N) where PTO and hydraulics are linked.

A boom mower is a rotary cutter on a maneuverable hydraulic arm. These can be used to cut brush and weeds in areas where other types of mowers are impractical, such as ditch banks, hillsides, hedge rows and even overhead brush.

A sickle bar mower resembles a large hedge trimmer: a fixed guard and a set of knives, riveted to a single bar that moves in a reciprocating motion. This assembly normally extends out to one side of the tractor and shears off hay or grass like a scissors, just above ground level. These units are available for larger tractors and are powered by the tractor PTO. Useful for cutting hay or trimming field grass or weeds. Easily damaged by saplings, rocks, collision with fence posts, etc.

Flail mowers employ hundreds of free-swinging, L-shaped wire "blades" mounted on a rotating horizontal shaft that whip grass or weeds to the desired height. These units are available for larger tractors and are powered by the tractor PTO. Useful for uneven ground and areas where trash, rocks or other obstacles may be encountered. Not easily damaged by encounters with hard objects. Will not throw small objects.

Disc mowers use one or more spinning discs to slice off hay or grass at or near ground level. These units are available for larger tractors and are powered by the tractor PTO. Useful for tall grasses or hay that will be harvested after cutting.

Tiller. Tillers for small tractors often have their own motors, while those for larger machines are PTO powered.

Plow. An alternative to a tiller, for tractors larger than a garden tractor, is a disc harrow, or sometimes a harrow and moldboard plow. For garden and lawn tractors, disc harrows and plows are mostly toys, but for a larger tractor, they are useful tools, far cheaper and easier to maintain than a tiller, and capable of preparing a good seedbed in a garden or pasture.

Loader. A loader (front bucket) is extremely handy for carrying tools, grass clippings, bags of fertilizer or seed, animal bedding, mulch, dirt, gravel... you name it. Think of it as a substitute for your wheelbarrow. Single-action loaders are lifted by the tractor hydraulics and lowered by gravity. Double-action loaders are powered up and down. The latter is useful for digging, changing front tires and applying downward force when needed. A self-leveling loader retains the bucket's (or other attachment's) tilt with respect to the ground as it is raised and lowered. A loader can be equipped with manure forks, which are useful when working with packed animal bedding. Loaders can also be equipped with level indicators, which show the orientation of the bucket to the operator and are useful when scraping or digging, grapples, which are used to grasp bundles of loose material such as hay or brush, bale spears for transporting round hay bales, forklift-style forks for moving pallets of material, and an increasing variety of other options.

Rear scoop. A scoop attaches to and is raised and lowered by the 3PH on a larger tractor. Usually equipped with a manual dump mechanism, a scoop can be used to transport materials from place to place. Also called a slip scoop, this device is very handy and much less expensive than a front loader.

Aerator. An array of spikes mounted on a horizontal spindle that is towed behind the tractor to perforate the soil. Used to aerate lawns and help fertilizer absorption.

Box scraper. A rectangular steel box, often equipped with adjustable digging teeth, which is towed behind the tractor to scrape and re-contour the terrain.

Rear blade. A heavy blade which is attached to and raised and lowered by the 3PH and used for leveling gravel and loose soil, removing ruts from dirt roads, scraping and smoothing dirt, and so on.