Tips for Using Tractor Attachments

The most powerful and versatile piece of machinery on your farm or ranch is most likely your tractor. For almost a century, the tractor has been a staple of farms across the United States, making all types of farmwork easier to do.

However, your tractor can’t do much on its own if it isn’t properly outfitted with the right attachments. A variety of different tractor implements are available on the market and it’s important to know how to use them safely and efficiently.

Arizona Tractor Sales of Chandler is proud to be your western United States tractor dealer. Read on to learn more about how to equip your tractor with the essential implements and use them correctly.

Read Your Owner’s Manual

First things first: see what the manufacturer says about your tractor and about the implements you use. Every piece of equipment should come with an owner’s manual that will tell you vital information and it’s important to know how each attachment functions and what precautions to take with it. This guide is your best resource for using your tractor implements correctly, and the owner’s manual should also provide you with maintenance tips, too.

Loading Implements

Examine your equipment before you load it onto your tractor. You don’t want any loose connections, malfunctioning parts or fluid leakage. Hitch your implements to the drawbar to keep your angle of pull below the tractor’s center of gravity. This will help prevent your tractor from flipping over from an unbalanced weight. Line up the hole in your drawbar with the one in your hitch, park your tractor and attach the implement with the correct hitch pin and clip. Raise up the implement jack stand to ensure the wheels move freely. Now you can hook up any connections like hydraulic hoses or the PTO shaft as needed.

If you have a three-point hitch, then you’ll need to move the drawbar forward and position your tractor to align the hitch points on your implement with the pin holes and draft arms on your tractor. Raise or lower draft arms as needed. Make sure your tractor is off and the brake is engaged before you attach the draft arms one at a time. You can raise the arms with your hydraulics if needed before you match the top link of your three-point hitch with your tool’s upper hitch point. This may require some trial-and-error if it’s not level. Make sure all security clips and pins are in place before operating your tractor with the implement attached.

Using Your Attachments

The implements on your tractor could get their power in a few different ways: PTO, hydraulics or ground-driven. It’s important to understand how they draw power and how these different operating methods work.

PTO

PTO (power take-off) transfers power from your tractor’s drivetrain directly to your attachment. This requires you to take some more safety precautions than other methods might, because the PTO spins very fast and can catch loose clothing or hair. Make sure your clothes fit tightly with no hanging fabric and that any long hair is tied up and out of the way. Put guards and shields in place and check to see that they’re functional before you operate the tool. Hitch up and connect your implements only with the tractor powered down.

Hydraulics

This method of operation uses pressurized liquid to transfer power. Your hydraulic fluid will always be under pressure, which is why safety glasses and gloves are important to wear. You’ll need to regularly clean and lubricate your hydraulics to make sure they function correctly. If you spot any leaks, power down your equipment immediately and address the issue promptly.

Ground-Driven

This is the most basic means of operating any tractor implement. Tools like harrows, disks, spreaders and rakes are generally operated simply by being pulled behind the tractor on a drawbar. These tools are often wider than your tractor, so make sure to account for that width when driving with them. Have them in “transportation position” if you need to drive your tractor over public roads.

We hope this guide has helped you use your tractor attachments more efficiently. Arizona Trailer Sales serves the entire western United States as a tractor dealer, offering service and financing options to help you get the equipment you need. Contact us today or visit our website to check out our inventory and our services.