Its funny... (life without a loader)

Last winter I would have been the first to agree with anyone that buying a tractor without a front loader was a good idea, not everyone has the work for one after all.

But having had one on my tractor since summer, I was thinking today, loading wood for the fire, that I think I would really struggle to buy another tractor that didn't have a loader.
I'm half looking at old farm tractors in the 30-40HP range, and I cant help but look at the ones without loaders and thinking they look a bit...naked?!

I don't need a loader, but I don't know how I would live without one! Now I'd be the first to jump in and suggest if you can, then get a loader!

Anyone else feel the same about their loaders?

Good post Jim. Yep, count me as one who cannot do without my loader, but on the other tractor forum I actually asked why everyone gets them. I didn't see any obvious need for one. I needed to cut grass and brush hog and box blade none of which require a loader.
I'll give credit where credit is due. TBN wisdom brought me through it saying that it was outright dumb not get to a loader. You'll use it for things you can't even imagine right up front. And it helps with my brush hogging, and snow removal duties. I've been able to retire my wheel barrel and my shovel (for most tasks). And the back breaking stuff it carries for me ..... is nothing short of awesome. It is the one implement I will never be without.

Mith said:

Last winter I would have been the first to agree with anyone that buying a tractor without a front loader was a good idea, not everyone has the work for one after all.

But having had one on my tractor since summer, I was thinking today, loading wood for the fire, that I think I would really struggle to buy another tractor that didn't have a loader.
I'm half looking at old farm tractors in the 30-40HP range, and I cant help but look at the ones without loaders and thinking they look a bit...naked?!

I don't need a loader, but I don't know how I would live without one! Now I'd be the first to jump in and suggest if you can, then get a loader!

Anyone else feel the same about their loaders?

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I've never had a tractor without one, to me wouldn't be a tractor if it wasn't there.

My old Ford 1100 did not have a FEL; it had a dual hydraulic blade. I used that tractor for ~20 years to manage my property. Now that I have a FEL on my NH TC29DA I do not know how I managed before. I agree with all of you. The FEL also helps balance out the rig at times. Jay

I guess I went into this backwards.

I wanted a loader to do the heavy lifting and of course I needed some old tractor to carry it around.

Here in a few minutes I dug a work area 5 ft square x 1.5 ft deep and lifted a 100+ lb septic tank cover. This would have been hard labor, without a tractor. BeenThereDoneThat.

I like this better.

California said:

I guess I went into this backwards. I wanted a loader to do the heavy lifting and of course I needed some old tractor to carry it around.

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Not backwards at all! I needed a backhoe and a loader. The tractor was just that big red thing in the middle to help carry and power the first two!

Dougster

Dougster said:

Not backwards at all! I needed a backhoe and a loader. The tractor was just that big red thing in the middle to help carry and power the first two!

Dougster

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Ditto 'sept for the "red" .........well really no, it's "little green thing"

Jim, I tried my best to get my dad to buy a loader when he bought his B7800. So far, he hasn't needed one, he says. I think that you never know just how handy they are until you've had one for a year or more. I can't imagine not having a loader...

You mean to tell me that they actually sell tractors without loaders. Dang why would anyone do that.

I had a tractor once without a loader. I really wanted a loader, so I bought one. Trouble was convincing the wife I needed the new tractor that was attached to said loader. But I got them anyway.

My FEL is almost always outfitted w/our pallet forks instead of a bucket. It's so handy for moving things that I just can't imagine not having a FEL on the tractor. I must admit that when I first bought it I did not get forks... several months of goofing around w/chains & straps holding things in the bucket convinced me to caugh up the $'s & buy a set of forks & I've never regretted the decision.

When I was tractor shopping I didn't even consider one without a loader.

civesnedfield said:

You mean to tell me that they actually sell tractors without loaders. Dang why would anyone do that.

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Agricultural work???...

I bought an old Monkey Ward garden tractor with a tiller and blade on the back last year. Starting in December I built my FEL using P F Engeering plans. I have one acre of land with a lot of rocks of all sizes. I can loosen the soil? with the tiller and scoop it up with the 41 in. bucket. It is the most wonderful wheelbarrow ever invented.

Thanks for bringing this thread back to the to David. I agree about the FEL being the most wonderful wheelbarrow ever invented.
Cheers

Monica's Aunt was at the house a few weeks ago. I was out front with the tractor, loader, and boxblade. She asked where I borrowed it from. I said it was mine. She asked what do you use that for. I responded by saying, What don't I use it for is the better question. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, if I'm outside the tractor is usually involved someway shape or form.

For an example, I was adding legs to the deck that we had moved away from the old house. We are now going to use it by the pool. I lifted it with hydraulic jacks put concrete blocks under it. As I got the legs under it, I would put the blocks in the loader so that I didn't have to carry them away. I would also use the box blade to remove the top soil where the deck blocks went instead of the shovel. Took me 2 seconds and it was much smoother and flatter than with the shovel.

Live is good with a tractor and loader.

As a side note, I think it would've been easier to let them haul the old deck away and built a new one from scratch and probably not much more expensive, but then I couldn't tell about the interesting project.