Tractor Mike's video: 10 Essential Tools for the Tractor Owner

What are the best tools for the new tractor owner? I got that question from a viewer. Following will be a list of ten items that you definitely need if you just purchased a tractor. We're assuming you already have a selection of standard tools that you'd use on anything mechanical, sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, vice grips, etc. These are tools that are somewhat specific to a tractor and what it does. 1) A grease gun; there are a bunch of grease zerks all around your tractor that need regular lubrication. Buy a good grease gun and use the owner's manual to find ALL of the fittings and lubricate them regularly. It will prevent breakdowns and make your equipment last longer. Especially important are the ones on the front end loader and any PTO shaft. My favorite grease gun is Lube Shuttle, available here: https://asktractormike.com/products-for-sale/grease-guns-and-grease/. 2) A torque wrench; there are many bolts on a tractor that can work loose because of driving over rough ground and vibration. Check the torque regularly that hold the wheels, the drawbar and the front end loader on the tractor. If any of those fall off because they were never torqued, that's not covered under warranty. I own a Tekton Torque Wrench, available here at my Amazon affiliate page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C5ZL1NS?ref=exp_tractormike_dp_vv_d&th=1. 3) A quality tire gauge; tractor tires seem to lose air more often than car tires, a time or two I've thought my front end loader was tweaked because a tire was low, so it can have a big affect on bucket performance and how evenly your brush hog cuts. Get a good tire gauge, the cheap ones don't last long, especially with fluid in the back tires of tractors going in them. To prolong the life of a tire gauge, se WD-40 to lubricate the insides after using it in fluided tires. 4) An antifreeze tester; unless you own an older Deutz tractor (which was air cooled) or live in south Florida, you need to check your antifreeze before winter each year. Make sure enough balls float so you're protected from cold temperatures. You don't want to start Spring with a cracked engine block! 5) A jack and jack stands; you'll eventually have a flat tire or need to jack a bush hog up to do service work on it, so get a good jack and jackstand, or you can get both in one package here: https://asktractormike.com/product/6000-lb-unijack-bottle-jack-jackstand-in-one/. 6) An air compressor; you'll need a portable air compressor for flat tires, but also for compressed air to blast debris away from areas you're getting ready to work on. There are good portable air compressors on the market that can bail you out of a problem with a flat in the field. 7) An adjustable filter wrench; you'll need a tool that can remove an oil filter, but that also adjusts to the size of a fuel filter bowl as well, since they're threaded, on certain models of tractors. Here's the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JFH6EYU?ref=exp_tractormike_dp_vv_d. 8) Lighting; I like a lot of light where I'm working, there are nooks and crannies on a tractor where it can be really tough to see what you're working on. Get a bunch of inexpensive battery-powered head lamps that you wear on your cranium so you can easily see the dark secluded areas of your tractor.. 9) Goggles and ear protection; especially if you're doing something with a grinder that's shooting off sparks, or anytime you're under the tractor where chunks of grease can fall down, wear goggles. If you're working around a running tractor, ear protection is a great idea as well. I've not taken good care of my ears and am loosing some of my hearing (also attributed to the music of the Beatles, Stones and The Who) and wish I would have used earplugs a long time ago when using and working on equipment. 10) A leaf blower; I use mine all the time and it's especially useful when blowing debris out of the radiator, cleaning an area you're getting ready to work on, or before putting the tractor and brush hog away in the barn. Especially if you store your brush hog outside, blow the plant material off the top before you walk away from it. That'll keep rust from forming when moisture gets in the grass and leaves and never goes away. Get these tools if you're a new tractor owner and you'll be ready for the basic repairs and service. In my next video we'll go one step further with some tools I'd recommend for taking your tractor care to the next level. LINKS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT... The Tractor Fun Store: https://asktractormike.com/products-for-sale/ Support the Tractor Mike Channel: https://www.patreon.com/TractorMike Visit the Tractor Mike website: http://asktractormike.com/ Visit Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Ask-Tractor-Mike-312112962245304/ Copyright 2022 Tractor Mike LLC