Bucket List

When making any large investment, it is important to carefully assess your needs before making the purchase. Prior to buying a compact tractor and attachments, it’s important to talk with your dealer about what tasks you hope to accomplish. The biggest mistake a contractor can make is purchasing a machine that is not a perfect fit for the work they do every day. When talking with a dealer about tractors and attachments, here are a few critical topics you want to be sure you discuss:

1. Lift capacity — What materials do you typically lift? How much do they weigh?
2. Self-leveling — Will self-leveling make your job easier, faster and safer?
3. Breakout force — Combination of boom and bucket force that allows the operator to aggressively load the bucket with ease.
4. Protection packages — How well protected are the hydraulic lines?
5. Price — What’s your price range? Are there any special purchase incentives?

 
Once you have determined what tractor will best fit your needs, you need to consider attachments. There are a wide variety of attachments on the market designed to help tackle virtually any task you can imagine — carts, sprayers, snow blades and snow blowers that are loader mounted among others. According to John Deere, a leader in the compact tractor industry, the loader is the most popular attachment with an industry take rate of more than 85 percent on small tractors (20 to 50 hp). So why do most contractors want a loader? Because there are many ways it can be used, and with such a wide variety of attachments and buckets available, the loader is an extremely versatile piece of equipment. It also gives you the opportunity to take on jobs you otherwise could not, enabling you to diversify and grow your business.

Additionally, some loaders are easy to remove and re-attach. There are some jobs that will not require a loader, so with very little effort and no tools required, you can have the option to perform other jobs where a loader could be in the way, or is unnecessary. Another important item to consider when making a loader purchase is whether or not you need self-leveling capability. Self-leveling technology keeps the material in the bucket level as the operator raises and lowers the bucket. Depending on your needs, and the needs of a specific job, there is a wide range of other bucket attachments that are available for a loader. Here are three popular ones:

1. 4-in-1 bucket — High versatility, allows for more functionality.
2. Pallet forks — Good for moving move heavy pallets of mulch and sod.
3. Grapple bucket — Ideal for moving stumps, heavy logs, roots, rough and heavy material.

Purchasing a tractor is a big step, but with the help of a loader, you’ll provide extra versatility for you and your crew. And that means getting more done, which is always worthwhile.

Richard Kershner is a product marketing manager of compact utility tractors with John Deere, based in Grovetown, Ga.