| [Image: Subcompact tractor with mid-mount mower and rotary tiller] |
| [Image: Loader and backhoe on subcompact tractor] |
| [Image: Box blade for compact tractor] |
Your compact utility tractor is a useful machine -- if you have the implements to go with it. The tractor by itself is of limited use. The tractor furnishes the power, but the implements allow the tractor to do useful work. Varied implements are available for compact tractors from both the tractor manufacturers and short-line manufacturers.
Mower
The most common implement used with compact tractors is a mower (Figure 1). Mowers have been covered in another article in this series.
Front-end Loader
Probably the second most popular implement for compact tractors is a front-end loader (Figure 2). A loader will allow you to dig, move soil or other bulk products, carry bags and other bulky items, lift equipment (using a chain), move hay bales and even do light grading. Not all compact tractors are equipped with the necessary hydraulic connections for a loader, so be sure you check on hydraulics if adding a loader to a tractor. Some manufacturers now offer front-end loaders that are much easier to attach and remove (once initially mounted) than in the past, thus making it more practical to remove a loader when you don’t need it. A loader for a compact tractor may cost $2,000-$4,500, depending on size and quality. In most cases, a loader made by the tractor manufacturer will cost more but should fit better and will be designed specifically for your tractor model.
Backhoe
Small backhoes are available for most compact tractors (Figure 2). These machines have far less capacity (and durability) than industrial units and can be difficult to install, but they are useful for small digging projects. A small backhoe can cost $6,000 -$7,000, so it might be more practical to rent a backhoe or hire a contractor if your needs are occasional.
Rotary Tiller
Rotary tillers that mount on a 3-point hitch and are powered by the tractor PTO are often used for gardens and landscaping (Figure 1). Tillers can be centered or offset. Since these tillers may not be as wide as the outside of the tractor tires, an offset design will allow you to till next to a fence and also allow you to till up your tractor tracks on one side. Tillers vary greatly in price and quality. A rotary tiller for a compact tractor can cost $1,000-$2,500, depending on size and quality. Since a tractor-mounted tiller cannot be used to cultivate your garden, a walk-behind tiller is a more versatile choice.
Box Blade
A box blade is useful for dragging soil, gravel, etc. for short distances (Figure 3). It is good for digging and leveling soil. Most box blades have scarifying teeth that can be used at different depths or raised out of the soil. A box blade should cost about $300-$600, depending on size and quality.
Angle Blade
An angle blade is excellent for grading driveways and shaping ditches. Some blades can be angled only about a vertical axis; others also allow rotation about a horizontal axis. Some even allow the whole blade to be offset to one side. The cutting edge should be replaceable. It can be difficult to do a level job of grading with an angle blade, but if you turn the blade around and drag the angled blade backward, you can easily smooth out gravel and fill in the tire tracks in your driveway. Back-dragging in this manner can make any amateur look like an expert. An angle blade should cost from $400-$800, depending on size and features. If the blade has hydraulic cylinders to angle the blade, the cost will be higher.
Other Soil Tools
Several other tools such as tandem disk harrows and landscape rakes are commonly used on compact tractors.
Small Farm Tools
Most small farm implements can be used with a compact tractor. These include manure spreaders, plows, disk bedders, cultivators, hay rakes and many others.
You can greatly increase the usefulness of your compact tractor by adding implements. Just remember to balance the cost of the implements against the amount of use you will make of them.