# Tips, Tricks and Techniques



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I'm starting a thread, similar to mike10's repair thread, that hopefully will consolidate all those little tips, tricks and techniques that we all have learned or developed over the years. Please try to keep them short and clear. I'm posting a few here that I was thinking of yesterday while mowing some hay.


Besides the standard crescent wrench, vice grips, and screwdrivers, I also carry a 8' length of 5/16's chain, box cutter, roll of shop towels, colored cable ties, 12 and 18" bungee cords, and pen and paper in all my tractors.

All my hydraulic hoses are marked with blue or green cable ties which match the hydraulic outlet color . The extension side is also marked with a yellow cable tie. This way, all of my hydraulics are easy to hook up and are always consistent.

My hydraulics are always forward or away from me for down or close, backwards or towards me for up or open.

I usually mow or bale in 4WD to avoid crown damage from wheel slippage.

I usually start mowing around 10-11AM after the dew has mostly burned off.

When mowing on hilly ground, I usually mow the east or north facing sides of a ridge first, then the west or south facing sides second. This gives the east/north side an hour or two extra drying time. Often makes a difference.

Get the idea? If you post some tips, tricks or techniques and later think of something else, simply edit your original post rather than creating a new one.

And, please keep in mind that what works for one person may not work for others.

Just thinking.....

Ralph


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## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

When baling late in the day bale the low ground first then the higher ground if you have fields that have both in them as the higher ground wont get tough as fast or it may be so dry a little dew wont hurt, it can gain you a 1/2 to 1 hour of baling sometimes in the evening


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Ralph

IMHO mowing in 4WD could still damage crop crowns because after traveling a small distance the frt & rear tires are fighting against each other IE not traveling exactly the same gear ratio. YMMV


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Tx Jim said:


> Ralph
> 
> IMHO mowing in 4WD could still damage crop crowns because after traveling a small distance the frt & rear tires are fighting against each other IE not traveling exactly the same gear ratio. YMMV


Good point. I'm thinking on the hilly ground that I have and that my tractor has the "automatic" engagement feature. On flat ground, or with a MFWD tractor, I can see what you're saying. My experience comes from feeling the rear tires slip going uphill and "going for a ride" going downhill. I have one hill that I only work going up or down and the mower or baler will really push me going down.

Ralph


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Ralph

The hillside navigation you refer to with farm equipment is difficult for a life long "flat lander" to comprehend!!!!!! LOL

Jim


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Tx Jim said:


> Ralph
> 
> The hillside navigation you refer to with farm equipment is difficult for a life long "flat lander" to comprehend!!!!!! LOL
> 
> Jim


Yepp, it's different. When round baling, I usually have to back and angle the baler so the bale won't roll downhill. A few years ago, I was doing a custom bale job on some flat ground and I couldn't help myself--I backed and angled for every bale even though I knew I didn't have to do that.

Ralph


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