Will My Tractor Handle This Implement? (10 Factors That Dictate the Answer)

One of the most-asked questions I get on this channel is "How big an implement can my tractor pull?' That could be a brush hog (bush hog if you prefer), box blade, square baler, sickle mower, plow, etc. etc. A variation of that same question is "Will my tractor pick up a round bale?" Those questions are tough to answer because of all the variables and so I decided to list ten questions to ask yourself that impact what your tractor can do and what sized implements you can run on it.

#1 What sized tractor is the implement designed for? Many implements list a minimum horsepower that is required to operate them. If you're buying new, you can go to the manufacturer's website, or look in the brochure, and it will tell you what size tractor you need to run it. Beware though, if it's a power take off-powered implement, look at the PTO hp of your tractor...not the engine horsepower. There's parasitic horsepower loss between the engine and the power take off so the PTO horsepower will always be lower than engine horsepower so that's the number you want to look at. Even if the manufacturer's recommended horsepower is within the capabilities of your tractor, there are other considerations. That's where it gets complicated...

#2 What am I cutting/plowing/tilling, etc? You need a heavier cutter to cut trees than you do small sprouts and grass, and every brush cutter has a maximum diameter that it is rated to cut. If you're only clipping pasture, you can get a lighter and wider brush hog than if you're clearing land and need to cut 3" trees. In other words, it's important to match the implement to the job.

#3 Will I be on slopes? If the cutter you're looking at requires 30 hp to operate, that's probably on level ground. You might need an extra 2-7 hp to pull the same cutter up and down hills, depending on the grade.

#4 Where will I go with it/how level is the ground? If you have uneven ground, or need to go in tight places, don't get a wide cutter. I live in a rough area and it's hard to pull a wider cutter over uneven ground, due to scalping, and really hard to get a larger cutter back in the woods to cut wildlife trails.

#5 How fast do I want to get done? If you've found a bargain 7' cutter on Craigslist and it's at the capacity that your tractor is rated for, you might still be able to pull it. Just don't cut as wide a swath. There's nothing keeping you from having one side run over an area that's already cut, and that will use a lot less horsepower.

#6 What's the lift capacity of the tractor? An 1800 lb flail mower pulled by a tractor with 1800 lbs of lift capacity is a recipe for disaster.

#7 How old is my tractor and how is it equipped? Tractors lose horsepower as they are used. So your 1981 tractor that's rated at 40 horsepower may only be putting out 25. Also, it's important to know that hydrostatic transmissions don't like heat, and jobs like brush hogging up steep grades and plowing are really hard on them.

#8 How good am I at maintenance? If you religiously follow the operator's manual and do all your maintenance at recommended intervals, your equipment will survive tough use. A lack of maintenance and running at the performance limits can bring early failures.

#9 Am I willing to pay for repairs? There ain't no Santa Claus...pulling an implement that's at the top end of your tractor's capabilities is going to accelerate wear. If you accept that fact as a fair exchange for convenience and productivity, then you'll be okay.

#10 What kind of operator am I? This is probably the most important factor in predicting if a tractor will handle equipment that's near it's capacity. Most folks that watch my channel take meticulous care of their equipment and have a really low chance of catastrophic failure by maxing out their tractor's capabilities. If you're careful, perform regular maintenance and don't push your equipment to its out limits, you're probably fine.

The bottom line is, most people who ask if they're going to hurt anything by running attachments that are on the top end of what their tractor is rated for have virtually nothing to worry about. It's the folks who don't ask and mistreat their equipment that are going to get the bulk of the repair bills.

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