Not Your Grandfather’s Tools

Some farmers have one tool worth more than their grandfather’s entire tool inventory. Modern equipment is so big, it takes expensive tools to do even simple maintenance and repairs. 

Here are some big-ticket tools that pay for themselves every time they’re used:

•  1"-drive air-powered impact wrench. It often takes more than 1,000 ft.-lb. of torque to remove lug nuts and bolts on semi-truck wheels and tractor rims. A snap-on, long-anvil, 1"-drive air impact wrench produces 1,800 ft.-lb. of torque for around $1,700. Be sure to use ½" air supply lines and fittings to get the cubic feet per minute (cfm) of compressed air that optimizes the performance of big air wrenches.
•  1"-inch drive battery-powered impact wrench. Few breakdowns occur close to an air compressor; 3/8" and ½" drive battery-powered wrenches are now standard equipment on many farms. The latest generation of 1"-drive battery-powered wrenches bring mega-power to remote locations. A Milwaukee M18 Fuel, D-handle, battery-powered impact wrench provides up to 1,900 ft.-lb. of torque. Without the Milwaukee M18 fuel charger and batteries, the bare wrench sells for around $800.
•  Tire lift/portable wheel dolly. Moving large tractor, combine and sprayer tires around a shop is dangerous without proper equipment. Forklifts are awkward in the tight confines of shops. Lifts/dollies, such as Greg Smith Equipment’s farm tire heavy duty portable wheel dolly, lift and move tires and wheels weighing up to 2,600 lb. using very little floor space and cost around $1,250.
•  BIG slip-joint pliers. Hose fittings on sprayers and liquid fertilizer systems keep getting bigger. A 20" Channellock slip-joint pliers works well and costs $50. A 22" Knipex Cobra XL slip-joint works better and costs $130.
•  BIG pry bar(s). Archimedes said, “Give me a lever and a place to stand, and I will move the earth.” He understood the value of a good pry bar. Grandpa might have handed-down a “railroad bar;” if he did, treasure it. Otherwise you’ll have to pay $25 for a 60" Central Forge Pinch Point Bar, or up to $130 for a 58" Mayhew Tools “Big Stick” Dominator pry bar.
•  Heavy-duty air/hydraulic floor jack. Rather than lay under a tractor or combine to hand pump a hydraulic bottle jack, use a long-reach air/hydraulic floor jack to safely and easily raise big equipment. Short-reach 22-ton air/hydraulic floor jacks range from $300 to $1,200. Long-reach 22-ton air/hydraulic floor jacks run from $500 to $2,000. Price buys quality and durability.