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“What is a lift kit, and why might I need one?” This is a question we get here at Tractor Tools Direct quite often when communicating with customers. This blog will answer that question.First, what is a lift kit?A lift kit consists of spacers, bolts, and skid plates that raise the cutting height of a drum mower by roughly an inch to an inch-and-a-half depending upon the model. With simple installation, the kit bolts to the underside of each drum and essentially raises the height of the entire ma …

The following is a blog we posted to our website and social media account in October of 2018. It is our most shared blog post ever. When we updated our company website, it was removed due to its incompatibility with the new platform. However, enough people contacted us asking for it to be replaced that we took the time to redesign and update the calculator to make it even better. Here it is!Livestock Winter Hay Needs With winter coming on, it is time to make sure that you have enough hay in th …

The pasture has been cut, dried, and raked into windrows. It's hay day! Here are some tips to make baling day with your Ibex  TX31 Mini Round Baler run smoothly. Before heading to the field: Baling days are typically hot days, so dress in lightweight, light-colored clothing. Long sleeves and long pants are best for protecting your arms and legs from cuts and scratches when collecting bales. Be sure to bring along a large water jug so you can stay hydrated. Pack a tool kit with …

Few things are as upsetting in the world of hay production as a surprise rain shower or pop-up thunderstorm once your hay has been cut. While a brief sprinkling rain soon after the hay has been cut may not be cause for concern, downpours once the hay has partially or completely dried can be devastating if you’re not prepared. First, let’s discuss the problems created by rainfall on cut hay. Quality loss is the most concerning issue surrounding rained-on hay. Rainfall leaches sugars out of plan …

When preparing to bale hay, the transition from freshly cut, high-moisture grasses and legumes to dry forage is known as curing. This process takes on average 3 days—in good weather. While some of the factors involved in the curing process like weather can be out of your control, there are many steps you can take to ensure properly cured, high quality hay while even reducing drying time. The first step to speeding up curing time begins with mowing. Since sunshine is a hay producer’s best fr …