Tractor implements are attachments that connect to a tractor through the three-point hitch, drawbar, or power take-off (PTO) to perform specific tasks. The three-point hitch, standardized by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers as Category 0 through 4, lifts and controls implements through two lower arms and one top link. The PTO transmits engine power at a standardized speed, typically 540 or 1000 rotations per minute, to operate driven implements. [[Tractor Maintenance]] ensures the tractor is in proper condition to operate these implements.
Ground-engaging implements include plows, discs, harrows, and tillers. Moldboard plows invert soil for initial tillage. Disc harrows break up plowed soil and incorporate organic matter. Rotary tillers use powered tines to prepare seedbeds in a single pass. Seeding and planting implements include seed drills, broadcast seeders, and transplanters. Hay and forage implements include mowers, rakes, tedders, and balers. Mowers cut standing forage; rakes gather cut forage into windrows; balers compress forage into compact bales.
Front-end loaders mount on the tractor's frame and use hydraulic cylinders for lifting. Loader capacity ranges from 400 to 1000 kilograms (900 to 2200 pounds) on compact tractors. Pallet forks convert the loader for handling palletized materials. Rear blades and box blades are used for grading and leveling. Post hole diggers, powered by the PTO, drill holes for fencing. [[Tractor Maintenance]] is especially important for implements that impose heavy hydraulic or PTO loads.
Compact tractors in the 20 to 50 horsepower range are the most common homestead tractors. A typical implement set includes a rotary cutter for pasture and brush management, a front-end loader for material handling, a box blade for driveway maintenance, and a post hole digger for fencing. Larger acreages may justify a hay mower, rake, and baler combination. [[Small Engine Repair]] principles apply to the gasoline and diesel engines powering these implements.