Not my equipment so not much I could do about regular maintenance.
The bungee cord just held a conduit for the lights.
My grandpa was a great person for just paint over every thing with whatever cheap paint he could find.
To him red primer was the same as international red paint. (after it had faded for 40 years)
I pushed fore safety related repairs and redesigns for most of my life and aways got shot down.
I have a family the does not see things as normal people do.
To a few of them a flat tire is not a reason to not use something. If its got four tires and one is flat that still means its 75% drivable.
If the brakes dont work just make sure your not carrying anything in the bucket that cant be dragged along to slow the tractor down if really needed!
Seriously, family farm operations policy for years!
If it has a bad hydraulic leak dont fix it or fill the tank to full capacity. Just put a gallon in and wait until it leaks out and cant lift any more then just put one more gallon in.
Used up 75 gallons of hydraulic oil, I was given, in one summer before they paid for a $50 rebuild kit for one cylinder.
The oil was free so why bother fixing the bad leak?
My Grandpa first owned it for 15 years and did no maintenance other than an oil change once a year no matter how many running hours he put on it. My dad bought it five years ago and paid for the up grades to the main tractor but would not agree to a full loader frame rebuild.
When the bucket split into four pieces, the bottom fell out and the back split on both sides of the frame, eight years ago while my grandpa still owned it I did a full bucket rebuild.
When the support braces broke right off the tractor and bent the back upright frame over a few years ago they too got a full rebuild with all new steel.
The arms are the last original loader part.
So its been in the redesign going on the last eight years now.
I should have it fully restored and better than new when I inherit it in another ten to 15 years!