Shibaura SD2443 4x4

[stardaddy]

Everyone,

I found a late 70s-early 80s Shibaura SD2443 4x4 tractor with a front loader and pull behind disc for $6000. Does that seem like a decent price? This model is a 29hp diesel. It starts good and smokes a tiny bit when it first starts but that goes away within seconds. It seems to run strong overall with no strange noises. The entire tractor looks nice and clean but I noticed that the radiator is leaking.

 

[RoyJackson]

This is probably a grey market machine. Do you feel capable of doing all work on it, assuming parts can be had?
$6K is probably way too high for a (almost) 30 year old grey market machine.

 

[EFC]

Everyone,

I found a late 70s-early 80s Shibaura SD2443 4x4 tractor with a front loader and pull behind disc for $6000. Does that seem like a decent price? This model is a 29hp diesel. It starts good and smokes a tiny bit when it first starts but that goes away within seconds. It seems to run strong overall with no strange noises. The entire tractor looks nice and clean but I noticed that the radiator is leaking.

23.8 PTO hp 27.9 gross hp. Most parts for the SDxx43 models are attainable, no worse than the Fords of the same era. That tractor on our lot will normally sell for 8500+ with a new loader so if it is in good condition 6k with an implement sounds pretty good.

Buck

 

[RoyJackson]

Yeah, Buck...but you sell grey market machines. That's your living.
You know as well as I do parts/service for those machines aren't widely available.

 

[Hammy]

Let me chime in on this one...

A few years ago, I bought a Shibaura SD 1843 4x4. From the looks of it, it was a nice machine. However, it was my first tractor purchase and it turned out to be a costly lesson learned.

Now this could happen to any used tractor but I'll explain just how expensive it was to have fixed.

I bought the machine for $6000 with a FEL and back blade just as the picture shows. I checked it over as well as I knew how and then took it home. When I got it home and ran it for a few days, I decided to change all the fluids and that is when I found out that the front end was bone dry (I was naive and didn't even know to check the front axle for fluid before I bought it). I filled it with the proper fluid and then discovered it had a leak. It cost me $1000 to have a seal replaced. After I got it home and was doing some backfilling (admittedly probably more then the machine was designed for) I snapped the front ring and pinion. It cost me $3000 to get that fixed. So now I was $10,000 into a $6,000 tractor. I had to get it fixed because I would have been out even more if I didn't. After it was fixed I sold it for $7,000 and cut my losses.

The parts were available but it took a lot of searching and trial and error. If I remember correctly, I had a parts manual but they were all Chinese part numbers with no cross reference numbers. The parts that were used were actually Ford parts. The SD 1843 is very similar to one of the Fords. However, the seal came from one Ford and the ring and pinion was from another Ford tractor so it wasn't as easy as finding the Ford tractor that was its equivalent and then assuming all the parts interchanged with each other.

I also found the place that originally imported and sold the tractor to the guy I bought it from was not all that knowledgeable about the tractor, and they sell "gray market" tractors a lot. I was pretty much on my own, except Adam's Tractor has a great service department and helped me out.

Again, I'm sure the SD 1843 was too small for my application and a leaky seal could happen to any tractor, especially an older one, but it was very expensive to fix.

I would suggest passing on it and looking for one that wasn't a "gray market" even though I'm sure it's tempting for the price and that it looks like a clean machine.

Just my opinion, good luck.

I attached a couple photos of the SD 1843 for a comparison.

Craig

 

[DavesTractor]

Everyone,

I found a late 70s-early 80s Shibaura SD2443 4x4 tractor with a front loader and pull behind disc for $6000. Does that seem like a decent price? This model is a 29hp diesel. It starts good and smokes a tiny bit when it first starts but that goes away within seconds. It seems to run strong overall with no strange noises. The entire tractor looks nice and clean but I noticed that the radiator is leaking.

That's a lot of tractor for $6000. The grey market thing isn't such a big deal if 1) you buy a model that still has decent parts support 2) you can turn your own wrenches or 3) if you have a good dealer like Buck from EFC close by (many other good dealers, but on Shibaura, Buck comes to mind right away). If you have to take it to a local Big 3 dealer to fix minor issues then you will be disappointed as they will likely not have good parts sources and not be too eager to find good parts sources. Instead, some dealerships would like to teach you a valuable lessen as to why you should have bought from them.

The Shibaura is a good tractor, but obviously not for everyone. Many people, as demonstrated by some of the responses, are better off paying the extra and buying a name brand.

 

[EFC]

Yeah, Buck...but you sell grey market machines. That's your living.
You know as well as I do parts/service for those machines aren't widely available.

That is why I thought I would answer the mans question since I could give him a fact based response vs. just a simple opinion.

As for parts and support, I agree that not every single part is available or is the cheapest it can be but there are many big name "American" models of the same age that are much worse. On the support side any mechanic that can lift his knuckles out of the dirt could work on this tractor end to end with very limited instruction; people that are having difficulty working on these machines are not mechanics.

Hammy, the person that charged you 1000.00 for a seal that is on the shelf at Napa for 18.00 and takes two hours to replace was laughing all the way to the bank. Also, I know 3000.00 seams high for a simple ring and pinion but from what I have seen that is a very normal price across most brands. We just replaced a ring and pinion in a JD of the similar year and it was much more expensive.

If this tractor is in good condition and has been properly serviced, 6k with implements is a good price and should last a long time.

Buck

 

[Hammy]

Admittedly, I have no other tractor repairs to base a comparison off of with personal experience.

It might be a great find and money well spent, for me, whatever the reason, it wasn't.

Good luck,

Craig

 

[EFC]

The seal repair price was outrageous, please dont take your tractor to that person ever agian. I really like your ANBO grapple on the MX5000, have you had any problems with it?

Buck

 

[Hammy]

The seal repair price was outrageous, please dont take your tractor to that person ever agian. I really like your ANBO grapple on the MX5000, have you had any problems with it?

Buck

The ANBO grapple is absolutely awesome! So far it has held up to my abuse. I would recommend them for sure.