I have a small vineyard (1 acre, 1000 vines) that needs to be tilled a few times a year. So I'm looking for a small tractor (max 60" wide)with a tiller . Found a Kubota 4WD B7100 on craigslist for $4500. I asked for # of hours, serial number, # of front lugs to determine year, etc.
I'm new to the tractor game. What things should I look for when I go to look at this machine?
Leaks (oil, water, hydraulic fluid): that tractor was made in the 1976-85 period so you're looking at a tractor 25-35 years old. Expect some leakage (seals deteriorate with time). If it's a greasy, oily mess, be careful since you may have to split the tractor to replace some of the seals.
Hydrostatic or gear tranny? Check operation in all gears forward and reverse. If shifting is hard or unreliable, could be an expensive transmission or clutch repair.
Power takeoff (pto): check operation of the pto clutch, be sure the pto shaft is rotating OK.
3 point hitch (3pt): check operation, preferably with a heavy implement attached (the lift capacity of that 7100 is about 1000 lb). If you plan to use heavier implements on the 3pt, you probably want to look for a larger tractor.
Check the tires for cuts, cracking, dry rot. Front rubber is relatively inexpensive--rear rubber is pricy. That tractor may not have the type of tires you want for work in the orchard so new tires might be an added expense (agricultural, turf, industrial, etc).
Tractors don't have vehicle titles, so you want to use a bill of sale. Be sure the Seller is the sole owner of the tractor and has the legal right to sell it. Your BOS should include wording to this effect.
Good luck
