WHAT was I thinking?

   / WHAT was I thinking? #1  

Dixie379

Bronze Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
62
Location
Southern Whiskeyonsin
Tractor
MF 205
First off, I'm new here (howdy). And second, I'm kinda sorta new to tractors. Sure, I drove my dad's lil ford (8N) and such, and am definitely no stranger to farming and driving various equipment a lil bit, even horses, but now I done went and got my very own first tractor. I'm still really happy I got it, I think, but there's been a few times all I can say to myself is WHAT was I thinking? haha

The adventure started when I went to load it and bring it home... Now, my brother had acquired it and was selling it for a friend who's late husband owned it, I guess. Not a whole lot of info beyond that. My brother has loaded tractors literally 1000's of times. (pulling tractors, farm stuff...you name it) So he tells me yeah, always DRIVE it on. Never BACK it on like dad does, you get more traction driving it on. Uh huh, sure. Yeah, that didn't work very well, the front end came up, then we wobbled, then I hit a mild state of panic and mashed on the clutch and brakes (and yes, I know this is always what you should NOT do...but panic will make you ignore all years of wisdom, especially with an already underlying fear of rolling tractors over.) Well, my dad and his friend were with me and ended up pushing/holding on to it as it kind of sat cockeyed on the ramps at an angle similar to a drunk trying to get a beer from a cooler. I think it was purdy well stuck there and not so much they were actually holding it, but the right rear wheel on the ground between the ramps, and the front wheels sort of in space above the right ramp, left rear wheel not touching a thing cept the axle it was attached to. Soon as the movement stopped, I was off the tractor and jumping off the trailer, tossed my gloves on the trailer, muttered I'm Done and went on a shaky walk to the truck to find a smoke. Then I pulled the truck forward to hear my 'new baby' slide down the ramp gently and thump to the ground. Wanna try it again? My dad asked....Maybe being a smarta**, maybe serious.. He ended up backing it up on the trailer for me since my response to his question was a bit irritable 'not today.' A week later my so called brother has told anyone that asks that 'I thought she was going to try to put it in her horse trailer, not her gooseneck'. Yeah, cause when I specifically asked him about loading THAT tractor with ME driving it, and I didn't think it would fit in the horse trailer...whatever, I got the thing home without his help ;) And in hindsight, if I had thought to mash on the silly posi pedal or lower the grader blade a lil more, I may have been able to get it on, but then again it was just getting higher so stopping when I did may have saved myself being mud rassled by the tractor. Definitely a close call.

Anyhow, it says MF 205 on the hood. The serial tag I think says 00209 for the serial# so according to tractordata that makes it a '78. I say 'think it says' because 99% of the writing on the darn tractor is Japanese! Filters, tire specs, model tag, Japanese (at least I'm assuming those cute lil squiggles are jap letters). And the first time I sat on it, the hourmeter said 14.6. (couple of guys have told me think that may actually be original, though I don't see how that's possible) At least the instrument panel has english...

Dad found an oil filter that fit, I ordered the air filter and another fuel filter (first one I picked up locally wasn't right because it uses a spin on, and farm and fleet's book didn't)...of which only the air filter fit. The lil bit of english on the fuel filter doesn't tell me much to even search or cross reference so that's still on a hmmm I'll have to dig a lil more list. We changed the oil, and coolant (smelled really old, almost a hint of alcohol like how my grampa's tractors used to smell) in the process breaking one the cute lil plastic butterfly looking plug but it was still useable with no leak...good thing cause the 2 new ones I ordered (modern, updated, sposedly better metal) ain't even close to the right size, and even called the place I ordered from and they double checked saying thats what SHOULD fit.

SO, is everything for parts just trial and error? Why is a lot of the stuff listed/shown in parts books not even close to what it looks like on my tractor? I thought it had been restored/repainted, but the couple of guys that thought the hourmeter was original say that it all looks like original paint, no wear spots on the foot pads etc. so I'm a bit confused if stuff has been changed (like fuel filter system) why it would still have japanese writing? When I got it, it had a Uline trailer seal tag on the steering wheel (like from a sale, or possibly shipping)...that might not mean squat but thought it kind of odd with what I see on the tractor.

It runs really nice (especially with new fluids in it), and I think as long as it keeps running nice and I can maybe get the darn diesel started in the winter it'll really help me with chores...but that nagging WHAT was I thinking thought in the back of my head seems to be a sure sign I need to learn a lot more about the lil bugger, so I'd appreciate any help/advice/experience/links!

Thanks for readin..I know it got kinda long. I'll get some pics of it when the weather stops being such a pain...

P.S. At least the cute lil tool box I ordered mounted on the back of the goofy 'roll-bar' nicely to personalize it a lil bit! Makes a good place to stash horsey and goat treats for the critters...It's the lil things....
 
   / WHAT was I thinking? #2  
Welcome to TBN. :)
One heck of intro..I like it.

"And the first time I sat on it, the hourmeter said 14.6. (couple of guys have told me think that may actually be original, though I don't see how that's possible)"

Now that's a rare find..congrats.
 
   / WHAT was I thinking? #3  
Welcome! Don't know much about the subject, but could it be a "grey market" tractor?
 
   / WHAT was I thinking? #4  
Hinomoto of Japan made alot/all of the small MF tractors in that era, that could be why theres Japanese writing. Rock solid tractors.
 
   / WHAT was I thinking?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks for the welcome!

I did a lil bit of research before I got the $ to buy it, and read a lot of people with the same opinion - hinomoto=rock solid etc.

Course now that I officially own it, I can't find near as much info lol but that's always the way it is. What confuses me is the lil stuff like filters not matching, ignition key I've found quite a few sites that offer em, but theyre all double sided whereas mine is one-sided. Got a spring for the brake pedal cause i hate the ol bungee cord but its not even close to the diagram in the parts book lol so bungee cord it is for awhile. (Right pedal drags) We did get it to adjust a lil and that helped.

Is it actually possible to have that few of hours on it? Just seems like I was always told they roll out the factory with like 10 hours (figure of speech kinda)...

I did get to play with it a lil bit more today...took the grader blade off that my brother is letting me use. Not near as scary for me HAHA the front wheels actually left tracks in the mud after that instead of just barely grazing the ground...yeesh.

Thanks again for the welcome...I also find out today that the only way it can move a round bale is dragging 'em backwards *grin* I'm sure that lil tractor is gonna have some stories under my ownership..I've got plans to try the pooper scooper (slip dirt scoop..whatever its called) this weekend. I think I need a new hobby.:confused2:
 
   / WHAT was I thinking? #6  
Welcome to TBN....looking forward to your future posts ....:)
Great first post!:thumbsup:
Would be good to have a photo of this tractor...:D
You mention, several times, your front wheels being light.:confused2:
As you will read several places here on TBN,,, you REALLY NEED to get weights for the tractor such that your wheels ALWAYS stay on the ground and feel firm with ANY of your implements attached, front or rear, while being on any reasonably level ground.

I think you are off to a great start.....may I suggest you spend some time reading the safety thread.... it's a good place to learn things without having to do it the "hard way!":)
 
   / WHAT was I thinking?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Thanks TXjohn! Lil bit at a time I'm scanning over all the info on the site and learning TONS. This is my new support group :D
Weights are definitely on my new 'must get' list after playing with the tractor a bit. I keep my critters on a friends farm and it was kind of the joke yesterday that I should strap my big fainting goat buck to the hood but I said no cause I don't want my lil MF gettin all stinked up ;) So then it was decided I should get a harness for the mini horse and hook his butt to the front (picture the conversation going to that old email pic of the donkey up in the air by the heavy cart)...by the end of the day we decided I should just hook the draft team, keep the tractor off/ in neutral and save on the hourmeter...It's not much wonder why the neighborhood has affectionately termed me the nutty red head out there at times LOL

At first, before we got the fluids changed and really tried it much, guys said weights weren't really necessary so i picked up some cheap/free 3pt attachments instead of hunting weights, (in 6 days I now have 4 various of my own, and a borrowed blade for attachments, and spent maybe 60$ total) :confused3: but now the guys (dad, uncle, guys from the shop etc) are all kinda focused on weights for me instead of toys. So I'm hoping before long I'll have some kind of supply lol One the reasons I liked the lil tractor is cause noone else round here has one, so in a way a lot of stuff is a guessing/learning game, but i still like being the oddball :p and it fits right in on the 'SpEcIaL Farm'! I'm gonna keep the blade off for awhile to get used to the tractor better safely(and avoid any weight/lack of mishaps).

We got twister watches this mornin and high winds but this weekend is sposed to get a lil better so I'll get some good pics to post soon! Meant to get a pic of it on my trailer and mostly cause of my nerves prolly, but I totally forgot. Then I just got busy gettin hay in, then it got dark etc etc.

Oh- The only place on the tractor that says hinomoto is bout the only place thats actually wore off kinda, but on the steering wheel. Is there any other areas of the tractor (besides the serial/model tag) that would be a giveaway to tell me anything special about it? I'll try to get lots of pics, I know that would help any readers get a better idea of what I got ;)
 
   / WHAT was I thinking?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
This isn't the best pic, but this is when I first saw the tractor (that would be my *big* brother dropping the bar to fit it in his garage before I decided to buy it. I'm the only one that actually likes the compact feeling lol

356825178245_0_0.jpg
 
   / WHAT was I thinking? #9  
Dixie, I like the way you write.....

a fainting smelly goat buck:eek:
a mini horse
a draft team
5 rear attachments for $60 in 6 days:D
dad, uncle, *big* brother and shop guys weighting on you:laughing:
a literate smokin' red head who actually reads existing TBN posts:thumbsup:
making hay while the sun shines:)
a '78 lil tractor with an identity crisis after only 14.6 hours of life:tractor:
a SpEcIaL Farm:cloud9:
bungee cord on brake pedal:rolleyes:
moving round bales;)

And all this in just 4 posts:cool2:

Just a few more posts and there will be sufficient material for "the perfect country song.":2cents:

I can't wait....for the rest of the story!!
 
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   / WHAT was I thinking? #10  
Dixie welcome to the forum. Are you familiar with the term "Grey Market" tractor. It refers to tractors that were not intended for the US market and are brought to the US as used tractors. They are reconditioned and shipped here by importers for resale. Reconditioned can mean different things to different importers. Some get nothing but a quick paint job and others are gone through mechanically. As you are finding, locating parts can be a problem. As an example Kubota lists Grey Market models that they do not do support here in the US on their web site. My guess is you have a Grey Market tractor and that is why you are having trouble matching parts. That isn't a bad thing it just makes it a bit more challenging.

MarkV
 
 
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