Ready to pull the trigger on TC33

[BigE_]

Found a used TC33 today for $9700, so I think I'm ready to pull the trigger (finally -- only been looking for 8 months now).

Here's the specs:
2000 TC33D 33HP 4WD with HST, supersteer, R-4 tires. Also has 7308 loader with 5ft bucket. 1125 hours, and has a brand new paint job to boot. Yeah, I know, paint can hide a multitude of sins.... Only two things wrong I could find is the parking brake knob is missing completely (forgot to put it back on when done painting?) and key starter position has been replaced by a pushbutton switch (turn key to start, then push button). Oh, and tread on tires is maybe 40% left if I'm lucky, and they aren't filled, so that's another $180.

Got the trailer hooked up to the truck, ready to head out there tomorrow. Just need to figure out where I can pull an additional $1400 in cash same day transaction. Might be looking to the credit card (ouch!). Its either that or wait another week while the guy is out hunting, and I'm borrowing the trailer.

Pictures will be forthcoming when I pick it up.

 

[BTDT]

Good luck with your purchase. Sounds to me like with the key/pushbutton start modification they have bypassed the neutral safety switch. Might want to ask them about that, and try it to see if it will start in gear (or with pedal off of neutral).

 

[BigE_]

Good call -- I'll be sure to check that out today. I know the seat safety has been bypassed.

 

[BigE_]

Well, I was a depressed guy indeed on the 110 mile round trip drive yesterday. Well, honestly, the first 20 miles were great: I had the 16' trailer I borrowed all wired up and hooked up and everything was fine all the way in to work (had to do the day job, and it was on the way....). Got to work, got the $$ wired in to my bank, headed out at 1:45pm to pick up the cash and buy the tractor.

Got to the bank at 1:50pm. Now, I'm on the west coast, and my bank (credit union actually) is in Georgia, but they have this thing called shared branching where you can deposit and withdraw funds at any participating credit union. Went in to do the withdrawal, explained that they closed at 5pm east coast time, and I needed to get the cash. Also had to get some additional cash from the local credit union where I also have an account.

Long story short, the teller insisted on withdrawing the cash from the local credit union first, and in doing so went past the 2pm (5pm east coast) deadline. No cash, no tractor.

So, I took $300 in cash and drove the remaining 40 miles to the tractor, left that as a deposit. Guy was going hunting for a week, leaving yesterday, so now I'm going to pick it up next Thursday.

Another bit of disappointment: when I checked out the tractor on Wednesday, it was dark and hard to see. Flashlights only go so far. The guy said it had super steer, but on second check, he didn't know what super steer was, and this tractor doesn't have it. Wasn't a deal breaker, but it may mean that I'll be using this to get the big earth moving stuff done, then downgrading to a smaller tractor in a few years.

There was a bit of good news to all of this: on the drive home, I called my wife and said I'd be late because I had to return the trailer first. Her response was that maybe I should buy my own, and a new one would probably be so much better than some old used one....

So, now I'm looking for a new trailer, and I'll likely have to sell one of my older single axle ones. I've carried two tons on my 16' single axle (well, 2 yards of wet topsoil, however much that weighs), and the TC33D weighs in at 2500lbs plus loader, but I didn't want to push the limits with that much in cash riding on the back.

 

[schmism]

Im happy with mine.

go ahead and change and check all fluids before you put ANY time on it.

I was very surprised to find what i found in my used one.

 

[BigE_]

Im happy with mine.
go ahead and change and check all fluids before you put ANY time on it.
QUOTE]

Change the hydraulic fluids as well? Probably won't hurt to change out all the filters, but I was under the impression that hydraulic fluids should last quite a while (at least until 2000 hours).

 

[BigMac]

If you are in any way concerned about the servicing of the tractor, ask the owner for the operators manual. If he can't walk straight to it and hand it to you, then there's a good chance that he hasn't been servicing it. Unless of course he takes it to his local dealer for service.

 

[BigE_]

Getting excited again today! Trying to temper it due to what happened last time, but I now have the cash in hand!

Spent *all* day yesterday wiring in the new Prodigy brake controller. Man, what a pain! Truck was wired up for a 7-pin out the back, but the blue wire (electric brake) and red wire (I used for battery +) were just hanging loose in the engine compartment. Took a couple of hours to find those, and then another couple of hours to figure out that I really had to drill a hole in the firewall, and then another hour to drill the hole and thread the wires through. Actually hooking up the controller was cake. Oh, had to fabricate a metal bracket for the 7-pin connection on the back, then hook the bracket up as well. Well over 6 hours total, but it is done. (Now just hoping it works -- no way to really test it without the trailer).

My new trailer is being finished today, so I'm picking it up at 3pm, then heading over to pick up the tractor at 3:30pm. Finally, I have to fight rush hour traffic all the way home (joy).

Will post pictures when I get them.

 

[jbrumberg]

BigE:

Good luck and keep us posted . Jay

 

[BigE_]

Trade this

for this?

I think it's a good deal!