newbie here...and new to tractors too! 69 ford 3000 questions.

[Ken Climb]

Looking to buy my first tractor and honestly don't have a frigg'n clue about them! I have 5 acres of flat land with my home in the middle so it will be used basically for yard work and a little field work. I think its a 39hp but I can't see a hour meter anywhere. It starts and drives good, has a nice big loader and comes with a bunh of implements including a tiller, 5' feild mower, disks,plow,and big grader type thing. he wants a lot of money for this old tractor but it's still pretty much exactlywhat I think I would need other then not being a 4x4.
What are some common problems, or what should I be looking out forwith this model of tractor? Thanks! ken

 

[Opti-Mist]

It was rated at 40 hp. The proofmeter (hourmeter) is located in the bottom center of the tach, like an odometer location in a speedometer. Overall its pretty bulletproof with a couple of exemptions. 1. The front spindles are not designed to carry the weight of a loaded loader bucket - be gentle. 2. Brakes - the drum brakes are notoriously ineffective and difficult to maintain.

 

[Soundguy]

would need to know asking price to know if too expensive.

in my area a good running 3000 with a bunch of implements would probably go for 4500-5000$

she gas or diesel? if gas.. got a zenith or holley carb?

start good?

charge ok?

oil pressure dash lamp work?

soundguy

 

[73Ford3000]

I have had my 3000 for right at a year and a half now and honestly I couldn't be happier with my purchase. It was also my first tractor. Diesal with low hours, fairly new tires, decent paint. I purchased it at the time with a 7' finish mower at a cost of $5250.00. It was $4750 for the tractor and $500 for the mower. So far other then regular maintanence the only repairs that I have had to perform was: Rebuilt the hydraulics due to erratic performance, cost of 20 dollars for parts and a day in the garrage. Turned out to be out of ajustment. IT manual steps you through it. The second repair and most costly was cleaning out the pitcock on the gas tank. While mowing the tractor died and was traced back to 35 years of crud cloging the pitcock in the tank. The costly part was letting nearly a full tank a diesal drain into the yard because I had nothing clean to catch it in. Cleaned out the pitcock and with a couple fresh gallons of diesal I was back mowing. The latest repair that I had to make was replaceing a power steering seal in the steering column because it started to puke fluid around the wheel. 15 dollars in parts and 2 aggrevated days in the garrage mainly due to a stuck steering wheel.

Overall mine has been a good investment and a workhorse. When I was looking I thought I needed a 4X4 tractor due to the hills that I live on but honestly the 2wd tractor will go lot of places that my 4wd truck won't. Plus when I was shoping for a tractor it seemed that 4wd's seemed to cost almost double a 2wd. Hope my experiance helps you one way or anouther.

 

[Soundguy]

The costly part was letting nearly a full tank a diesal drain into the yard because I had nothing clean to catch it in..

I think I'd have opted for something dirty to catch it in and saved the ground contamination!!!

2 aggrevated days in the garrage mainly due to a stuck steering wheel. .

BTDT.. gave up after a couple hours using a puller and heat and whatnot.. finally cut spkes and then split hub with a die grinder and a cold chissle.. it was worth the 50$ for the new steering wheel to not fuss with it anymore after that.

soundguy

 

[73Ford3000]

I think I'd have opted for something dirty to catch it in and saved the ground contamination!!!



BTDT.. gave up after a couple hours using a puller and heat and whatnot.. finally cut spkes and then split hub with a die grinder and a cold chissle.. it was worth the 50$ for the new steering wheel to not fuss with it anymore after that.

soundguy

Hindsite is 20/20. I wish I had caught the fuel in something dirty. That patch of dirt is still void of grass. At the time I was nearly done mowing for the day and was trying to hurry up and beat the storm that was blowing in. I am not one who likes to pollute and a quick trip to autozone to recycle used oil is nothin really but as I said... In a hurry not thinking.

 

[Soundguy]

gas would have actually evaped out pretty quick... be prepaired to live with that diesel patch for a long time.

I think I might head out there with a box of powder detergent and a hand rake and 'wash' that area.

would also be a good candidate for my next bonfire area.. then after that throw some topsoil on there and see what you can get growing.

soundguy