tractor manuals for free

[Soundguy]

At one point I was toying with the idea of buying a backhoe loader (Ford 555, Case 580, etc.) Got smart and did not buy one, but the manuals for those are hundreds of dollars.

i'm not sure i would use the fact whether the case 580 or the ford 555 had a free manual available is a good yardstick for being smart not getting those machines. both are VERY good machines. we have a 580 at work.. it has paid for itself many, many, many times over.

 

[Capricious]

"...i'm not sure i would use the fact whether the case 580 or the ford 555 had a free manual available is a good yardstick for being smart not getting those machines..."


it was smart because:

1) I have no experience with machinery of that type and scale.

2) I really had no good place to safety store it.

3) The one definite job that I would have for it probably would not justify the expense of such a machine. Would be handy to have around, but that's not a good reason to buy such a machine.



I was just pointing out that the manuals for that type of machine are very expensive.



EDITED TO ADD: Also, did not have a way to move it, although the (2) properties i would have used it on are only about
6 miles apart, half asphalt roads, half rock, so it could have been "roaded" back and forth. And there is a guy who claims to do tractor repair out of his barn, 1/2 mile from one of the properties, so i maybe could have gotten it worked on there, if needed.

 

[Soundguy]

i'm still not sure how having a free manual or not corelates to those other 'reasons' you mention that may or may not have made it a smart purchase.

as for no experience with those machines.

only one way to rectify that. it's usually fun and involves greasy hands

 

[Capricious]

"..still not sure how having a free manual or not corelates to those other 'reasons' .."


It doesn't.

 

[needmanual]

The reason most people have asked for a manual and not returned is ,Why would they need to when all they are in seasrch of is a owners manual for there tractor,do they need to come back day after day to chat about the weather or something,if the person wanted to chat they would pick up there telephone and call someone rather than sit in front of a computer,i would think this would be the most logical reason they do not return as they where looking for one thing and if they found it why return.

I understand the general debate here. I am kind of stunned at how many people joined just to post and ask for a free manual and then never posted again.

A short while ago I went online searching for a manual, and found a member here that helped me source one. But when I found this forum, I started poking around and liked it, so I joined and I try to contribute. Simply wanting something for free doesn't mean it should be. If you find one for free, great! If you have to pay a bit, that would be okay (to me). I'm not trying to get a manual and sell the ideas to take profit from the mfr.

I think a mfr should offer all the manuals, and only charge for printed versions or the downloaded repair manuals. I think providing the owner/operator manuals for free electronically is smart just from the safety factor. Providing an electronic copy should reduce their overhead to nearly nothing too. This is all for current and recent models. If we're talking about tractors 20+ years old, then you get into the whole format issue, which would add cost to get it converted and readable. Once done, charge a nominal fee for doing so.

$30-50 is reasonable to me. $100 seems my personal limit, but would probably do it to have a version I could print as needed. Automobile manufacturers used to print and ship a repair manual (sometimes in 5 books) to the dealer for each model of car. Now the techs all access it online and the dealers recycled the manuals. Going PDF/electronic is also very green!

YMMV

 

[deerseeker001]

the neighbor just bought a case 580 backhoe the thing is a beast when coming to ripping out tree stumps.

i'm not sure i would use the fact whether the case 580 or the ford 555 had a free manual available is a good yardstick for being smart not getting those machines. both are VERY good machines. we have a 580 at work.. it has paid for itself many, many, many times over.

 

[Ragupathi]

Hi, I am looking an operational and parts manual for Versatile 305 tractor.

Thanks
Ragupathi

 

[gooseman80]

I would think that a manufacturer would want someone to operate and maintain their equipment per their specs so I feel that if you own the equipment, you should be able to obtain a free manual for it. I'm still looking for a free operator's manual for a Ford 3600 (1979 or 1980). I had my tractor guy order me a service manual which I can understand why might costs something seeing that service companies don't make money off do-it-yourselfers, but I just don't feel it's right to have to pay for a operator's manual. Would be nice to know what all the levers and buttons do, you know what I mean?

 

[JimRB]

Ford 3600 Operators Manual
Ford 3600 Tractor Manuals | Service | Repair | Owners | Parts

When you went to the Ford tractor dealership what did you find the parts counter people saying?

 

[gooseman80]

Well, not going to pay 30 for a operators manual and 40 for a service manual. I never went to Ford but the guy working on my little TYM right now is going to order me the service manual for $30. Appreciate you taking the time to message the links though.