Is this tractor trashed or am I being too picky?

[searcyfarms]

its cracked you can see it in the picture

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

The creeping and shuddering HST is NOT normal on a Branson. The creeping is most likely just a simple pedal adjustment to fix. Easy-Peasy on that one. The shuddering though, that could be serious, and is not normal. Could also be that when (or if) the hydro fluid was changed, they just put in whatever was cheapest, and not what should have been put in. *Maybe* can be fixed by changing fluid. And maybe it can't. I would say the stalling would only be "normal", IF you started off at idle, from a dead stop, and just dumped the forward pedal to the floor while in High range. If you're slowly pressing in the forward pedal and letting the engine and tractor build speed as you go, and it's still stalling, then no, it's NOT normal.

With it's condition, distance from selling dealer to your location, and complete lack of maintenance history, I think I would pass on this one. And none of that has anything to do with what BRAND the tractor is.

 

[Jstpssng]

Follow your instincts. Every time that I don't I regret it.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Those headlights sure do look like they've been underwater. IDK about tractors, but whenever there's a big flood, the flooded cars are often wholesaled to dealers, and they can end up for sale anywhere. Or maybe the tractor just ended up in a creek. Or maybe he was working in a lot of dust and then tried to wash it down.... or.....

With you not being mechanical, no dealer anywhere near, and money being tight in case it needs a *big* repair, the deal seems pretty risky.

 

[rScotty]

Those headlights sure do look like they've been underwater. IDK about tractors, but whenever there's a big flood, the flooded cars are often wholesaled to dealers, and they can end up for sale anywhere. Or maybe the tractor just ended up in a creek. Or maybe he was working in a lot of dust and then tried to wash it down.... or.....

That's possible. We went through a flood on our property that had water about 8 feet deep. When the waters went down I noticed that some of our older equipment that used bulbs in a reflector instead of a sealed beam type headlight had water sitting in the headlights for a long time. My old truck and motorcycle were like that. Those were all about a quarter to half full - and the water in the headlights was there for a month or so. It eventually either evaporated or seeped out, but the dirty flood water left an obvious "ring" on the inside of the headlight - particularly on the lens and the mirrored reflector.

Lots of people locally had a least one set of "headlights that had been through a flood". It became a sort of local joke. I can't tell from the photo it that's the case with the tractor you are looking at It could simply be a busted plastic lens cover. But it's easy to tell if it was flooding because if it was you will see a definite dirty waterline inside.
And a flood doesn't always cause problems. On my equipment I just dried it out and changed oil. All except the headlights...

BTW, I hear you that your JD 5105 doesn't have 4WD or HST. Not much you can do about that.... but it's a pity. Frankly I think you could get by with 2WD and maybe chains for the worst of the winte if you have a lot of deep snow or ice. And of course there are lots of loaders that will bolt right up. But there's no way mimic HST. It took me a long time to get onboard with HST over gears like your 5105 has, but now I sure prefer HST over any other type of transmission. That's after I've used it for a decade.

My second choice for a transmission would be one of the old 12 speed powershifts where you have a lever on the floor for choosing H,M,L range and then you shift between N,1,2,3,4,R in that range via a little lever on the steering column. Those powershift trannys usually have a foot clutch, but you don't have to use it for shifting. It's mostly for PTO use. The best powershifts don't even need to clutch even when starting out from a dead stop. Still, the multirange HST really is nicer to use.

What a shame, though. Those JD 5105s are otherwise a very nice machine for a lifetime. Be careful; you could sure do worse.
rScotty

 

[searcyfarms]

and the votes are tallied.........45 No - 4 maybe and 0 Yes votes

:anyone:

 

[finn1]

Ad me to the Maybe, if the price is right group.

The tractor has been used in a construction environment, as evidenced by the concrete residue in the bucket.

That is consistent with the dealer claim that it was traded in for a skid steer, which, in my opinion, is a much more robust and suitable tool for construction work.

The damage is largely cosmetic, and obviously is an issue with many of the suburbanites here, but, a cracked headlight and scratched paint is rather trivial to the life and functionality of a work machine.

I don稚 know the accepted retail value of used tractors of this brand, but if this particular unit is priced at the lower end, I don稚 see any reason to run away.

If shiny paint is an issue and you are risk averse, perhaps a brand new machine is a better option, but there is a price to pay for that, too.

 

[D2Cat]

Ad me to the Maybe, if the price is right group.

The tractor has been used in a construction environment, as evidenced by the concrete residue in the bucket.

That is consistent with the dealer claim that it was traded in for a skid steer, which, in my opinion, is a much more robust and suitable tool for construction work.

The damage is largely cosmetic, and obviously is an issue with many of the suburbanites here, but, a cracked headlight and scratched paint is rather trivial to the life and functionality of a work machine.

I don稚 know the accepted retail value of used tractors of this brand, but if this particular unit is priced at the lower end, I don稚 see any reason to run away.

If shiny paint is an issue and you are risk averse, perhaps a brand new machine is a better option, but there is a price to pay for that, too.

You sound like the salesman trying to sell it. You have no clue that everything is cosmetic unless you've inspected it in close detail. Maybe those suburbanites have more experience at making decisions with reason instead of opinion.

 

[finn1]

Don’t think anyone except the op has seen it either.

Like I said, i’m In the maybee camp. I would have to see it, and walk into the deal with my eyes open, and the price would have to be commensurate with the cosmetic and mechanical condition.

Sorry if I offended you, but the general tone on this site seems to be overwhelmingly that of gentlemen farmers. Not exclusively, but, in my opinion, predominantly.

I am certainly willing to be wrong about that.

By the way, I’m familiar with used and abused equipment. I worked my entire career doing product qualification at a manufacturer that made trucks, construction equipment, and farm equipment. In the end, it’s steel, rubber, electronics, and hydraulics. Cosmetics don’t do the work, and unless something is horribly twisted up, there’s not much an operator can do to a piece of well engineered and qualified commercial industrial machinery in only 200 hours 'that would render it unrepairable.

 

[WVBill]

I can't get past the first two pictures. They seem to be clear evidence that the FEL (or another front implement) took a serious hit on something. Enough to bend the torque tube (I think that's what someone called it) and the bracket.

Who knows what else may have invisible damage from that impact.

The weld on the torque tube looks pretty sloppy to me.

These are not "cosmetic"

I would pass.