won't buy a Massey again

[case310350]

Well this was my 1st compact tractor, have a 1540. needed a couple of parts, a loader joystick valve and a piece of sheet metal. The loader valve is 1500, and the sheet metal is 619. Joystick valve on ebay is 300 just not for this tractor. just for comparison I called a kubota dealer asked for a joystick loader valve for a l4200, 430.00.....

Like the tractor, ca't afford the parts. Have a case 580k backhoe, over the years replaced many parks, lot cheaper than Massey. Wish somebody would have warned me.

 

[Scut 4 Big Bucks]

Don't let the door hit you in the _ss.

 

[case310350]

Don't let the door hit you in the _ss.

I can see I am dealing with the lowest common denominator

 

[JWR]

Now, now boys. To the substance of Case's post: Prices are in fact hideous but I don't think you would find Massey any worse than Kubota or Deere -- depending on what parts you speak of. It varies among parts but overall they are priced so high most of them will shock you. I'll throw in a few examples: 1) Deere sells a neutral interlock switch for $69.49 , 2010 price, which they admit may or may not work on any individual tractor. They have literally told dealers to stock more than one and try them. 2) The hydraulic oil filter for a Massey 2660 is $75. 3) Kubota charges $11.23 for a pair of keys that they sell only in pairs and cleverly makes them such that no key copying service carries the blanks. 4) The loader valve for a Massey DL250 is over $1000 but made by a third party and hideously expensive everywhere. I know you have been hit in the pocket by larger items and the examples I show are penny anti small stuff but I doubt that MF is all that much worse than New Holland, Kubota and Deere across the board. Be interesting to see if there is any customer consensus on that topic. How do we find out ?

 

[stuckmotor]

Can you adapt a generic valve to work on the MF?

 

[EddieWalker]

Good info. I've been looking at a used cabbed Massey, but I've been hesitant because two dealers close to me have closed down and there is only one left that's an hour away. They are really nice looking tractors, and this one is a great deal. I haven't checked prices for parts, but will before doing anything.

As for Case, I have a 1550 dozer and their cost for a new replacement turbo was less then the cost to rebuild the existing one. But their cost for a new hydraulic pump is more then I paid for the dozer, and it has three of them. Fortunately, their parts guy told me about a rebuild shop that was only a couple grand to have them rebuild it.

 

[JWR]

Can you adapt a generic valve to work on the MF?

That is a REALLY good question. I don't see any reason why not. The gozintas and gozouttas are all the same (4 hoses on the bucket side and 2 on the feed/return side). Basic functions are the same -- frame raise/lower and bucket curl/roll. It cannot be any worse than connector issues, flow capacity of the valve, and how to hook up the mechanical controls of the valve. There are many co's in the valve business. NIMCO made mine on the MF2660. Most of the fancier features (e.g. detents for fast dumping) are nothing but a pain in the butt and more complexity than needed for many of us. Simple basic function loader valves obviously exist. Some even have the joystick built right in to the valve body which would avoid control cable issues. Travel and adjustments of control cables are no doubt brand/model specific and risky to cross-breed. I would say there is a good aftermarket niche specifically for total replacement, simple loader valve body kits. Money to be made and nonsense to be bypassed.

I had an Amish welding shop in eastern PA put a loader valve of his choice between my Kubota B2150 and a Case loader. Has worked flawlessly for me.

Seems to me it need not be a generic loader valve but just one from a different tractor where the operation is simple and the price is lower. I don't believe that there is very much "matched" between the loader valve and the loader aside from flow rate capacity and of course plumbing/connectors.

 

[TnAndy]

I had a couple of Massey implements over the years, like a sickle bar mower/etc, and found part were high as heck compared to others.....never considered one the tractors for that reason.

 

[STx]

Case/NH isn't much better. The plastic fenders on my TC40DA are $1200, EACH. I need a new rabbit/turtle switch from my joystick, they don't sell just that part, have to buy the whole joystick to the tune of $300. It's not limited to any one manufacturer, they all charge WAY TOO MUCH for dealer only parts.

 

[stuckmotor]

I had to get a starter for my 261 last year. The MF starter was higher than I wanted to pay and I couldn't find one on line. My MF dealer finally got me an aftermarket one which was still expensive. Fast forward to this year and the starters are plentiful and relatively cheap.