Buying Advice Buying used, how many hours are too many?

[mikester]

3000 hours on a well maintained Kubota diesel CUT isn't a lot of hours, you would probably get up to 5000+hrs on that machine before running into any issues.

5000+ hours on used construction equipment diesels isn't unusual, at 10,000+ hours things start getting worn.

It all depends on the maintenance and degree of abuse the machine gets during it's life.

This guy's SCUT will likely NOT last 3000 hours
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/426034-play-ssqa-frame-loader-normal.html

 

[bdog]

My tractor has over 8,000 hours. I bought it in 2014 and have had to do nothing to it but oil and filter changes, grease, and replace the battery this year.

 

[crashz]

My father has a Cat 912 Loader with just over 24,000 hours. Looks like all original drive-train. Runs decent. Looks OK. Was used in a saw mill. Equipment can last a long time if taken care of.

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

Forty years ago I operated a Hyster 225 wirh a GMC V6 propane engine. It was about 6 years old when I started operating it. I put close to 1000 hours a year on it as had the operators before me. When the mill shut down a few years later it had over 10,000 hours and ran great. A metal fabrication shop bought it and later sold it to another shop. In 2010 it was still running just fine.

Worked for a gravel company and got talking to one of the mechanics. He said the average dump truck operated at the rate of approximately 22 miles per hour of engine service. Most of those trucks, Macks and Kenworths went over a half million miles without any major problems. That works out to over 22,500 hours. Heavy duty industrial engines are built for the long haul, ag engines have to be close behind. I can't imagine any tractor manufacturer staying in business if their tractors were all worn out junk at 1000 hours. As others have said, it's more about maintenance than it is meter hours.

 

[Hay Dude]

Another consideration: I think heat is the most common killer of all moving parts. I try to find equipment with bigger displacement engines whenever possible. Mechanics constantly tell me to buy the bigger motor.
My M126 and M135 Kubotas have the bigger 6.1L engines. The smaller M105, 110, etc have enough size for what I do, but they have a smaller 3.8L diesel. That engine will have to work harder, hotter and wear out faster.

Look at what tractors you are buying, and if they are pretty much dead even, see if one has a larger engine. Even if they are the same HP, given equal maintenance, I would bet the larger displacement will last longer because the block and pistons dissipate heat better and heat kills. Also, usually larger displacement engines can accomplish same work output with lower RPM and lower RPMs (not lugging) will also cause less wear & heat.

 

[finn1]

Medium truck Diesels are typically designed for a b10 life of 500000 miles at a 25 mph average road speed, and a 25% - 30% duty factor. Ag engine’s used for commercial tilling are more like 50% duty factor, and I suspect these small cut and scut tractors are more like 10%.

Hours are only part of what goes into defining machine life. If you’re concerned, buy new with a warranty. Useful life is a sliding scale, with hours, time, and maintenance, as well as duty factor ( amount of fuel burned over life/ full load fuel) determining the slope of the curve.

 

[bdog]

Another consideration: I think heat is the most common killer of all moving parts. I try to find equipment with bigger displacement engines whenever possible. Mechanics constantly tell me to buy the bigger motor.
My M126 and M135 Kubotas have the bigger 6.1L engines. The smaller M105, 110, etc have enough size for what I do, but they have a smaller 3.8L diesel. That engine will have to work harder, hotter and wear out faster.

Look at what tractors you are buying, and if they are pretty much dead even, see if one has a larger engine. Even if they are the same HP, given equal maintenance, I would bet the larger displacement will last longer because the block and pistons dissipate heat better and heat kills. Also, usually larger displacement engines can accomplish same work output with lower RPM and lower RPMs (not lugging) will also cause less wear & heat.

This is really good advice. Running a business and having lots of diesel equipment I can tell you that when you use anything at or near its maximum capacity it doesn't last long. Things that are used lightly with regards to their capability seem to last forever.

 

[bdog]

Another consideration: I think heat is the most common killer of all moving parts. I try to find equipment with bigger displacement engines whenever possible. Mechanics constantly tell me to buy the bigger motor.
My M126 and M135 Kubotas have the bigger 6.1L engines. The smaller M105, 110, etc have enough size for what I do, but they have a smaller 3.8L diesel. That engine will have to work harder, hotter and wear out faster.

Look at what tractors you are buying, and if they are pretty much dead even, see if one has a larger engine. Even if they are the same HP, given equal maintenance, I would bet the larger displacement will last longer because the block and pistons dissipate heat better and heat kills. Also, usually larger displacement engines can accomplish same work output with lower RPM and lower RPMs (not lugging) will also cause less wear & heat.

This is really good advice. Running a business and having lots of diesel equipment I can tell you that when you use anything at or near its maximum capacity it doesn't last long. Things that are used lightly with regards to their capability seem to last forever.

 

[newbury]

Looking to buy a used Kubota or whatever comes up in my price range. I see a bunch with up to 900 hours on them. Considering I'll use it clip around 10 acres once a month, maybe disc a garden, and scrape the road . I have a 1974 Ford 3000 that I'm tired of patching, no idea how many hours it has, but past it's prime, looking for something to just climb on and go. What is your cut off?
Thanks,
Pops

What's your price range?
And how much do you want to use it? about 100 hours per year? 200 hrs?

If your present tractor is working well I'd recommend just getting another Ford 3000 if you can find one.

Like others have wrote you can have an unrepairable mess at 1,000 hours or a garage queen.

My '95 M4700 bought in 2012 had about ?1300? hours on it, fairly well maintained by Fairfax County, Va but stored outside

I put less than 100 hours (often way less) a year on it, but when I need it I need it's capacity and power. So I don't mind the repairs (Just this year I had to replace the valve cores on the rear tires, about $18) generally about $100/year.

 

[fruitcakesa]

I bought my 2010 M6040 2 years ago with about 1100 hrs, lightly used and supposedly stored inside. I average 150-200hrs per year.
Other than changing all fluids and filters and keeping up on PM, it has been trouble free and like Newbury, I don't mind the repairs if it needs them someday. knock on wood.
The more you know about the machine you want the better.