Price Check 1989 Ford 4610

[ovrszd]

Oreillys Power Steering Fluid.

 

[spitter]

2 wheel drive and loaders don't usually mix for any serious work. If you need to ad remotes it will cost u a pretty penny.:drink:

 

[RickB]

Oreillys Power Steering Fluid.

I would use whatever UTF you put in the rest of the tractor. IMHO automotive PS fluid is too thin for that system and your climate.

 

[rScotty]

Evening TBN.
However, current owner has offered to sell me his 1989 Ford 4610, with 1959 hrs, along with a 5' mower and an 8' sickle mower he bought new in 2018. Says he has only used it twice for the dam. It looks brand new. Tractor also has a Westendorf loader on it. He is asking $13500 for it, which seems pretty reasonable. Also offered to give me an extra tooth bar. Says he has had no problems with the tractor other than power steering leaking and he had a new pump put on it but it still leaks.

I know the 4000 series are known for their reliability but asking opinions on the price. T

Thanks in advance. Always value the opinions here.

My opinion is....I don't think you will get that price back out of it, but I also wonder if it matters. You could get 75% of that price pretty quickly and the advantages might well be worth the difference.

One advantage is that it is right there. And you seem to be describing a nice - looks like new! - but basic US farm tractor with all the right attachments including the right loader. 4WD and syncro tranny would be nice, but frankly I do most of my work at one speed and do most of my loader work in 2wd anyway. Those heavy pre-compact ag tractors did OK in 2wd.

And all for a reasonable price with what I'd say is low to medium hours. Well broken in but not broken up. Probably will run pretty much the same for the next 20 years just as it has for the last 30. It's a popular model without emissions, and well thought of.

I don't see anything wrong with that picture. If the leak is bothersome, I'd probably offer $500 less, and immediately put that back into fixing the leak. Otherwise I'd go for it. Frankly it sounds like you will get a lot of good out of it for not much downside.
rScotty

 

[hdmyers]

I paid $3000 including the auction fee. But I had to haul it home on a rented trailer from 125 miles away.

I'm really not sure what I have in it so far. I've been buying parts a little at a time and storing them. The biggest expense was the 3-valve remote. I got that on Ebay for $499+tax shipped from, I think, Holland. Or that area of Europe. That included the hydraulic lines to the connectors AND the connectors with covers. The rest was new instrument panel, new hood panels, ignition switch, light switch, shutoff cable, some new LED lights, paint and, of course, labels. Oh, and a lighter. I used to smoke at the time but no more. I'll still put it in for a USB charger. I forgot about the new tires w/tubes on new rims. Even so, I'm guessing maybe all that adding up to about $2500 since 2008. It could be a few bucks more but you loose track over that length of time.

This is a pic soon after I bought it. I already had the flail mower from another auction when I got my JD 420C. I think I paid $35 for the flail mower.

View attachment 668369

THe look of your tractor is complemented by the decal on the side.. but you probably bought iafter someone else trashed it.
a 'county' tractor should have been well maintained.... township/county maintenance typically being done on time with zero regard to parts costs.

 

[RickB]

2 wheel drive and loaders don't usually mix for any serious work. If you need to ad remotes it will cost u a pretty penny.:drink:

It has 3 remotes.
A 2wd loader tractor properly set up and operated by someone who knows how to use it will get a lot of work done.

 

[RickB]

THe look of your tractor is complemented by the decal on the side.. but you probably bought iafter someone else trashed it.
a 'county' tractor should have been well maintained.... township/county maintenance typically being done on time with zero regard to parts costs.

Municipal equipment is typically well maintained or not at all. Too many supervisors think a half empty salt shed is excellent machine storage and far too many municipal mechanics do just enough to keep machines functioning at the bare minimum level.

 

[ovrszd]

I would use whatever UTF you put in the rest of the tractor. IMHO automotive PS fluid is too thin for that system and your climate.

I'll try that Rick. Thank you!!!

 

[ovrszd]

Municipal equipment is typically well maintained or not at all. Too many supervisors think a half empty salt shed is excellent machine storage and far too many municipal mechanics do just enough to keep machines functioning at the bare minimum level.

I run a Township Grader. I keep records and maintain it above standard. I wax it twice a year.

Township next to me called and said there grader had lost power. Had to run in a lower gear when blading because of it. I went to take a look. Obvious lack of maintenance. I asked when the air breather had been cleaned? He couldn't remember. I opened the filter container and it was full of dust/dirt. So full I had to dig some out with a long screwdriver before I could get the filter out. I wish I had taken a picture...... Never saw anything like it....

 

[Tinhack]

Might be a couple of salt licks out in the fields but we don't have salt sheds in this part of the country. White stuff is pretty rare unless it's cotton. It is a shame how you feel about municipal mechanics in your area. Perhaps they're disgruntled dealer mechanics. They kept my tractor going for over 20 years and I've had it another 14. I think the engine was rebuilt and as I said before, came with many "new" parts. Those parts included an injector pump, power steering pump, assist cylinder, hose and alternator. If you're going to cheap-out, you don't put new parts on a tractor then sell it. At least not in Texas. We just don't care how we dress when there's work to be done.