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You must be using them very hard indeed. How many hours do they typically have on them after 7 years?

That's about the same for here in Colorado. It's interesting where people come from. Few if any from California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada. If there's any movement it's towards those states rather than them coming to us. Texans and rural upstate New York account for a lot of new residents. Not...

There is no such annual tax on personal property in Colorado - at least not on machinery, tools, tractor...things like that. I'd be curious to see how states differ. Missouri's tax wouldn't keep me from moving there. It's beautiful. Colorado does have a general one time sales tax on new...

Nice reasoning on the positive values of a recession. I hope you are right. It's kind of crazy to be thinking of a recession as being something that we want to have happen - but each time the pendulum swings things are different. Some times the alternatives to a recession are worse. So here's...

I thought about that too. It would work for towed implements but doesn't do anything for 3pt ones. Then I got to thinking about maybe coming up with a front 3pt hitch. After all, I don't do all that much 3pt work and half of what I do could be done by reversing the implement and using it on the...

Same here and in a lot of the inter-mountain western states. The economy is booming; finding people for all the new jobs is the problem. Houses cost too much - but jobs are plentiful and wages are high so the market is strong. Downsides are: A lot of the jobs do require special skills or...

I'm not sure what that shows. You've deliberately picked real automotive loosers. Anyone can do a little research and buy a car that doesn't depreciate so much as those do. Some makes and models maintain their value. I'm sure there are tractors that depreciate a lot as well. Belarus is a recent...

OK. Serious answer: I had always bought used. Not for price so much, but because I like to see and listen to a machine with a few hours on it to access how it is holding up. And because I think I get more value by looking at the condition, options, accessories, and history than for slight...

For that price it would have to be a decent JD 4020 with everything working right and in decent shape... But they are not only out there, several shops are making a living refurbishing those old 4020s. So it seems like it really was a good investment. And why shouldn't it be? The industry...

Yes, I agree with part of that. A lengthy recession would be good; it's what we probably need to have happen to save the economy from itself. Of all the possibilities, a long recession just might be the most benign. That and some reduction on gov't spending would restore some of the economic...

Let me give you a hand with those specs. We can do this in a form that applies to most of the small tractors you are looking at. I see that you are wanting to lift pallets of a certain size and weight. For that, the spec for lift at the pins doesn't help much. Manufacturers like to use that...

Sounds like our JD310 - which has similar size and ability and heated cab. It is rarely used: mostly just sits there with the battery charged and joints lubed. But in the last ten years we have had two forest fires, a flood, and half a dozen major storms. Along with deep snow and big trees blown...

I'd say that you aren't going to do much better for the money.... and it is cute as can be, and simple, and uses common industrial parts - probably uses them for everything - motor, pumps, drive, couplings....right down to pins & bushings. Two questions occur to me. One being.... is do you...

I'd say what you are describing is typical of every Ag, utility, and compact tractor I've ever driven. None of them would pull high gear on the road against even the slightest incline. It's true of our little 15 hp imports and also true of our 100+ hp JDs. That's just how tractors tend to be...

Well.... interesting question. Many hydraulic and water pipe use the same threads, particularly the interference type like NPT. And on older US farm tractors you will see a lot of what sure look like water pipe fittings. The OEM fittings on our old John Deere model 60 loader - vintage 1950s -...

Good point. There's just no reason at all that the backhoe and FEL can't be mounted to the same heavy subframe. And at the same time leaving space for a complete hydraulic 3pt. All those parts could easily be on the tractor at the same time and ready to use - while still leaving room for a PTO...

I had to deal with insurance after a disaster. Having never been through a disaster I was amazed at what I didnt know. Wish I knew then what I do now. There's a need for someone who would go to disasters just to help people get started on the paperwork. I had no idea what to expect, so was at...

The Nebraska Tractor Tests haven't stopped. They just don't test compacts and utility size like they used to do. I was speculating on why that part of their testing was stopped. They still test new larger tractors and have been working on their website. You can check it out & see what you think...

I've also found the tractor data site to be helpful and accurate. It's a remarkable help to the tractor community. It would be nice if real world testing like the Nebraska testing was done with today's machines - but I can't imagine any industry accepting the expense... or taking the risk.

Not sure. But check connections first. The solenoid is an electromagnet that sends high amperage to the starter motor when it gets a signal from the key switch. So it should have three terminals. Two are heavy, threaded terminals intended to carry power from the battery to the starter. One of...

Congratulations. It sure looks good. Most new tractors have a period of time when you have to adjust and fix a lot of picky things - if it happens, don't let that get you down. The standard for a Bush hog is the venerable Woods five foot M5 Dixie Cutter with the single trailing wheel. Mine...

Sounds like you are not having success with the rebuilds. You would be better off to have just changed out the cylinders. To answer your original question - yes, you can mix brands of hydraulic cylinders for your bucket cylinders. They come in standard sizes, and are inexpensive enough you can...

Not sure I'd want to chain all 4 wheels on a 4WD. Traction is awesome if you do, and I did it myself for years - but use caution when the traction gets too good. There is a real mechanical danger of breaking something in the drive train. Tractors need tire slippage in 4wd to protect the drive...

Yes, after a lifetime of mechanical work we learn to include preface each diagnosis with "probably".

OK. Well then it isn't something really weird like the rods all suddenly bending or shrinking half an inch.... I doubted that too, but after enough mechanical mysteries we learn to check everything. Someday I'll write about the bug in the main jet. So it stays curious. Gotta say it sure is...

Nothng wrong with doing that, but hydro locking is much more rare and a much bigger deal than an electrical problem. If he can turn the engine a few degrees with fan and belt or socket I'd do that too. The noise of a solenoid closeing is pretty distinctive - plus you can put your hand on it...

Yep. That's usually where that problem is. Often an easy fix and sometimes due to rainwater running down the shifter. Take the cover off and have a look.

I've done that on a lot of engines. Sometimes it works. Worth a try. Most starter problems that are not battery & cable related are actually solenoid problems and not in the starter motor at all. rScotty

I don't know anything about your tractor other than it has 70 hp., but when I put a set of 15" chains on the front of our John Deere 530 they didn't seem to help much at all in the snow. rScotty

Well, since you asked I'll attempt an answer. It helps that like yourself I've been around long enough to to see changes in the economy as normal cycles. Us oldsters can handle the situation because we have learned to adapt to whatever cycle we are in. Your grandson's being self-employed and...

I think so too. Retail prices should drop, but won't. It would be nice if prices would drop immediately, because in the past that has seemed to be one of the necessary first steps toward curing a recession. But for prices to fall, dealers would have to be willing to drop prices and take a...

Just thinking.....I mean, they must be out there somewhere. Right? Especially those 20 to 40 year old pre-emission utility size John Deeres. People really liked those 30 to 65 hp machines. They can't swim, don't tend to wander off, and rarely break - even if they did, people seem to fix...

Yes, now that I look closer I see that the sync shuttle sticker is still on the side. That identifies the transmission as being like a stick shift automobile rather than the sliding gear type that required stopping to shift, or the power shuttle type where the clutch was optional. In the sync...

That's funny! Ars Technica Science News. Aren't they the standard in something or other? Not sure what, but it was in something though. Surely is a good thing we have the reliable Internet to keep those sneaky scientists from all the time trying to pull wool over our eyes.

Oh, back to the OP's question. It's the 990 of course. There is a lot of difference between 600 and 2500 hours on a compact. It's a little more tractor and still small enough to do compact work. This tractor all depends if the owner likes an old fashioned standard shift. On a tractor with a...

Well... that's a whole different level of tractor than a 790/990 JD by Yanmar. The 5310 is a utility size with a much larger everything, and 2000 hours on it is just getting into late adolescence. A dandy. Probably with a 12 speed shuttle transmission - best of all worlds. And built with iron...

Still using our 1958 JD530. Nice old GASOLINE AG tractor with power steering, live independent PTO, loader, and probably the nicest 3pt hitch ever. Quiet, starts right up, runs nice. Tore the engine down at approx 12,000 hrs because I had the time and was sure it needed something. Everything...

Cmiller, are you having a problem with your machine? We have some pretty knowledgeable members with Kubota TLBs. rScotty

I'm the same way. When looking for a tool to do one job or last for a few years the initial cost is big. If I'm looking at a tool that has to be ready to work all day every day in any weather and put up with my maintenance - then cost changes to, "Can I afford it not to work"? I still like...

Ugh. It doesn't sound like the right one to start with at all. There are lots of those out there. If you want a loader - and it iseems the most handy of all implements - then I think that power steering is a necessity, and 4wd nearly as important. We had three tractors with loaders and no power...

If you look back at that chart I posted, an engine can start and run well but show low compression on a test if the starter is dragging - that is if it doesn't crank fast. If the compression gauge & adapter have a slight leak, that will have more of an effect if the starter is turning slowly...

When you say, " There is power going to the starter but no power goinjg to the solenoid" I don't understand this sentence, and it's probably going to confuse other electrical guys, too. " A solenoid is just an on/off switch powered by electricity instead of a manual knob or lever. The key...

I looked at buying one of those Yanmars-made JDs back back when they first came out. In fact I've still got the old advertising info from 1982. I think I would have heard if there have been any problems with the FEL and axles. Yours is the first I've heard of it. Since then I've tractors as a...

Just so people don't lose track of this discussion, the same principles we are discussing for loaders also apply to the entire tractor. It's natural for buyers to want to believe that higher price doesn't mean higher quality of manufacure. Or to say it another way, that it is possible to get...

Weil, I'm glad it cranks up and is running better. Those 3 cylinder Yanmars were extremely smooth and quiet running engine. I've heard the stories about running engines hard to make them run better, but no experience doing that. The white smoke might have been unburned diesel fuel. When diesel...

Same thing here - although in the Western US that changes to "getting away from cities and tyrannical red AND blue states". But everything else is the same here as you describe.

That's what we have, a rider on our homeowners. Reasonable price. Nothing special. Only covers on the property.

I read it. My impression is that every single feature of that engine is directly opposite from the technically simple heavy cast-iron industrial gasoline engines that powered generations of farm tractors and machinery here in the US. Those industrial engines were powerful at low RPM, low heat...

Many modern gas and diesel engines already have a battery powered electric tool like that built right into the back of the motor.

There was a time when diesels were the simplest motors. They were entirely mechanical without any electrical systems or carburetors. Gas engines were better at just about everything else, and much less expensive because of the lower compression ratio. I liked the gasoline industrial engines...

$17 a gallon? I bought it a couple of years ago and believe it was about half that at Car Quest. What surprised me was staight and 50/50 were about the same price. All of my equipment is old enough that it uses ethylene glycol type coolant. I also have some Cool Guard left from a few years...

We had a YM336D. Best tractor I ever owned...bar none. Remarkably powerful and handy. Might be the best 30 to 40 hp tractor period with the powershift, PS, fancy loader, draft, and optional creeper gearing. If I could buy a new one today I would just to have it. But it sounds to me like your...

I've always felt the same. Ethylene glycol is just a chemical with pretty good lube and anti corrosion properties that lowers the freezing point of water. I pay attention to is whether it is pure ethylene glycol or has it already been mixed 50/50 with distilled water. Price is often the same...

Correct or not, that is just the way that geometry and physics works. Small differences make for a wide variation in lift capacity and in where the lift occurs. That is true for every loader and every design. Check it yourself. Every loader I have ever looked at has a lower lift capacity at max...

"It simply has a higher lift capacity. At any height. Period. Full stop." That would make sense if it were true, but I'm afraid it isn't. The lift capacity at any height depends on the design of the loader geometry. A loader can be made to have its max lift at any height. "Useful Lift...

That's what I think. More than that, we are comparing a decent 40 year old Kubota to a what? To a 7+ year old box store Zero Turn? Whoops.... Actually either one sounds like an OK buy for a mechanical guy looking to trade work for expense. Even if neither one is broken, both are worn to the...

I only own one T4 final machine....and it doesn't care if the battery stays connected. It's not a tractor & is DEF...so maybe it is the exception. Do T4 final tractors have a place to plug in a spare battery while the battery is out for maintenance? So what do you do when it comes time to...

There are no standardized requirements. Every manufacturer can publish anything that they want, and claim whatever they feel they can get away with. It's advertising over engineering. In my opinion you are exactly right that similar machines probably actually should and do have similar...

We bought one of the first of the new generation 7.3 powerstoke F250s in 1995. Standard shift, 4x4, extended cab and topper. It got about 12 mpg in town and 15 on the road. Towed well. At 50,000 engine repairs had almost equaled the purchase price. At 100,000 mechanical repairs had exceeded the...

With a battery mounted into an electrically conductive frame like a tractor, truck or car, it doesn't matter if we are talking about a switch or a wire - either one can only go bad in two ways: It can either not make contact with anything, or it can make contact with the frame. Neither is...

SmallChange: Lifting and curling forward is exactly what you'd do to drop the implement if it's not pinned. rSCOTTY: Yes. that's right. In order to see the pin engagement from the tractor seat you have to curl the bucket down - and then if the pin isn't engaged the bucket will fall off. In...

I have battery disconnects on my tractors, camper, and boat. I try to put them on the negative side so if anything goes wrong it doesn't cause a problem. But I don't stress over which lead .... if it is handier to mount it I have no problem using the positive side. I think you see them on the...

Sure you can do that. Yanmar used to make about 4 different models of subframe and 3pt PTO-driven backhoes for their 25 hp and under tractors. So did several other companies. Bradco still does. We had one...It was Yanmar model YBH600, and cost about $2500 back in 1985. They aren't real popular...

OH... Good Question. Modern engines don't do it much if at all but older diesels did - especially if cold or running too slow. And also when burning heavy #2 diesel fuel. When it happens, you won't forget it. The engine will cough about twice and then spit a load of black wet sloppy half burned...

Or maybe not. I hate to say this GRS, but it could be too late for your tractor. After all, what happens if you stop doing that now and don't do it again for the next 26 years? Then if something untoward happens you still won't know what caused it.... Maybe it makes more sense to just make...

Thanks for the exploded views. They add to the fun. I was pretty sure we were looking at a Z134, but not positive. Yes, you did mention that the rockers were all on the same plane - and I just forgot to comment on it. But that is absolutely fascinating. What in the world could cause that? Even...

I used to see top links that had a hand crank handle on the side. Real easy to adjust. At one time they were popular aftermarket on older JDs for category I/II, so they may still be available somewhere.

Good grief, I just spent 5 and a half minutes watching someone else split wood..... Looks like good firewood, though. Wish we had that kind of hardwood here. What kind of wood is hard and twisted like that? Maybe apple or olive? It looks near to impossible to split those pieces with an axe...

I doubt it will hurt it in the short term. Yours is from the same era and a little larger than our 59 hp Kubota M59 - but close in type - and ours is happy doing basic backhoe work building stone walls all afternoon running right around 1200 RPM. I call that a "fast idle" amd it is 50% faster...

The climate is changing. Everyone seems to agree with that if not with why. We had some flood damage from a storm a few years back, and and about two dozen neighbors lost heavily. As a result, everyone around here is a lot more knowledgeable about how insurors view flood damage. Just for...

The trouble with that is tractors over-loaded on the front can break in half even if counter-balanced on the back end. Or some put a backhoe on the back and pick up a bucket full of dirt with the FEL for a counterweight. Either way can break it in half. There's a thread going on right now...

That's right. There's a limit to how much loader a certain size and shape of tractor can handle. But advertising departments have been inflating those numbers for decades now because some newbie buyers are influenced by them. Or the numbers are real, but as you point out they are unusable. Maybe...

That's a lot of acreage and tillage+hay vs working around a horse facility are two different & complementary jobs. BTW, I agree with what DRUMMINJ wrote back in post #4, & think it is worth repeating, "the market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent"...basically, even if...

I thinki you mean you are looking for something prior to Tier 4 Final (2007 to 2013 roughly). Your Tier 3 only applied to engines over 100 hp. You would be OK with anything Tier 1, Tier 2, or "Tier 4 Interim" for your 30 to 50 hp tractors. ALL manufacturers had changed to Tier 4 Final - which...

Your first step would be to pull the injectors and have them checked out - or buy a simple tool and do it yourself. It might be the injectors and not compression at all. While the injectors are out you can do a compression test - be sure to use a diesel gauge - and with injector and compression...

I don't know what work you are doing, but the TC33d sounds a bit too small.

I agree.... During the DPF and regen debate the whole idea of RPM and traditional diesel efficiency somehow got overlooked. Customers were quick to accept running their new diesels wide open. Not sure why..... It's gotten crazy, though. I've got a neighbor who bought a new 50 hp Kubota and...

That struck me too, and I forgot to mention it. Thanks for bringing it up. rScotty

Good on you for making the time and effort to sell used tires. Back when we were poor - for about the first 50 years of my life - "new tires" for every vehicle we had always meant finding usable used ones. I don't think I ever bought new tires during that whole time. That degree of 2nd hand...

I see that shim.... no idea at all. Not only do I not know what it is, I can't figure out where it would have come from. It has to be part of the rocker gear.. right?? And where is the rest of it? I looked around online to see if I could find an exploded view or parts diagram for the motor and...

Joachim, thanks for all the postings. I've always liked ZETORS - there is a lot to recommend them to any mechanically-oriented person....along with a few quirks..... I'd agree that Czech design & manufacturing can be top notch. Exceptionally roomy comfortable cabs, too. They just feel quality...

If anything, I'd consider three cylinders an advantage. Three cylinders are supposed to be easier to design with dynamic balance than 4 cylinders, and maybe that is the case. Anyway, I've had a couple of three cylinder tractors and driven a few more. What I've noticed just on these few is that...

The Amazon guarantee seems pretty good to me. I use it a lot; it saves me fuel and time I'd otherwise spend on a trip to town to see the local retailer. I interpret the Amazon guarantee to mean, "Guaranteed to be worth keeping". If I don't agree its worth keeping, I send it back. For me that...

I never worry about an occasional bit of fluid coming out of the weep hole. It could have been just how the shaft versus bearing and seal were sitting last time it was shut off. I don't know for sure, but at one time I figured that some waterpump early failure was from having the fan belt too...

Nice pictures, the first thing that leaps out at me there is do I see green grass? In NY in November? On the rocker shaft & valves I don't see anything obviously amiss. Do you? A couple of little things: I do see a little bit of carbon crust on the what I think are the exhaust valve...

S854 writes: "Where does one access this "SHOP MANUAL"? JUST FOR CURIOSITY, TONIGHT I GOOGLED YOUR TRACTOR: "Kioti CK2610 HST" & "WORKSHOP MANUAL". THERE ARE DOZENS FOR SALE - BOTH IN PRINT AND PFD. INCLUDING USED ONES ON EBAY. SO IF YOU REALLY ARE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW KIOTI HANDLES TORQUE SPECS...

Do you mean does your method make sense or does theirs? Your method makes sense to me if you are asking if you are interpreting a bolt/head torque chart correctly. But do you really want to fly that close to the sun? I can see that their simple bolt chart makes sense for a basic operator's...

That type of isolated automatic system is not possible. How would the generator know when to turn itself on and make an automatic transfer if it was not able to constantly sensing the incoming power to be able to tell when it failed? And to do that it has to be connected to the main panel. If...

There has been a lot of threads about quick disconnects holding pressure. Since its raining, there is no better time to read some old threads. Spoiler Alert: The answer is always to release the pressure on the fitting and make the connection. Then normal circulation can take place. But if the...

I didn't make the specs, although it makes sense to me that the most important thing about tire sizing is to fit the tire to the wheel. Everything else is dependent on the application, and the tire manufacturer has no control over that. You're asking for the impossible. You are the one who...

That's right. Two tires can be marked exactly the same size, but if they have a different number of plies, or a different orientation to the plies, or are made from a different rubber compound ..... Any of those things can make them have a different loaded radius and rolling circumference. So...

Houses with generators that power household circuits through the Load Center are required to have an approved Transfer Switch which positively disconnects the house from the grid when the generator is running. That is so your generator doesn't fry the guys working on the grid by "backfeeding"...

Both of your tires are "right". The specs that I attached to message #14 are TIRE specs. The specs you are quoting as 11.2x24 are for the WHEEL that tire goes ojn. . All 11.2 x 24 tires will have those same exact measurements. They are industry wide standard measurements for the size of wheel...

That's one of my favorite old tractors. A friend had one for 40 years or more. Gasser. Needed nothing - except he perpetually wished for Power Steering. Like a lot of machinery from that era, they were designed to be worth keeping forever. Returning to that rebuildable philosophy of mechanical...

Nice problem solving. I'm betting on the return line disconnect myself. To be more rigorous, the OP can make up a pressure tester to go between the quick disconnects. Use a hydraulic T, a 5000 psi gauge, and thread couplers on each end of the T to match your own disconnects. Amazon has some...

Most of the tire manufacturers have that spec in their tire catalogues but not in their sales materials. There are several specs you can use. Overall Diameter and Static Loaded Radius are both useful for height comparisons when the tractor is sitting still. If it is moving, you want to match the...

We want to see some pictures!

We didn't know about the cab, but agree that stops most sources of water intrusion. Besides, water is so easy to tell since it turns normally translucent hydraulic oil into a liquid that looks like dirty milk. That makes water hard to miss. So if it isn't water, it is most likely drawing air...

I agree. If the backhoe is on a strong subframe it is fine to move it around like that. You don't want to do that with the old style universal 3pt mounted backhoes.

Well, none of us was born knowing how to fix things. Just like reading or arithmetic or economics, learning mechanics isn't magic. It's just a matter of studying a subject and then doing it enough to get good at it. And yes, it is true that learning inevitably involves mistakes like lemons and...

The difference is that your code reader doesn't do the repair, it just does the diagnosis of what to repair. And the problem with that is diagnostic part of a repair was always the fun and most interesting part of the job. The rest is just cleaning parts and turning wrenches. Having a...

I hear you and feel much the same. Our tractors are a bit larger than we need at our place now that the hard work is done. Oh, they do OK, and have earned the right to stay for the occasions they are needed - but most of the work we do now is on about a 2 to 4 acre portion between house and...

There are several parts to answer your question. First of all - YES, the newer tractors are becoming more difficult to repair. And yes, making them difficult is a deliberate policy of all the manufacturers. It isn't just tractors, it includes cars, appliances and anything mechanical. In some...

Ok, but again, unless the axle went clear dry for so long it ruined the front axle I'd just add oil occasionally. The books call for filling the front axle housing about half full of oil, but looking at most of them I see no reason why it cannot by filled just to the bottom of the input bearing...

Yes. I should have mentioned that. Thank you. Since the loader responds well I assumed that the filters and fluid were good - but actually that is something that is always worth checking and especially with a tractor bought used. I believe that model is one that has a cleanable wire mesh sump...

Well, it can be fixed of course. This is just bolting and taking things apart and putting it back together while keeping all the shims strictly labeled and in order. Or maybe none of that is required and that seal can be put in from outside. Wouldn't that be sweet? All the compact front 4wd...

That's funny. I confess to not reading the whole post before clicking on the link. Great minds think alike....

Boy that takes me back. Right.. back when the carburetor choke plate was actuated by a rod running up from a bi-metallic coil spring that sat inside the heat riser on the exhaust manifold. Those of you who have no idea what I'm describing are lucky to be so young.

Standing, leaning, a piece of tape on the bucket - plus I'm learning I really ought to line it up on the level and in low gear. rScotty

Nice Photos!

You've got it. The problem is with the universal 3pt mounted hoes, not the subframe mounted ones. And yes, it is a hazard because of where the operator sits on those type hoes. BTW, the first thing to enter the operator area in my case were the backhoe control levers. I felt them move toward me...

I wondered about that too. It could happen if the tapers don't match and he has to keep tightening to keep the tie rod end from spinning. I wonder if lapping compound would tell us something.

I confess that I haven't taken my manual ones off to clean them up and check how they work. But I "think" that whether the lever actuation is manual or electric or hydraulic the only difference is in how the cam lever is being moved - it doesn't change the spring force that is used to engage...

welcome. Hours don't mean so much on seals. Sometimes you just get a bum seal - or the lips get nicked during installation - and they leak a little. There are other reasons too, but we start with the simple ones. Frankly if it were mine and I only found a half a cup of oil in the driveshaft...

I wish I knew more about HST transmissions because it sure sounds to me like that is where the problem is. There is a high pressure pump in there, and it is a major component. Lots of us old mechanics know standard gear transmissions quite well, but not much about HST even though they have...

About how I feel. It's clever and I'd use it on a smaller tractor. On the M59 with 4000 lbs of lift, the latch pins can get a little bit sticky. Half the time I can work the levers by hand - but the other times it helps to use a handy 4 foot cheater pipe. I also like to visually inspect that...

No biggie. It would be better if it didn't leak at all, but a lot of 4wd tractors leak a bit there. Have you been doing a lot of operating on steep slopes? The oil has to be coming from the drive shaft seal, either at the front axle or at the transmission. What matters more is why and how...

Most tractors come with very basic seats. There are a huge amount of aftermarket seats available in every size and with or without armrests. You'd have a hard time spending more than $400 on a different seat. Many are universal mount with 4 bolts. A lot of tractors never see a dealer after...

Maybe it won't need anything ever... it's possible; tractors are pretty reliable. We've had half a dozen over the years and very seldom any repairs of any kind.

I've wondered the same thing. At my shop we specialized in electricals and everyone there must have done hundreds of battery connections. Technically, the answer is easy: you should put on the grease after the connection is made and tightened because the grease is an insulator. But...

Well, it is expensive! I think so too..... But there are others even more expensive though not many. When you think about it, having seed means somebody has figured out how to grow that particular crop in bulk and harvest it for seed. I'm surprised that it's worth doing. Be sure to run your own...

You have the understanding of how it works basically correct. The automatic draft control responds to top link compression by lifting the 3pt arms when the load on the implement is increased. That increased load happens when a plow either goes deeper or hits a rock or root - all of those cause...

I see it. It looks nice - a lot like the first ones I did. They were small too. The problem on each small creek pond is always getting access. As you've probably found, the hard part is getting close enough to the water to accomplish anything. But once you build one access point it gets easier...

It's not as bad as you think to do the seeding for a few acres. But hand-raking it in was sure a lot work. I'll be glad when I get the little turf-tired Yanmar tractor rebuilt. I loved that little tractor. Anyway, a few hours did for the hand seeding. Then came the hand raking to cover the seed...

Well, thanks right back at you for understanding my concern. For several years having the draft control fold up a 3pt backhoe with operator pinned in the seat made the list as either the most - or one of the most common farm tractor fatalities. My local JD dealer has a plaque to one of their...

Here's what I did. To keep the seat from bottoming out I simply adjusted the knob at the front of the seat to pre-load the spring. I'm a six feet tall and weigh 190 lbs. rScotty

Be careful considering the draft control a "fuse". That concept not correct. If there is any chance of putting the top link into compression - such as using down pressure on the hoe - You must turn off the draft control when using the backhoe . rScotty

Grass seed is much smaller and lighter than wheat. I didn't have much luck doing it by hand. Bought a little battery-powered broadcaster from Home Depot for I think $30. and did a couple of acres in a few hours. It came up very well.

Talk about deals, a few years ago I missed an older basic cabbed JD310 with 600 hours. Retired guy had bought it and kept it in his garage just for his own use. Basic machine, but like new. 4WD & extendahoe, plastic still on the seat. He wanted what he paid for it - which was around 50K. Back...

I agree, that is why I believe a "low-water crossing" as I described is his best option. It is also able to be constructed either without or with minimal permitting because it is not an impoundment above the flow level. A properly designed low-water crossing is simple to make by resisting the...

In order to hold opinions on mechanical quality it's necessary to either rely on others or to educate yourself on the subject. I've owned a number of Toyotas and Lexus. Mechanical design and modification has been a lifelong hobby and avocation of mine. Repair is also a hobby. There is a huge...

And that's the problem: The guys who understand how to buy quality used iron don't have to to worry about unexpected major megabuck repairs. When looking at used machines, those guys rarely miss important warning signs. But if they do, they simply shrug and fix it themselves for the price of...

That's a Yanmar engine isn't it? I sort of remember that size Yanmar used a 190 degree thermostat. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything under a 180 degree thermostat. Anyway, with the JD 650 - or any of the early Yanmar built JDs - you will get a lot more info if you drop down to the Yanmar...

I have a similar situation with a small creek, rocks, sand, and culverts. You are overthinking it. Just dig a channel and lay those pipes into it at the depth you want the little pond. Put them at least a foot or two apart. Slope them a bit down - a quarter inch drop for each horizontal foot is...

It might require a chain link over the face. And then I would spray shotcrete over that. It seems an easy do it yourself project to make the sprayer, but I don't find any info. & don't want to reinvent what I can simply buy. rScotty

Foaming and overfill both sound like rainwater in the hydraulic oil. Often enters past shifter levers where they plug into transmission top shifter plate. Doubt its the vent. Could be, but other is more likely. Drain, refill, and tarp.

Go back and read my message #17 and then tell us if you followed up with the tractor - actually met the guy and drove it around. I get the impression that Mahindras are more variable than some other makes. It may be a good one.... or otherwise. Worth a look. I think the price is OK. Besides...

To answer the original question about how waterproof tractors are... they are pretty good if you cover the obvious places that water can get in - the seat, the dash, key slots, switches, any shift levers or such on the floor that has a rubber collar or bellows, the center of the steering wheel...

I like fluid-filled gauges & have had no problem with them. They seem higher quality. The only downside I know of is with the liquid used for filling. And that's only a problem if they live outside in cold weather. Glycerin is common but it can freeze at normal winter temperatures. Freezing...

Price on the bucket seems 10% high, but reasonable. What happened to the old bucket? OTOH, 100 tri-axles of good soil of any kind would just flat break the bank here. Maybe $500 each delivered?

Yesterday's fuel prices on the front range in Colorado. It varies. Yesterday I paid $3.56 for regular. Gas tax here in Colorado is $.22/gallon, Diesel is $.20. Most think those taxes are too high, but the roads are good so nobody complains much. M

Many thanks for that link. Well that's an interesting internet building group for sure. Their projects make for a nice read about the tires and compaction. Takes me back to the 70s and watching the Peace Corp do their projects in Central America. Nice to know that there are innovative firms...

Well, that sounds a whole lot better. An 80 year old described as a gentleman and one known to you locally are all good things. Those things change my opinion in a way that only a Southerner can fully appreciate. Continuing to use the tractor is even better. Now you be sure to tell this old...

If you are a good enough tractor mechanic to be considering an unknown older tractor for $20K, then you are probably a good enough to deal with just about any mechanical problems - right up to complete rebuilds. So how good a mechanic are you? That's the first question to ask. Chances are it is...

I know nothing about spraying cement and/or grass seed - except that we have some raw areas here in the mountains that could sure benefit from some slope stabiliztion. From the pictures of coastal and flood erosion I see, this might be useful for other areas too. So if anyone has any info I'm...

Yep. Same opinion here. A FEL is made to scoop and carry things in a bucket. Digging is hard on them. Especially hard on 4wd axles and lightweight removable FELs. Sure, you can get away with using it for digging for awhile. Just know that digging with the FEL makes compact tractors get old...

Oh...good thinking. I hadn't gotten that far into it myself - but now that you mention it is obvious that the angle of the rake to the ground is going to make quite a difference. I'd best start by assuming that the main body of the rake is horizontal. Woods has a wonderful simple and quick way...

I think you are right. That's how I ended up with two rock buckets. I'd love to see some before and after pictures of the work you did. On our Woods Landscape rake it turns out that there are a couple of oddities with the design that I suspect have kept it from ever being a more popular...

Yeah, I agree. It would be the fastest and most cost efficient way.... And then they could get on with all the rest of the project. And buy a smaller less expensive utility tractor with a loader. But shucks, half the fun of working a piece of land like that is in the doing it yourself. Us old...

I think what newbury is saying is that the graph is a style that is one year long and has 4 years of data. Now there is nothing wrong with wrapping the years like that to save space, but doing so means that the end of one year and the beginning of the next year should be the same number on the...

Yes. That's the ticket. We've had a dozen tractors & live in a rugged wild area. I watched the video - looks wonderful. A great adventure! By now I think you have figured out that a medium size tractor with a loader added to the front and a hoe to the back is NOT the same as a real TLB...

That's generous of you. It reminds me of graphs from the sales department of a large corporation that I did some work for. Their sales dept. always skewed their graphs to back up a sales pitch - they weren't there to display exact numerical data. It wasn't a problem. Everyone realized that...

One thing you notice when valuing time over money is how many things are thrown away that are 90% good as new. If that rings your chimes, choose wisely - the USA part of the world is full of valuable things that only need is to be taken apart and fixed. Go for the good ones. Then for very...

Over the last 70 something years I have been watching, not a single predicted change in society or the economy ever amounted to much. We talked about expected changes, but when by the time they arrived they had lost their impact. Not so for the unexpected changes.... From tornados to floods...

I think you mean "decompression", not "compression valve". And I believe what you refer to is the control - usually a lever or knob on the dash that you could operate (pull) when cranking the engine. It's a control that holds the exhaust valve open on one or more cylinders whlle the starter is...

The hoe is a tempting add-on, but it's really no contest. The Kubota is newer with lower hours and is a well known premium quality tractor that holds it's value. Very reliable. If you wanted to swap the Kubota for something else down the road you can do that, too. Or find a 3pt backhoe to...

Doing one doesn't mean doing the other. It's a matter of perception.

I'm not sure yet how you will end up doing this, but will say that I find having a hydraulic thumb is worth the effort. For an older guy, the BH and thumb is incredibly useful for picking and placing anything. I guess the first place to start is with the factory mechanical thumb. Does yours...

I am cautious. When I worked in industry I had to be. It's part of the job. When I would read industry trade magazines - and I still get a pile of them - I look first to see if the particular trade represented or their main advertisers would have anything to gain by the views presented in an...

I only pose the question; and I do that because I don't know the answer. My boots don't cover enough ground, and I don't know how to tell trusted sources from others. But I do know some places not to expect the truth. I certainly don't expect truth from sources or publications within an...

Right, so is Rig Count UP? or is it DOWN? In every instance it seems that one group of reporters says one thing while another slants it differently. How can voters to make intelligent decisions when faced with slanted, biased news reporting? And how to tell one from another?

I think jyoutz was using "question" in the sense of challenging something, not as an enquiry. If you change his sentence so that it reads ".....right to CHALLENGE anything,...." then it makes sense. Used otherwise as written, I agree with Hay Dude. Questioning somethiong isn't radical; it's...

I use a BatteryMINDER myself. One of the older 2/4/8 amp AGM, Flooded, or Gel cell selectable model 12248 - Which reminds me.... does anyone still run Gel cell batteries? Anyway, it's got to be 10 years old, maybe 15. Like the Aviation model this MINDER has full time desulfation and also...

That's a little blunt. But it reminds me of my dad defining "stupidity" as doing the same thing over and over even though it keeps on having the same wrong result. It would be nice if we could fix the economy politically, but it has never worked that way in the past. So if we try that the...

You may be on to something there. Just like our society is more divided politically than it used to be, it is becoming apparent to all of us that it is divided financially as well. All around us the wealthy half are living large in a strong economy, while the less wealthy are struggling...

I don't see the problem with spending. It seems to me that the problem is with borrowing.

The last 100 years of US economic downturns are about evenly distributed between democrats and republicans. To us common folk whose taxes pay for everything it sure seems like economics ought to connect strongly with politics, but history shows it doesn't. rScotty

No advice is always all good without some mods. But the basic principle still applies. When rates are high, buy a house that needs repair and save on price and high rates both. You can still live in it. When rates on new houses are high is when old ones are bargains. Then when rates change...

Very nice. Nice photo. Lots of folks don't even know about all the things that can be done to manually improve the 3pt hitch without going to hydraulics. It used to be that things like leveling boxes for the lift arms and top link were "add ones" as were pin-adjustable sway bar linkages.

I'm not good at "reading between the lines" - or I might say I think I am good, but keep gettihg it wrong. What I am saying is I still don't get the point about Deere. As far as high interest and these poor financial times, the answer to that one is simple. When the interest rates are high...

I think you had to live through those periods to fully understand how they differed financially from today. Since you brought up the subject of borrowing, I'll stick with that. It's a good way to look at the differences. In all of those times you mention, today's interest rates would have been...

Keep in mind that article was written almost 15 years ago and during the depths of a major recession. It's more than a little bit dated. Today isn't even close to then. Those who watch may notice that people who are making money don't talk about it much. That causes articles and discussions to...

Did you post the right article? I didn't see anything in there about Deere. Our yellow Deere dealer is doing well. We avoid the green JD dealership so don't have any idea about them. Kubota is doing well. Lots of tractors and lots of sales. Not a used machine on the lot. I'm sorry to hear that...

That's right. Same as LD1 said. The 3pt control valve doesn't need to have either an external pressure or an external return (tank) line because for the 3pt both of those features are internal. Adding an external valve needs dedicated plumbing.

*$50K for a "new 50hp Yanmar with a cab and every bell and whistle." I'm surprised that the Yanmar isn't more expensive. Yanmars were traditionally priced higher than the competiiton. They are like JD that way. Maybe that has changed, but I wouldn't count of them always being less expensive...

Now that's a big rock! In granite or sandstone...doesn't really matter. A 15,000 lb rock is roughly the size of a living room sofa. Naturally rounded boulders are pricy landscape items. If you have a local market, a couple of rocks that size can easily repay the cost of the excavator time. rScotty

But it would just be dumb luck if they had the proper PB port plug/sleeve combo for that control valve. And that's what is needed.

Maybe so. Back in the 1980s compact tractors were the new thing. There were 20 or 30 companies all trying for the same market. When they came to the US, Yanmar already had a proven product and had used the same idea JD had popularized decades before of being priced higher but being simple...

A clogged vent would raise pressure by tens of psi, not thousands. Not enough to shear a woodruff key or cause an engine to labor. If you are worried about it you can open the fill port or loosen the dipstick. Both of those can also vent the air above the hydraulic sump.

Whoa, good catch! I didn't even notice that. Lucky for him he didn't get it working. Black iron water plumbing fittings and teflon tape. Good thing you saw that. Old timers got away with using a particular type of iron plumbing fitting because the tractors of 50 years ago ran 1000 to 1200 psi...

It does sound like a blockage is building up too much pressure. There should be a relief valve that opens before damage is done...but that might have only lasted for the two hours. Often they are noisy in bypass mode. And they heat up the hydraulic fluid remarkably hot. Next thing to break will...

There's an enjoyment in rebuilding an engine that is often missed these days when everything is about cost. I've got an old cast iron 12 hp Briggs that has already outlasted half a dozen cheaper motors. It probably always will. So I hope you do find those parts and continue posting about the...

Thanks, K5lwq. It helps to know that Ptsg and I are making sense. I think that 2011laramie will "get it" with another look. After all, he's showing the capped PB plug in his photos - so he is looking in the right place. All he needs to do is get the proper PB plug and be good to go. BTW, that...

Those all seem to be very good points, and I feel the same. But given the excellent returns in recent years, shareholders are unlikely to complain about JD's monopolization of repair and maintenance - or about the current design goals. And as you point out, the customers have no voice. So I...

Putting the spade in series with the tractor's PB line requires that the spade's control valve also has a PB port with the proper sleeve. If the spade PB line was in use before it should have the right sleeve. Both control valves also require a return line back to the sump. rScotty

It sounds like it can be made to work. When the pressure hose is too small it will just slow down the operation but it will still work. Good practice when you have to run any distance is to make the return (tank) line a larger size than the pressure line. Also, if the new return joins with any...

Well, since it lifts OK but then drops on its own while running that's a little bit different from the 3pt hitch dropping that we usually hear people dealing with. It sounds like it is either a leaky 3pt piston/cylinder - or a bad 3pt control valve. My vote would be that it is the...

Not quite the same situation, but you might use the pics below as an idea. Lots of 4wd levers don't have a detent - or not much of one. They seem to rely on luck and driveshaft windup torque to keep the 4wd engaged. Driveshaft windup happens in 4wd tractors because they have the...

The outer size of tires can be different even though the tires on the sidewall are the same. The numbers on the sidewalls are the wheel rim bead diameter that the tire fits onto and bead width of the wheel that the tire shoud be mounted on. The tire itself has specs for overall size - but they...

For little equipment like your backhoe - or ours - (16,000 lbs) the normal thing is to lift it up with the outriggers, take off the rear tires often needs an air wrench, use the backhoe to lift them into a trailer, and take them to the industrial/Ag tire shop. Many rural areas have some sort...

On our backhoe/loader I prefer the industrial tread in as wide as will fit my rims & has clearance to the fenders and outriggers. I wouldn't use Ag tires on a TLB. Around here Titan brand tires are popular & is what we use - but all the name brands make a good heavy industrial tire. Take a look...

Oh, I see you did list the 3pt linkage kit. Yes, I'd get that 3pt kit just because it may not be available 30 years from now and it is nice to have. But keep another tractor for 3pt as I said. On the bucket...what kind of dirt do you have and what do you plan to do with the BH? I have a 12"...

I'd probably keep it for a couple of reasons. 1. you know it, you know its maintenance and foibles.... and it will be worth 17K or more for another 5 years/500 hrs. So it doesn't cost you anything and probably won't depreciate - not sure I can say the same about dollars. 2. I think you are...

That's a nice compact explanation from MHarryE. I'll add my my own way of looking at it and hope it helps as much as his does. The main filter is a suction filter that filters all the trans/hydraulic oil for the whole system. After that filter, some of the oil goes to the main pump/steering...

I find that funny, ovrszd. But I'm not sure that everyone will understand your humor.

Not surprised that you are having problems with modern replacements for old voltage regulators. The way the old solenoid/resistance VRs were designed doesn't lend itself well to today's cost-saving or "cheaper is better" type of manufacturing. This is a whole different era. When you get tired...

No I didn't, but thanks for the fascinating link. We leased Gleaners, not the JDs that big farmers had. The years of the 1950s were a whole different era. Post WWII, the adults were happy just to be alive and their joy was infectious. We lived in the best country ever, where anyone could do...

Just curious what you are looking for in the JD4066? The MF 1754 seems pretty close in size. rScotty

Yes, that's true. And it really does date you.