Awwww man.......! (tragedy strikes)

[Farmwithjunk]

It HAD to happen sooner or later.... My '71 MF 150 suffered a mechanical failure yesterday.

Almost 4 years ago, I decided to "clean it up". That led to an eventual paint job, a few thousand hours of searching Ebay/Craigslist/internet sites to find OEM "original" parts to make it look as new as possible. Nothing seriously mechanical was touched. It didn't need anything, 'cept a set of tires, belts and hoses, and a couple tie rod ends.

During the "clean up", I put on things like new emergency flasher lights, a new steering wheel center cap, seat cushion, battery cables, and a host of other "detail parts". Again, nothing major.

3451 hours on the clock. 38 years, 35 of that spent on the farm. Since the clean-up, she's done mostly hay work around my place and a LOT of bush hogging. 541 hours since the paint flew.... Since, only oil changes, a couple flat front tires, a new (home made) water bottle holder, and a new SMV emblem.

Then tragedy struck.....Parts failure

The dang crimp-on connector (original) where the hot wire connects to the fuel gauge decided to come off the wire. OH NO.....

Took every bit of 2 minutes to trace down the problem, put no a new end, re-connect, and go on with life. I'm thinking this wasn't the first domino to fall, just a fluke. This has to be the most reliable tractor ever built.

They don't build 'em like they used to.

 

[irvingj]

Know the feeling! After 27 years and about 200,000 miles, --imagine this-- I had to replace the front rotors on my '72 Blazer, and then the darned parking brake cable broke, and the water pump began to leak! Man, they just don't build 'em like they used to....

Watch out for all those other parts to fail!

 

[milkman]

Your problem began when you decided to "clean it up", that's the beginning of things starting to happen, next thing you know the SMV sign will start to peel.

 

[jinman]

Only 367k miles on my Dodge Cummins and the darn windshield washer quit. Dadgummit! I know just how you feel.

 

[Thomas]

You got me hook line sinker.

I couldn't believe rear tire needed replacement after all these decades on my 1965 JD 110 lawn tractor.

 

[RollTideRam]

You should have sold it before it started to nickle and dime you to death. JC

 

[Mace Canute]

Only 38 years old and already a failure? You're right! They sure don't build 'em like they used to!

 

[lawn_king]

Im still running 2 lesco 30 core aerators i purchased new in 1985, i have repowered them both several times and replaced the bearings every other year. Son of a gun, these machines may outlast me?

 

[Texas Tractor Man]

I would demand satisfaction from the manufacturer. Having a wire become disconnected in that amount of time is just pure criminal.

 

[Kernopelli]

Only 4000hrs and you have to stop in the middle of doing something and reconnect a wire? What a piece of crap!!!!

Good story, I was expecting the old "hole in the side of the block" type ending.
Shoot, I bought a used "Chinese tractor" to resell recently and while I was giving the new owner the "once over" and showing him how/what everything was/worked had two wires come uncrimped........it had 189 hrs on it.