Bought a Challenger MT285B

[Builder]

Hasn't arrived yet, but I just sent the funds to the seller and arranged shipping. Should be here by saturday night.

It's an '05 Challenger MT285B 4x4 48HP hydrostatic, cab, ML40B h/d loader, 2 rear remotes, R-4's. 726 hours. Should be perfect for raking, scraping & cleaning up jobsites.

Needs a few 3pt hitch parts has a few sheared off bolts to fix and has a few small dings in the hood, but I believe I pulled off the deal of the century.

Thanks to TBN member B8FISH (Todd) for scouting it over for me 500 miles away in upstate New York! Thanks Todd!

 

[wallace]

Builder,
I can help support your parts needs for your new purchase if needed.

 

[Builder]

Builder,
I can help support your parts needs for your new purchase if needed.

Great! I already have a list!
Some 3pt hitch pieces are missing and I have a rather ridiculous quote from Ransome CAT to add a 3rd valve to the front end loader. They want $900 for the parts alone. I paid $775 for parts AND labor on my Kubota just 2 years ago.

I want to do the 3rd function remote on the loader joystick. Got those parts?

 

[RollingsFarms]

congrats on the new tractor! i've always liked the few Challenger tractors i saw, just don't have a dealer close by. the highway department has a few in operation and seem to be doing really well(and you know how those tractors get treated!)

 

[Builder]

After unloading last night at ~8 PM, I finally got a look at it this morning. I'd say it's a 7-7.5 out of 10, which is better than I expected considering the price I paid. It's no Kubota or Deere, but it's more than enough tractor for what I'll be using it for.

Starts right up & runs great. 3 range hydrostatic.

It's gonna be a work in progress. Missing a few bolts. Needs a stereo, but already has 2 speakers. Hood's a little beat-up. Missing clips that hold the air cleaner lid on the air cleaner assembly.

I'll get some pictures up today.

 

[Builder]

Here's some photos of the Challenger:





Below: Now here's the photos of the rear of the tractor & the remotes, notice the power beyond circuit that once was hooked to the backhoe on the right of the 3 pt top link:







Below: Here's a few of the position control. Notice the slot closer to the seat. This is where I'd expect to see the lever to raise the 3pt arms. Notice the 2 rear remote levers. One of them now raises/lowers the 3pt.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Tractor looks good to me, like you said minor stuff to take care of. Any chance of you letting us know just what the cost was?

 

[Builder]

You probably won't believe me, but I paid $14,850.

After looking at cab/CUT 4x4 Hydrostatic utility tractors with loaders for 1.5 years, I couldn't find anything even close to it for under $22,000, not to mention $15,000.

I was about to buy a Kubota L3430 for $20,500, which is a much smaller 34HP tractor, but a better quality unit when I came across this one.

I think it will need about $500-$1,000 to get the 3pt stabilizer assembly missing parts and a few sheared bolts easied-out, but even adding $1,000 in work I think I still came out way ahead.

Of course, there could be something significant not working or broken, but I haven't seen anything yet other than the remotes & 3pt being kinda weird.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Price sounds good. I've always been afraid to buy used sight unseen myself. I would love to find a 275B. Good luck with your new rig.

 

[Tractors4u]

Back in 2003 when I bought my John Deere 4310 I looked at the Cat Challengers, but the one I looked at was, I believe, a 34 hp model. The Cat that I looked at was made by Iseki of Japan and was identical to a Massey Ferguson and an AGCO. The only difference was color. The AGCO quote I got was around $14K, the Massey $17K and the CAT was $22K. I asked the dealer why and he said because of the CAT quality. I asked him about it being a rebadged Iseki and being the same as the others. All he could say was CAT is superior. Don't get me wrong, Iseki is a great tractor and in turn the CAT is. What I am saying here is "Wow, you got a great deal". I hope you get many great hours out of it.

 

[rvaitor]

Great looking tractor and great buy. I think the Massey version would be the 1548. That is really great.

 

[Builder]

Back in 2003 when I bought my John Deere 4310 I looked at the Cat Challengers, but the one I looked at was, I believe, a 34 hp model. The Cat that I looked at was made by Iseki of Japan and was identical to a Massey Ferguson and an AGCO. The only difference was color. The AGCO quote I got was around $14K, the Massey $17K and the CAT was $22K. I asked the dealer why and he said because of the CAT quality. I asked him about it being a rebadged Iseki and being the same as the others. All he could say was CAT is superior. Don't get me wrong, Iseki is a great tractor and in turn the CAT is. What I am saying here is "Wow, you got a great deal". I hope you get many great hours out of it.

You were right. There's no mysterious "CAT quality". It's just a rebadged Iseki. I guess ther is a chance that CAT designed in a few extra features or some tighter/stronger tolerances, but this tractor is no better than Kubota and Deere.

I amost feel like the deal I got is some kind of curse and there's something expensive to fix on it........ I guess we will see.

 

[Tractors4u]

I amost feel like the deal I got is some kind of curse and there's something expensive to fix on it........ I guess we will see.

Throw me in that briar patch! That is a nice size tractor. I am sure you will enjoy it.

 

[RollingsFarms]

for mfwd, a loader, cab, clean looking tractor, good name standing behind it, parts availibility, for the price you paid i would say ya done good. so you sink a few $$$'s into it, i guarantee you should be able to get your money back out of it if/when you decide to sell.

 

[greggh]

Congratulations on your tractor and the deal you made. Have a wonderful ride... uuh, I mean enjoy your work. No...what I mean is You have a lot of work you can do with that tractor.

 

[challenger1]

...just curious, how did your refurbish go.
...selfish inquiry, my 2005 Challenger MT295B had a pto issue, the internal bearing went bad, pushed the pto shaft through the internal case wall, into ring and pinion, and destroyed most of the internal gears.
...needless to say, I need a new rear end/differential. If your tractor had any motor/transmission issues, and has a good rear end differential, I would be interested in it.
...if any one else knows where I can go to find a rear end/differential case and gears for this model, I would greatly appreciate knowing, I can't find one anywhere.
...oh, I called Agco, and they said all the rear ends are interchangeable in the following tractors: Challenger MT295B, MT285B, Agco ST52A or ST47A, or the Massey Ferguson 1552 or 1547. If anyone has any suggestions, I would be appreciative. Thanks.

 

[Builder]

The Challenger "2" series ist kaput.
You can exchange them for Massey or Agco parts. In fact, I have a MF dealer near me that ended up supplying all my parts. The only place you might have a problem is the yellow sheet metal on the Challenger line of 2 series tractors, but that's not a big deal.
I sold mine >1 year ago for $5,000 more than I paid for it so I was ecstatic to say the least.