Ford 3930 shuttle trans

[geneP]

I thought it is reasonable, too. I have a list of questions to ask him. He seems honest about the tractor when I talked to him the first time. He brought up the need for tires. I priced all four locally for a little under $1000, less than I thought.

I'll use it for general property maintenance on 21 acres: brush hogging grass fields and cleaning up cut-over land, box blading dirt and pushing brush, bringing firewood up, etc.

I have a Case-IH 385 now that does 90% of what I want but at 35 PTO hp I have to gear down cutting thick bahia grass in the fields. According to TractorData, the Ford should be 300-400# heavier and 10 more PTO hp. The synchronized F/R is a plus on this tractor, and parts should be more available should I need them. I did read one comment that the Ford engine is noisy.

I average about 50 hrs a year on my tractor. If the tractor is in good shape now It will last until i get the bug to change again.

 

[fishheadbob]

I've had one just like this for 15 years. Love it. As previously said yours doesn't have an optional hydraulic pump, but it doesn't have a loader so no big deal. The 8x8 shuttle is synchronized and has been trouble free for the 15 years I've owned and abused it. Only things put into this tractor were 2 front tires, a battery, a key switch (mice), and a muffler but it is still on the loud side. $1000 for 4 tires is a very good deal .

 

[Happy Gilmore]

Engine isn't all that noisy, sound good. How'd you make out Gene?

 

[geneP]

Just so happens that i was within about 60 miles of the 3930 today, so I called the owner to ask for a look. He pretty well described it, the tires look worse than the pictures show, but he warned me about that. I did immediately notice a whine in the transmission, pretty loud. Doesn't do it in neutral, but does in all forward/reverse gears. The tone seems the same no matter what the gear. It shifts fine, f/r works smooth with no noises. He said his Dad bought the tractor in '96 and it was making the noise then and hasn't changed. Doesn't seem normal to me, what do you all with experience with the shuttle think? This is the shuttle with the stick mounted directly to the top left of the transmission.


Even if the noise is harmless it would probably make the tractor hard to sell should I want to. It might be why he hasn't been able to unload it.

 

[dntfxr]

Sounds like a nice tractor. Mine has the shuttle on the dash. But it has a gear whine to it, and I'd read that is normal. Not sure if yours is excessive or not, sorry?

 

[dntfxr]

Sounds like a nice tractor. Mine has the shuttle on the dash. But it has a gear whine to it, and I'd read that is normal. Not sure if yours is excessive or not, sorry?

Here is a thread that describes it.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/new-holland-owning-operating/217462-ford-3930-whining-noise.html

 

[geneP]

dntfxr, thanks for sharing your experience and the link to the other thread. Your tractor and two more seem to have it, so I'll assume it is normal.

Any more comments on the tractor or the whine would be appreciated. He wants 6500 and I'll have to drag a trailer 275 miles and back to get it. It will need tires sooner than later. The tractor has been for sale for a couple of months, he has moved it from the street and changed all the fluids and filters planning on keeping and using it.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

I'd say it's worth the trip if you can use it.

 

[RickB]

That tractor would sell within a week at that price up here.

 

[geneP]

I'll have close to 8 grand in it by the time I haul it home and put tires on it. Still a good deal?

Oh yea, the tach is broken. Don't know how much it runs. It is in with the rest of the instrument cluster, does the whole dash cluster get replaced?

EDIT: I found the instrument cluster on Yesterdays tractors for $201 and change.