How many hours is a lot of hours...?

[thoner7]

On these newer tractors, say 2000 or newer, how many hours is a lot? I'm shopping around and not sure what a good rule of thumb is.

 

[Industrial Toys]

No rule of thumb. Depends on so many factors. All the hi-tech stuff is a game changer. It doesn't take much of an electrical problem to turn a useful machine into a big paperweight.

Also, how a machine has been looked after and how many owners it had, matters a lot. Or who has "worked" on it. To me, seeing a machine in proper OEM condition matters a lot. High hours, but everything looking as it did when it left the factory, would not scare me.

 

[ovrszd]

That's an impossible question to answer.

The number of hours aren't as important as how they were put on the machine

Right behind that is how well the owner cared for the tractor.

Well cared for tractor could have a lot of life left at 4,000 hrs.

 

[JerryK]

That's an impossible question to answer.

The number of hours aren't as important as how they were put on the machine

Right behind that is how well the owner cared for the tractor.

Well cared for tractor could have a lot of life left at 4,000 hrs.

Ditto ... !!!! I've seen piece of excrement tractors that only had 100-200 hours. You can bend a lot of linkages, burn out a clutch, and generally ruin something fairly quickly. There are probably folks out there that try to destroy stuff just so they can get a better case out of getting their money back on what they conceive as their ' lemon ' tractor. Lots of folks buy a tractor and are clueless in how to drive/care for it, and probably some that just don't care. I personally know someone that drove his shinny new tractor around with the emergency brake on. And I cuss him out each time I see him in the mirror.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I don't think it even has to be that sinister. To some, equipment is cherished and to others, well hey, "it's just a tractor". Just a means to an end, like any other tool.

 

[/pine]

There will always be exceptions to a rule but realistically buying a used tractor is not that much different than buying a truck or other working vehicle...inspect the overall condition...listen to it...and not just the engine at different RPMs...

 

[EddieWalker]

My rule of thumb is that 8,000 hours on a tractor is like 200,000 on a car. You have to consider how it's been taken care of or abused, but that's also the same with a car.

Most rental yards get rid of their tractors at 2,000 hours, which fits with car rental companies getting rid of their fleet at 50,000 miles.

Small compact tractors don't get used enough to really wear out, they fall apart more from just sitting around for so much of the time out in the elements.

 

[Industrial Toys]

But I wouldn't give a nickle for anything that has seen SALT!

 

[thoner7]

To be more specific, is was asking mainly about engine life. Cummins motors in heavy equipment they recommend rebuild around 6000 hours, for example

 

[Industrial Toys]

I buy enough used equipment. I generally don't think much if a Diesel Engine has less than 2000 hours. It's well used at that point and won't command high prices for being practically new, and yet "should" have a lot of troublefree life left for anything I am ever going to do. I have never had to do any engine work and hope, I will never have to.