Ok, good to know! So, something with 4200 hrs on a mechanical clock could have several thousand hours more on the engine.
That's true of a mechanical tach, but often that means those are hours at low speed or idle, and so they don't add the wear that full throttle work does.
But the opposite isn't necessarily true with electric tachs. It's true that a tractor could have an electric tach that works like a clock so that hours add up anytime the key is on....I've heard of that but the tractors I've seen don't don't work that way.
In my experience, the electric tachs add the time up just like mechanical tachs do, they just do it by adding up electrical pulses instead of counting mechanical revolutions.
The result is the same. Both types are RPM dependent.
How many hours is too many? Well, that is the question, isn't it? IMHO, 4200 hours would be a lot for a low end tractor but it is only medium hours for a high-end machine. And it would represent a lot more wear and tear on a general purpose or construction tractor than it would for a machine used for mowing and field work.
Keep in mind that you will probably put far fewer hours on a tractor than you think you will. I'd be very surprised if you put on 250 hours in a year.
Two things seem odd about those tractors. One, it seems odd to me that a nearly new Branson with a triple axle trailer would be priced as low as this older JD with thousands of hours unless the Branson is much smaller tractor. Looking it up on Tractor Data the Branson does seem smallish size for the work you want to do.
On the JD the oddity is this: Are sure that model/year is correct?
My old info doesn't show a 2240 of that year with 4WD. But I'd say that any 50 HPish JD is worth a look. With a Cat II 3pt, it is the size you are looking for in terms or HP and lift. You will know when you see it, because with older machines it all comes down to how well they have been treated. And that is hard to disguise.
I sure do like the idea of a roof and windscreen! Now that is what I'd call civilized....
A older tractor treated well can easily be as good as a new one, that is true regardless of how old it is. And it is expecially true of something really high quality like the JDs of that era. Or it could be one worked hard, poorly maintained, living outside, started cold, and run hard and just be at the end of it's life.
Here at our place, both of our JDs have more hours than that and both start and work well. Yes, they are getting old and I can see wear and tear most everywhere on both machines, but so far there is no noticible degradation of things like engine compression, or hydraulic functions, or any of the working parts. Electricals are fine. Brakes are worn, clutches and trannys fine. Our tractors live outside.....
It will come down to condition. How easily it starts in cold weather is an excellent basic test. This cold winter gives us the perfect test bed. I'd say to always start with a well charged battery and with the block heater plugged in for an hour or two. After all, that's how you will be using it. And it is how anyone should be. I'd expect that either the JD or the Branson should then start right up. You will hear it crank once or twice and then fire right up. Expect it will run ragged for five or ten seconds while you advance the throttle to a slightly higher idle and then let it sit there and purr. If the weather is below 30F, give it at least fifteen minutes to warm up the hydraulic, steering, and tranny fluids before using the controls.
Most of us try to warm them up like that while looking over the machine and preparing tools for the day.
A machine treated that way will have noticibly less wear at 4000 hours than one that is fired up and pressed into use immediately.
Good luck, a good tractor is a real working partner. Take your time, post some pictures, ask difficult questions, do a search on both models, & get more info!!
rScotty
