looking for another tractor

[Bigfoot62]

Good news! I finally located a place to get my tractor repaired at a reasonable price. They even said that they would come get the tractor to prevent further damage to the engine. (I have a trailer to haul the tractor but no means to get it onto the trailer, like a winch.) The price they quoted was $4500, parts and labor. And they are not covered up with work like they normally are this time of year. So if they can get the parts reasonably quickly, I could get the tractor back in a week or two! I will let everyone know how it turns out! Thanks for all of your suggestions and comments.

Senile Texas Aggie

Sounds like a good option. If you so desire, after your tractor is fixed, you could still trade it in on a cab machine. And it will be worth more.

 

[airbiscuit]

Or have 2 tractors

 

[GeeVee]

Peristance pays off. Glad to hear you have found a shop that ill do the right thing and rebuild it. SOMEONE was going to rebuild it, why not you (your mechanic) I may be much like yourself, I KNOW what I have, and don't want anything else. ow you are going to know your machine is freshened up, and worth all the time you have spent maintaining and using it.

So, the next issue is only going to be how to convince your wife you want to buy a small used tracked skid steer like a ASV RC-30 from 2002-2006. If you want to do a lot of your chores not related to mowing, its the cats ***. You would be surprised how much clearing a 33hp CatiPerkins diesel and 3000 pounds dry weight can do. Too many will look at the machine and scoff, then be upset I am on the trailer, done, while they are still trying to maneuver nd workaround all the bulk, slow, sluggishness a Ag tractor with FEL inherently has. It would be my opinion you could get a used ASV like mine from a private owner for 10 k or less, with under 1500 hours, if you look, and are willing to travel for it. LIKE EVERY MANUFACTURER, there are some duds, and lemons in every fleet. (Some brand blinded people will argue this, I let them spew it in one ear and out the other) And ASV had some years of poor quality "systems". For your needs, I'd add a Track CTL to my tool fleet. I am the first to say speed kills- whats the rush? But efficiency is important too.

Check my video in my signature, to see my machine doing a couple of things real well. I use it for everything except bushog mowing/clearing, and even then, sometimes I push stuff over and uproot it, then come back in two to three weeks and shred it with my Mitsi Bushog.

 

[aczlan]

Good news! I finally located a place to get my tractor repaired at a reasonable price. They even said that they would come get the tractor to prevent further damage to the engine. (I have a trailer to haul the tractor but no means to get it onto the trailer, like a winch.) The price they quoted was $4500, parts and labor. And they are not covered up with work like they normally are this time of year. So if they can get the parts reasonably quickly, I could get the tractor back in a week or two! I will let everyone know how it turns out! Thanks for all of your suggestions and comments.

Senile Texas Aggie

Excellent, that price sounds about right for what I've seen around here.

Aaron Z

 

[Jstpssng]

Good news! I finally located a place to get my tractor repaired at a reasonable price. They even said that they would come get the tractor to prevent further damage to the engine. (I have a trailer to haul the tractor but no means to get it onto the trailer, like a winch.) The price they quoted was $4500, parts and labor. And they are not covered up with work like they normally are this time of year. So if they can get the parts reasonably quickly, I could get the tractor back in a week or two! I will let everyone know how it turns out! Thanks for all of your suggestions and comments.

Senile Texas Aggie

Great! Hopefully it will give you many more hours of service.

And about your comment

In the next edition of Webster's dictionary, my picture will be next to the word idiot.

Don't count on it... you would have a hard time dislodging me from that seat. Besides, as others have already mentioned; you aren't the first person that happened to.

 

[aggie76]

Good news! I finally located a place to get my tractor repaired at a reasonable price. They even said that they would come get the tractor to prevent further damage to the engine. (I have a trailer to haul the tractor but no means to get it onto the trailer, like a winch.) The price they quoted was $4500, parts and labor. And they are not covered up with work like they normally are this time of year. So if they can get the parts reasonably quickly, I could get the tractor back in a week or two! I will let everyone know how it turns out! Thanks for all of your suggestions and comments.

Senile Texas Aggie

WHOOP!!! Glad to hear you've found a good solution. Just starting to look for a new/used tractor with FEL to replace my '64 Farmall 806 that doesn't have one. I use it on our land that includes about ten acres of food plots for hunting deer and to keep 40 acres of CRP maintained. Looking forward to seeing what I can find.

Aggie Class of '76

 

[SenileTexasAggie]

I thought I would provide an update. Once the shop got the tractor disassembled and could see the damage done, at least to the crankshaft, they gave me two options: continue with the engine overhaul for $5000, or simply replace the rod bearings for $1500. If I chose the latter, they would NOT warranty it. I chose to have them simply replace the rod bearings. When I picked up the tractor late afternoon of Tuesday, June 02, they told me that the PTO tested weak and would not even register on the dynamometer. They recommended that I get it repaired some time soon. When I got home with the tractor, I immediately put it to work, as I was filling in dirt in a 60' trench I had dug with an excavator to repair my water supply line. The engine got louder and louder. Finally, after about 30 minutes, I decided I better head back to the shop. I got about 1/3 of the way there when the engine finally quit. If noise level is any indication, then the engine died a painful death.

So I am back to seeing about repairing the tractor or buying another. I am leaning toward cutting my losses and buying another. Comments?

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[tradosaurus]

If $5k will get back to 100% (engine overhaul) and you like your tractor then I would go that route.

Hard to get a good tractor for $5k.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

5K is just for the engine. It also needs pto work done to it. Who knows what else lurks underneath when they get that apart to look at it.

I'd give it a Viking Funeral and move on.

 

[rademamj1]

Yikes! What a disaster. I think you made the wrong choice with the engine rebuilding shop. So trade it in on a new Tractor, as this now may become a serious money pit for you. Because its a New Holland, NH may accept it as trade, even in the current condition, for another new tractor purchase. Take advantage of their 0% financing for 6 years. This path offers peace of mind, and less stress.