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Jagmandave · May 10, 2006

"Afterall, it started as a great product 30yrs ago.. "

Have to second that, if they haven't done anything to screw it up, it will be a great piece of machinery to own over the years.

I bought my 1602D used, on the advice of a friend, from a guy who was moving out of town the next day! Hardly a recipe for "buying with confidence", and I did find out later that he had done none of the maintenance he claimed to, but I took that as good news as well, cause that meant he hadn't screwed anything up either! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Anyway, a little TLC and some paint and here we are 3 years later and it starts easily, runs great and has had no problems. I hope you are as lucky/fortunate as I was!

arthr31 · May 10, 2006

my 1601 is running. Has lots of leaks, the loader hydraulic assembly is cheap, zerks fall out, hoses leak, etc. Unit still doesn't start easily in sub 50* weather.

I own two tractors, both probably about the same age. 169d, NOT reconditioned, very used, probably 1000+ hours. 1601d, re-conditioned, unknown hours (76 by me), unknown repairs made, etc. Which tractor do you think has required more parts, and which one has more "known problems"? The 1601.

Mace, if you decide to still go ahead and take delivery of the tractor, do the following in the first hours:
1. check the battery to make sure it is good
2. check the charging system to make sure it is providing charge for the battery
3. spin the starter aggressively. I would have no problem with spinning the starter for 30 secs at a time to see how it holds up. Listen for grinding sounds...
4. check all fluid levels and look for contamination; especially in the front axle and hydraulic transmission case
5. check the filters, fuel hoses, etc. check the fuel bowl and associated connections, they may be leaking
6. Look for oil streaks on the insides of the rear wheels, seeing streaks there will indicate a bad seal
7. check to make sure the thermostart works (heck, they didn't even bother installing (re-installing) on my tractor - i'll tell you, trying to start that thing in 20* weather without TS ain't gonna be fun)
8. Check the tire pressure, check it the next day, see if you are losing pressure
9. check the front hubs if this is a 4x4, seeing redish brown ooze or liquid leak stains indicates that there might be some mud or something in there and may lead to premature failure of the front hubs
10. And, if you have the time/ resources, change all fluids, filters, etc. The tractor might have sat a long time before getting to you and might have seen many different environments and degrees before arriving to you. When I finally replaced my front axle fluid last fall (yr later after receiving it) there was hardly a pint of goo in there...

These ten items are what come to mind from my experience with a re-con unit. good luck! let us know how it goes...

p.s. cranking the starter like i suggested is not recommended. Only 10-15 secs at a time, otherwise it will burn up. My suggestion is to try and flush out any real bugs before your warranty period is up...

Mace · May 10, 2006

Thanks for that checklist. You read my mind. That was exactly what I was going to ask.

Thanks

Mace

SailorBob · May 10, 2006

Wecome to the fotum...and happy tractoring...There are some very good guys here. Don't forget to check you PM's.

reb · May 10, 2006

For the 1500D item 6 on the list won't work. There is no fluid in the rear axle housing. There is another seal inside that keeps the fluid in the main gearbox. If the inner seal leaks, fluid should come out of a hole in the bottom of the axle housing (if it isn't plugged). Otherwise your brakes might get lubed. The outer wheel bearings are sealed. I found that out when a bearing went out on mine shortly after I bought it and had to replace the bearing and seal. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Otherwise, those are some good points.

edmartin · May 11, 2006

Hi Mace,

As you can see, there is quite a bit of strong opinion concerning Viet recons. My situation is a bit unusual in that I was given a YM2000 purchased from RCO as a Christmas gift in 2004. I have had two problems with this unit. First, the oil pressure sending unit malfunctioned. RCO sent a new one within a week. Second, the hydraulic pump seemed excessively noisy. Being a pretty good mechanic, I removed the filter and found what was left of a shop rag wrapped around it. I removed the rag, cleaned the filter and replaced the fluid. So far, I've had no other issues. My point is that like a used car the "issues" you may have with a used tractor are dependent on how it was used and maintained prior to coming into the hands of the seller, what the seller has done to the machine to improve or fix it, and how well you maintain it. I'm not saying LMTC is wrong in their assertions or that RCO is or isn't a good dealer. The more you check out the seller and the unit itself the better the chances you'll be happy.

Best of luck

arthr31 · May 11, 2006

Look for oil streak marks like you see on the right-side rear-wheel in this picture:
http://www.rcotractor.com/pics/specialpics/ym2000bropsstu.htm
I believe, who ever buys that particular tractor will have a problem with the rear seal.

As reb said, probably won't see that on the rear wheel on your tractor, but look for stuff like that all over the machine. I received mine with streaks all over a rear wheel, it only will get worse. The thing now leaves a grapefruit sized puddle after 36 hrs. I haven't had time to fix...

I forgot to mention in my first list, check all hoses, they may have used anything to hook stuff up, these won't last long... On my unit they used some thing tubing for part of the fuel line- diesel fuel ate it up.. Find stuff like this is just plain disappointing, and infuriating on a tractor with a 0 hour meter and fresh paint job. --- /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

p.s. the third tractor down on rco home page is my tractor, "the landscaper special". I'd rename it tho, to something like "'ole leaky" or "too tired to start on winter mornings..." /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

JAK · May 11, 2006

i bought a 1700 two wheel drive, no fel, tractor only, from vina 9 months ago. i was just looking for something cheap and that would take care of the jobs i had. i only had about a 3100.00 dollar budget. all i could find was worn out 8 and 9n's. they would of worked but i just wanted something better. yanmar was new to me, didnt know anything about them other than they looked a lot better than the old fords. there were two dealers, one east of me and the other west of me. the one west of me had the cheapest price,2400.00 dollars out the door so vina got the sale. all i could think about was that was less than the fords and 1500.00dollars less than my neighbors spent on there new jd riding lawnmore. it was months after i bought it that i found out that vina was dealing vn recons, didnt even know what that was. 9 months later , knock on wood, havent had any problems, does everything i need to do, and it still looks good.

greatrandini · May 11, 2006

U cracked me up with "ole leaky"!!! It is hit and miss with these tractors! I do like my loader (for the money) $1500 for a loader... installed! dang! It has done a great job. I have a small leak on one of the lines now and I broke 2 zerks. I have not found the right grease gun nozzle. I don't think they rebuild these units as well as they say they do and that is reason enough right there to not do business with them. I think the retail dealers are told a buch of cr*p and they add to it and pass it on. The guy I bought mine from was an honest man but he did tell me a few tall tales. He did go through my unit and he repaired all the little items you mentioned above that needed doing. He changed all the fluids and he did that on the 4wd units also. I think by the time he was done he prob lost about a dollar an hr on my deal.....If I was gonna buy a tractor today I would look for a cherry low hr unit or I would get a chinese tractor. I also would would look for a small skid steer and forgo the fel.....All in all I am still pleased with my unit for the money....

kenmac · May 11, 2006

IS this the original HR. meter for this tractor ? Are there any 80 mod. yanmars out there with only 4 HRS. on the meter. Were the HRS rolled back on this tractor's meter ? If so. Why? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

California · May 11, 2006

( Are there any 80 mod. yanmars out there with only 4 HRS. on the meter. )

Sure! My 1980 Yanmar showed only 041 hours when I bought it in 2003. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

No telling if that is 041, 1041, 2041, 3041. Judging by the slight wear on the pedals and overall condition, and listening to the prior owner's story, I think this means one thousand hours but there is no way to know for sure.

More to the point I don't see anything predicting this thing will wear out in my lifetime.

arthr31 · May 11, 2006

You can bet that meter has been rolled back.

As already discussed here, and in other posts, it's dishonest. I think with a used car it's considered fraud... Don't worry though, it'll only take several hours of use to start to see what the real hours might have been... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

arthr31 · May 11, 2006

( My 1980 Yanmar showed only 041 hours when I bought it in 2003. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

)
heh... my 169d has 007 hours on it. oh my gosh, I just put a new seat on it, greased it, and did a compound and waxing, should I put it up for sale as re-conditioned?!? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I don't think so, i think that 007 is really more like 1007...

Jagmandave · May 11, 2006

Yeah, my 1602D showed 74 when I bought it........riiiiiiiiggghhhhttt.......... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

But then, mine's an '84 model......................

VT_Hokie · May 11, 2006

I see we are back to the hour meter discussion again... In the spirit of fruitfull dialogue, I still have not heard a logical progression from where the hour meter should come from on these recons. Take the tractor that was posted on a different thread that had a dead motor and tranny. Say they put in a motor from tractor B that has cracked frame and a tranny from tractor C that was wrecked. Which hour meter would you like? Which one would tell you the most about the tractor since it does not seem that recons have repair/recondition records? My neighbor that is in Ag Engineering here at Tech and taught at a school that rebuilt tractors as class projects, took a look at my Yanny when I first bought it. I told him that it had a new hour meter in it but probably had 1000 or even 2000 on it. He put it this way, you change the oil every 100 hours in a tractor and in a car you do it every 3,000 or so. So in car terms you have something that has 30 to 60 K on it. Not something to worry about since you are not making a living off of it. Piecing together tractors does take a little value out of that statement though. I totally agree that it is dishonest to put low/new meter in a tractor and pawning it off as "new from the factory" or "low hours". So in the end it comes down to dealer and what they stand behind...

greatrandini · May 12, 2006

I don't know why ur asking me these questions? They don't seem to follow anything I have been saying here?

kenmac · May 12, 2006

The question isn't intended just for you . It's for anyone that would have knowledge of why this is done on some vn. rebuilds. I just happen to post under your last statment . I don't think the HRS on a tractor would be an issue if it were explained to the buyer that the HRS had been rolled back & the reason , then let the buyer decide if they still want to buy.. Even If it is a new motor the rest of the tractor still has more than 4 HRS on it.

greatrandini · May 12, 2006

I agree with that. Some of the guys who rebuild vintage tractors install a new meter so they can keep track of how many hours since the rebuild. I was told my unit was built in 1977. I knew it had more then 4 hrs on it. I have heard on this board cases of people selling these tractors as "new". Fraud is the word that comes to mind. I also object to "as needed" in the discription. What the heck does "as needed" or "if necessary" mean? BS is what that means.. I looked at some used units locally before I bought my unit. They were rough. If I could have found an "A" tractor around here I bet I would have bought it. I prefer my recon unit to one that needs to be reconditioned. I do think my engine was rebuilt and I think they did a good job on the engine.

Jagmandave · May 12, 2006

Good point, I just use my hour meter as gauge of how many hours I've put on it, so I can schedule my own maintenance. It has nothing to do with the value of my tractor as I perceived it. Either it was worth the money as it stood, based on my own estimation of it's condition or not. Now, had the seller been representing it to me as actual hours, based on the paint and the overall condition, I would have been a fool to believe him..................newbie or not.

As it is, he lied about the maint work he had done too, and had I not been a newbie I coud have caught him in it, then the question becomes would I have bought it anyway? Who knows? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif