Refurbished tractors questions

[mattman]

I have just about talked myself out of a large compact tractor and am now looking for info on the refurbished tractors. I am wanting to use a tractor in the woods. Cleaning out shooting lanes and trails, planting some food plots, and road mainteance. I would want a tractor with 4wd and a front end loader, say about 30 to 35 hp range. I would like a tractor that is heavy enough to get traction while pulling a disk and drag blade, but not be as heavy as a large compact.

What brand seems to be the best?? How do you know how good of a job was done during the rebuild process?? What is the deal with the Vietnam rebuildt models. How do you tell them apart?? I live in south Arkansas how about a dealer in my area?? What kind of warranty is offered?? What kind of price are we talking?? Would I be better off with a large compact?? I would like the ease of getting thru the woods with a smaller machine.

I would like a bigger tractor but, I think I would actually get more accomplished with a small tractor being able to get just about everywhere i want to go.

Thanks for any info

 

[texasjohn]

well.... given what you say you want to do... I'd recommend about a 50hp tractor... my L5030 is ideal, IMHO, for what you are wanting to do... I fear that a 30-35hp tractor would be too light.... I concur with your need for 4wd.

 

[mattman]

Well I was looking very hard at a L4400 but I think the tractor's overall size is a little bigger than what I need for the woods. I need to check the size on the L3400 to see about what size it is. The small Japanese tractors seem to have high horsepower in a smaller package than some compacts do.

 

[texasjohn]

I don't know how to trade off your need for doing work that, IMHO, requires you to have a 50ish hp tractor with significant weight and the need to maneuver among the trees...

Suggest you use the search function and spend lots of time on TBN looking at prior posts..... they may assist you by seeing what others are doing with various sized tractors, particularly in wooded settings.

Also, starting a thread with a more descriptive title might get more attention and comments from other TBN members who are more able to discuss smaller tractor capabilities versus your intended uses.

 

[Soundguy]

Sounds like time for a chinese 20ish hp tractor with 4wd and a loader.. and a 40-50 hp working machine.. perhaps late model, domestic, used in good condition.

soundguy

 

[flusher]

I have just about talked myself out of a large compact tractor and am now looking for info on the refurbished tractors. I am wanting to use a tractor in the woods. Cleaning out shooting lanes and trails, planting some food plots, and road mainteance. I would want a tractor with 4wd and a front end loader, say about 30 to 35 hp range. I would like a tractor that is heavy enough to get traction while pulling a disk and drag blade, but not be as heavy as a large compact.

What brand seems to be the best?? How do you know how good of a job was done during the rebuild process?? What is the deal with the Vietnam rebuildt models. How do you tell them apart?? I live in south Arkansas how about a dealer in my area?? What kind of warranty is offered?? What kind of price are we talking?? Would I be better off with a large compact?? I would like the ease of getting thru the woods with a smaller machine.

I would like a bigger tractor but, I think I would actually get more accomplished with a small tractor being able to get just about everywhere i want to go.

Thanks for any info

Smaller? Larger? These are both relative terms. Need specifics--what's your max width limit?

Looks to me like you've been checking out grey market tractors (Vietnam rebuilts). You could get a 25-30hp Yanmar with a Koyker FEL for $7-8K, for example, like these at one of my nearby dealers

Lane Tractor Sales - Used Tractors - Compact and Sub-compact Tractors

You probably can find similar deals in your neighborhood.

Regarding Vietnam rebuilts, they usually have crappy paiint jobs.

 

[john_bud]

I've read a bit on the tractors from Vietnam. They are "fixed" with anything that will make them start and drive off the lot. Then painted pretty. Often they will fail and you find that the innerds are butchered up with mismatched parts and you need to basically find a replacement engine that can only be sourced overseas. Good luck with that.

I have a fair amount of woods and a 34 hp kubota. L3410. It's a good machine, but is too light for serious work. But, that's what you hire a dozer for.

A used machine may be much better than an imported paint over. Late model Fords, MF, JD, K, etc. There are lots of them.

 

[bdeboer]

The UTDA (Used Tractor Dealors Association) member list is a good place to look for responsible dealers. I purchased from one of the members 6 years ago, great tractor.

UTDA Membership List

 

[Gary Fowler]

I bought one of the Vietnam rebuild Yanmar 4220D with a FEL for $11K and change. Everything worked and looked good for about 12 hours, then the motor would just stall down and die. IT did this for about 6 times then stopped, never found out what caused it. Now with 35 hours on it, the entire hydraulic system went down. I had all the operations and parts manuals but none of them showed the screen that was referenced in the operations manual. Thanks to Hoye Tractor I got the location and pulled the screen. IT was completed fouled with black and brown slimy gunk. I cleaned it, replaced the oil and the filter and ran it for about 5 hours and the hydraulics started to act up again. I pulled the screen again and it was partially stopped up with the same gunk. I didnt have another paper filter so I just cleaned the screen and reinstalled it. The FEL still has a jerky action to it. I guess the paper filter is now also stopped up again. The new oil looked like it mud after 5 hours of run time.
I dont know if all Vietnam rebuilds are of this quality, but I would expect so. I cant imagine how all this crap got into the hydraulic system, but I dont think I would ever entertain buying another grey market tractor.

PS. The engine seems to run fine with absolutely no oil consumption in the time I have had it. The V3 FEL seems a little weak in design for the horsepower of the tractor.

 

[Lar1911]

Over the years we have used various tractors ranging from 46 to 65hp. that we already had, where we hunt and usually found them a little large and heavy to manuver around on planted timber in various stages of growth. Our trees have priority over an easy shot or a little extra ground space for peas and like crops so most of what we do anymore is maintaining power lines, firelanes or existing natural clearings or spots that have been left over from pilled timber ect. Most of our terrain is way too tretorous for normal tractor travel anyway

I would definetly go with a 4wd. as it might aleviate a lot of come-a-long time in the furture if you have sand, holes or soft creek bottoms that you intend to cross with implements. When it comes to weight I believe I would much rather sacrifice a little traction requiring a few extra passes then have a heavier one try to bury it's self into oblivion in the middle of no where due to some unforseen circumstance. I know for a fact this has crossed my mind at least a time or two while tugging on the handle of the hoist in pouring rain hooked to some of the others in the 2wd. ag range variety. I won't go into the woes I've experienced with electic winches or coments like "we can just pull it out with the ?????".

When I recently first started out looking for for a new tractor I did have this use in mind and was one reason I was so attracted to the Kubotas to begin with. (That's not exactly the "size" direction I ended up going in for other reasons, but it was a nice thought at the time) I liked the size of some of the older smaller 20+hp. Kubotas used for like landscaping or nurseries that I have seen scattered around and thought they would make a nice little woods tractor. They seemed like they would be way easier to transport especially on some of the winding hilly roads we travel and far easier to manuver thru trees also most if not all of our tillage would be relatively shallow and light and wasn't in any rush when it comes to mowing. I finally went with a 50hp. MX (not so much for this use) and when you add the extra length of the cutter on top of the tractor length with FEL it's a little like steering a battleship thru the trees. Or has seemed that way so far. In the past we have uncoupled and only used 1 section of the disk or found old smaller drag type implements that could just be left out there for this use.

As to great proven models for this use, unfortunatly I didn't really do that much investigation.

 

[Mech]

The UTDA (Used Tractor Dealors Association) member list is a good place to look for responsible dealers. I purchased from one of the members 6 years ago, great tractor.

UTDA Membership List

I completely agree with picking a dealer from this list. The Yanmars are great tractors (my 790 is one branded by JD) but if they need to be refurbished I would run away. It is inconceivable, given the price for parts, that a tractor could really be economically "rebuilt". The good dealers pick the best of the grey market tractors and may fix a thing or two. The rest get "refurbished" and many show up as sad stories on TBN. I had one and was very lucky that my dealer took it back.

 

[LBrown59]

3 tractors I don't want .
Chinese
Gray Market
Refurbished.

 

[WilliamBos]

I agree on the grey and chinese stuff. Now the refurbished, I guess it all depends. FYI, Our 1523 was not much more than a refurb.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would actually look for a fairly heavy tractor in you price range. 50 Hp and no weight will equal no go. I have a 48 Hp Ford 861 Powermaster that gets outworked every day by my 28 Hp Jinma. Of course the Jinma is 4 wheel drive but weighs nearly as much and is diesel with more gear selections and more torque.

Yes, the Ford will out work it on the pto but struggles to pull a 2 bottom plow through the weeds. My Jinma can pull the plow and a dead horse at the same time.

Chris

 

[AMP762]

I have a D1550 Mitsu.thats about 18hp at the eng. and less then 1200lbs.It will go anywhere in the woods but don't try to pull anything with it.You'll never stall the eng.,just not enough weight.I would say stay far far away from refurbs.

 

[toddol1971]

I have a massey 1433 & own alot of woods. I cleared several lanes out with it. It goes thru the trees fairly good (better than my 65). It has real good hydrolics. I have lifted the *** end of old cars & pushed them uphill, & drug them out down a long up & downhill powerline. It lifted & carried complete bucket fulls of wet clay dirt that with the bushhog on and loaded tires still wanted to lift the tires off the ground. I can honestly say that this is one tough heavy duty tractor. I think its a perfect size for what you want to do. I guarantee I have moved enough heavy stuff & uprooted enough 30 ft trees to draw a good judgement. When reading what you want to do I felt like dejavu (sp).

 

[Soundguy]

3 tractors I don't want .
Chinese
Gray Market
Refurbished.

Why no refurb?

Plenty of tractors out there that have been used, rebuilt, and sold in serviceable condition.

I try to refurb my antiques into working condition as soon as I get them...

soundguy

 

[WilliamBos]

Why no refurb?

Plenty of tractors out there that have been used, rebuilt, and sold in serviceable condition.

I try to refurb my antiques into working condition as soon as I get them...

soundguy

I agree. A 3000 Series Ford, or a 100 series MF, or whatever your flavour, either bought and refurbed, or done your self, will give many years of reliable service.

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. good tractors if you take care of them, and / or rebuild them.. etc.

soundguy

 

[mattman]

I appreicate the info. I was worried about how well the refurb job was done. If done right then it would be worth it, but a poor job done could come back to cost you more than a new tractor would. I think I had better find a good used tractor or a new one.