Too many hours?

[Dugger6]

Help! I'm new to this farming stuff and am trying to purchase a used tractor. My question: How many hours can a tractor have on it before te repairs start piling up. I know that the most important consideration would be care and maintenance, but assuming average, when do transmissions, hydraulic pumps, engines, etc start costing alot in repairs?
I am shopping for a 65-70 hp tractor to work 33 acres of vineyard. All input will be appreciated.

 

[Soundguy]

Big tractors? Big old tractors? It's pretty common to see big old tractors with 5-6k hours on them and not much but 'wear' items needing work. Not unheard of to see 8k to 10k on a really well cared for machine.. but that's on the stretch side.

1k hours is just getting broke in...

go by condition more than hours.. A 3khr machine with a good mechanic and operator can be in better shape than one with 200 hrs on it and a bad operator..


Soundguy

 

[JerryG]

Everything Chris said is right. When they get 4-5000 hours on them it is usually easier to tell how they have been taken care of. They can have a lot of hours on them and be in fine shape if they were taken care of. Tractors are a lot different than automobiles.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Big tractors? Big old tractors? It's pretty common to see big old tractors with 5-6k hours on them and not much but 'wear' items needing work. Not unheard of to see 8k to 10k on a really well cared for machine.. but that's on the stretch side.

1k hours is just getting broke in...

go by condition more than hours.. A 3khr machine with a good mechanic and operator can be in better shape than one with 200 hrs on it and a bad operator..


Soundguy

YUP!

My father-in-law had a 1650 Oliver with 16,000 hours. It was worn but still ticking. I looked at a Deere 5400 last week with 1200 hours and I wouldn't have hauled it home it it was free. A GOOD diesel, with proper care can see 10,000 before needing an overhaul. I've got 3200 on my 36 year-old Massey and 3800 on my 28 year-old Deere and I'll line 'em up against most any new tractor for reliability.

Some people are gentle on equipment. Some folks need to stay away from ANYTHING mechanical.

 

[ToadHill]

I did a valve job on my old Massey 85 at just over 10,000 hours. After 13,000 I got rid of the tractor. It still had plenty of power but the hydro pumps were worn out.

 

[Dugger6]

Thanks for the input! I have found a couple of 4000 hour NH TN80F's that seem to be in pretty good shape and if I can get the right price I would be willing to "self insure" against breaks. This is the size tractor I need and I can't afford new. I'm still looking!!

I've been reading lots of posts here and tey are very informative. Again, thanks for the help.

 

[john_bud]

I like to look up the grease zerk locations on used tractors and figure out where the hardest to reach ones are. Then look at them to see if they have been greased. A conscientious person that does good preventative maintenance will grease the tough ones up under the front axle just as often as the ones out in the open.

At 3-4000 hours the clutch may start to go out. Test by putting the tractor in high gear and at about 1000 rpms, dump the clutch. The engine should die. Do it again at pto rpms, but don't pop it, just let it out medium fast. You don't want to sense any slippage. Splitting bigger tractors is a bigger chore.

jb

 

[Soundguy]

Ditto on the grease fittings. I pretty much blow a whole tube of grease between the tractor and the batwing when i come in from mowing. Cheaper than repalcing pins and bushings and bearings though!! I like to top the fuel tank off at the same time too. that way when i need the tractor again i know it is fueled up and All i need to do is kick tires and pull oil dipsticks and then go. I think the fuel topoff thing goes along way to prevent condensatioon water contamination in the tank / filter / traps.. etc

Soundguy

 

[LoneCowboy]

I do that too
grease everything, fix anything and fuel it up, before putting it all away for the night. That way it's ready to go in the morning and you haven't forgotten anything. (and you push out any water/crud/whatever when greasing.

makes for a long day, but a much more productive next day.

nothing worse than getting to a job site, unloading, ready to roll and look down and realize it's out of fuel and you have to go rumble around to fill it. And then all the nice cool morning is gone.
drives me crazy.

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. and if you do find soemthing broke.. you can then get to fixing it.. instead of killing a days work trying to get it fixed asap, and then get the job done.. and rush it.. and break something else..

Soundguy