Tractor Longevity

[mclintoc]

I often hear (and I often believe) that older tractors are better than newer tractors. Why people would think so is pretty clear to see--just look around at all the 30, 40, 50 year old tractors still out there working hard.
But I wonder if this is actually true.

I agree that all the new computer controls make the tractors harder for the average person to repair, but being easy to repair and lasting long are two different things.

Consider the equivalent in cars. When I was younger, I rarely saw a car with over 150,000 miles still running. Now, 250,000 without any major problems is common.

Why then are cars better nowadays and tractors worse?

Or, is it just a myth that they don't make tractors like they used to?

 

[k0ua]

It's not a myth, they don't make tractors like they used to. For which I am very thankful!

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

Ditto here, you can put way more hours on a late model machine than we ever dreamed we could do on 40 year old tractors while at the same time accomplishing more work with a whole lot less waste.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A friend just ordered a new ford truck. Well over a hundred grand with taxes CDN. That thing probably won't be around in fifteen years. No one would be able to afford to repair the touch screens, computers, air bags and so on.

Consumers are being sold garbage! It's all about marketing, end of story! I can't place my elbow on the hood of my "HD" truck to clean the windshield without the whole thing caving in!

It's why I am a fan of "Industrial, commercial and institutional things. It seems to be the only way of getting anything approaching lasting quality, even when used.

A farmer was telling me yesterday how he dropped 30 grand this year to repair a late model combine. A new one costs half a million bucks and you get a one seasons warranty! This world has gone insane!

 

[Thomas]

Old tractor made simple and stronger,but todays tractors can do more faster...dang if you do and dang if you don't.

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

A friend just ordered a new ford truck. Well over a hundred grand with taxes CDN. That thing probably won't be around in fifteen years. No one would be able to afford to repair the touch screens, computers, air bags and so on.

Consumers are being sold garbage! It's all about marketing, end of story! I can't place my elbow on the hood of my "HD" truck to clean the winshield without the whole thing caving in!

It's why I am a fan of "Industrial, commercial and institutional things. It seems to be the only way of getting anything approaching lasting quality, even when used.

I disagree, I believe that the changes we are seeing in the truck or tractor world is consumer driven. Just maybe not driven by us, but the largest producers/users are demanding these things. When your biggest purchasing segment says we want "this" the oems listen. On the flip side it does give those of us that are not large commercial operations the opportunity to buy some pretty good stuff that will fit the bill once the big guys have moved onto something better. It's amazing how well the aftermarket world can support those 15 year old trucks, and why the service industry in general is booming.

 

[Garandman]

//Or, is it just a myth that they don't make tractors like they used to?

Design science was much less precise. they could not measure the forces applied so they hugely overdesigned many components. These components are thus understressed.. In my first job I had to design processing machinery and I would often use old shoe manufacturing equipment as the bases were heavy cast iron that would last literally forever.

But this same lack of precision applied to all other components so some of those lasted a much shorter time. The ability to design, simulate and change before production now means that the system works much better as a whole.

Example.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Design science was much less precise. they could not measure the forces applied so they hugely overdesigned many components. These components are thus understressed.. In my first job I had to design processing machinery and I would often use old shoe manufacturing equipment as the bases were heavy cast iron that would last literally forever.

But this same lack of precision applied to all other components so some of those lasted a much shorter time. The ability to design, simulate and change before production now means that the system works much better as a whole.

Example.

I always thought designing and prototyping industrual automated manufacturing equipment would be a really cool job.

 

[gwstang]

One thing about the older tractors is that they were designed to be rebuilt over and over again. Take my old 1952 Ford 8N. It is one of the last of the N models. The N's were designed to be rebuilt. A farmer could have the thing back in service in very little time. Pop new sleeves in/main and rod bearings adjust valves...all in a days work. I'm sure other tractors were the same in the 30/40/50's. They sold millions of those things and many are still in service. Sometimes I think about how cool it was for a farmer way back at the turn of the century to be able to get a tractor to replace a mule or horses/plow. Tractors don't get tired like livestock.

 

[davesl708]

You will not know if tractors today are worse than tractors 50 years ago until 50 years from now.
There are a lot of tractor manufacturers 50 years ago that are not here now. A lot of models are no longer made.