What is a Tractors Lifespan?

[Egon]

That is very true but not helpful if you are trying to amortize the cost of owning something. Lifespan as you describe can only be determined after you have the equipment.

And for different people there will be a different lifespan that is acceptable.

 

[rgr33]

I guess a tractors true lifespan is when it gets to the point when nobody can be found that is willing to purchase and repair the machine at any cost, not even for free.

As a ball park guess, I would think in terms of engine hours, not years.
For a 35 hp tractor, I would guess by 10 to 12,000 hours, it would be in such poor shape It might not be worth the expense of fixing.

A larger Ag tractor like a JD 93xx would still be out working the fields at 10k hours, probably lots of Big Ag tractors out there with 16,000 hrs still working fine,
Plenty of examples both ways that are exceptions to these numbers, but that is my guess as a place to start.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I guess a tractors true lifespan is when it gets to the point when nobody can be found that is willing to purchase and repair the machine at any cost, not even for free.

As a ball park guess, I would think in terms of engine hours, not years.
For a 35 hp tractor, I would guess by 10 to 12,000 hours, it would be in such poor shape It might not be worth the expense of fixing.

A larger Ag tractor like a JD 93xx would still be out working the fields at 10k hours, probably lots of Big Ag tractors out there with 16,000 hrs still working fine,
Plenty of examples both ways that are exceptions to these numbers, but that is my guess as a place to start.

Your first paragraph is likely the best response a person can give. At some point a machines value is no longer sufficient to warrant the burden of repair costs. Obviously, a person expects zero repair costs for a reasonable period of time after acquiring new equipment, only normal maintenance and upkeep. But eventually there is reasonable repair and part replacement. At some point, it becomes unreasonable and choices need to be made. Being that we all use and maintain our equipment differently, it's likely very difficult to predict that crossover point where the big decision will occur.

Your response is dead to rights, spot on.

 

[Creamer]

My nephews JD 4450 is used about every day - no hard pulling but a lot of chore type work. 1st engine overhaul at 22,500 hrs. It now has about 24,000 hrs. They put $28k into the engine and cab because they thought is was solid and it was good for another 10k+ hours and much cheaper than the new ones.

You should be able to get 8-10k hrs on any ag tractor prior to overhaul. Cuts are used differently with a lot more stops and starts so I would expect more like 5-6k hrs to first overhaul unless age gets them first.

 

[Agvg]

When your market are more or less hobbyist you don't design industrial quality parts, quite sure a lot of those small tractors have very low lifetime design life

 

[goeduck]

Well I guess I have a long ways to go. My tractors are at 500, 600, 1600 and 5600 hours.

 

[finn1]

Parts availability and work arounds for failed electronics and wiring harnesses will ultimately define the practical life of modern tractors.

Availability of proprietary mechanical parts will also be an issue.

I don’t think you can compare the life of a simple Ford 2n with that of a modern common rail, hst, a/c equipped cab tractor.

On the other hand, at my age it really doesn’t matter if my 2017 tractor is still running and productive in 80 years, does it?

 

[MESSMAKER]

Parts availability and work arounds for failed electronics and wiring harnesses will ultimately define the practical life of modern tractors.

Availability of proprietary mechanical parts will also be an issue.

I don’t think you can compare the life of a simple Ford 2n with that of a modern common rail, hst, a/c equipped cab tractor.

On the other hand, at my age it really doesn’t matter if my 2017 tractor is still running and productive in 80 years, does it?

Good point.

 

[Texasmark]

"What is a Tractors Lifespan?"............forever!!!! Just depends on how long you want to keep it.

Aftermarket parts are plentiful now thanks to things like the internet where one has an international parts store from which to select what he/she needs. Every day I marvel at what the internet has done for me personally.

I retired just about the time it got into full swing. Can't imagine how much easier my job would have been had I had it vs something like "The Thompson Register" to name one set of supplier listing manuals.

 

[digruprguy]

I don't know how it works in Canada but in the USA the IRS determines the number of years you can amortize a piece of equipment. My JD 110TLB cost around $51,000 new and I could write it off over 6 years using it for business.

 

[Phillip w]

The old stuff, 40, 50, 60 year is relatively common. This newer stuff??? Very questionable. My newer tractor id been better off to junk it instead of letting agco talk me into pouring boat loads of money into it only to have more expensive breakdowns. In my opinion the mechanical parts, power trains etc. Were alot better built on the old stuff. The newer stuff may have an advantage with electronic whizzos and comfort. But when an electronic whizzo quits, no real way to jerry rigg and get it going. And the power trains are pretty weak. If yiu start having major power train failures, i think your better off to junk the tractor and start over rather than let some dealer talk you into spending boatloads of money. In reality that dealer could care less about you, they just want you money and then wont stand behind their work.

 

[MHarryE]

In 1954 ASAE (American Society of Agricultural Engineers)and published 7500 hours for the life of a 2wd agricultural tractor with 37% of the initial cost estimated in repairs during the lifetime. By 1973 with the shift from gas to diesel they changed the standard to 12,000 hour lifetime with 120% of original cost predicted in repairs during that lifetime. Before retiring we looked at 3000 to 5000 hour lifetime for less than 3 liter engines and 10,000 to 15,000 before overhaul for a 1 liter per cylinder or larger engine.

 

[ovrszd]

The old stuff, 40, 50, 60 year is relatively common. This newer stuff??? Very questionable. My newer tractor id been better off to junk it instead of letting agco talk me into pouring boat loads of money into it only to have more expensive breakdowns. In my opinion the mechanical parts, power trains etc. Were alot better built on the old stuff. The newer stuff may have an advantage with electronic whizzos and comfort. But when an electronic whizzo quits, no real way to jerry rigg and get it going. And the power trains are pretty weak. If yiu start having major power train failures, i think your better off to junk the tractor and start over rather than let some dealer talk you into spending boatloads of money. In reality that dealer could care less about you, they just want you money and then wont stand behind their work.

We as consumers caused this. No one to blame but ourselves. We did it with automobiles as well. Heck, we did it with TVs, coffee pots, washing machines, phones,,,, the list goes on and on.

 

[Erik M]

Newer equipment will be quickly obsolete and isn’t designed for 50+ yrs of operation the way tractors in the 1950-70s were. The electronics in new equipment will never last the way simple old tractors do. I like my 40 yr old tractor.

 

[goeduck]

The old stuff, 40, 50, 60 year is relatively common. This newer stuff??? Very questionable. My newer tractor id been better off to junk it instead of letting agco talk me into pouring boat loads of money into it only to have more expensive breakdowns. In my opinion the mechanical parts, power trains etc. Were alot better built on the old stuff. The newer stuff may have an advantage with electronic whizzos and comfort. But when an electronic whizzo quits, no real way to jerry rigg and get it going. And the power trains are pretty weak. If yiu start having major power train failures, i think your better off to junk the tractor and start over rather than let some dealer talk you into spending boatloads of money. In reality that dealer could care less about you, they just want you money and then wont stand behind their work.

A lot of truth in this post ^^^^. Good reason to choose good brands with solid popular models to increase chances of parts/repair.

 

[Phillip w]

Your profile says you were an allis engineer. You did something right cause my allis chalmers 185 is easy to work on and still going with 14,000 + hours on it. I think going to need to go into the engine pretty soon. She starting to use a little oil. I also got a 730 jd with 20,000 + hours, but it has had engine rebuit. This new foriegn made stuff, lets see where we are in 30+ years. My old allis and jd are alot more dependabe than my newer mf. Got some snow today and it was about 10 degrees. Allis kicked right off and mf would not hit a lick. I guess that is why i lean to and trust the old stuff.

 

[joeu235]

Our 2003 JD 6403 1800 hour tractor is all mechanical except the instrument cluster. Guess what is the only significant thing to break on the tractor.
The 1972 JD 4020 with the hour meter stuck on 9500 as long as I can remember has had the alternator & water pump replaced as well as a twisted off PTO shaft.

Electronic components (and I work in the semiconductor industry) are going to limit the lifespan of all new tractors.

 

[Phillip w]

That is what these guys with these new tractors don't understand. That 4020 is raw rugged tractor and still going 40+ years later. The iron, axles, gears, the tractr in general is hard to beat. You had to be doing something half stupid to tear one up. These new tractors are a basket full of problems waiting to happen. You got guys with power train problems, transmission problems, axle amd differential problems, guys breaking loader arms, electronic whizzos screwing up etc. We never had these problems years ago, stuff like that was unheard of. Yeah, maybe an alternator, or a starter, or a water pump or something like that. These new tractors are having catastrophic failure and half the time only have 1000 or 1500 hours. I got a buddy who runs a tractor repair shop. He says the new jd have computerized stuff similiar to cars. He said jd is claiming copyright propriety and if you can't get into the diagnostics, you can't repair the tractor. Jd is apparrently trying to run a mafia style shakedown in a sense. The made the tractor and they are the only one that can fix it. We are trying to push through a "right to repair law" in which jd would have to furnish the diagnostic information. Until then, who want to buy a tractor you cant work on. These new tractors seem like a real mess to me and most will probably be long gone and sitting in the junk yard way before 30, 40, or 50 years of service. I've upset some apple carts on here, but i sure like to talk to these guys when their little foreign made tractor hit 10,000 hours if it will stay running that long.

 

[joeu235]

That is what these guys with these new tractors don't understand. That 4020 is raw rugged tractor and still going 40+ years later. The iron, axles, gears, the tractr in general is hard to beat. You had to be doing something half stupid to tear one up. These new tractors are a basket full of problems waiting to happen. You got guys with power train problems, transmission problems, axle amd differential problems, guys breaking loader arms, electronic whizzos screwing up etc. We never had these problems years ago, stuff like that was unheard of. Yeah, maybe an alternator, or a starter, or a water pump or something like that. These new tractors are having catastrophic failure and half the time only have 1000 or 1500 hours. I got a buddy who runs a tractor repair shop. He says the new jd have computerized stuff similiar to cars. He said jd is claiming copyright propriety and if you can't get into the diagnostics, you can't repair the tractor. Jd is apparrently trying to run a mafia style shakedown in a sense. The made the tractor and they are the only one that can fix it. We are trying to push through a "right to repair law" in which jd would have to furnish the diagnostic information. Until then, who want to buy a tractor you cant work on. These new tractors seem like a real mess to me and most will probably be long gone and sitting in the junk yard way before 30, 40, or 50 years of service. I've upset some apple carts on here, but i sure like to talk to these guys when their little foreign made tractor hit 10,000 hours if it will stay running that long.

I've been looking for a JD 2555 or 2755 for that exact reason.

 

[Agvg]

Wonder how many hours the average small tractor runs pr year, the older small tractors where more commersial machines and made to last. Building 10000h+ small tractors cost a lot and few will pay the price.