What is a Tractors Lifespan?

[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.