What trouble spots in used tractors?

[Jazzdadof7]

I'm a newbie to the site, though I've been reading everyone's helpful ideas for about a year.
I'm going to look at a used kubota b series this weekend. Has an FEL and MMM. Low hours (<300 I think).
What areas should I look for trouble in such a tractor? Where are the expensive repairs?
I'll be using it for mowing and large garden, and some lighter landscaping, for now. May be buying a larger piece of land soon, so bigger jobs may come in the next year or so.
Thanks in advance for your time & advice!

 

[RoyJackson]

I doubt you'd find any cheap repairs on a tractor!

If it's a gear transmission, make sure the clutch is in good operating order and doesn't slip. If a synchronized transmission, there should be no grinding when shifting gears.
The HST guys can better let you know about HST then I can.
Otherwise, overall condition. Be a bit suspect if it's just been "detailed".

 

[Grandad4]

300 hours is barely broken in... should be "as new", at least mechanically. Many owners don't put a lot of hours on their tractor per year, so it might be a few years old. Tractors are tools for work, not showpieces, so the cosmetics may throw you off a bit. If it has been parked outside, for example, the paint may be weathered or there may be some rust and dings. That's minor stuff... what's important is how the engine and drivetrain actually work. Pay attention to the pto and hydraulics... make sure they are working OK.

Here's a suggestion: Look over the 300 hour tractor from top to bottom. Drive it, operate it and all the attachments so you know how it runs and works. Then, go down to the Kubota dealer and have them demo a comparably sized new "B" machine for comparison. You can judge for yourself how the tractor operates vs. a new one. It's an advantage that tractors like the Kubota B models have been popular for a long time, so the models are evolutionary, not revolutionary.

Beyond that, look for obvious warning signs. Is anything about the tractor indicative of really hard use or more than 300 hours? Examples: bent loader bucket, excessive wear on the bucket, heavily worn tires, operator station heavily worn, 3 point linkages damaged or worn heavily? Any leaks? Any signs the engine or drivetrain have undergone major repairs? Has it been serviced (air filter, fuel filter, engine and hydraulic fluid, etc.)? How does the engine start and run? Any smoke? What kind of use did it get?

Good luck.

 

[Jazzdadof7]

Thanks to you both.
I looked the tractor over carefully for signs of repair work in the engine bay and the undercarriage - didn't see signs of bolts being undone. The engine bay had some dirt, but no fluid leaks I could see. Same under the belly. It started without smoke. I drove it around the lot, moved the loader in all directions, raised & lowered the mower deck. No cosmetic damage to the tractor. Minimal scrapes & not bends/dents on the loader bucket - the arms that lower to "park" the loader on this model appeared to have been used only a little, so I suspect the loader has not seen much on/off travel. The front wheels on the deck appeared to have been bent/broken, then re-welded, but appeared sturdy for now. None of the carrying bars/attachments appeared bent or damaged. And hour meter was at 222.8. The price was good, so I took it. It'll be delivered Monday morning, early.

Thoughts on maintenance? The dealer is high-volume, and had bought it from a Virginia dealer, and did not know it's maintenance history. I'm thinking to do whatever maintenance is routinely done at 200hrs, now, just to be safe.

Appreciate your sharing of collective wisdom!

 

[Grandad4]

What specific model is it? Do you know how old? Doing a service is good practice whenever you buy something used since you never know for sure how it has been maintained. Oil, filters, coolant, grease are the obvious starting points. I'd probably also change out the hydraulic fluid and filters, but that will add up the $$. Highly recommend using Kubota Super UDT hyd. fluid, but prepare for sticker shock... it's very pricey.

Take an air hose or garden hose (not pressure washer), and carefully clean out the radiator vanes. Amazing how much dirt accumulates and can cause overheating, particularly with a tractor that has done a lot of mowing.

Important to keep clean air filters on it... eating dust and grit will shorten engine life dramatically.

If the wheels on the deck have been bent or broken like that, I would have the dealer demo for you that the deck goes on/off OK and nothing else is pranged up in the linkages, front pto shaft, etc. The busted wheels indicate either some really rough mowing or the previous owner was too lazy to take the deck off when doing non-mowing work. That''s a bad practice since you end up damaging a really expensive mower deck. While the deck is off the tractor, check the pulleys and belts on it. If the pulleys were not greased regularly, the bearings get worn and are expensive to repair.

Post some pictures after it's delivered!