Why do CUT owners/buyers have low expectations?

[sweettractors]

Agree. Old iron is gone, long gone.

Here's the 1953 Massey Harris I learned on. Yeah, there's some still around. (my neighbor has the red version) It was all iron, through and through. 15 hp drawbar rated Continental engine. Gas, of course. Full hydraulics, but no power steering. 3-F and 1-R. Not all that different in over all size and ability to the 'Bota I have now.

Ken, there is no comparison between the two. Almost none. Everything about that Massey was iron and we never put a wrench to it in 25 years for anything remotely resembling a repair. Far as I know, it's still running.

Honestly, comparing the tractor of my youth to my current tractor is like comparing a current Ford Fusion to the '54 Ford wagon we had at that time. They are both cars, but don't have much else in common.

With the high prices we pay for new CUT,s today, we should expect them to last as long as the 53 Massey Harris, because back then, the few hundred dollars that it cost was a very high price as well. Lots of farmers were still using a team of horses or mules at that time. Ken Sweet

 

[andrec999]

Hi,

It is a good question, and I find that a tractor is supposed be able to work hard , trough rough terrain , ditchs , go in the wood through branches , blow snow in the worst conditions at -30* or 80*F , yes those are high expectations and I see in this forum that it is not always the older tractors that have problems.
I like the older tractors cause they are strong and all made of steel and alot most affordable . Yes least confortable and not easier to use with no HS, but for the same money you can get alot more power and simpler mechanics, actually very basic, and even I can almost work on them.
Alot of people might not agree, but this is my opinion.
My 1978 JD is the newer tractor I have ever owned, the two previous ones were 1962 B414, and 1968 434 IH .

 

[wny770]

I expect to get 5000 hours out of my Kubota before I have to do any work to it other than routine work. Every day I pass farms with "old iron" that has sat for decades because it broke and cost more to fix than it was worth. I have no idea of how many hours are on them but I would suspect that any tractor (as long as parts can be bought) could be fixed up.

But most "old iron" around me doesn't do much work. Most either just pulled something in a field or some had a PTO to drive an attachment. How many of these long lasting "old iron" tractors never had a loader on it? If they never did then the front axle never had any real weight on it, it never had to deal with the forward/ backward/ forward operation of digging in a pile.

I would say it's not low expectations but higher expectations of wanting to use the tractor for more things and wanting more options than an non syncro stick and a better ride than a stamped metal seat will give.

I suppose a good used engine block for one of my Farmalls or Olivers could be had for 4 or 500 dollars. same for a NH or Kubota? As far as front axles not having weight on them, A full set of pipe cultivators for an Oliver was over a thousand pounds. My 77 pulls a 3 bottom in third gear.... 34 horses. Then cultivate, then put up silage, then saw wood on the belt... etc.. Try doing that with a CUT for 7 or 8 thousand hours..... Yes they are different, but to try and compare quality..... impossible. The iron of long ago was extremely overbuilt. Why so many on the fence row? Where have all the family farms gone? It's hard to buy orange juice without concentrate from Costa Rica and Brazil.... Yes iron of long ago is gone. Good luck finding a cut with 10,000 + hours.

 

[bp fick]

The modern CUT is what's offered for sale.

No one, repeat, No one is building a tractor with the iron and metal and building them the way they did in the 1950s or earlier, in my experience.

In some ways, yes, the modern CUT tractor shines because it is diesel, has hydraulic systems, HST, better lights, charging systems and batteries, certainly more cushy seats, power steering, 4x4, which is nice, but in no way is the heavy iron, waaaaay over built simplicity and strength of the by-gone tractor available today.

Just isn't even offered.

It would be great to have the best of the past, updated with the present technology, but.... If it were, could we possibly afford them? I dunno.

I don't know about low expectations. I suspect it is merely a benign acceptance of the present reality. What would higher expectations have gotten me? I can only buy what is being marketed.

 

[dave1949]

The modern CUT is what's offered for sale.

No one, repeat, No one is building a tractor with the iron and metal and building them the way they did in the 1950s or earlier, in my experience.

In some ways, yes, the modern CUT tractor shines because it is diesel, has hydraulic systems, HST, better lights, charging systems and batteries, certainly more cushy seats, power steering, 4x4, which is nice, but in no way is the heavy iron, waaaaay over built simplicity and strength of the by-gone tractor available today.

Just isn't even offered.

It would be great to have the best of the past, updated with the present technology, but.... If it were, could we possibly afford them? I dunno.

I don't know about low expectations. I suspect it is merely a benign acceptance of the present reality. What would higher expectations have gotten me? I can only buy what is being marketed.

Higher disappointment ? Good points.
Dave.

 

[CBW1999]

I tend to think that in the "old" days, equipment was purchased as the appropriate piece that will do what needs to be done. There wasn't a big push on "trading" to get something new or that can do more. Essentially the tractor retired when the farmer retired.

I have a neighbor that is near 90 years old. He still runs is IH that is almost as old as he is- still see him drive by to go plow the neighbors out.

I think the younger generation has no real expectation of longevity in anything. I know people who trade (not a lease) vehicles every 2 years- there is always something better out there for them. Same thing with tractors- get something that works now and, if you don't like it or it doesn't do what you need it to- trade up.

We almost live in a society that considers everything is disposable. So, replying to Ken's comment- putting up with problems on a cut/scut is a small price to pay when you know you can drop it and get another when you want.

Although this idea doesn't work for all of us.

I bought my Kubota new, knowing what I would need currently and in the future. I only have a couple of regrets, but none that get me running to the dealership. I look at old implements more than I do new. I feel that for the most part, if it has been around for 30 years then I should be abloe to get a number of years out of it.

If shipping wasn't the biggest concern, I would shop at Sweet Tractors for several of the things I would like. I wish we had a reasonable dealership similar in our area....

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I worked with a Mechanical Engineer who had previously worked for a large tractor corp. (Not green) and he told me that they engineered their designs to last 10 years.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

OTOH, you can't find a whole bunch of 8N's with A/C cabs and 16 speeds still running either.

Funny note, my buddy has been using a Ford 2000 gas for years and he just restored a 2615(I think) Ford and he told me "Its awesome, It actually has a pedal you step on to lock the differential. You don't have to work the brakes to control slippage in the mud."

 

[TripleR]

We own some old 50's model Fords and a 60's model Case tractor and backhoe. Our Fords and Case were designed and manufactured with day in day out, long hours in the field.

I doubt from looking on here that most CUT owners ever intend to use theirs like that. I will run four to five hundred hours on one, but that's not much compared to what I put on a tractor when I was farming.

 

[bigbull338]

the honest truth is most CUT owners will put 1000 to 1500hrs on their tractors an then trade them for a newer 1,because they dont want todo any major repairs on them.