Why so Much Work on a 2400-Hour Machine?

[Suburban Plowboy]

Hope it's okay to put a backhoe question here.

I saw an interesting backhoe on the web. At 29.5K, the price is right, since I would probably be putting under 200 hours a year on it. I don't need a new machine.

Anyway, generally, ads for these things are pretty lame. "Hours unknown." No information about leaks or wear. "Runs!"

I found one with a very detailed ad. It supposedly has 2400 hours on it. Nonetheless, the ad lists a ton of work:

When it came in it had some leaks and a bit of a miss due to not being used alot over the last few years. We started by cleaning the fuel system entirely and replaced the injectors all 4 are brand new after doing so it still had a slight miss so we then replaced the injection pump .In the mean time we went ahead and replaced 3 out of 4 tires , replaced the suspension seat ( had a rip in it ) , repacked most every cylinder , serviced the unit , greased , pressure washed , replaced the decals , and did an upper end service. The upper end serviced consists of a fresh head gasket , having the machine shop plain the head , re-work/ replace the valves , valve seats , copper orings ect.and re-torqued head to oem specs.

Here is what I am wondering about: how can all that work be needed just because a machine sat around? Most of the hydraulic cylinders had leaks. And why would a machine with 2700 hours need to have the head planed and the valves replaced?

I know 2400 hours mean it's not new, but I know a lot of earth moving machines go much longer than that. I always assume any tractor under 4K should be in reasonably good shape.

 

[4570Man]

I try to avoid buying a machine with that’s had a ton of work. I’d rather have a machine or vehicle that’s worked for 20 years and with a few minor problems vs one that’s had 20k in work. One is a good machine and the other is a piece of junk.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

It clearly blew a gasket at some time, but I don't know why that would necessarily screw up the valves. Maybe they ran it with a bad gasket and coolant got in there?

 

[Jstpssng]

How old is it? I agree with the poster above you. When something starts needing that much work you have to figure that something else will go wrong.

I'm the master at buying machines of various types which turn into money holes.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

Ad says it's a 2005.

 

[Jstpssng]

Ad says it's a 2005.

Somebody's had 17 years to beat the crap out of it. From the description, I suspect that's just what happened.

 

[dirttoys]

Hope it's okay to put a backhoe question here.

I saw an interesting backhoe on the web. At 29.5K, the price is right, since I would probably be putting under 200 hours a year on it. I don't need a new machine.

Anyway, generally, ads for these things are pretty lame. "Hours unknown." No information about leaks or wear. "Runs!"

I found one with a very detailed ad. It supposedly has 2400 hours on it. Nonetheless, the ad lists a ton of work:



Here is what I am wondering about: how can all that work be needed just because a machine sat around? Most of the hydraulic cylinders had leaks. And why would a machine with 2700 hours need to have the head planed and the valves replaced?

I know 2400 hours mean it's not new, but I know a lot of earth moving machines go much longer than that. I always assume any tractor under 4K should be in reasonably good shape.

Most of my stuff is old enough it has had some work, so that doesn't scare me much. Sounds like this one might have got hot with all the top end work, I would probably avoid it. The tires, seat, and seals sound pretty normal for the year and hours though.

best,

ed

 

[hornett22]

How mas it maintained? Who operated it?

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

Perhaps I will learn those things if they decide to respond to my inquiry.

 

[jaydee325]

Generally, if someone is proud of what they are selling, they will expand on the fact that it has had regular maintenance and provide service records, even if they did all the work themselves.

Vague seller descriptions means they are hiding something.

I'd run away from this one!

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

They're running away from ME!

 

[Jstpssng]

They're running away from ME!

They might be doing you a favor.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I'm checking out an equipment auction next week. Why buy from people who buy from auctions when I can cut out the middleman?

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Look at the exhaust. If it looks like rain water could get down the exhaust, that may be the reason for rebuilding the whole top end. I'd pull a leak down and compression test, and if good, not be too concerned about it. If you were in my area, cylinder that are tight in the summer weep in the winter until warmed up (if they ever do get warmed up, that is), but you're down in Florida, so I cannot say why the cylinders needed to be repacked. I would thing hoses would rot out long before cylinder would leak unless the hydro oil was old and contaminated with rust.

 

[Williy]

With something in that shape you had
better just purchase a brand new macine
as the repairs just might get the cost up!
So just save your self the hassle and get
a new machine that you can use right away
instead of having a back to pay for all the
repairs and parts plus all the time it takes
to get something like up and running

willy

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

With something in that shape you had
better just purchase a brand new macine
as the repairs just might get the cost up!
So just save your self the hassle and get
a new machine that you can use right away
instead of having a back to pay for all the
repairs and parts plus all the time it takes
to get something like up and running

willy

It's running now. They claim they rebuilt the top end, packed most of the cylinders, and replaced three tires

I'm not spending $120,000 on a new machine. Only crazy people, big companies, and billionaires buy new backhoes. I could rebuild an old machine from the ground up for a fraction of that.

Also, new machines have expensive eco-crap on them, and it breaks down a lot.

 

[sea2summit]

I try to avoid buying a machine with that’s had a ton of work. I’d rather have a machine or vehicle that’s worked for 20 years and with a few minor problems vs one that’s had 20k in work. One is a good machine and the other is a piece of junk.

I work on my machines when they need it but realize that every time I do I'm probably doing something that will require more work later. It's a downward spiral IMHO.

 

[4570Man]

I work on my machines when they need it but realize that every time I do I'm probably doing something that will require more work later. It's a downward spiral IMHO.

I understand all machines break but when something has already had a whole pile of work it’s a trend that’s probably going to continue.

 

[Mud2Money]

Was it by chance a flood machine and water killed the top end and injection system ? Sounds like it had some rust or something in the top end to require that kind of work.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I don't know anything about its history because the dealer apparently has a policy of not responding to inquiries. I think you're supposed to drive to the dealership and take hostages in order to get a question answered.

Today I went to an auction lot. They had a lot of equipment. Trucks, backhoes, tractors...you name it. The backhoes looked pretty bad. Wet hoses. Bald tires. The auction people don't list the hours on the machines, and you can't turn them on to get the digital dashboards to tell you.

There was no way to tell how much play the booms and sticks had in them because the buckets were on the ground.

My impression is that either they sell these things dirt cheap, or only morons buy them. Maybe they turn the keys on auction day. I didn't ask.