Should I repaint my JD 2210?

[Zephrant]

Some more pictures that show the repair work needed:

Front:

Concrete on top of bucket:

Concrete inside bucket- think I could chisel it out?

Overspray of some kind on the rear plastic- this is all over the tractor:

Damage and overspray on the hood:

Damage to my new blade (came this way):

I keep telling myself that the condition is why I got it for $8500.

 

[WilliamBos]

Take it apart, paint it, and you will have a new tractor. Don't regret the purchase, I would have jumped on it too.

How many hours on it? I don't remember, did you know the previous owner?? Mechanically sound?

Some more pictures that show the repair work needed:

Front:

Concrete on top of bucket:

Concrete inside bucket- think I could chisel it out?

Overspray of some kind on the rear plastic- this is all over the tractor:

Damage and overspray on the hood:

Damage to my new blade (came this way):

I keep telling myself that the condition is why I got it for $8500.

 

[Zephrant]

I don't regret the purchase of a tractor, just wishin' it was better taken care of. 742 hours on it when I bought it from the local dealer. From my research online, not a bad price, especially as a walk in customer to a dealer that does not know me. And it was the only one I could find locally at all at the time. Of course, after a record snow-fall in December, we've received a grand total of less than 1" since I bought the tractor.

But I'm a little surprised at how excited I am to have a real tractor. All sorts of projects are showing up for me to use it on, and I look forward to restoring it too. That is unusual as I've given up working on my cars for the most part, and just pay the shop to do it.

As far as I can tell, it is mechanically sound. I don't know the prior owner- the JD shop was not very forthcoming on information. I did find out that it is a 2004 model, and from the condition I'd guess it lived outside its whole life.

 

[jnjpream]

Zephrant,

Looks like we are in the same boat, only my boat is orange. I bought a BX22 from a dealer that said it came from a guy that own a landscaping business. It too has sat out all it's life (2003) and is really faded. There are many scratches, nicks, etc., and they must have dropped a big ol' rock on the hood. But for the price I couldn't turn it down.

But anyway.. Since the hood is already trashed, I grabbed a bunch of different products to see what would bring the paint back to life. Turns out that Turtle Wax rubbing compound worked the best to cut the dead paint off, followed by a coat of wax to protect it. The paint on the tractor is quite hard and quite thick so I didn't rub through it, at least not on the hood.

Once I get a chance to do it, I plan on degreasing and rubbing out the paint on the tractor one part at a time. And grind, prime, and touch up the scratches.

Does anybody know how to revive sun faded plastics?

Oh, and don't be afraid of using some paint/lacquer thinner on the over-spray. Odds are it didn't adhere very well and the under lying paint will be fine after some polish..

 

[Zephrant]

How are you going to do the touch-up painting? I've tried before, and could always tell where I had painted. Sure it looked better, but not as clean as painting the entire part.

Meguiars (and I'm sure other companies) has a plastic restoring kit. Not sure how it works though.

 

[jnjpream]

The trick to touch up is to paint more than just the damaged spot.. Get the rust out of the scratch if needed, then sand down the area including some around the damage so you don't see the "edge" of the old paint. Use filler if needed to kill any roughness. Prime just the damage area if there is metal showing. Then spray the spot with color and fan lighter and out-wards to blend the new and the old. The blending is what most people don't do. And of course try to get paint with the same color code.. It may be a bit off due to being a different batch, but it should blend relatively well.

Find something you can practice on (old equipment or wife's car ), then once comfortable, go for the tractor.

I tried meguiars but didn't have very good results.. In fact some cheap stuff I bought from the clearance rack at an auto parts store did better, but still not good enough in my opinion. And that kit is for clear plastic, not sure what it would to to colored stuff.

 

[Zephrant]

It's the feathering that I did not get well last time.

I'm about convinced to just paint the entire hood for starters- It'll cost me $37 for new decals, but it out to look very nice when I get done.

My problem is once I do one part, I need to do the entire thing or the nice/new part makes the rest of the tractor look trashy.

Does anyone know if the color in the plastic fendors is painted on or molded in? If it is molded I can use a harsher rubbing compount and polish it out without worrying about going though the paint.

 

[kennyd]

It's the feathering that I did not get well last time.

I'm about convinced to just paint the entire hood for starters- It'll cost me $37 for new decals, but it out to look very nice when I get done.

My problem is once I do one part, I need to do the entire thing or the nice/new part makes the rest of the tractor look trashy.

Does anyone know if the color in the plastic fendors is painted on or molded in? If it is molded I can use a harsher rubbing compount and polish it out without worrying about going though the paint.

Z,
The plastic is HDPE, and the color is through the plastic. Unfortunately rubbing compound will not work.

 

[Willl]

Unfortunately rubbing compound will not work.

Although it will help in removing the over-spray he has on it. Correct ?

 

[kennyd]

Although it will help in removing the over-spray he has on it. Correct ?

Yes, but it will not bring a luster out, the plastic will be dull. I mild solvent might tackle the overspray also?