Keep or ditch my tractor

[CajunRider]

I have an old tractor with the following history:
1. I was duped when I bought it used. It had a whole lot more hours than I was told and I was not knowledgeable enough to tell the difference. I found out much later that the odometer has been replaced so the 1000 hours or so was a lie.
2. It has been flooded in two hurricanes. After the first hurricane I paid 7-8K (Can't remember 7 or 8) to get it cleaned and the electronic replaced. Once again I was duped. A lot less was done than I was told and the corrosion continued. The fuel tank, hydraulic cylinders and hoses on the FEL rusted out and had to be replaced. The engine and axle seem OK.
3. Now the engine won't start. It turns over and runs for 3 sec then stops. I think I have some issue with the fuel system. Being a novice it will take a lot of effort from me to get it started and I haven't found a tractor mechanic around my part yet.
4. My steering cylinders both are leaking. I've found one replacement from a TBN member and I'm hoping to get the other one repaired since it looks to be in OK shape.
5. My transmission won't stay in gear on 4th low and all high gears. It also jump out of gear on 3rd low under even mild load. It will only stay on 3rd low if I am just traveling on flat terrain. I don't know what causes this problem.

So far this tractor is like a money pit for me. I keep hoping for the day I get it in good running shape but it appears one thing after another is breaking on me. Getting a new one is hard on me financially plus I'm planning to downsize in about 6 years where I will not need a tractor anymore.

So I need your opinions.
Should I struggle and find some way to get my old tractor running again? It could be that I'm near the point where all the stuff that can break have been broken and will get to a steady running for the few years that I need.
or should I bite the bullet, buy the right size new tractor, sell the 6ft bush hog and box blade that may be oversized for my new tractor? Or should I get one big enough to use them?
At this point I am very leery of getting used tractor, once bitten twice shy. Well it's more like twice bitten thrice shy with this tractor and the major repair

 

[oosik]

I don't know what you do or expect to do with your tractor in the next six years. I would think - JMHO - what you do - tractor wise - will depend upon how critical it is that your tractor is ready to go at a moments notice. If you have the time to fiddle with it and nurse it along - then go that way. If its a critical part of your every day life - well, then improvements may be in order.

 

[CajunRider]

I don't know what you do or expect to do with your tractor in the next six years. I would think - JMHO - what you do - tractor wise - will depend upon how critical it is that your tractor is ready to go at a moments notice. If you have the time to fiddle with it and nurse it along - then go that way. If its a critical part of your every day life - well, then improvements may be in order.

The tractor is now not mission critical. I'm just cutting swamp grass with it and a week or even a month wait for that is no problem. Every now and then I use it to move dirt and things but any of those tasks can wait. The thing becomes critical if we suffer a hurricane then I need to get it running to clear hurricane debris etc.. With the hurricane season coming in I'm leery.

 

[oosik]

I'll be honest with you - with hurricane season coming in - I'm real glad I live up here in North Ea WA. Never seen or been in a hurricane or tornado and with any luck I will go to meet my maker with that lack of knowledge/experience.

 

[mapper]

Was your tractor flooded with salt water? If so and you live in an area near salt water your problems may just continue forever. I have some friends that live out on the Washington coast and the mist off of the ocean does horrible things to most stuff made of metal. I have seen cars that are just a couple of years old look worse than a car that has been sitting abandoned in the woods for 30 or more years!

 

[CADplans]

I use a tractor, not fix a tractor,,,
I barely have enough energy and time to use my tractors,
Yes, I service them, but, in 21 years, I have not "fixed" anything.

Maybe I was lucky, but, my four tractors were all used, 5-20 years old when I got them.

Take a friend that you can trust that knows tractors, find the used tractor that suits you.
Do not expect to find it in one Saturday,,
if you want to shop one day only, buy a new one.

 

[CajunRider]

Was your tractor flooded with salt water? If so and you live in an area near salt water your problems may just continue forever. I have some friends that live out on the Washington coast and the mist off of the ocean does horrible things to most stuff made of metal. I have seen cars that are just a couple of years old look worse than a car that has been sitting abandoned in the woods for 30 or more years!

Yes. Twice! Unless the tractor won't run next time I evacuate for hurricane I will put my tractor up in a safe place so it won't be flooded. The previous two times I happened to be out of the country. This won't happen again (crossing fingers!)

 

[mapper]

Yes. Twice! Unless the tractor won't run next time I evacuate for hurricane I will put my tractor up in a safe place so it won't be flooded. The previous two times I happened to be out of the country. This won't happen again (crossing fingers!)

Dunked in salt twice and still has corrosion problems and a transmission that won't stay in gear, I think I would be inclined to get rid of it

 

[MickeyDBC]

Probably won't stay in gear because the tranny got full of salt water and everything rusted and got real stiff and the shift forks got bent from trying to get everything to move. If the transmission is eat up on the inside the motor may not be far behind. My suggestion would be to try and find another DK45 and use the existing one for spare parts (has to be something good left on it). The salt is bad but the silt that got in is probably even worse. I would not sell it to anybody else unless it is just in bits and pieces, some shade tree tractor dealer will get it, make it run and repaint it with Krylon and then push it off on some other poor soul.

 

[BrokenTrack]

I would suggest getting rid of it, but not for the reasons others suggest, but not that they are wrong either...

You dislike the tractor.

With wives and children it is a bit different, you cannot just get rid of them because they bug you, but with tractors, it can be like acid on a piece of steak, it just kind of eats at you. Maybe in the future the tractor is decent to own, but guaranteed even the littlest thing will bug you about it.

A guy once told me, "If you have to ask the question, you probably already know the answer."

 

[Jstpssng]

I used to run pickups which were about what you describe. For every thing that you fix, two more go wrong. There comes a time when you need to cut your losses and start over.

 

[BrokenTrack]

I used to run pickups which were about what you describe. For every thing that you fix, two more go wrong. There comes a time when you need to cut your losses and start over.

Myself I would rather fix equipment then operate it, but what really bugs me...is when I have to fix the SAME thing over and over. I had a bulldozer like that. It had a starting issue when I bought it, and 2 years later it had the same starting issue with it when it left. How bad could a start circuit be...stupid thing, kind of glad to see that thing leave...

 

[4570Man]

Myself I would rather fix equipment then operate it, but what really bugs me...is when I have to fix the SAME thing over and over. I had a bulldozer like that. It had a starting issue when I bought it, and 2 years later it had the same starting issue with it when it left. How bad could a start circuit be...stupid thing, kind of glad to see that thing leave...

Too bad we don’t live closer together. I’d operate all your equipment and you can fix mine. I hate working on stuff, but view it as a necessary thing.

 

[mercdv]

If it were me, I'd get rid of it. Check with the local dealers first for a trade-in. My dealer has a couple of nice used ones on the lot right now or at least he did a week ago. A good dealer goes over the tractor really well and offers a 90 day to 1 year guarantee on a used one (depends on the dealer and tractor age). Now that you know a little more I bet you can find a nice tractor out there that is in good shape and it won't bust your budget. IF you really do not want to go that route, I'd buy a new one that can handle the attachments you have. I'd rather have too much tractor and not use all of it than to have too little tractor needing more. As long as your attachments are in good shape, I'd get a tractor they fit. That is just me personally.

 

[CajunRider]

Probably won't stay in gear because the tranny got full of salt water and everything rusted and got real stiff and the shift forks got bent from trying to get everything to move. If the transmission is eat up on the inside the motor may not be far behind. My suggestion would be to try and find another DK45 and use the existing one for spare parts (has to be something good left on it). The salt is bad but the silt that got in is probably even worse. I would not sell it to anybody else unless it is just in bits and pieces, some shade tree tractor dealer will get it, make it run and repaint it with Krylon and then push it off on some other poor soul.

It will be sold for scrap metal at my friend scrap yard. I don't want to inflict this on anyone.

 

[CajunRider]

I would suggest getting rid of it, but not for the reasons others suggest, but not that they are wrong either...

You dislike the tractor.

With wives and children it is a bit different, you cannot just get rid of them because they bug you, but with tractors, it can be like acid on a piece of steak, it just kind of eats at you. Maybe in the future the tractor is decent to own, but guaranteed even the littlest thing will bug you about it.

A guy once told me, "If you have to ask the question, you probably already know the answer."

Not true. I love the tractor. I've gathered and burned or dumped more than 11,000 cubic yard of hurricane debris (mostly swamp canes, trees, and broken lumbers from docks and houses) with it. Without that tractor, I could not have done it. After each hurricane, I have debris almost 3 ft deep on my 7 acres of land. I've hung on to it. Tried to fix it, spent way too much money doing so.

 

[pmsmechanic]

The fact that the transmission slips out of gear tells me that most likely the bearings in the transmission are corroded from the salt water. The reality is that the transmission is most likely due for a major overhaul. Frankly with that and the other problems you've mentioned.....start shopping.

Another Kioti that your front end loader would fit onto would maybe be a good idea. Tractors without a fel are more rarer and harder to find but are certainly a lot cheaper too. Maybe your budget can handle that situation.

Now I know that you've said you don't want another used tractor. I also know what it's like to be on a budget! Instead of scrapping the tractor could you part it out to improve your budget? Just throwing out ideas.

 

[kebo]

It will be sold for scrap metal at my friend scrap yard. I don't want to inflict this on anyone.

Just a thought, but if you could find a decent used tractor of the same make/model, you could keep the old clunker for a parts tractor.

 

[aczlan]

Now I know that you've said you don't want another used tractor. I also know what it's like to be on a budget! Instead of scrapping the tractor could you part it out to improve your budget? Just throwing out ideas.

I would say list it on Craigslist for $1500-3000 and list that it has been flooded several times, full disclosure that way and if someone wants to rebuild it or part it out, they can't say that they weren't warned.

Aaron Z

 

[CajunRider]

Aaron & Kebo
You guys make sense. Thanks!