1990 JD955

[farm23]

This will be my 1st tractor. I have found a 1990 JD 955 with a 70A loader and 14xx hrs. The dealer wants 12500 and says he put a rebuit engine in because someone ran the tractor with an oil leak. He also has added new R-1 tires , new hoses, and repainted and has 14500 in tractor. Can you help on what I should look for or if I should walk away?

 

[plowrup]

Book says $12,500-but that wouldn't include a new Engine-look it over-is it possible someone down the line replaced the Tach? Hours are good-why was it repainted? Condition, Condition, Condition! Any chance of speaking to the previous owner? Why new Tires? Sounds kinda fishy (1400 hours should not NECESSARILY need all of this) unless good reasons are given for this much reconditioning-Just my opinion, so you get what you are paying for-

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Wouldn't a 15 year old tractor that was faded due to sun exposure would likely need new tires, no matter what the hours? Maybe they can work in a warranty, as if they wanted to go in the hole any more...

 

[AKfish]

Doesn't sound like too bad of a deal... IMO. I'd like to think that the dealer wouldn't have too big a problem offering some warranty period on the new engine. Maybe 90-180 days.
Take a close look at the sheet metal and the loader arms, bucket, etc. Check for excessive pin wear on the loader cylinders. Look for abuse and later repairs. That will tell you alot about how the tractor was used or abused and if the tach hours are likely on the money!
Quite a few positive comments from members here on the good, reliable performance of the hydro 55 series.
Nevertheless, good luck with your decision.

 

[slaveToHorses]

As an 855 owner (it's for sale by the way) I can tell you the
reason for the new paint. Deere used oil impregnated metal
and sprayed paint over it. The paint on all their tractors of
this era with the OImetal all have paint lifting problems.

As for the tires. Well that depends on where and how it was
used. My front ag tires are down pretty far. It saw alot of
loader use on hard surfaces.

 

[AKfish]

I like your "handle". SlavetoHorses.... Got a couple of those myself. After feedin' em all winter twice a day and more often when it was below zero--- startin' to feel a bit "enslaved"! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

What model loader do you have on your 855? How about any other observations that you'd like to share about owning and operating your hydro 55? Thanks.
AKfish

 

[slaveToHorses]

<font color="blue"> I like your "handle". SlavetoHorses.... Got a couple of those myself. After feedin' em all winter twice a day and more often when it was below zero--- startin' to feel a bit "enslaved"! </font>

Yeah, ours are stable horses so it's even more work. They have an uncanny ability to find the weakest point of any fence!

<font color="blue"> What model loader do you have on your 855? How about any other observations that you'd like to share about owning and operating your hydro 55? Thanks. </font>

I have the 70A loader and the 7 backhoe
The 855 has been a trooper. The only reason I am selling it is that I needed a larger, small tractor.
The 855 was just a little too low to the ground and the loader bucket is too small.
Too many trips back and forth to move the the manure pile.

With the 855, it's really important to stay on top of the oil changes. Both in the motor and especially the transaxle.
Same applies to any hydro though.

The only real problem I had with mine is I sheared a couple of ring gear bolts in the rear differential.
I was pulling apart a logging slash pile in order to feed my chipper. It was summer and the dirt was very hard.
I figured I would loose traction before I hurt anything. I was backing up and started slipping a rear tire so I hit the diff lock.
Shortly there after I heard a loud bang and the tractor came to a sudden stop.
The pieces of the bolts went down through the transaxle and I ended up having EVERYTHING gone through (hydro, diff, 4WD unit...). Very spendy.
I should have dropped the chipper off the bigger tractor and used it instead. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I swapped out the black seat for a yellow one. BIG improvement on a hot summer day.

I also welded a tow hook onto the top of the loader bucket. A must have modification. Comes in really handy. Like pulling trees out of pile /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I had to sandblast and repaint some places on the tractor where the paint had lifted.
I was told this was because Deere used an oil impregnation process on the metal before they sprayed on the paint.
Seems to only be a problem on the sheet metal.

Great tractors. Can do alot for their size.