Ford 4000 Commertial w/ backhoe

[BlackDogChainsaw]

So I've almost closed a deal on a Ford 4000. Commertial unit with big backhoe on the back of it (NOT a 3pt). Also has a loader on the front. Looks rough but solid if that makes sense??? Ugly paint but everything seems to work. Owner had it running when we got there. I plan to drive it before we buy it.

Price $4200 and includes two 12 ply tires and free delivery (30 miles away)

Seems to run good and the hydros run everything at low RPM. Needs some pins and bushings and has a few leaks here and there. It does have the rear PTO if i want to take the backhoe off in favor of running 3pt attachments. I am buying to do a bunch of dirt work on our acreage that is mostly wooded (12.5 acres).

It does have the selecto-speed which I have read to be careful buying one b/c they can break. Hoping that this machine has mostly been digging with hydros mostly and not had the tranny run to hard.

Thoughts? Things to look/listen for?

 

[BlackDogChainsaw]

really???

93 views and nobody has anything to advise about?

Need more info or just had this same question asked 1 million times?

 

[jimmysisson]

Does it have a 3-point hitch? If no it will be hard to fit attachments.
Probably people aren't responding b/c the SelectoSpeed has a bad rep and they don't want to be too encouraging.
Also, a few pins and bushing, a few hydraulic leaks, and some paint and you'll have more $ in it - is that ok with you?
I'd be interested in how it starts cold (running when you arrived) and how much smoke you get out of it the first few minutes.
SoS may be the deal-breaker. How much have you looked in your market for alternatives?
Good luck, Jim

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

Nobody wants to bum you out. Save your money and look for something a little newer WITH OUT a select-o- speed. Projects are ok if that's what you want but that is a serious project that has potential to be a Nightmare.

 

[BlackDogChainsaw]

Does it have a 3-point hitch? If no it will be hard to fit attachments.
Probably people aren't responding b/c the SelectoSpeed has a bad rep and they don't want to be too encouraging.
Also, a few pins and bushing, a few hydraulic leaks, and some paint and you'll have more $ in it - is that ok with you?
I'd be interested in how it starts cold (running when you arrived) and how much smoke you get out of it the first few minutes.
SoS may be the deal-breaker. How much have you looked in your market for alternatives?
Good luck, Jim

SoS works good and it ran great around my acreage last night for 2-3hrs. Yes that means we bought it... Kinda... I did research my local market and there just aren't a lot of small tractors with backhoes that come up. Well let me rephrase that, "Not many come up that are in the sub $6000 range with backhoe and loader." For the $4200 that we are paying the guy delivered it for free and included 2 good used 12ply tires for the rear (yes I know with tubes and install it's another $250). I only paid $2500 at drop off and the guy said to run it and make sure I like it. So I did...

Engine starts good cold and doesn't blow excessive amounts of white or black and after it's running for 3-5mins and engine is warm the exhaust stream is clear. I found about 6 hydro drips from the seals but figure that would be serviceable, right? Either way the loader and backhoe worked great to move the piles of wet icy snow around here. I realize that's not testing the full capacity of either, but it's the best I could do with hard frozen ground right now. None of the gauges (except oil pressure) work, but that doesn't seem expensive with cheap aftermarket alternatives. The breaks and clutch seem to be doing their job correctly. The main backhoe bucket pin was undersized and broken in half, and there was a fuel leak from the petcock valve under the tank. The owner reduced price $100 to cover those 2 parts which I think would cover that..? He has the maintenance manual and said I can pick it up when I come to pay him the rest of the money. It would be nice if I had warmer weather to go through a few more things but knowing it starts in cold weather is good to. The last thing I can remember is that the 4 sticks that control the backhoe were pretty "wobbly" so they may need new bushings to have a smoother action (but not a necessity either).

So I kinda want to add up what the parts will cost me so I can run that by the owner. He's a real nice guy and willing to deduct some wear and tear parts that I have to replace. It was agreed critical wear and tear but not aesthetics. That being said what does it cost for the following?

1.) hydraulic seals for the main front loader (all 4)
2.) main backhoe pin: 11.5-12 inch long and maybe 1.375 daimeter?


Lastly anyone who wants to nay-say the SoS is fine. I'll probably be trading up for a Kubota 4x4, 2-4 years from now. I'll use the backhoe for what I need and once done I'll be trading for something with a 3point. Just in case I get hammered with a bad SoS does someone have link to a thread on how to repair?

 

[Ultradog MN]

I can't say a whole lot of bad for those SOS trannys.
After all, the last ones built are 39 years old this year.
From reading Ford forums for years I would suggest you buy the supplementary manual for the transmission and go through the service procedure on it - adjusting bands, etc.
You want to get your money back when you're done with it and if the SOS is kaput it will be worth scrap price as few people know how to fix them any more and parts are exorbitant.
Is this tractor a diesel or gasser?
If diesel I would add the coolant conditioner to the radiator.
I didn't read this thread before you bought it but for future reference, whenever I go look at a tractor I always tell the seller DO NOT START IT BEFORE I GET THERE. Please!
I want to check it out cold and then hear it start.
LOTS of hidden knocks and rattles can be heard with the unit cold that will disappear when it warms up.
This site is probably not the best forum for those SOS.
I don't know if I can post a link to a better one here but if you PM me I'll send you a link.
I don't much care about all the gauges working on a tractor except for sure the oil pressure.
Fuel I can check with a yard stick, hot engine with my nose and charging system with a volt meter once in a while.
You should get the model and serial #s off of it for future reference. If they are not still on the alum foil sticker under the right hood they will be stamped into a machined flat spot on the tranny - just aft and above the starter. Should be 3 lines of code there. Copy them down and save them. Might be years of repaints, rust and crud hiding them so you may have to do some scraping and sanding to read them.
Tractor is probably a 4500 or 4400 but could be a smaller 3500 or 3400.
Photos would help us ID it but the 3 lines of code would allow someone to nail it down to the engine type, model, tranny, serial # even the day and shift it was built.
I can't help you with the hoe.
Good luck and have fun with it.
I love the 3 cyl Fords!

 

[BlackDogChainsaw]

Here are the only two pics that I have thus far. I'll try to find the numbers on the tractor and write them all down. Will those numbers tell me which backhoe and loader I have or do I need to find separate numbers on each of those? As for the tranny I read a page about how a company was hexing the input shaft and using a Allen brand impact socket to repair the input shaft if it strips. I think the tractor is on it's origional paint job. It was owned by a older guy and his 50y/o son in law for the last 25ish years. Besides the rear tires needing replaced it has lots of leaky cylinders I'll need to repack and the gas shut off valve drips no matter what position it's in. Oh, yea it's definitely a gas motor. I asked if he did the 12v conversion and he said no. I was wondering what you actually need to do the 12v conversion??? I took the 65amp alternator off my 88 F250 in favor of a newer 3G 110amp and it looks the same as the replacement alternators that they are selling with the 12v conversion kits. I'm wondering if I can use my truck alternator and make my own 12v conversion kit?

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

I'm not sure about your alternator , but I do know a lot of antique tractor guys that us a 1 wire GM (delco) alternator for a simpler conversion. Tractor looks good. Sure would be nice to get a rops on it. Hope it digs many happy hours away for you.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I replied to your PM but was completely wrong about your tractor.
You have an early 4 cylinder about 1961 Light Industrial 4000. NOT a later 3 cylinder like I assumed.
If you go to the place I suggested they will really like your tractor there.

 

[BlackDogChainsaw]

I'm not sure about your alternator , but I do know a lot of antique tractor guys that us a 1 wire GM (delco) alternator for a simpler conversion. Tractor looks good. Sure would be nice to get a rops on it. Hope it digs many happy hours away for you.

thanks... i keep seeing ROPS. Did a google search and found ROPS = Roll over protection??? is this right? if so that will probably work good with adding some lighting...

I replied to your PM but was completely wrong about your tractor.
You have an early 4 cylinder about 1961 Light Industrial 4000. NOT a later 3 cylinder like I assumed.
If you go to the place I suggested they will really like your tractor there.

Great, I like it when there's a group that like the same thing and have maybe been doing some modifications... The plan is for another accessory hydro to the front loader so I can run a log grapple once I convert it to the quick attach skid loader style. Also want to covert to 12v b/c I hear they will start easier and I can run some lights which I will probably need at some point in time...