Buying Advice Is this even a 445?

Hay Dude · Mar 31, 2020

MAli said:
You mentioned good traction a couple of times. Are you saying that this machine doesn't perform well on surfaces that aren't paved? I am planning on using it on a 3 acre orchard/garden. I requested a utility management company to drop free mulch if they could and they dropped about 100 yard of mulch in one day and moving it with gc1710 was painful to say the least. I tried looking for case 580 and the cheapest machine around me was 14k. Thank you so much for your input.

Given those tires, Traction will be ok on lawn type surfaces and small hills as long as its dry
Traction will be pretty minimal in mud with those industrial tires and a heavy scoop, which will lessen the effectiveness of the rear weight. Add slopes and it gets worse.
If it had new R-1 AG tires on the rear and it would be improved.
If they arent already, filling the rear tires with fluid would help (at least 99% of people believe that is true).
Another great way to get cheap traction is CHAINS.

RickB · Mar 31, 2020

MAli said:
Hello everyone,

I am interested in buying a Ford 445 that's for sale in my area. I wanted your input on a few different things.

The tractor doesn't have PTO or 3 point hitch. Is it even possible for these tractors to NOT have 3 pt hitch? yes.
The tractor weighs 13,000 lbs. is that correct? Very possibly
Without influencing your thoughts, how many hours would you consider to be "too many" hours for this tractor? Depending on maintenance and care, many thousand
What are some of the things I should look at before buying it?
All the normal inspections and checks, if it has a power reversing transmission be sure it shifts and pulls well at operating temperature.
I am a total noob when it comes to tractors and your help is greatly appreciated. I have attached a few pictures for you to look at.

thanks,
Ali

View attachment 648491 View attachment 648492 View attachment 648493

2 WD is not ideal but not completely useless. Tractors were around for a century before mechanical front drive became mainstream. You cannot but a new tractor of any brand built as robustly as that.

MAli · Mar 31, 2020

Thank you Rick. The owner says the tractor is actual 4x4 so I guess thats even better?

RickB · Mar 31, 2020

MAli said:
Thank you Rick. The owner says the tractor is actual 4x4 so I guess thats even better?

The owner is telling you the tractor you posted photos of is a 4 wheel drive? If so, walk away. If he is lying about something as obvious as that, Lord knows what else he is lying about. The pictured tractor is clearly 2 wheel drive.

MAli · Mar 31, 2020

RickB said:
The owner is telling you the tractor you posted photos of is a 4 wheel drive? If so, walk away. If he is lying about something as obvious as that, Lord knows what else he is lying about. The pictured tractor is clearly 2 wheel drive.

My apologies. I went back to my chats and I am confusing his chat with another chat. I am extremely new to tractors so it's hard to keep all the names straight in my head.

RickB · Mar 31, 2020

MAli said:
My apologies. I went back to my chats and I am confusing his chat with another chat. I am extremely new to tractors so it's hard to keep all the names straight in my head.

No worries. It was just a GIANT red flag for me.

fried1765 · Apr 1, 2020

4570Man said:
No but it痴 about 25 years newer, a good bit stronger loader, shuttle shift trans, and half the price.

"25 years newer"
1800 hours v/s 1850 hours?
And the 3400 Ford tires were brand new.

Stronger....yes!
Versatile.....NO!!

4570Man · Apr 1, 2020

fried1765 said:
"25 years newer"
1800 hours v/s 1850 hours?
And the 3400 Ford tires were brand new.

Stronger....yes!
Versatile.....NO!!

Even a full size backhoe isn’t very versatile. You need big money to make the bucket QA, more money for auxiliary hydraulics, more money any implements they won’t destroy, more money for a thumb, more money for hydraulics to use it. That’s the biggest reasons I traded my 310 for my M59. If I had to deal with a geared transmission on top of that it would leave me wanting to dig a hole and burry it in.

fried1765 · Apr 1, 2020

4570Man said:
Even a full size backhoe isn’t very versatile. You need big money to make the bucket QA, more money for auxiliary hydraulics, more money any implements they won’t destroy, more money for a thumb, more money for hydraulics to use it. That’s the biggest reasons I traded my 310 for my M59. If I had to deal with a geared transmission on top of that it would leave me wanting to dig a hole and burry it in.

Your M59 is what many of us dream about!
I am very happy (at almost 80) to have my 250 hour L48, but Oooooh would I love to have an M59!

Hay Dude · Apr 1, 2020

4570Man said:
Even a full size backhoe isn’t very versatile. You need big money to make the bucket QA, more money for auxiliary hydraulics, more money any implements they won’t destroy, more money for a thumb, more money for hydraulics to use it. That’s the biggest reasons I traded my 310 for my M59. If I had to deal with a geared transmission on top of that it would leave me wanting to dig a hole and burry it in.

Wow, and here I was thinking a backhoe is pretty much the “Swiss army knife” of outdoor equipment. Mine was extremely versatile. It had all the attachments you listed, actually more. I had a hydraulic tamper, compactor wheel, 4 buckets and hydraulics out front, power shift transmission. I could literally build anything with it, then plow snow or stack 1500lb hay bales, too.
Or am I misinterpreting what you’re saying?

4570Man · Apr 1, 2020

Hay Dude said:
Wow, and here I was thinking a backhoe is pretty much the “Swiss army knife” of outdoor equipment. Mine was extremely versatile. It had all the attachments you listed, actually more. I had a hydraulic tamper, compactor wheel, 4 buckets and hydraulics out front, power shift transmission. I could literally build anything with it, then plow snow or stack 1500lb hay bales, too.
Or am I misinterpreting what you’re saying?

A backhoe with attachments will do pretty much anything within its size class. A backhoe limited to a bucket on the front and back isn’t so great.

MAli · Apr 1, 2020

Although my experience is extremely limited and my massey gc1710 backhoe is like a toy compared to the big machines, I did get a chance to use both a deere 310 and a rental standalone backhoe. The standalone backhoe was a dream to use compared to the setup I had to do with the deere backhoe.

Having said that, here is my next question. When buying from a private party, what documents should I expect to get from the seller to make sure I am deemed rightful owner of this machine? I am in CT if that helps.

Peter 315 · Apr 1, 2020

That old just a bill of sale with vin number on it print on off the internet .......

LouNY · Apr 1, 2020

I like to take a photo of the tractors ID tag and print that right on the bill of sale,
I also like to get a photo of the sellers ID to keep with it.

fried1765 · Apr 1, 2020

LouNY said:
I like to take a photo of the tractors ID tag and print that right on the bill of sale,
I also like to get a photo of the sellers ID to keep with it.

So..... How would I do that?
I bought my TLB from a private party, sight unseen, because it was 350 miles away.
How would I get and print a photo on a bill of sale? Make two trips?
The purpose of the sight unseen buy was to avoid two 700 mile round trip trips.
I don't have a printer in my truck.

It is a good idea, but not always practical.

fried1765 · Apr 1, 2020

MAli said:
Although my experience is extremely limited and my massey gc1710 backhoe is like a toy compared to the big machines, I did get a chance to use both a deere 310 and a rental standalone backhoe. The standalone backhoe was a dream to use compared to the setup I had to do with the deere backhoe.

Having said that, here is my next question. When buying from a private party, what documents should I expect to get from the seller to make sure I am deemed rightful owner of this machine? I am in CT if that helps.

"a rental standalone backhoe" ?????
= EXCAVATOR ????

MAli · Apr 1, 2020

fried1765 said:
"a rental standalone backhoe" ?????
= EXCAVATOR ????

Sorry, yes I meant the excavator. Would a picture of the sellers ID on top of bill of sale be a safe approach?

fried1765 · Apr 1, 2020

MAli said:
Sorry, yes I meant the excavator. Would a picture of the sellers ID on top of bill of sale be a safe approach?

"safe" ????
I am really not quite sure what an ID picture could do for you, but it can't hurt.
If you have doubts, or are concerned that the deal might be shady, just walk away from it.
If it doesn't feel right to you, it probably isn't right for you.
That is always my philosophy.

LouNY · Apr 1, 2020

fried1765 said:
So..... How would I do that?
I bought my TLB from a private party, sight unseen, because it was 350 miles away.
How would I get and print a photo on a bill of sale? Make two trips?
The purpose of the sight unseen buy was to avoid two 700 mile round trip trips.
I don't have a printer in my truck.

It is a good idea, but not always practical.

I have bought a truck and a tractor sight unseen and paid for delivery,
both times I had pictures from the seller of the VIN or ID tag and these were almost 10 years ago and they got faxed to me along with a notarized bill of sale.