Older large tractors

Hysyde · Nov 2, 2004

I was talking to a buddy of mine recently who farms quite a few acres and does quite a bit of custom work. He has some high-dollar pieces of machinery (combines, implements, tractors) but he still uses an old John Deere 8440 (late 70's early 80's, not sure exactly) as his main machine on the disc ripper and cultivator.

I never realised it was such and old machine. Because he runs a relatively big farm, I figured his artic was a newer machine like most of his other stuff. I'm not sure how much money he has invested in it or if it was rebuilt when he bought it. He recently bumped the injector up to make it around 220-230 horsepower and the tired motor let go. He did a basic rebuild and left the injector bumped. It's been running great for him since.

I checked the online classifieds for around here and these tactors range from about $15,000 - $30,000.

Soundguy · Nov 4, 2004

I agree.. you can find things like case 1xxx series and ford 7xxx and 8xxx early model tractors.. say 69 and up for cheap.. like I saw a ford 8000 and a 15' mower ( mower was 90's production) for 5200$ Not a bad mowing rig.

I think the others answered well... too big for small acerage.. not new enough for every day use comercial.. but just right for the guy who needs a piece of big iron to run once or twice a year to brush mow with, or bail hay.

Some of the ford TW series are a tad newer and are starting to go pretty cheap now as well... even some that have had recent overhauls..

Soundguy

Hysyde · Nov 4, 2004

We actaully have a Ford 8000 that has been pretty good to us. As well as a 1979 (I think) AC 7000.

I was actually thinking quite a bit bigger then that. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I always like some of those big TW's.

Robert_in_NY · Nov 4, 2004

The TW's do not have a good reputation mostly because of the cavitation issue with their motors. This is good for people looking to buy but bad for people wanting to sell. Most cases you can get them cheap enough, replace the engine (as well as get more hp by doing so) and put her to work for a lot less then you can buy a 70 series for.

Egon · Nov 4, 2004

There really ain't no such thing as an old cheap, reliable big articulated tractor.

There cheap for a reason- they are wore out just like me.

Egon

Hysyde · Nov 4, 2004

I think $30K can buy a good old artic that should be fairly reliable. That's cheap pulling power to me.

Anyway, we won't be buying one anytime in the near future more than lilely. We're looking around for a replacement loader tractor (either new 65-80hp tactor or an older TLB).

Soundguy · Nov 8, 2004

( TW's do not have a good reputation mostly because of the cavitation issue with their motors )

As in 'wet-sleave' cavitation issues? I thought the addatives addressed that problem fairly decently?

Soundguy

Robert_in_NY · Nov 9, 2004

Unless you have owned the tractor since new you don't know if the additive was used or not. Check Fastline and other sites and look at the TW pricing compared to the 30 series pricing that replaced it. Same tractor but it holds a different place on the resale lots.

rambler · Nov 9, 2004

During the design & production of the TW series, Ford was going through some problems & was really struggling with their bigger car division. The ag division got leftovers, & the TW design was not so well planned out - on little bitty stuff that adds up to make it seem 'unreliable' to some. Leaks, power steering unit, etc.

Cavitation is a problem with all wet diesels, but shows up more in many of the Fords both before & after the TW series.

I have owned a TW-20 for 3 years, nice cheap hp, it's cab is a lot better than others of it's era, and seems to do a good job.

--->Paul

Soundguy · Nov 9, 2004

( Unless you have owned the tractor since new you don't know if the additive was used or not )
As you point out.. the TW's go cheap. I see them in the trader paper all the time with 'just rebuilt' engines.. still way cheaper than 'new' power.

I figure if you are buying one with a re-manned engine.. start running the anticavitation addative at that time as good insurance..

Soundguy

Robert_in_NY · Nov 9, 2004

You are right as long as you are buying with a newly rebuilt motor or getting it cheap enough to afford to replace the engine when/if its time comes. I would not be scared to buy a TW but I know a lot of people who would be upset if they bought one and the motor went south and they did not know the issues associated with it. I do know you can't touch a 30 series for anywhere near what a TW will cost. Most of the 30 series are running the same range as the 70 series for equal condition (at least in my area). Giving the options I would buy a 70 series over any of them as they have had very few problems and is why they are selling so well still as the Buhler Genesis.

rivulet · Nov 15, 2004

There aren't many older large tractors around where I live in Mass.

I get the Northeast edition of Fastline. Where else might I look for tractors for sale?

Thanks.

slowzuki · Nov 15, 2004

A good friend has a TW-25, he popped a motor this spring in the middle of planting. He isn't mechanical so he thought it was a head gasket as the initial cause but I bet is was a liner.

It uses the same engine at some of the Canadian military vehicles? He bought a military surplus rebuilt and stuffed it in, been working strong for the fall tillage.

CMunger · Nov 15, 2004

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the TW series had 401CI engines which is a sleeveless engine. The cavitation erosion made it tru the cylinder wall by following inperfections in the casting, do to quality control in the casting process. Some think it was do to them still sand casting instead of forge casting. Most machine shops, when rebuilding Ford engines, bore them oversize and install a thick sleeve.
Chuck M.

Robert_in_NY · Nov 15, 2004

Go to www.fastline.com and you can check the entire US and I think Canada as well. The other place would be large equipment auctions but if your in a small farm area you might have to drive to a large farm area to find used 4wds or buy one from another state.

Hysyde · Nov 15, 2004

Also try here:

http://www.agdealer.ca/

Tons of listings, mostly Canadian I think though, but I've seen quite a few US listings.

There are a lot of big machines (old and new) on there.

Hysyde · Dec 3, 2004

I got talking to a friend of mine I hadn't seen in awhile last night.

He's in the excavation/trucking business and also farms about 500 acres with his father. He collects and restores a lot of IH/Farmall stuff and has over 18 tractors right now, and even works many of the older ones.

Anyway, he told me about a IH 4386 180hp articulate he recently bought.

He got it for $13,000 CDN trucked to his door from out west. It has a fresh motor, the AC blows super cold, and everything seems to be in working order. It's a bit rough cosmetically, but he's gonna fix that.

He then was lucky enough to come across a 34foot IH cultivator at an auction. No one there was interested in sucha big unit and he walked away with it for $3000!

He says he has no real problem getting parts and he does all the work himself. He says he can pull it at around 6 mph and was saying how nice it was to pull into a 15 acre field and be done 1/2 an hour later. Not a bad deal for $16,000 CDN I'd say.

Got me thinking anyway.....

Robert_in_NY · Dec 4, 2004

The 4386 was built from 1976-81 and was a good tractor. Your friend paid about what it was worth. The 4386 was built by Steiger which uses a lot of parts you can find at Napa like all the old Steigers. There are a lot of International 86 series 4wds up here in WNY still in use on farms.

Wannafish · Dec 14, 2004

"...for the guy who needs a piece of big iron to run once or twice a year to brush mow with, or bail hay."

I bet I'd get more than a few stares if I hooked my 24T up behind an articulate and baled hay with it... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

rambler · Dec 14, 2004

( "...for the guy who needs a piece of big iron to run once or twice a year to brush mow with, or bail hay."

I bet I'd get more than a few stares if I hooked my 24T up behind an articulate and baled hay with it... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

On another ag forum like this, a yonger fellow asked if it would work to hook up his disc conditioner mower behind the 250 hp Cat tracked tractor his dad had so he could use the air conditioner to mow with....

I was astounded at the number of people who _didn't_ think he was overboard for that idea....

--->Paul