Questions on buying used tractors.

[msjwebb]

How many hours of use before you start seeing major problems (typically)? 1k? 7k?
I know this is all relative to how well the owner takes care of it so lets say they did not do the proper maintenance required.
Do tractors have titles? If not how do you prove "ownership" is free and clear?

 

[Soundguy]

Major problems can start in 1 hour depending on if the owner knows what he's doing or not.. or.. the tractor might go 3000 hours with no oil change and be more or less, operable. I buy antique tractors all the time that I'm quite sure have had the same oil in them for decades. Back in about 2003 I had a friend call me up asking me to mow his pasture.. I remember seeing a small ford compact in his barn.. looked a lil beat.. but not bad.. I asked him why he didn't mow it.. he said tractor didn't run.. I went over there.. put battery on charge.. aired up a tire.. fixed a leak in the rear that was a loose bolt, asked him when he changed the oil last.. -never- it was new in 84.. we went and got filters and oil and changed them... machine cranked up and was mowing an hour later...

Look at the overall condition of the machine to determine usage. A well maintained machine that is older with more hours may be better than a newer rental that has been abused.

on a compact diesel.. I'd start looking for some things around 4khrs.. on larger diesels.. double that maybee tripple for a good lifespoan before something expensive goes.

always gonna have wear items like hoses and belts go at any time old or new..

soundguy

 

[msjwebb]

Thanks soundguy.
Do tractors come with a title or just a bill of sale? I have not gone to the local dealers yet and done any test drives yet. Still trying to figure out what the best one for us will be. Not sure if we are going new or used. I know you are probably going typical woman does not know what she wants.....so yes I do not know what I want as I am still unsure what I need. =P Thanks for all of the help guys. I think I am going to be clearing the property lines this weekend, I hope I do not see any bears..... Have a good weekend all.

 

[dodge man]

They normally don't have a title, just a bill of sale.

 

[msjwebb]

Thanks dodge man. I did not want to end up buying a used one only to later find out later I should have gotten a title with it. This is all new to me. I used tractors that were on the family farm but never had to buy one. My dad would always get ones that were dead and rebuild them.

 

[Builder]

Larger machines typically do not have titles, but have "certificates of origin".

Hours are a real slippery slope. I bought a New Holland backhoe with 5,800 hours on it that is in beautiful condition. I had a Case backhoe that was handled pretty rough for its' first 1,000 hours.

If you are worried about the hours being high, try to get as much records on maintenance as you can. Fortunately, the NH backhoe I bought was serviced by a dealership that vouched for the owner as being overly preventative on maintenance and faxed me records. The owner also made labels with a label maker and stuck them to the lower windows in the cab indicating last time oil, trans oil, hydraulic fluid, etc. were changed.

 

[flusher]

Thanks dodge man. I did not want to end up buying a used one only to later find out later I should have gotten a title with it. This is all new to me. I used tractors that were on the family farm but never had to buy one. My dad would always get ones that were dead and rebuild them.

I buy used tractors periodically. I have the seller sign a bill of sale stating that he is the owner of the tractor and is legally entitled to sell it. Be sure to ask for picture ID. Driver's licence is OK. Write seller's license number on the bill of sale under the his signature.

You run into snags trying to figure out tractor engine hours--hour meter isn't working so what's indicated has no relation to actual hours--engine has been rebuilt X hours ago according to the seller but he doesn't have any documentation with date and engine hours at the time of the rebuild. You get the idea.

If the hour meter isn't working then you're sorta flying blind. If you're looking at an old gas engine tractor, I suppose you could do a quick compression check to estimate if the engine is putting out anywhere near it's design horsepower.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Soundguy pretty much nailed it. I've seen rental tractors with 10 hours that weren't worth the fuel it took to start it. I've seen tractors with 10,000 hours that were almost like new. Certain models have histories of long life. Certain ones are clunkers after a year. No set rule, only that an abusive operator can shorten the lifespan of the best of 'em.

On average, most "farm tractors" will see 5000 to 7000 hours with little problems. A little extra maintenance, and it's not uncommon to see them reach 10,000hrs without the valve cover or oil pan being unbolted. Smaller tractors, which seem to be using more high rpm motors now than in the past, might not see 4000 before they start tailing off in power and performance.

 

[msjwebb]

Thanks guys! Those were the only two things I was worried about with buying a used tractor. DH is quite the handy man and is good with engines. I know I will be looking for a newer used one. I might even spring for a new one if I can swing a deal. I want a Kubota and he wants a JD. Only time will tell. Thanks again guys!

 

[wolc123]

Used tractors are always a gamble, and with time you will learn when to hold them and when to fold them. The last one I sold was a 1970'ish Ford 2000 deisel. It had around 7000 hours and was beginning to develop an ether addiction. The guy I sold it to (for a couple hundred more than I paid for it 10 years earlier with 3000 less hours) seemed very happy with his deal. The tractor didn't owe me a dime, but I got rid of it before it became a money pit. The best deal I ever got on a used tractor was a 1951 Ford 8n, with most of the original paint and only 1200 hours that an elderly neighbor had purchased new, always kept in his barn, and only used to work a small garden each year. That tractor was basically just broken in when I bought it 20 some years ago for $1200 bucks and after replacing the original valves (they cant handle unleaded gas) it has not given me a bit of trouble. No one makes a tractor as durable today as those n's, but it is tough to find one in that kind of condition since it has been so long since they have been made. When buying an old tractor that came 6 volt from the factory, be very leary of 12 volt conversions as they usually are a cover-up for poor starting due to weak compression. I would also be cautious of any used tractor that you dont know the history. Why is it being sold? With my 8n, the owner passed away and I bought it from his widow (that is a good excuse).

 

[Builder]

I have bought so much used equipment that I have learned that you MUST get a great deal or walk away. The law of averages will eventually catch up with me and I'll have a $5,000 repair. Haven't had that happen yet, but plenty of 1-3K repairs have happened.

You need to make sure you're paying well below the machine's value so you have money left for repairs.

Most (not all) owners sell machines because there's something on them they don't want to fix that you might not realize until you owned it for months.

Just be careful and never overpay.

 

[flusher]

I have bought so much used equipment that I have learned that you MUST get a great deal or walk away. The law of averages will eventually catch up with me and I'll have a $5,000 repair. Haven't had that happen yet, but plenty of 1-3K repairs have happened.

You need to make sure you're paying well below the machine's value so you have money left for repairs.

Most (not all) owners sell machines because there's something on them they don't want to fix that you might not realize until you owned it for months.

Just be careful and never overpay.

You're right. Unless you're a tractor restorer like myself, you don't want to buy a pre-owned tractor you expect to put to work and then find out that it needs major repairs.

Last Jan I bought a really good looking 1951 Minneapolis Moline BF tractor locally. Paid $1300 despite the fact that it wasn't running. Normally I wouldn't pay more than $700-900 for something like that, but the sheet metal is straight and that tractor is relatively rare (less than 5000 units made). It's completely disassembled now and is being cleaned in preparation for repainting.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...eapolis-moline-bf-restoration-continuing.html

Yesterday I picked up the engine, 27 hp 4-cyl Hercules IXB3SL, from the machine shop. Complete engine rebuild cost $1600 parts and labor. I figure I'll have about $4500 spent on the restoration by the time it's finished (hopefully early next year).

It's a hobby and I need a decent parade tractor for club meets in the Spring. Otherwise, it's hard to justify buying something like my BF.

 

[Builder]

You're right. Unless you're a tractor restorer like myself, you don't want to buy a pre-owned tractor you expect to put to work and then find out that it needs major repairs.

Last Jan I bought a really good looking 1951 Minneapolis Moline BF tractor locally. Paid $1300 despite the fact that it wasn't running. Normally I wouldn't pay more than $700-900 for something like that, but the sheet metal is straight and that tractor is relatively rare (less than 5000 units made). It's completely disassembled now and is being cleaned in preparation for repainting.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...eapolis-moline-bf-restoration-continuing.html

Yesterday I picked up the engine, 27 hp 4-cyl Hercules IXB3SL, from the machine shop. Complete engine rebuild cost $1600 parts and labor. I figure I'll have about $4500 spent on the restoration by the time it's finished (hopefully early next year).

It's a hobby and I need a decent parade tractor for club meets in the Spring. Otherwise, it's hard to justify buying something like my BF.

I really want to restore an old IH 88 series I have my eye on, but I need to build my house and get my new shop built first. Man, what I'd give to be 10 years younger.......

 

[flusher]

I really want to restore an old IH 88 series I have my eye on, but I need to build my house and get my new shop built first. Man, what I'd give to be 10 years younger.......

Roger that.

My job jar never seems to get any emptier. There's a 1951 Farmall Super A sitting outside my shop now that needs transmission work (won't shift into 1st gear), as well as regular servicing and a paint job. And the 1964 MF-135 diesel is in one of the shop bays needing a few oil leaks fixed. And my wish list has a JD 40, an Allis Chalmers C, and an Oliver 66 on it. And my neighbor gave me a Massey Ferguson 44 self-propelled windrower (draper head type) with a 4-cyl Continental engine that I want to restore.

Plus I still need to build two more 600 sq ft equipment sheds, a 20x36 ft carport and a Japanese tea house in the bonsai garden.

And my 68th birthday is coming fast.

 

[Soundguy]

I love having a project or two unfinished.. just hard to keep it all in the air sometimes though!

soundguy