Should I buy this Farmi winch?

Piston · Aug 26, 2010

I went to look a an old Farmi winch. It was bought by the original owner back in 1980 from what he says and he bought it new. He used it for a few seasons just skidding firewood logs with his old MF tractor. He said the tractor was about 40hp if that matters. I don't know the model number but it is somewhere between the 351 and 501.

It has been sitting for about 15-20 years and hasn't been used since. It's sitting behind a barn now which is where he took it off way back when, it has a lot of surface rust obviously but actually seems pretty solid. I assume every moving part in it would need replacing since it's been sitting so long.

My question is do you think it would be worth buying and having someone rebuild it with new parts? How complicated are these winches? Are there tons of moving parts? I've never used one but I see them go for at least a couple thousand dollars in good shape.
I can buy this one for 800, does anyone know if it is worth it or not? Thanks for any help.

Gordon Gould · Aug 26, 2010

$800 seems like a good price for one that you can clean up and get working.
You should check for parts availability on one that old, but they are quite simple machines. Go look at it again. Try to turn the pto shaft by hand. If the clutch is free the pto shaft should turn but not the drum. If the drum tries to turn the clutch is not free. (May not be a big deal for something setting 20 yrs). Release the drum locking latch and try to pull some cable out. It may come hard but if the drum rotates at all and the clutch is free I would consider it an absolute bargin. If things are frozen up - which should be expected - it is still probably good price if you are going to fix it yourself,
but I would dicker a little.

Dead Horse · Aug 26, 2010

I recently put new bearings in my 601, which I believe to be about the same vintage as the one you are speaking about.

They are very simple machines and quite easy to replace bearings. they use standard bearings that are easily found and relatively inexpensive. The rest of the unit is built like a brick outhouse and seems nearly indestructable.

If you can, pull the whole cable out of it and see if it is any good. If it is rusted beyond use, that will likely be your most expensive replacement part.

The clutch on these things should last several lifetimes of hard use, and the clutch plate can be easily resurfaced.

Unless something in the drum, drum spindle, Input shaft or chain cogs are seriously bent or broken, $800 is a screaming deal. I bought mine from a member here and am at least the fourth owner of it. When I bought it, (it needed new bearings, though I was not aware of it at the time) and I paid a lot more than $800 for it. It was well worth the price as I have skidded 60 cord of wood with it the last two years. I sourced all bearings, input shaft inner and outer and drum thrust inner and outer bearings, for under $200.

Heck, I am familar enough with the guts of them now, if you need someone to help you rebuild it, I am in mid state NH and have all the tools and facility to handle it easily.

Furu · Aug 26, 2010

For $800 that is a DEAL. As the others have said even if it is frozen up still a great price if it is a size between a 351 and a 501. Farmi makes parts for their winches well after they change models. In fact many parts may still be the same. Take another look at it and get it.

atgreene · Aug 26, 2010

I bought my 501 for $600? or so. Heavy use from a tree co, but it's been fine. My father has owned a 351 since '85 or so, no issues.

As said above, the only issue you may have is the cable, there isn't anything else that really can go wrong unless the bearings are bad from sitting. Not a hard fix, everything that I have needed is always available. Rust is nothing to worry about, fresh paint is highly overrated.:thumbsup:

Chilly807 · Aug 26, 2010

It's a so-so price as far as I'm concerned. If it's been out in the weather for 15-20 years, chances are the cable's shot, as well as possibly the clutch (rusted beyond help), bearings, etc. Paint is the least of your worries, those winches are solid enough that unless it was sitting in salt water it should be fine structurally.

I'd have a careful look at the clutch, PTO shaft, and cable, get a price on replacement parts before you make him any offers. If it needs a cable and clutch, let alone a PTO shaft, I'd say $500 would be the most I'd offer.

Mind you, by nature I'm reluctant to spend any more than I really have to (read cheap) , but if you have to put $600 into it plus labour, you're better off to keep looking.

My 2 cents.

Sean

dstig1 · Aug 26, 2010

Piston said:
I went to look a an old Farmi winch. It was bought by the original owner back in 1980 from what he says and he bought it new. He used it for a few seasons just skidding firewood logs with his old MF tractor. He said the tractor was about 40hp if that matters. I don't know the model number but it is somewhere between the 351 and 501.

It has been sitting for about 15-20 years and hasn't been used since. It's sitting behind a barn now which is where he took it off way back when, it has a lot of surface rust obviously but actually seems pretty solid. I assume every moving part in it would need replacing since it's been sitting so long.

My question is do you think it would be worth buying and having someone rebuild it with new parts? How complicated are these winches? Are there tons of moving parts? I've never used one but I see them go for at least a couple thousand dollars in good shape.
I can buy this one for 800, does anyone know if it is worth it or not? Thanks for any help.

Anything like this one?

I got this one from a friend who bought it around 1980 for his firewood business. He had bent the main frame somehow long ago. I had to have that repaired to be usable. The welder thought about bending it back, but said it would be better to cut off the bent section and weld on a new one, so that's what he did (plus straightening the bent guard around the reel) for $150.

Before

After

It also needed bearings on the lower shaft, and I replaced the upper snatch block bearing while I had it all apart (given the age). The chain tensioner was worn almost flat, so I replaced that and the friction button for the reel. So $75 in bearings and about $125 in Farmi parts (all still available but pricey) plus probably another $25 in hardware that I replaced for goof measure. All totaled about $350-400. I didn't repaint it as you can see. It's on the long-term lend-lease program as my friend has no tractor or any real need for it any more.

I wouldn't worry about clutch rusting. I would bet 10 seconds of use would make that disappear as it is simple friction material on the reel plate. Check bearings, chain tensioner (the chain just rubs over it), and the frame for straightness. In this case, the fact that the chain wouldn't stay on was the key that said it wasn't right (hard to see without taking the main cover off.

And yes it works great. I have a billion pictures of the teardown, if you are curious about any particular item.

-Dave

gene21 · Feb 14, 2023

dstig1 said:
Anything like this one?

I got this one from a friend who bought it around 1980 for his firewood business. He had bent the main frame somehow long ago. I had to have that repaired to be usable. The welder thought about bending it back, but said it would be better to cut off the bent section and weld on a new one, so that's what he did (plus straightening the bent guard around the reel) for $150.

Before

After

It also needed bearings on the lower shaft, and I replaced the upper snatch block bearing while I had it all apart (given the age). The chain tensioner was worn almost flat, so I replaced that and the friction button for the reel. So $75 in bearings and about $125 in Farmi parts (all still available but pricey) plus probably another $25 in hardware that I replaced for goof measure. All totaled about $350-400. I didn't repaint it as you can see. It's on the long-term lend-lease program as my friend has no tractor or any real need for it any more.

I wouldn't worry about clutch rusting. I would bet 10 seconds of use would make that disappear as it is simple friction material on the reel plate. Check bearings, chain tensioner (the chain just rubs over it), and the frame for straightness. In this case, the fact that the chain wouldn't stay on was the key that said it wasn't right (hard to see without taking the main cover off.

And yes it works great. I have a billion pictures of the teardown, if you are curious about any particular item.

-Dave

where can i get parts for one of these? i just picked one up looks a lot like yours

gene21 · Feb 14, 2023

dstig1 said:
Anything like this one?

I got this one from a friend who bought it around 1980 for his firewood business. He had bent the main frame somehow long ago. I had to have that repaired to be usable. The welder thought about bending it back, but said it would be better to cut off the bent section and weld on a new one, so that's what he did (plus straightening the bent guard around the reel) for $150.

Before

After

It also needed bearings on the lower shaft, and I replaced the upper snatch block bearing while I had it all apart (given the age). The chain tensioner was worn almost flat, so I replaced that and the friction button for the reel. So $75 in bearings and about $125 in Farmi parts (all still available but pricey) plus probably another $25 in hardware that I replaced for goof measure. All totaled about $350-400. I didn't repaint it as you can see. It's on the long-term lend-lease program as my friend has no tractor or any real need for it any more.

I wouldn't worry about clutch rusting. I would bet 10 seconds of use would make that disappear as it is simple friction material on the reel plate. Check bearings, chain tensioner (the chain just rubs over it), and the frame for straightness. In this case, the fact that the chain wouldn't stay on was the key that said it wasn't right (hard to see without taking the main cover off.

And yes it works great. I have a billion pictures of the teardown, if you are curious about any particular item.

-Dave

dave i would like to see more pictures of yours if possible

Gordon Gould · Feb 14, 2023

I would start with NorthEast Implements. They have been Farmi dealers forever. They are easy to talk with and will answer questions. They probably have manuals for that old winch.