Tell your story of your tractor life.

[GATOR445]

Hello

What I'm looking for is the story good or bad of your tractor.
1.Make/Model
2.Attachments
3.Year
4.Hours if has meter
5.Repairs w/aprox. cost
6.How you use it
7. Or what else you can think of

To start with I have a 1994 JD445 w/54 deck, 47 blower, cab w/hotwater heat, front plow blade, homemade rear box blade, homemade three point hitch. I have aprox. 1900hrs (1800 and some heavy change) other than normal service the only repairs I've had to do was replace the cam shaft. The v twin kaws. in these tractor have a plastic gear on them. They only last normaly 400hrs to 800hrs so I did good I got 1700hrs before mine broke. But it cost me when it went out. Becouse it also toke out the waterpump gear, the governor gear, oil pump gear, while I was in there I replaced the rings. The cost was about $500 for parts I did the repairs myself, would have been around $1000 more if dealer would have done repairs.

I use it to mow 3 arces, and to snowblow my drive, and on the weekends in the winter due to state and county buget cuts. I blow my road out that's a little over 1/4 mile from main state road they plow. If it snows after 2 o'clock in the afternoon on friday you won't see a plow truck until monday midday. If we get a heavy snow w/high wind it can take aprox. 3hrs. to clear the road. Thats when the cam gear broke I was at the other end of my road in the middle of a blizzard on a Sat. night last year. I had to walk to get my truck an winch it up on my trailer to get it back to my garage. Do to the heater in the cab I wasn't dressed very warm for my walk. Won't make that mistake again, now I have hat, gloves, etc. with me. That's just one story let's hear yours!

 

[bontai_Joe]

My oldest and first tractor was a Deere 316 I bought in new in 1979. It was a '78 left over and came with the legendary "K" series cast iron bock 16 HP Kohler. At the time it cost about 3/4 of what my '78 Ford 2WD F-150 pick up truck cost (just under $3000). I got the 48" mower and the 54" front blade with hydraulic lift and angle. I used it as the primary cutter in a lawn maintenance business I set up to pay for the tractor, truck and trailer. I cut lawns with it for 6 years, averaging 15 acres a week for about 5 1/2 months a year. At the end of the 6 years, the mower deck was shot, so I replaced the deck. I also use this tractor to plow snow and have plowed for 27 winters with it. It ain't a 4WD truck, but she'll move a fair amount of the white stuff. I still own this tractor, and it has never hit me for anything major in repairs besides the deck. I've done all the maintenance on it myself, and have under $1000 total spent on parts, filters, blades, etc (not including the replacement deck) over 28 years. By my estimate it has well over 2000 hours on it, maybe as many as 2500. In the last couple of years, I have bought some other attachments for it like a model 49 snowblower, and a MacKissic wood chipper. These attachments also fit my other Deere 316 (Onan powered) that I bought about 4 years ago. I have some other tractors, but they are recent aquisitions, and don't have much history with me. Should the old Kohler ever die on me, I'll DEFINITELY rebuild or replace it. The tractor is too good to scrap.

 

[GATOR445]

Great tractor the 316. I owned the grandfather to it a 1968 JD 140h3 with the same 48 deck,54 blade, and 49 thrower and a 30 tiller. I also had a spare 1972 JD 140h1 with a bad eng. when I picked up my 68 it had a bad eng. due to old owner ran it low on oil from sump cover was loose and leaking oil. So I installed the same eng. as your 316 in it. Because it had the hydrulic to run the plow angle, and it had the rear pto for the tiller. I bought the 72 later becouse some parts on the 68 trans were no longer avalible. I had plans to swap trans if there was ever problems with the 68.

But, and there is alway a But. After about 9 years my daughter was mowing the lawn one day. She came in the house and told me the tractor was smoking. I told her well it's old enough to smoke but I don't ever want to catch you smoking. She said " Dad I mean it, it's really smoking" so I told ok just drive it over to the garage. I'll check it out later. Big mistake I hear her start the tractor so I looked outside to see the smoke. The cloud of smoke was so thick I couldn't see her through it. Now the tractor was only about 70 to 80 feet from the garage. It didn't make it about 20 feet from the garage I hear a loud clunk an the tractor stopped. I went down to the tractor to find that the rod had broke an put a hole in the side of the block. I thought about finding another eng. but decided it was time to move up to a new foot hydro. So I sold my collection at my kids yard sale that summer they only got $350 for everything. they thought they hit the lottery becouse they got to keep the money.

 

[Thomas]

"1.Make/Model
2.Attachments
3.Year
4.Hours if has meter
5.Repairs w/aprox. cost
6.How you use it
7. Or what else you can think of"

1.B7100HST w/fel
2.Box blade,Scraper blade,York rake etc,Snow plow blade,Harrow & disk,rear mower.
3.1995.
4.739 hours.
5.Over the years replace one hyd hose,and front tire valve stem...less than $50.oo
6.Uses,from plowing snow to ditch digging,hauling to planting,removing harvest wildlife from the woods to taking nice slow ride.
7.I've heard some call the sub compact tractor etc.. half tractors,but I've been able to go more places...between trees up/down slopes etc.. where a bigger tractor couldn't and get the work done,sure it means little more time in the seat but it sure beats the heck out of useing shovel,rake and wheel barrow...slow and easy does the trick.

 

[Podunkadunk]

Hello

What I'm looking for is the story good or bad of your tractor.
1.Make/Model
2.Attachments
3.Year
4.Hours if has meter
5.Repairs w/aprox. cost
6.How you use it
7. Or what else you can think of

1. Craftsman LT 1000
2. Small utility trailer for carrying whatever
3. 2001
4. Tons of hours, no meter though.
5. I had the following replaced: Belts - both drive and blade, Steering box (too much play before), battery (lasted almost 6 years amazingly), right hand blade quill shaft and bearing, deck lowering/raising lever cable (it broke), and lots of regular maintenance stuff. Cost 377.00.
6. I abuse this thing
7. Works good, still going strong considering the abuse I give it.

 

[OrangeGuy]

1.Make/Model
2.Attachments
3.Year
4.Hours if has meter
5.Repairs w/aprox. cost
6.How you use it
7. Or what else you can think of"

1) Allis Chalmers 620
2) 60" MMM, 50" side mount sickle mower, 50" front mount snowblower, 60" front mount sweeper, 48" rear blade, 50" rotary tiller, many pull type attachments
3) 1974
4) approximately 1200
5) minimal-front electric clutch, rebushed front spindles, batteries, new seat
6) used to use all attachments extensively (60-80 hours /year), now front sweeper and pull type attachments (15-20 hours/year)
7) Purchased this tractor when it was a year old. It's as dependable today as it was 30 years ago. New Kubota F2260 front mower in 1998 has taken over most of the mowing duties. New Kubota L3430 in 2003 has takes care of most of the rest. It's part of my collection of AC tractors.

OrangeGuy

 

[Fordlords]

Tractor A:

1) Cub Cadet 682
2) 44" mower, dethatcher, rake, aerator, snow blower
3) 1980
4) 1200 Hours
5) Belts, tires, batteries, etc over the years. New engine ($1300), new 44" deck ($1100)
6) Used for heavy mowing and and any difficult yard tasks
7) Completely restored in early 2006. Original engine and deck were still OK, just had a hankering to replace them for another 25 years of service.

Tractor B:

1) Craftsman LT1000 16 HP Kohler
2) 42" mower, lawn sweeper
3) 1999
4) unknown, approx 350
5) 2 small deck springs, battery (about $80)
6) Used for light mowing of about 1/2 flat acre with sweeper
7) Decent for a cheapo-machine

 

[Jason B]

Hi

Here is mine:

Tractor A:

1995 Agco Allis 1614H with 38 inch deck.( built by Simplicity). Purchaced used in 2000 to start my lawn care business. This is my first tractor. Only repairs so far have been bearings for the mower deck, new drive belt for the mower deck, and general yearly maintence. No hour meter but has plenty. Tractor was traded in 2002 for a Agco Allis 1920H( Simplicity Sunstar) but was bought back in July 2005 as the tractor had sentamental value being my first tractor. Currently it is awaiting a repaint job. 1614H is rated at 14hp and powered by a Kohler Command air cooled engine( darn good engine in my opnion)


Tractor B: Agco Allis 1920H with power steering, 20hp Kohler Command engine. Tractor has hydrolic lift and 48 inch deck. It's main duties are, blowing snow, cutting grass, and using a powered bagger to collect leafs in the fall. Tractor currently has 1,007 hours on it with plenty of life left. I plan to ease the work load off the 1920H to the 425 AWs, so that I can preserve the life of the 1920. The 1920H is a 1996 model and was bought used in the fall of 2002 with 351 hours on it. Repairs so far have been: new tires, carborator, new coils, drive belt and bearings for the mower deck. Also had the light switch replaced along with new light bulbs. Other then that just regular maintence and has been a great tractor so far.

Tractor C: 1987 Duetz Allis 1918 Ultma with 48 inch deck. Hour meter reads 1,450 hours. Engine blew last spring. Because of the condition of the unit, the tractor will probably be dismantaled as many of the parts can be used on my 1920 if needed.

Tractor D: Newly purchaced John Deere 425 with All Wheel steering. 1997 model with 60 inch deck. 20 hp kawasoke( SP) Liquad cooled tractor. So far no major repairs. This is my first green tractor and will take ease the work load off of my 1920. Take Care Jason B

 

[Arbo]

Hello

What I'm looking for is the story good or bad of your tractor.
1.Make/Model
2.Attachments
3.Year
4.Hours if has meter
5.Repairs w/aprox. cost
6.How you use it
7. Or what else you can think of

I have a 1948 Farmall H that was purchased new by my grandfather. At the time, the tractor replaced three horses. It farmed my family farm for many years, and then was retired to odd jobs. It is now completely rebuilt and restored, and my father told me before he died that it runs better now than it ever did. The only thing it is used for now is to mow weeds with a 60" bush hog, and to pull things around occasionally.

Last year, I bought a JD420LGT with 1400 hours on the ticker. I added a Johny Bucket, and 3PH. I have a Brinly disc, a broadcast spreader that was adapted by me to fit the 3PH with an electric motor to run the spinner, a 60" landscape rake that was built by me from scratch, and numerous other small items that come in handy. It is also used to tow the Mill Creek manure spreader. I am running 26-12-12 Carlisle bar tires on the rear. 11.5 gallons loaded in each rear tire, and 50 lb wheel weight on each rear. About the only way to get it stuck is to get in the muck and load the treads. This thing is such a little workhorse, I don't know how I lived without it.