What to look for

[redman135]

I am looking at a b1700 coming up at a council auction.
What are the things to watch for? eg are hour meters prone to fail? This one has 1223 hrs, should it be + 10k hrs? Is approx mid - late 90's model. 4x4 and loader,hst.
It appears to have lived in a shed all it's life.
I grew up on a farm but have never used kubota.

 

[KennyV]

1223 hrs could be just right on a sparingly used 1990's tractor... I have a L4200 cab Kubota 1998 model with 1600 hrs on it.
Any hour meter can fail Or be disconnected, but if you look at the over all condition of a machine you will see things like pin holes wallowed out and pins with distorted shapes, belt pulleys worn deep, paint rubbed out followed by metal rubbing away...
It's easy to hide a few hundred hours missing from a meter, Harder to hide a thousand hrs. and near impossible to conceal thousands of hrs... so if it looks like a well maintained shed kept tractor, it likely is. KennyV

 

[PILOON]

T he 1700 is one tough machine.
I have seen a few that looked to have been to war and still trucking on.
Being a municipal machine it probably had decent maintenance and rarely overworked so I'd be inclined to let my eyes, like first impression, be my bidding guide.

 

[/pine]

Agree the B1700 (along with sisters B2100 & B2400) is a tough machine...I have a 4x4 gear model with an LA301 loader... the only thing it has ever lacked is just a little more overall weight...Loaded rears help immensely...
How are the tires? finding replacement front tires with compatible rolling circumferences can be a small issue for 4wd models...

 

[redman135]

Thank you for the replies. This is the first time I have looked at a tractor this small.

 

[Thomas]

Like most things at auction can you check for oil leaks when engine running,also check front end see if steering system somewhat tight also rear tires/hubs...indeed there one tough unit.

 

[RjCorazza]

1200h sounds certainly possible. I sometimes estimate use based on operator control surface wear like worn down rubber for pedals, paint removal on throttle lever, etc...
Hours are significantly less of a concern as is routine maintenance. Look for greased fittings, current filters (dates written on filters is always a plus), etc. Find some inconvenient grease zerks and confirm grease there also. If allowed, start it and move the tractor in all ranges, and run the pto and hydraulics.
As others have commented the older kubotas are very well built. I had an older B8200 that was practically indestructible.

 

[AStanton]

Check the color of the oil and hydraulic filters. Generally, the original filters that come installed at the factory are gray. Replaced filters are white. If you see a gray filter--RUN!

 

[redman135]

Thr auctioner has corrected the info sheet on the B1700. It had a failure in the front axle , which was gutted and is now run as a 2wd. (put me off buying)
It was passed in at $4280.00