Your well respected opinions please!

[bobidy]

Afternoon! found a REALLY well kept an clean 1500dw/fell not going into all the stuff i have gone thru to see if my 1610d was worth fixing. Block is cracked. I am 70 yrs old as of tue. and the cost of repair will be as much if not more than the 1500 w/fell, and I have basicly, no one to help with the repair or the best of conditions to split the tractor. nor the spiszerinctum to do it. I got a lot of use out of it for a good few years. whatever my join date to the forum shows. been looking for a replacement for a good while now. hard to find decent domestic tractor in the price range u can get these yanmar's for. and a lot of the smaller ones use japan engines etc.

some with less support than the yanmars. so 2hp less on the 1500d and its 3 1/2 hrs away from me . but thats not bad. I brush hog 2 1/2 acres twice a year and till a 50x80 garden spot with a 54 0r 53 " yanmar tiller and the rotory cutter is a howse 4 ftr. a little over 400lbs.Ideally I would like at least 20hp but I think that 1500d will do the job. my question is -do you agree?



I did do a forum search where california, said he ran the same set up for some time. and thats good enough for me. and I am sick/reeling from looking up, and at. so many darn tractors. But when I get that way thats when I need to be cautious. Found a 1510d but it's 5+hrs away through mountain country. not going there.

 

[California]

If after considerable searching, that's the only decent alternative available I would buy it. You recognize you are giving up a lot of convenience, I hope.

In terms of capability a 1510 and 1610 with Powershift are similar. It's things like getting the mower spinning before starting to move forward that you are giving up.

That 1610 will make someone happy who has the shop and tools to repair it! Don't sell it too cheap.

I too have reached the age where sometimes the choice is to buy my way out of a problem rather than start a new complex project. In the past it was always DIY, after a lifetime of that and living simply, the reward now is being able to pay cash for whatever is needed when it's too much trouble to do it myself.

Just make sure the 1500 is as good as you think it is. Then just enjoy it!

 

[jaxs]

I feel your pain. I'm older than you,owned tractors and made do without a fel since I was a kid. I've got to where I can't look over my shoulder so I stand to use dirt scoop and gin pole. Power steering is shot on my tractors so I've been looking for a package of older domestic tractor and loader. They are few and far between in Tx. I've found Yanmars w/loader that need repair but don't feel up to the task. When I almost have myself convinced to hire repair done,cost of parts make's me think otherwise. No offense but compacts don't seem to hold up and parts are 3x what they are for older domestics. At any rate,what I have to say is I see far more fel in Ks and Mo than I do in Tx. Is that where you are finding them? Best of luck in getting what you need.

 

[clemsonfor]

I would think the 1500 is more than up to the task of bush hogging 2.5 acres two times a year and tilling your garden how ever many times a year you want. That is very light duty work and would be right along the lines of the tractors intended job load expected from it.

As far as your implement size I feel that it's easily doable with that tractor. The tiller is probably on the large size but I still think it will easily spin it especially considering this is an established garden spot you will keep tilling and not a field that your going to have to till up hard packed clay ground and thick sod every time you till. Worst will be hard crusted ground with a little vegetation residue or corn stubble.

 

[careyo63]

My opinion also. And on the power shift which I don't have on my Ym2000. I have to shift mine often with the Finishing mower 5'. When I bought the 2000 2nd. Gear Pto would and did have problems jumping out of gear on the Pto. shifter not the High low shifter. Purchased it ASIS. and 1st worked fine so It wasn't that big of a deal. Since yrs. and 100's of Hrs. of Tac. time I resolved the problem. Kept the Maint. up and replaced the Hyd. Filter. I wasn't shocked of the condition of it and what appeared done to it. Not much doubt it spent most of it's life in the rice patties. Plus the fluid was Dirty,Thick and Milky as it could be in the bottom of the pan. Or the last to drain out which I new to catch in a separate clean bucket. So now I can keep my Eng. RPM's down being able to use 2nd. gear so that when I do have to shift my wait time and grinding is Minimal to actually none. I'm not 100% sure exactly what all the problem was but I believe it was a check ball not seat and locking it in. Don't hold me to this it's but in the 1&2 shift fork. So that was it and I'm happy with my setup. Which I also use a 4ft BH.. I call the Beast I believe is actually an old International. Don't use it for grass or fields but in my wooded area's and it will slap Bust it up!!!.........

 

[reb]

If the 1500D is in the condition you say, I would go for it. I use mine to mow a couple of times a year and to do odd jobs now and then. There are a couple of changes I would recommend. One is to rig up some kind of water pump. That eases the mowing job, eliminating the need to clean the radiator frequently while mowing. Hoye sells a kit. I installed a DIY pump on mine with a used electric pump. If it doesn't have a ROPS, Hoye has that too.

 

[bobidy]

Thanks. seems like, your advice is about on the lines my mind was running. & Yes I have not actually seen the tractor face to face. he told me the only problem withe the tractor is the front tires have some checking.He put in tubes just in case & hasn't had any problems & there Is a Drip though not" large " where the drive shaft for the front axle comes out of the main
transmission. Seems like I gave The impression is has no fell It does. I have a Koyker 80 on the 1610 also. I have never trusted the od readings on some of the yanmars.I don't know if they can be turned back or not. but I have looked at a few that sure were worn and beat up for 500 to 800 hrs on them. $ 4500.obo is what he is asking with about 320 hrs on the od. He also implied he had a well used tiller that he was offering with it but, would be willing to split it off.

 

[California]

You might ask him if those photos are recent, or from when he brought it home.

I run Yanmar's 54" tiller, the one intended for a YM2000, on my 15 (pto) hp YM186D. (See my sig photo, below). (and another photo). The only place I run out of power is if I cross previously tilled ground then the front tires climb a step up onto firm ground, this can drive the tiller deeper into undisturbed subsoil and stall the engine. So long as you watch for unusual problems like this, a 1500 should run that tiller fine. Not a problem.

 

[clemsonfor]

Thanks. seems like, your advice is about on the lines my mind was running. & Yes I have not actually seen the tractor face to face. he told me the only problem withe the tractor is the front tires have some checking.He put in tubes just in case & hasn't had any problems & there Is a Drip though not" large " where the drive shaft for the front axle comes out of the main
transmission. Seems like I gave The impression is has no fell It does. I have a Koyker 80 on the 1610 also. I have never trusted the od readings on some of the yanmars.I don't know if they can be turned back or not. but I have looked at a few that sure were worn and beat up for 500 to 800 hrs on them. $ 4500.obo is what he is asking with about 320 hrs on the od. He also implied he had a well used tiller that he was offering with it but, would be willing to split it off.

That hour meter is a 3 digit. So it could also be in multiples of 1000.

 

[clemsonfor]

As long as the tunes hold air, don't worry about the checking tires. Run them till they rip apart.

I agree with California, is that a current pic or one from when it came home. You may be able to pull exif data on it and see. I'm on a phone so I'm not going to try.

If is mechanically sound I'd buy it for that price!! Also keep in mind it's a recon. If is several years old and been used regular without problems it's probably a non issue. I own a recon myself.