Excellent explanation Mike. At a previous job I mowed roadsides not on interstate mind you but narrow curvy two lanes in the great smoky mountains. My boss couldn't understand why our tractors went thru tires & clutches so quickly when his old Massey still had the original tires & clutch. Nevermind the fact it never ran on pavement & made laps around a field in the same gear all day when it was being used.
I think you presented this topic well Mike! I think hours is less important than knowing the history of what the tractor did and how it was maintained.
Very true. Just like a car, you could have a car with 10,000 miles on it beat to crap, blown engine, transmission, etc. Or a car with 1,000,000 miles in excellent condition....its mostly going to come down to maintenance records and how it was used.
This episode makes feel better about the 1979 Ford 340 Industrial tractor I have that shows about 2,300 hours. Keep up the valuable content you provide; WE APPRECIATE IT! Tim
I always used 50 miles and hour, 5000 hrs is a high mile machine for a new tractor, 250,000 miles equivalent, a lot has to do with if your running in a clean environment or a dusty one. oil changes the whole bit. I worked on diesel engines all my life as I own a Golf Course. Keep in mind the newer Tier 4 engines are impossible to work on and have many computer problems, older engines that are mechanical are sought after to rebuild they are easy to work on and have far more less problems.
Well said. Usage and how the tractor was maintained are the keys. A used tractor that was maintained and has the hours you mentioned should last most people the rest of their life.
Have thought about this for a while. My 2004 Chevy Silverado has an hour meter so I know how many hours and miles are on it. 3065 hours and 89,485 miles. So I am averaging a little less than 30 mph. Maybe that is low? My 2007 New Holland T1520 had less than 300 hours when I bought it about 2 years ago. It has 535 hours today. It is used for bush hogging pastures (cutting heavy grass) and light duty land clearing. If I use the same math as my truck, then my tractor has the 535X 30= 16050 miles. Pretty low mileage to me. As Mike says take care of the equipment and it will take care of you. At 70 years old my son will probably not wear this tractor out!
Well put Mike. I think the bigger ag tractors can go well over 10000 hours. Smaller compacts with little diesel engines I start getting cautious 3000 hours but an older gentleman told me if properly maintained the little Shibora and Yanmar diesels in New Holland and John Deere compacts will last for a long long time.
Good info. Made me wonder about the JD 2040 (1979 model) that I bought in 1982 with 240 hours on it. I sold it 30 years later with over 7000 hours but "regliously" maintained. Primarily used for bush hog cutting and spraying peach trees on 60 acres. Ran as good and looked almost as good as new the day I sold it. It was a "bullet-proof", trouble free tractor still rolling the original R1 Ag tires.
Bought a used TC45 with 3000 hours because of the exact reasons you stated. Also the fact that your own personal tractor is a TC leads me to believe they are a reliable machine. I am getting older and was looking for one tractor to replace my Ford 800 and Ford 861 bucket tractor. So far I am very impressed with this tractor but still don't want to get rid of my old standbys just yet. Thanks for the outstanding, common sense videos. You are providing a valuable service to us all.
The TC series was one of my all time favorite tractors to sell. I don't think I ever had a customer not like one of them. Mine will probably last until I'm pushing up daisies and the kids unload it in the estate auction.
About three years ago i got my First Tractor! knowing very little! i looked for info. about HOW NOT TO GET KILLED OR HARMED AND NOT DAMAGE MY TRACTOR...And i founded MIKE And Others Online...And to this day I THINK SAFELY FIRST...One Can't Turn Time Backwards. It's People Like You Others That Know That I Listen To! To Educate My Self...Thanks
@@TractorMike I still have my dads 8n. Can't/won't sell it. I'm curious to see how well the TC pulls my Dearborn two bottoms...think Spring! Loving the 4wd and rops even if it is a "plastic." tractor.
@@TractorMike Yes I live in Smyrna Delaware on the east coast and we have two. A 2001 TC45D open station and a 2007 TC45DA super suite cab. Love them! Good reliable tractors
That was a great question. And thanks for helping to clarify it. It makes me feel better because I bought a used Kubota last year with 180 hours on it from a Kubota dealer. And I had no idea if that was high or low for a used tractor. But I saved thousands of the price of a new one of the same model. And let's face it, none of them are new when you get home with it and put it in the dirt.
How the previous owners took care of it is everything. I’ve seen 200 hour tractors that sit out, do heavy work, every inch of the paint scratched, with the original oil filter on it, that I wouldn’t touch. I’ve seen 4,000 hour tractors that have oil change dates written on the filter and have a nice coat of wax on the hood that I would buy in a heartbeat. Lot’s of 10-20 year old, well-maintained tractors out there with 1,000 to 2,000 hours that are the ones to buy. They’ll last our lifetime.
I brought a Husqvarna 2554 tractor almost 10 years ago and it has 436 hours in it, but a little is pulling a cart around with the Grandkids. I keep it well maintained, and have never even had a flat tire on it. It's been a good tractor.
Mike, I want to thank you for your simplicity in answering this question. We have been shopping hard for a low hour 50 hp tractor. Its been fun, and frustrating. All at the same time. Your channel seams to have the least amount of "lean them in this direction" attitude. I am going to use your channel for direction once a tractor is sitting on our property. We need at least 50 hp for the dirt I want to move this year. Then yard maintenance ever after. I am used to industrial tractors. Is there a tractor out there in the 50 hp range that you feel has a better frame than others? We want to stay away from an industrial due to high repair and maintenance cost that can be encountered.
I bought my -91 Valmet 6300 (85 hp) tractor with a bit over 11 000 hours. Works great. Had been used by a county for some snow removal and cutting bushes by the road, then by a private company continuing with bushcutting (you know some arm mounted mower). Very linear work and unlike a farmer you can probably easier schedule the maintenance. I'm putting 150 hours in it per year and I don't expect to ever (without force) be getting rid of it. And I'm quite a lot younger than Mike :-)
Let me add that one think with modern tractors that you generally can't do anything to for maintenance is electronics. My tractor have electronic 3pt hitch control. It was not their first model with it but only a few years after they started with that. Thankfully they had teamed up with Bosch for doing that. They really know vehicle electronics. So I have small computer chips in mine from 1991 (as far as I know) and they still work. I haven't heard of any particular big problem with this electronics either. I'm generally positive to modern things but I do understand the dilemma. A broken capacitor can be fixed but if they chip which stores the program fries out there is no-one else but the manufacturer. In the software world it's not to uncommon to release old programs or even the source code for legacy product. I get that having people employed maintaining stock and build 30 years old hardware would make the replacement parts (they free units that are sold) extremely expensive. But if many manufacturers could release code for way out of stock models it could spawn some company that pool enough resources to build replacement computers affordable.
Makes sense if you take care using and you maintain and understand the wear and tear factors you place on the tractor all determine the inherent future value or reliability . If it's being used everyday as part of a business the cost of replacing the tractor may be rolled into the cost of the operation like a service truck. Just gets cycled out based on several factors.
In my part of the country, you will never find used tractors with such low hours (2-3k). If course, I live in a prominent agricultural area and used tractors are typically over 8k hours. So it's important to do your homework and know what to look for. How the machine was treated and maintained is very important, but also the manufacturer, model, and engineered design is critical. I bought a used tractors with 4k hours that was a complete loss when the transmission imploded a year later and the tractor I have now chugs along year after year with 8k on the clock.
Maintenance is everything! Most people would be surprised how long something can last if you take care of it. Have you done a video about what to look for when buying a used tractor? Might not be a bad idea.
There is work and there is over work. My old Kubota B had a little too much mower deck and if my wife mowed, she would eventually overheat it and then come crying to me that something is 'wrong' with it, it never overheated for me because if I saw we were in a tough spot I'd back off, overlap my row more or raise the deck and do two passes. I also kept the revs below the red line but high enough so I didn't 'lug' it. I traded it at 25 years figuring if something went wrong I'd probably have trouble getting parts. My new B, much larger, easily pulls a 72" mower and given sharp blades never bogs down, but I have a new rule, my wife doesn't use it. There is also too little work, you want the engine to work enough to warm up and get the oil up to temp (180 to 200F) and the resulting pressure presses the compression rings against the cylinder walls, these temps also reduce carbon buildup.
CARE OF YOUR TRACTOR IS #1 Grease, Changing Oils And Filters, Diesel Fuel Care Etc. When The OWNERS MANUAL SAYS SO, Then One Can Really Work Your Your Tractor A Little Hard Sometimes When You Have Too...Mike did you say in one of videos that you should sometime Work A Diesel Engine?...GREAT VIDEO For a hard question
Well when I bought a 40 horse tractor we put about 600 on it in the first year which for some people maybe that is a lot but we got quite a bit done and the property looks a lot better I think I almost got it where we're going to be distant maintenance maintaining
I think it is also necessary to say how meters are made different now than years ago. Hour meters now a days are electric and start as soon as the key is turned on. Thus if the engine is idling for an hour thus 1 hour on meter. Same holds true if the engine is running at max RPMs. Years ago they were mechanical, and an hour on the meter would only be an hour at a certain RPM, for example if it was set for 2200RPMs to equal 1 hour, it would have to run at 2200 for an hour to bring the meter up 1 hour. Or you would have to run the engine for 2 hours at 1100RPMs to get that 1 hour on the gauge. At idle say 550RPMS would be 4 hours to equal the 1 hour on the gauge.
Speaking of tractors under 40hp I never bought one over 500hrs but most were under 250 and if you look their not hard to find,ones stored inside and babied by home owners who just played with them.
Great video - good advice. Speaking of old tractors, can you tell me if anyone makes a small average tractor like the Economy Tractor/Power King Tractor. I believe they stopped making the Power King in the late 1980s. They were a real work horse for small averages. Michael
You spoke of the older, overbuilt tractors lasting forever. How about the newer scut/cut models? They don’t seem to be “last forever” models by appearances.
Hi , you might be the best person to ask a question . I have been looking at Mahindra reviews , but they all seem to be doing their review at 50 or 100 hours . I would like to know how they stand up when up in the 1000s . I have a John Deere with 33,000 and I know that I cannot expect that , but I would like to get a compact tractor that I can put a couple hundred per year on for the rest of my life ( 20 years? ) . Do you think that they will do it , or should I spend the money for Kubota
How does one figure the direct operating cost of new tractor?? Direct operating costs versus variable?? Fuel burn per hour?? Maint set aside per hour??
Ain't that the truth... Would you do a walk around and kick the tires on an antique tractor? Maybe mention a few farm repairs that old tractors get. Thick lubricants, welded repairs and non-OEM parts cobbled on... Dirty oil, wet engine blocks, low pressure anywhere... I have a 1967 Oliver with 2200 hours on it. Used for logging it still runs great and has a world of welding repairs done on it. I expect (hope) it's my last tractor for the home. Work needs to get a newer one... The 1997 Zetor 6040 is wearing down from extreme use and abuse at my hand over the last 20+ years.
Well I agree hours on a tractor can be important however I'm just as concerned with the parts availablity outlook on a particular tractor.. my father had a white tractor . That was a rebranded Fiat and in all actuality it was a phenomenal tractor . I quit using it at 13000 hrs. However just a few years after it was sold there were no parts available for it through the dealer. And well after market parts became available they were somewhat limited.
Great video thanks, I had to come back and watch it again, as we’re looking at a used 2007 Kubota with 260 hrs, and I was trying to remember some of the details from this video
Mike, Hello from Germany. I bought a 1975 Fiat 750 Special tractor with 5,000 hours on it. Only cost me 2,500 Euros. The linkage is a Little sloppy but otherwise it is in great shape. Did I get an ok deal?
Another great video, Mike. Yep, you cannot draw a hard and fast rule on the hours just like with mileage. With a automobile with 100k you have to consider are they mostly interstate or highway miles or are they miles put on the truck while four-wheeling? Same with hours. Unless you know previous owner it can be a crap shoot...…...
I have to agree to disagree. I have owned several tractors and still do, however, I won't buy a new tractor that's 1/2 plastic with a computer, they don't last. I like John Deere's and some internationals models. I like my tractor in the 70 to 85 vintage, they were built to last, and they do. However, buying a used tractor, it all depends on where they lived and who operated them. If the owner used say a 1975 820 J.D. which is approx. 35 h.p. diesel w/ a 2 stage clutch and pulled a large disc meant for a 60 to 70 h.p. tractor, well for sure he has worn out even this little gem. You want to find a tractor that has been kept inside, never buy one that is kept outside. The sun, rain, wind, and snow will destroy a tractor very quickly. Wind driven rain will get into places you just wouldn't believe, and the sun is very hard on tires and paint , (forget about plastic). Maintenance is key, oil, all filters and hydraulic fluids need to changed depending upon your climate, it's all different. Buy from a private owner, never a sale barn auction, or dealer. Check all fluids and any leaks on the floor. Run the tractor under load for at least 1/2 hour and listen and look for problems, you're either here them or feel um. Assuming all mechanics works well, Shut tractor off and re-start, if it starts ok let it sit engine running, if no leaks turn off and look for leaks. Ask the owner how long he's owned it, and why he's selling, he'll tell you have the truth unless you find a honest man, also, ask for maintenance records and all previous repar records, may get lucky and he or she will have them. Buy the tractor for the job you want it to do. Don't but under powered, buy overpowered if need be, an if you have a friend who knows tractors take him with you. Good luck and be safe.
Hi Mike;What is your opinion about running a tractor at steady high RPM? I see a lot of video's where people are running constantly at what sounds like 1500 to 2500 RPM for everything they are doing.I own a 2010 Kubota L44 that I bought new. I run the engine according to what I'm doing, 1000 to 2000 RPM for most things, and up to 2400 rpm if I need to when pulling a brush hog. The brush hog is the only thing that I have the throttle set at a steady rpm. It just seems to me. that many people are putting a lot of wear and time on the engine that they do not have to.ThanksBob
Mike, personally, I would change your terminology slightly. The one tractor you described had not been used, it had bern abused. Yes a tractor that had been around ling enough to acquire 4000 hours in the compact arena of tractors is going to cost some in some repairs, but think about your criteria for tractor usage-that tractor having been used as most in this size ate used will be a 30-40 year old tractor (100-150 hours per year usage) when that time frame is factored into the process, it is a cheap invest over the years. And yes just like with used cars, how it has been cared for tells all!
I work mine hard but grease every day and service my little tractor every 50 hours and my bigger one every 100 hrs they still look new with 300 hrs on them
Most cars average 35 mph run time. So a tractor with a 1000 hours equates to about 35,000 miles on a car. Definitely used, but certainly not worn out.... Despite everyone's distain for the computers in vehicle, the newer engine are built better due to better manufacturing and better alloys compared to 40 years ago. There is no reason why a new tractor shouldn't last twice as many hours as a tractor built 30 years ago. Properly maintained and replacing the computer sensors and fuel injectors as needed an engine will last a lifetime.
I guess I don't use my Tractor much 120 hrs in 4 1/2 years.........It has 830 hrs 12 years old Kioti ck25 hst. What's your opinion on that tractor Mike.......Great video as always Mike.✌🏻️🚜
I used to sell Kioti's. Great tractors! CK25 is a well built tractor, should last a long time. You don't hear much bad about Kioti from anyone, the product is very good and the company is easy to work with and provides outstanding dealer support. Good choice!
Just got a new John Deere 3025e with the grapple. Going to use it building my homestead and working my little tree farm. Hoping I get thousands of hours out of it for the rest of my life. Was told that little YANMAR engine will last.
Excellent explanation Mike. At a previous job I mowed roadsides not on interstate mind you but narrow curvy two lanes in the great smoky mountains. My boss couldn't understand why our tractors went thru tires & clutches so quickly when his old Massey still had the original tires & clutch. Nevermind the fact it never ran on pavement & made laps around a field in the same gear all day when it was being used.
I think you presented this topic well Mike! I think hours is less important than knowing the history of what the tractor did and how it was maintained.
Very true. Just like a car, you could have a car with 10,000 miles on it beat to crap, blown engine, transmission, etc. Or a car with 1,000,000 miles in excellent condition....its mostly going to come down to maintenance records and how it was used.
This episode makes feel better about the 1979 Ford 340 Industrial tractor I have that shows about 2,300 hours. Keep up the valuable content you provide; WE APPRECIATE IT! Tim
I always used 50 miles and hour, 5000 hrs is a high mile machine for a new tractor, 250,000 miles equivalent, a lot has to do with if your running in a clean environment or a dusty one. oil changes the whole bit. I worked on diesel engines all my life as I own a Golf Course. Keep in mind the newer Tier 4 engines are impossible to work on and have many computer problems, older engines that are mechanical are sought after to rebuild they are easy to work on and have far more less problems.
Well said. Usage and how the tractor was maintained are the keys. A used tractor that was maintained and has the hours you mentioned should last most people the rest of their life.
Have thought about this for a while. My 2004 Chevy Silverado has an hour meter so I know how many hours and miles are on it. 3065 hours and 89,485 miles. So I am averaging a little less than 30 mph. Maybe that is low? My 2007 New Holland T1520 had less than 300 hours when I bought it about 2 years ago. It has 535 hours today. It is used for bush hogging pastures (cutting heavy grass) and light duty land clearing. If I use the same math as my truck, then my tractor has the 535X 30= 16050 miles. Pretty low mileage to me. As Mike says take care of the equipment and it will take care of you. At 70 years old my son will probably not wear this tractor out!
Well put Mike. I think the bigger ag tractors can go well over 10000 hours. Smaller compacts with little diesel engines I start getting cautious 3000 hours but an older gentleman told me if properly maintained the little Shibora and Yanmar diesels in New Holland and John Deere compacts will last for a long long time.
Good info. Made me wonder about the JD 2040 (1979 model) that I bought in 1982 with 240 hours on it. I sold it 30 years later with over 7000 hours but "regliously" maintained. Primarily used for bush hog cutting and spraying peach trees on 60 acres. Ran as good and looked almost as good as new the day I sold it. It was a "bullet-proof", trouble free tractor still rolling the original R1 Ag tires.
Bought a used TC45 with 3000 hours because of the exact reasons you stated. Also the fact that your own personal tractor is a TC leads me to believe they are a reliable machine. I am getting older and was looking for one tractor to replace my Ford 800 and Ford 861 bucket tractor. So far I am very impressed with this tractor but still don't want to get rid of my old standbys just yet. Thanks for the outstanding, common sense videos. You are providing a valuable service to us all.
The TC series was one of my all time favorite tractors to sell. I don't think I ever had a customer not like one of them. Mine will probably last until I'm pushing up daisies and the kids unload it in the estate auction.
About three years ago i got my First Tractor! knowing very little! i looked for info. about HOW NOT TO GET KILLED OR HARMED AND NOT DAMAGE MY TRACTOR...And i founded MIKE And Others Online...And to this day I THINK SAFELY FIRST...One Can't Turn Time Backwards. It's People Like You Others That Know That I Listen To! To Educate My Self...Thanks
@@TractorMike I still have my dads 8n. Can't/won't sell it. I'm curious to see how well the TC pulls my Dearborn two bottoms...think Spring! Loving the 4wd and rops even if it is a "plastic." tractor.
@@TractorMike Yes I live in Smyrna Delaware on the east coast and we have two. A 2001 TC45D open station and a 2007 TC45DA super suite cab. Love them! Good reliable tractors
That was a great question. And thanks for helping to clarify it. It makes me feel better because I bought a used Kubota last year with 180 hours on it from a Kubota dealer. And I had no idea if that was high or low for a used tractor. But I saved thousands of the price of a new one of the same model. And let's face it, none of them are new when you get home with it and put it in the dirt.
How the previous owners took care of it is everything. I’ve seen 200 hour tractors that sit out, do heavy work, every inch of the paint scratched, with the original oil filter on it, that I wouldn’t touch. I’ve seen 4,000 hour tractors that have oil change dates written on the filter and have a nice coat of wax on the hood that I would buy in a heartbeat. Lot’s of 10-20 year old, well-maintained tractors out there with 1,000 to 2,000 hours that are the ones to buy. They’ll last our lifetime.
I brought a Husqvarna 2554 tractor almost 10 years ago and it has 436 hours in it, but a little is pulling a cart around with the Grandkids. I keep it well maintained, and have never even had a flat tire on it. It's been a good tractor.
Thank you for helping the inexperienced make wiser choices. Great advice.
Mike, I want to thank you for your simplicity in answering this question. We have been shopping hard for a low hour 50 hp tractor. Its been fun, and frustrating. All at the same time. Your channel seams to have the least amount of "lean them in this direction" attitude.
I am going to use your channel for direction once a tractor is sitting on our property. We need at least 50 hp for the dirt I want to move this year. Then yard maintenance ever after. I am used to industrial tractors. Is there a tractor out there in the 50 hp range that you feel has a better frame than others? We want to stay away from an industrial due to high repair and maintenance cost that can be encountered.
I bought my -91 Valmet 6300 (85 hp) tractor with a bit over 11 000 hours. Works great. Had been used by a county for some snow removal and cutting bushes by the road, then by a private company continuing with bushcutting (you know some arm mounted mower). Very linear work and unlike a farmer you can probably easier schedule the maintenance.
I'm putting 150 hours in it per year and I don't expect to ever (without force) be getting rid of it. And I'm quite a lot younger than Mike :-)
Let me add that one think with modern tractors that you generally can't do anything to for maintenance is electronics.
My tractor have electronic 3pt hitch control. It was not their first model with it but only a few years after they started with that. Thankfully they had teamed up with Bosch for doing that. They really know vehicle electronics. So I have small computer chips in mine from 1991 (as far as I know) and they still work.
I haven't heard of any particular big problem with this electronics either. I'm generally positive to modern things but I do understand the dilemma. A broken capacitor can be fixed but if they chip which stores the program fries out there is no-one else but the manufacturer.
In the software world it's not to uncommon to release old programs or even the source code for legacy product. I get that having people employed maintaining stock and build 30 years old hardware would make the replacement parts (they free units that are sold) extremely expensive. But if many manufacturers could release code for way out of stock models it could spawn some company that pool enough resources to build replacement computers affordable.
Makes perfect sense, as all your videos do.
Makes sense if you take care using and you maintain and understand the wear and tear factors you place on the tractor all determine the inherent future value or reliability . If it's being used everyday as part of a business the cost of replacing the tractor may be rolled into the cost of the operation like a service truck. Just gets cycled out based on several factors.
In my part of the country, you will never find used tractors with such low hours (2-3k). If course, I live in a prominent agricultural area and used tractors are typically over 8k hours. So it's important to do your homework and know what to look for. How the machine was treated and maintained is very important, but also the manufacturer, model, and engineered design is critical. I bought a used tractors with 4k hours that was a complete loss when the transmission imploded a year later and the tractor I have now chugs along year after year with 8k on the clock.
Thank you! This was very helpful.
Maintenance is everything! Most people would be surprised how long something can last if you take care of it.
Have you done a video about what to look for when buying a used tractor? Might not be a bad idea.
There is work and there is over work. My old Kubota B had a little too much mower deck and if my wife mowed, she would eventually overheat it and then come crying to me that something is 'wrong' with it, it never overheated for me because if I saw we were in a tough spot I'd back off, overlap my row more or raise the deck and do two passes. I also kept the revs below the red line but high enough so I didn't 'lug' it. I traded it at 25 years figuring if something went wrong I'd probably have trouble getting parts. My new B, much larger, easily pulls a 72" mower and given sharp blades never bogs down, but I have a new rule, my wife doesn't use it. There is also too little work, you want the engine to work enough to warm up and get the oil up to temp (180 to 200F) and the resulting pressure presses the compression rings against the cylinder walls, these temps also reduce carbon buildup.
CARE OF YOUR TRACTOR IS #1 Grease, Changing Oils And Filters, Diesel Fuel Care Etc. When The OWNERS MANUAL SAYS SO, Then One Can Really Work Your Your Tractor A Little Hard Sometimes When You Have Too...Mike did you say in one of videos that you should sometime Work A Diesel Engine?...GREAT VIDEO For a hard question
Great information. Always enjoy your videos.
Very good explanation
Excellent video, as usual. Keep up the great work!
Well when I bought a 40 horse tractor we put about 600 on it in the first year which for some people maybe that is a lot but we got quite a bit done and the property looks a lot better I think I almost got it where we're going to be distant maintenance maintaining
Great explanation to a very complicated question
I think it is also necessary to say how meters are made different now than years ago. Hour meters now a days are electric and start as soon as the key is turned on. Thus if the engine is idling for an hour thus 1 hour on meter. Same holds true if the engine is running at max RPMs.
Years ago they were mechanical, and an hour on the meter would only be an hour at a certain RPM, for example if it was set for 2200RPMs to equal 1 hour, it would have to run at 2200 for an hour to bring the meter up 1 hour. Or you would have to run the engine for 2 hours at 1100RPMs to get that 1 hour on the gauge. At idle say 550RPMS would be 4 hours to equal the 1 hour on the gauge.
Speaking of tractors under 40hp I never bought one over 500hrs but most were under 250 and if you look their not hard to find,ones stored inside and babied by home owners who just played with them.
Great video - good advice. Speaking of old tractors, can you tell me if anyone makes a small average tractor like the Economy Tractor/Power King Tractor. I believe they stopped making the Power King in the late 1980s. They were a real work horse for small averages.
Michael
You spoke of the older, overbuilt tractors lasting forever. How about the newer scut/cut models? They don’t seem to be “last forever” models by appearances.
Hi , you might be the best person to ask a question . I have been looking at Mahindra reviews , but they all seem to be doing their review at 50 or 100 hours . I would like to know how they stand up when up in the 1000s . I have a John Deere with 33,000 and I know that I cannot expect that , but I would like to get a compact tractor that I can put a couple hundred per year on for the rest of my life ( 20 years? ) . Do you think that they will do it , or should I spend the money for Kubota
Older Tractors hr meter were dependent upon rpm. idle time was recorded at perhaps 40% of run time.
Thanks Mike... great informational video.
How does one figure the direct operating cost of new tractor?? Direct operating costs versus variable?? Fuel burn per hour?? Maint set aside per hour??
Excellent explication Mike! Thank you!
Ain't that the truth... Would you do a walk around and kick the tires on an antique tractor? Maybe mention a few farm repairs that old tractors get. Thick lubricants, welded repairs and non-OEM parts cobbled on... Dirty oil, wet engine blocks, low pressure anywhere... I have a 1967 Oliver with 2200 hours on it. Used for logging it still runs great and has a world of welding repairs done on it. I expect (hope) it's my last tractor for the home. Work needs to get a newer one... The 1997 Zetor 6040 is wearing down from extreme use and abuse at my hand over the last 20+ years.
Thank you for the clarification!👍
Well I agree hours on a tractor can be important however I'm just as concerned with the parts availablity outlook on a particular tractor.. my father had a white tractor . That was a rebranded Fiat and in all actuality it was a phenomenal tractor . I quit using it at 13000 hrs. However just a few years after it was sold there were no parts available for it through the dealer. And well after market parts became available they were somewhat limited.
Great video thanks, I had to come back and watch it again, as we’re looking at a used 2007 Kubota with 260 hrs, and I was trying to remember some of the details from this video
Great video.
MIKE could you explain some of the symptoms of a tractor engine with head gasket blown between cylinders
Hi do tractor use AdBlue
Mike, Hello from Germany. I bought a 1975 Fiat 750 Special tractor with 5,000 hours on it. Only cost me 2,500 Euros. The linkage is a Little sloppy but otherwise it is in great shape. Did I get an ok deal?
Another great video, Mike. Yep, you cannot draw a hard and fast rule on the hours just like with mileage. With a automobile with 100k you have to consider are they mostly interstate or highway miles or are they miles put on the truck while four-wheeling? Same with hours. Unless you know previous owner it can be a crap shoot...…...
I have to agree to disagree. I have owned several tractors and still do, however, I won't buy a new tractor that's 1/2 plastic with a computer, they don't last. I like John Deere's and some internationals models. I like my tractor in the 70 to 85 vintage, they were built to last, and they do. However, buying a used tractor, it all depends on where they lived and who operated them.
If the owner used say a 1975 820 J.D. which is approx. 35 h.p. diesel w/ a 2 stage clutch and pulled a large disc meant for a 60 to 70 h.p. tractor, well for sure he has worn out even this little gem.
You want to find a tractor that has been kept inside, never buy one that is kept outside. The
sun, rain, wind, and snow will destroy a tractor very quickly. Wind driven rain will get into places you just wouldn't believe, and the sun is very hard on tires and paint , (forget about plastic).
Maintenance is key, oil, all filters and hydraulic fluids need to changed depending upon your climate, it's all different. Buy from a private owner, never a sale barn auction, or dealer. Check all fluids and any leaks on the floor. Run the tractor under load for at least 1/2 hour and listen and look for problems, you're either here them or feel um. Assuming all mechanics works well, Shut tractor off and re-start, if it starts ok let it sit engine running, if no leaks turn off and look for leaks. Ask the owner how long he's owned it, and why he's selling, he'll tell you have the truth unless you find a honest man, also, ask for maintenance records and all previous repar
records, may get lucky and he or she will have them.
Buy the tractor for the job you want it to do. Don't but under powered, buy overpowered if need be, an if you have a friend who knows tractors take him with you. Good luck and be safe.
You are right as always good stuff.
Hi Mike;What is your opinion about running a tractor at steady high RPM? I see a lot of video's where people are running constantly at what sounds like 1500 to 2500 RPM for everything they are doing.I own a 2010 Kubota L44 that I bought new. I run the engine according to what I'm doing, 1000 to 2000 RPM for most things, and up to 2400 rpm if I need to when pulling a brush hog. The brush hog is the only thing that I have the throttle set at a steady rpm. It just seems to me. that many people are putting a lot of wear and time on the engine that they do not have to.ThanksBob
Great info MIke thanks for the video
Mike, personally, I would change your terminology slightly. The one tractor you described had not been used, it had bern abused.
Yes a tractor that had been around ling enough to acquire 4000 hours in the compact arena of tractors is going to cost some in some repairs, but think about your criteria for tractor usage-that tractor having been used as most in this size ate used will be a 30-40 year old tractor (100-150 hours per year usage) when that time frame is factored into the process, it is a cheap invest over the years.
And yes just like with used cars, how it has been cared for tells all!
I work mine hard but grease every day and service my little tractor every 50 hours and my bigger one every 100 hrs they still look new with 300 hrs on them
Yep !
Some use a tractor that is to small for the job, causing it to work too hard and wear out
Most cars average 35 mph run time. So a tractor with a 1000 hours equates to about 35,000 miles on a car. Definitely used, but certainly not worn out.... Despite everyone's distain for the computers in vehicle, the newer engine are built better due to better manufacturing and better alloys compared to 40 years ago. There is no reason why a new tractor shouldn't last twice as many hours as a tractor built 30 years ago. Properly maintained and replacing the computer sensors and fuel injectors as needed an engine will last a lifetime.
I guess I don't use my Tractor much 120 hrs in 4 1/2 years.........It has 830 hrs 12 years old Kioti ck25 hst. What's your opinion on that tractor Mike.......Great video as always Mike.✌🏻️🚜
I used to sell Kioti's. Great tractors! CK25 is a well built tractor, should last a long time. You don't hear much bad about Kioti from anyone, the product is very good and the company is easy to work with and provides outstanding dealer support. Good choice!
Tractor Mike thanks for the reply. Your opinion means a lot to me....✌🏻️
Just got a new John Deere 3025e with the grapple. Going to use it building my homestead and working my little tree farm. Hoping I get thousands of hours out of it for the rest of my life. Was told that little YANMAR engine will last.
So from this point on we're probably just going to mostly brush hog with it