John Deere MC

[anderson farms]

What are the good and bad things about a MC? What to look for when looking at one? There is one coming up at an auction and I have thought about it for a project. Not sure if it runs or not. Are parts still available? Do you guys recommend one?

 

[PJH]

What are the good and bad things about a MC? What to look for when looking at one? There is one coming up at an auction and I have thought about it for a project. Not sure if it runs or not. Are parts still available? Do you guys recommend one?

Bad things? It's OLD and probably severely worn out. There will be an old retired dozer operator somewhere in your neighborhood. Find him! Hire him to look at this dozer! He will see and disclose more valuable information to you than anyone on this blindfolded forum can provide. Buy him and his wife a nice steak dinner for his advice. Buy him TWO steak dinners if he talks you out of this purchase. It will be the cheapest money that you will lose on a 75 year old dozer. I'm speaking from experience.

 

[sms]

Some parts are available, many are not. Tune up and consumables are. Clutch,brake, bearings. The biggest thing is the undercarriage. Hard to find parts. The early MCs had a different type of roller that is non-existent.

 

[Jim.ME]

What are the good and bad things about a MC? What to look for when looking at one? There is one coming up at an auction and I have thought about it for a project. Not sure if it runs or not. Are parts still available? Do you guys recommend one?

If you just want a project, and something so you can say you have a dozer, it is as good as any old crawler. Lavoy at jdcrawlers deals in the older JD crawlers and is a source for parts and information.

If you have visions of fixing it up and using it around the farm, I will not recommend it. It is small, it will do a lot of things, but it will take time to do them.

 

[Poonie]

If you have visions of fixing it up and using it around the farm, I will not recommend it. It is small, it will do a lot of things, but it will take time to do them.

I'd bet it will still out perform a pick and shovel.

 

[Richard G.]

I'd bet it will still out perform a pick and shovel.

I agree.

 

[Jim.ME]

I'd bet it will still out perform a pick and shovel.

I didn't say it would not outperform a pick and shovel. If you have all kinds of time, take small bites, and are careful; it will do many things, but people often think their crawler/dozer is bigger than it is and things start breaking.

You asked, "Do you guys recommend one?" I said, "If you just want a project, and something so you can say you have a dozer, it is as good as any old crawler." So yes, I recommend it if you just want it for a project.

If you have visions of doing serious dozer work in a timely manner, I stand by not recommending one.