Case 444 Lawn Mower good mower?

[Anonymous-0]

I"M getting ready to purchase a 1974 Case 444 lawn mower that is not running but looks good. What should i offer for price, I dont know what its worth, Can anyone tell me if these are good mowers are just junk thanks

 

[Mike S]

I had one back in the 80s and it was a great machine. I let someone trade me out of it and have regreted it ever since. If it runs, it is worth a few hundred and if it has a good mower and runs it and nothing rattles too bad, I probably go 500 for it. Of course, if it is a rust bucket then all bets are off.

 

[Anonymous-0]

It's Junk.

Where's it at?

Seriously, these things are tanks, built to last. Easy to repair when needed. Parts are readily available for even the oldest one. I've got 4 4xx machines and they are just impossible to break. Deck bearings do wear out, and the rear axle has been know to break tie bolts on the carrier, but easy and cheap to fix. With upgraded bolts, it will never happen again. Change trans oil regularly and it should last forever, almost.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

Its a real Warhorse I have a 444 and a 222.The 444 isn't quite as nimble as the new mowers but as Ken said is built to last.

 

[Tom Arnold]

A non-running tractor of that vintage is basically a parts tractor and from a value viewpoint, it's worth a couple hundred bucks. The Seller might not agree but you are buying a pig in a poke here. Who knows whether the engine has a broken rod or not? Who knows whether the rings are worn so bad that this thing goes through oil faster than gas?

The cost to rebuild a Kohler K properly is at least $500.00 in OEM parts plus some machine shop work plus your own labour. And that's only the engine issues. If the deck needs new blades, belts, bearings and spindles, idler pulley and spring plus gauge wheels; there goes another $300.00 in parts.

Old tractors like this often have steering issues due to wear, tear and neglect. New rod ends on the drag link and tie rod are likely needed at minimum. Perhaps the bushings in the steering column are worn out. Perhaps the quadrant and pinion gears are worn beyond adjustment. Perhaps the pivot pin on the front axle is super sloppy. Perhaps the front axle is bent and has to be heated and straightend.

How about the PTO clutch? A totally new clutch is more than $500.00 but parts are available for less and used clutches can be bought off of e-Bay.

A new seat will run you $50.00 to $70.00 and a broken steering wheel cost $105.00 to replace.

Now let's move to the hydraulics because you have no idea what shape the pump is in. A new pump could cost you $200.00 or $400.00, depending upon which pump is in the machine.

So......why should you pay large money for a 34 year old tractor? I'd offer him $100.00 for it to start with and then haggle. If he comes back with laughter and says he wants a grand, smile..... give him your phone number and wish him good luck in getting that sort of dough. Tell him to call you when he finally tires of showing the tractor and you'll come with cash and a trailer.

The only exception to the above would be if you stumbled across something with absolute mint paint and cosmetic condition that had been loved and cared for by one owner since new. Without photos, we can't assess that situation.

To help you put this into perspective, you need to understand that Case sold this line to Ingersoll in 1982. A new Ingersoll is very similar to what you are looking at. Yes, it's a much improved version but it's BASICALLY the same design and strength.

The price tag for that new Ingy is over ten grand. So here's your dilemma. Do you want to buy this 444 for cheap money, put some time and money into it and end up with a really good garden tractor that will last you for many years?

If you're not into rebuilding/restoring, then forget it. Leave it for someone who is. But if the engine turns out to have life left in it and you can buy this unit for less than $300.00 tops, then you could conduct a ground-up restoration to it for about $1000.00 to cover the cost of paint, decals, new pump, steering parts and other miscellaneous stuff. In the end, the tractor would be like new and ready to give you another thirty plus years of service.