OT--tractor hours

[ffrnemtp]

Easy guys.

How many hours on a tractor is a lot? Is there a magic number?

I'm sure it depends on use and maint. I can get a '57 JD 720 for a very good price. This one is LP powered. It shows 2890 hrs. My uncle had two 720s, and had to rebuild the engine in one and the transmission in the other. He blames that on endless hours of plowing.

Any thoughts?

 

[Bob]

A 720 with under 3000 ACTUAL hours wouldn't hardly be "broke in".

But, unless you know the COMPLETE history of the tractor's whole life and can verify the hours all along the way, a LOT can happen to an hourmeter in 50+ years!

 

[souNdguy]

Ditto what Bob said.

take the hours with a grain of salt.. look the machine over.. does the proofmeter look replaced or older and repalced.. what about it's drive mechanism ( cable? etc ).

look at other indictors of wear.. for instance.. I like to look at clutch pedal wear as an indictor of use.. smooth pedals that are worn down have seen lots of use.

How does the engine run and start? LP engines generally are a lil cleaner inside than other fuel types.

take the over all condition into consideration when forming a price.

I don't consider a tractor broke in good until at least 1000 hours...

At 3k you might be getting close to a clutch.. probably deffinately by 4k if it has not alreasdy been done.

soundguy

soundguy

 

[old]

Hours on a tractor are sort of like miles on a car. If the car has been driven by a little old lady to church and back every Sunday well you know it has not had a hard life but still probably not a good life either. But if it was owned by a teenager then it probably had a rough life and that is not good either. Hours just tell you how much it may have run but not the real story or how it has been run

 

[Anonymous-0]

When I bought my '70 ford 4000 diesel it had about that many hours on it.When I pulled the oil plug on the motor about 2 gallons of water came out before the oil started coming.After a complete motor job it purrs like a jungle cat and feels like a low time unit.yeoow

 

[Ultradog MN]

Nice ride.

 

[NoNewParts]

53 year old hour meters can't be trusted, as others have said.
Checking the tractor over carefully is the best way,
no matter what the hours.
Knowing the tractor and it's history is of course ideal.
I know of a bought new 8n at a fruit farm where I worked
in the 60's that has only ever brought up fruits and
vegetables to the roadside stand.
Never plowed or bushhogged. They had bigger
tractors for that.
very high hours and just like new except for surface rust.
And then there is my neighbors 600 series that bushhogs
acres of chest high grass. low hours and it is totally spent.
good luck
Rich