tractor buying tips

El Kabong!

OK so I might be looking at a tractor this weekend, a Massey 35 dual clutch with cab. Suits my needs really which is just to have a small plough and small topper.

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/tractors/3176424

Anyway, I am completely clueless about what to look out for. I have never sat on a tractor before. I was wondering if people could start listing things I should check?

And also call out some things that are easily to hide/gloss over that I might miss if I don't have a clue.

I have never seen a tractor in operation so might not realise if something is not working the way it is supposed to.

So far my list is:

Bodywork: as long as it's not too bad I don't care
Oil leaks: would prefer none, but there might be some small ones
Radiator: condition and no sludge
Oil: check level
Clutch 1: check gearchange
Clutch 2: ????
lift arms: make sure they move smoothly
brakes: try them out
tyres: make sure there are 4

The seller says everything is in order except the lights aren't working (no big deal to me) and that he is including a new wiring loom in the sale. Hooking this up, if need be, probably wouldn't frighten me too much.



I am completely open to anybody here PMing me with details of anything they know of that would suit me, and I can trust.

Muckit

I think it might be worth bringing a diesel mechanic with you, possibly a local guy or a relative. Go look at it on a Sunday and give him a few pound for his time, expertise and opinion

El Kabong!

Don't know anybody.

I have mucked around with classic car and old cars a little bit so I'm not completely clueless.

I mean if it starts from cold, and has no sludge and proper fluid levels, and doesn't look like it has recently been wiped clean of oil leaks, then it's probably OK, I guess.

I guess I have no clue about the tractor specific parts.

JohnBoy

I'd say tyres are relatively important.

there's a huge difference in the weight of steering with proper three rib front tyres as opposed to a pair of van tyres rue to the much smaller contact patch.

And a lot of old tractors will have very bald rear tyres. they'll have very little traction under pressure as opposed to a set with some decent lugs, Ideally you want an inch of a lug in the centre of the tyre at least. small tractors dont weigh much so need good mechanical grip.


If you're not doing road work then I wouldnt worry about cracking. my ferguson 20's tyres are rotten and cracked all over, but the tubes hold air, and they are far more useful with good treads than the bald tyres I had on a ford 2600.

1chippy

check if its a three or four cylinder. the four cylinder could be hard started. 35x was a great wee tractor

Avns1s

1chippy wrote: »

check if its a three or four cylinder. the four cylinder could be hard started. 35x was a great wee tractor

That's a 3 cylinder in the ad but you're right about the 4 cylinders being hard to start.

I would strongly suggest that you bring someone with you that know a bit about tractors. A full engine overhaul in one of these is about €3K (done properly) so it's important that the engine is in good nick at that money. All the other normal checks that you mentioned apply. Oil - condition, sludge, leaks, etc. Check the coolant too also for level, sludge and any bubbles coming to the top of the rad. Look at the colour of the exhaust smoke when accelerating and decelerating. It should be vaguely black and clear respectively. Watch out for any blue or white for that matter.

Get the engine checked over properly, start it from cold, and run it till well hot then check the oil pressure on the guage. Listen for any strange sounds particularly loud ticking sounds. Check that its charging, you will be able to see that on the ammeter ont he dash.

The first stage of the clutch is for the drive. Put the tractor into first gear and check that it engagages and disengages smoothly. Then put it in top gear and check that the engine stalls when you try to pull off with the handbrake on.

The second stage of the clutch is for the PTO. Push the clutch pedal right to the floor and see can you engage the PTO without grating. Check that it stops when you depress the clutch.

Check the brakes for grabbing and conversely for effectiveness.

Put some decent weight on the lifts and check that they lift ok. See what happens when you stop the engine. It will tend to drop on these but the drop shouldn't be instant which would indicate wear in the lift pump, hold valves or the ram. Check the hydraulic oil (under the lift controls) for level and cleanliness.

I wouldn't rate the cab on this one too highly. It looks loke one of the old "longford cabs" (I thin they were called) and they were notorious rust buckets particularly just over the back axle which is where you would need most strength in the event of an overturn.

The tractor has been resprayed which can cover a multitude so tread carefully.

As already mentioned tyres are important and unlike the earlier poster, I wouldn't like to see much cracking. If you are carrying much weight, it will be a problem. Front tyres are cheap but rear tyres are about €250 each and hard to get a used pair in any kind of worthwhile condition.

On a positive note, all parts for these tractors are readily available and not expensive, but there are plenty of good tractors out there in spite of their age so there is no reason to end up with a lemon!

That's what I can think of at the moment in terms of the main points. Let us know how you get on.

El Kabong!

Thanks, I really appreciate all that.

Part of me is now thinking of playing it safe, and paying for a top-notch restored 35.

I'm just wondering, in general, if a 35 is restored fully (fully recon engine and full respray etc) are they generally just for shows? And if so, were they reconditioned to just be OK but would fail easily with a bit of real work? I'm just not sure of the vintage scene and what happens for shows. Is this a trend I need to watch for? Do people assume a show tractor will never be used again so they skip corners?

Avns1s

I don't necessarily think that paying for a fully refurbished tractor will put you in a much better position. These are old machines and while they are almost bullet proof, things can go wrong.

The capacity for things to go wrong will to some extent depend on the refurbishment and how expertly it was done or on the condition of the tractor even before refurbishment. Refurbished tractors are not cheap and rightly so in my opinion because of the amount of labour that goes into them. (Been there and done that!!) However, depending on your own situation, you might work out better getting a decent "off the field" tractor.

The real crux of it here is to have someone that knows about these tractors take a look at it. They will know what to look and listen for and will save you heartache in the long run.

With regard to your question about the cutting of corners when doing a refurb, well, there is no answer to this. I would guess there are plenty trying to make a quick buck but equally, there are those who refurbish for the love of the tractors and the enjoyment of seeing them back in action in full glory.