10,000 hour plus tractors

[Sharny dubs]

You must clock a lot of hours driving machines then

If the wheels ain't turning, I ain't earning. Simple. Also do 200 hours a year on different tractor and drive diggers.

 

[Hobbit]

JD 6410. Clock packed up around 13500hrs 2 years ago. Still pulling 4 furrows on strong clay this autumn. Never touched the engine. Just about to do the rock shaft and track rods. I love driving this tractor.

 

[Hobbit]

 

[Full of bull(s)]

The problem is as the technology increases in these older more used tractors how much money do you have to factor in for a possible major repair when valuing them to buy?£5,10,15k? These repairs are becoming more main dealer only and that means only one thing.....pants down time

 

[essexpete]

You sir deserve a medal







Or a trip to the loony bin.
Cant decide which.
God I hated those L cabs.

70s design orgin with iso mounts and a bit of cladding thrown in.

 

[Spud]

Some good deals on newish high houred tractors about and if want something newer and not doing many hours yourself are they worth buying???

Definitely. Over 7000 ish at say 4yo is a good buy if you're only doing a few hundred hours a year.

I've run a 06 MF 7480 to 12600 from new
Bought an 05 7490 with 10000 on at 14yo
94 3075 now at 10700
Ford 5600 has 10600 recorded, and at least another thousand between clocks

Jcb 530/70 here with 11300
JCB TM300 here with 11700

Mercury shunter wagon with Cummins 6bt in it (like many mid 90's tractors) has 29700hrs under it's belt.

Plenty 10&12 litre Volvo & Scania trucks left here over the years with over 20,000hrs completed.

Case tractors here have had great engines and chocolate transmissions.
Fords have had appetites for engine oil but trouble free transmissions.

We've two 7620's on the front line with 12400hrs between them, a 7618 and a 6480 both bought s/h with low hours. All four do 1000-1200hrs a year, depending on the season.
The 7490 is back up (more important as hours climb on the others) and replaced a hire tractor. It and the 3075 only do 3-400hrs each yr, 3075 on lighter (but essential) work these days. 5600 only scruffles beet and runs sawbench, but was on the front line way back when.

 

[MF 168]

Standard Dexta here from my grandfathers time had over 9000 hours on the original clock that stopped working 30 years ago. Clutch and brake pedals are rounded off from wear as as the foot rests both sides. On it's 3rd engine.
MF168 in everyday use still with a suspected 16k hours done. Only got a set of rings and valve work in all that time.
Landini Blizzard rolled over 10k hours this Christmas. Engine never opened but the gearbox is another matter.
MF362 with a clocked 8500 hours but it does mostly high idling work so an hour doesn't clock up in an hour if that makes sense and I reckon it has about 11 or 12k actual hours done. Engine and gearbox never touched and that includes the hydraulics. By far the best tractor we ever had.
MF3690 with 8500 hours. Spent it's life on a plough. Still a front line machine though not ploughing anymore.
Ford 3600 with 11200 odd hours now. It went kaput before Christmas with 11160 hours on the original engine. Gave it a full rebuild and it's currently running a Keenan 80 diet feeder everyday to run it in.
Volvo L30 with 9500 hours. On it's 3rd engine but only because over the years the power demands have gone up.

 

[Wellytrack]

Wish I hadn’t have sold this old thing !
Pulled a 3.3 meter sumo no problem.
Well front end was a bit light View attachment 852741View attachment 852742

One of the toughest torquiest tractors in all existence.

 

[Rowland]

I run two older TM 155s both in excess of 8000 hrs but being well aware of your concerns hire a newer slightly higher hp one for harvest and sowing. If everything goes perfectly I wouldn't need it but try to use it as much as possible and preserve my old ladies for a bit longer.

I used to get on well with local dealer and come drilling time I give him a call to see what he had in that I might be able to hire for a few weeks in September and October. We didn’t really need an extra tractor at harvest as some would be on combine or in dryer shed . Usually me on drying duty ( such fun) .
I got some cracking deals over the years

 

[Dead Rabbits]

7430 here with just under 14k. It’s worn out a loader already. It’s had a very hard life. Motor and transmission untouched.

7230 with 12k, also a loader tractor. Also had a very hard life. Motor and transmission untouched.

At my family’s farm nothing has less than 10k or newer than’76. Excellent maintenance though, should all run to 20k.

 

[betweenthelines]

Plenty of trucks on the road with over a million miles on the clock. The only part that shows any wear is the seat!

On the other hand a combine that's fifteen years old may have only done 3 or 4000 hours, but would be classed as old by most farmers

 

[Spud]

Plenty of trucks on the road with over a million miles on the clock. The only part that shows any wear is the seat!

You ain't looking hard enough!!!

Maintenance and repairs of older trucks is significant, easily £10k/yr.

Lots on the road with a million kms, lot less with a million miles. (1.6m km)

In round figures, if a truck has done a million km, it's passed 20,000hrs, depending a bit on the work it's done.

 

[Spud]

Plenty of trucks on the road with over a million miles on the clock. The only part that shows any wear is the seat!

On the other hand a combine that's fifteen years old may have only done 3 or 4000 hours, but would be classed as old by most farmers

An hour on a combine is like two on a tractor, in terms of life. ie A 5000hr combine has seen it's best life, in the same that a 10,000hr tractor, or a 20,000hr truck has.

 

[MF 168]

An hour on a combine is like two on a tractor, in terms of life. ie A 5000hr combine has seen it's best life, in the same that a 10,000hr tractor, or a 20,000hr truck has.

I'd disagree with you on the combine. They don't work overly hard and would rarely be running at their max power. The same engine in a tractor will frequently be worked to the last hp it has to give and in a tractor will be subject to a lot more stop start type work whereas in a combine once it's started it'll be going all day. I'd be far more concerned with the condition of the combine itself at 5k hours then the engine in it.

 

[Spud]

I'd disagree with you on the combine. They don't work overly hard and would rarely be running at their max power. The same engine in a tractor will frequently be worked to the last hp it has to give and in a tractor will be subject to a lot more stop start type work whereas in a combine once it's started it'll be going all day. I'd be far more concerned with the condition of the combine itself at 5k hours then the engine in it.

I was referring to the machine in it's entirety, not just the combine engine. Which is either ticking over or flat out, which is hardly as kind as say an older tractor on a hedgecutter.

 

[Rowland]

Plenty of trucks on the road with over a million miles on the clock. The only part that shows any wear is the seat!

On the other hand a combine that's fifteen years old may have only done 3 or 4000 hours, but would be classed as old by most farmers

Depends where the truck spends it’s life . In the open lands of the USA / Canada where you could drive for 100 miles or more without using brakes or clutch that’s a big possibly, but then use a truck in the busy roads of the uk even on the busy motorways clutch brakes are well used.

 

[daveydiesel1]

4370 here with over 13500 hours and she is oldskul as in only clocks hour for hour at rated speed so dear only knows how many actual hours on her. Had few clutches 1 set brakes 1 hudralic pump and shuttle synchro. Massey 3080 left here with over 15000 hours similar story with clutches but engine gearbox brakes never touched

 

[MF 168]

I was referring to the machine in it's entirety, not just the combine engine. Which is either ticking over or flat out, which is hardly as kind as say an older tractor on a hedgecutter.

True but an engine that runs for long periods at a time will always last longer then one thats just tipping about doing very little. Combines spend 11 months of the year in a shed and the few weeks they are working there running almost constantly and at operating temperature. Combines tend to be very well serviced as well owing to the sheer importance of not having them break down if at all possible. Hedge cutting is probably one of the best jobs any tractor could be on to reach serious hours as their running at nice revs all day.

 

[Speedstar]

You ain't looking hard enough!!!

Maintenance and repairs of older trucks is significant, easily £10k/yr.

Lots on the road with a million kms, lot less with a million miles. (1.6m km)

In round figures, if a truck has done a million km, it's passed 20,000hrs,
depending a bit on the work it's done.

We had a 143 Scania had well over a 1 million miles on it when sold and it needed very light at all to keep it on the road every day ,we should never have sold it great truck

 

[Renaultman]

Maxxum 5130 with loader 10800 hrs used every day, mainly loader work. It's desperate for a wash and valet. Radiator, couple of starter solonids, two sets of tyres.
David Brown 1210 16000hrs 1 clutch, engine rebuild, 3 head gaskets. Very tired now, I'm keeping it as so my young one can refurb her when he gets older.

I'd disagree with you on the combine. They don't work overly hard and would rarely be running at their max power. The same engine in a tractor will frequently be worked to the last hp it has to give and in a tractor will be subject to a lot more stop start type work whereas in a combine once it's started it'll be going all day. I'd be far more concerned with the condition of the combine itself at 5k hours then the engine in it.

Sorry but I agree with spud, that back and forward movement on the seives is brutal on them. Engines aren't the issue it's the metal fatigue.