High hour Dyna VT.

[puma power]

I've read a few old threads but im a bit confused. I'm considering buying an older higher hour dyna VT. It really will only be a back up machine that if I was being honest I dont need but at harvest time an extra set of wheels is handy. Is there anyway of identifying if a VT is on its way out? I'm looking at few different tractors all around 10,000 hours. I just get the feeling if I get a good un there is no reason why it couldn't be a very cheap tractor, a bad could be a bottomless pit!!!

 

[icanshootwell]

I've read a few old threads but im a bit confused. I'm considering buying an older higher hour dyna VT. It really will only be a back up machine that if I was being honest I dont need but at harvest time an extra set of wheels is handy. Is there anyway of identifying if a VT is on its way out? I'm looking at few different tractors all around 10,000 hours. I just get the feeling if I get a good un there is no reason why it couldn't be a very cheap tractor, a bad could be a bottomless pit!!!

Owner driver always helps, well cared for serviced regular etc etc. as for life span of vario it,s a lottery. some go as early as 7000 hrs and some 20,000 hrs, personally i avoid the tractors which have done a lot of road work.

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

a bad could be a bottomless pit!!!

There’s other aspects of course, that could cause trouble at higher hours, other than the vario, but if you are worried about the trans. at least have the pressures properly tested beforehand. That will give you the best indication of current or imminent trouble.

Otherwise budget in “risk” money for a service/exchange cassette for an ML180 box is around £8.5K + labour, or thereabouts.

 

[holywell farmer]

I've read a few old threads but im a bit confused. I'm considering buying an older higher hour dyna VT. It really will only be a back up machine that if I was being honest I dont need but at harvest time an extra set of wheels is handy. Is there anyway of identifying if a VT is on its way out? I'm looking at few different tractors all around 10,000 hours. I just get the feeling if I get a good un there is no reason why it couldn't be a very cheap tractor, a bad could be a bottomless pit!!!

Spud, he has run a Massey vario to big hours, best forum member to ask,

 

[Greythundercloudys]

Surly a tractor with those hrs are a big risk, probably buy a load of trouble.

 

[daveydiesel1]

As long as your gettin her cheaper than a non vario tractor then your not as badly stuck if it does break. But remember if you bought say a dyna 6 or a 6080 range command way that hours it might need tranny overhauled soon which isnt goin to be cheap anyway

 

[Farmer_Joe]

either get a dealer to check the box or get oil samples done, theres always a risk but as above anything over 5k hours is prob a risk just look at the varying times people change the brakes, mostly down to the type of operator.

 

[Speedstar]

As long as your gettin her cheaper than a non vario tractor then your not as badly stuck if it does break. But remember if you bought say a dyna 6 or a 6080 range command way that hours it might need tranny overhauled soon which isnt goin to be cheap anyway

it is a lot cheaper to put a complete gearbox in a fendt that to do a Mf dyna 6 box

 

[FarmerFrank88]

it is a lot cheaper to put a complete gearbox in a fendt that to do a Mf dyna 6 box

That's because the fendts break so much there's plenty of replacement gearboxes about

 

[Tarw Coch]

That's because the fendts break so much there's plenty of replacement gearboxes about

There’s not a lot of options where you can get a Fendt transmission from, unless of course you know of a source and would like to share.

 

[daveydiesel1]

There’s not a lot of options where you can get a Fendt transmission from, unless of course you know of a source and would like to share.

Well contrary to belief they can be repaired cause man that lifts our silage has a 924 i think it is and it stoped drivin and he opened up transmission and there was a big pipe blew of and he replaced it and shes back on the road for about 500 quid instead of i think it was 16000 mf dealer quoted him. He also repaired jd 6920 autopower

 

[Tarw Coch]

Well contrary to belief they can be repaired cause man that lifts our silage has a 924 i think it is and it stoped drivin and he opened up transmission and there was a big pipe blew of and he replaced it and shes back on the road for about 500 quid instead of i think it was 16000 mf dealer quoted him. He also repaired jd 6920 autopower

Yes, it depends what’s gone in them, I know one dealer not local to here has made their own test rig . Depending on what’s gone on wether they fix or replace.

 

[daveydiesel1]

Yes, it depends what’s gone in them, I know one dealer not local to here has made their own test rig . Depending on what’s gone on wether they fix or replace.

Well our local dealer just replaces them and when asked he wouldnt even pressure test it but far as i know theres sum1 in europe that you can send your vario to and they repair it no mater what is wrong way it

 

[Spud]

Theres a lot of scaremongering about cvt boxes in general. An old style crash box is arguably more reliable, but time has moved on since the Ford 5000! Anything powershift, regardless of colour will be as likely to give bother as a vario of whatever colour. I saw an opened up Dyna 6 box and an opened up VT box at Agco show a few years ago - the VT is way simpler.

The big carrot for a Fendt vario or MF DVT is seperate oil - theres many a JD autopower been killed by insufficient or contaminated oil from shared implements.

The quickest easiest way to check the health of a VT box is to look at and smell the oil - if it smells burnt, or looks at all black, it'll need surgery, so dig deeper - it may only be something like the cardan brake needs fixing, so not a major drama. Similarly if its new oil, check it has actually just been serviced, not refilled with new oil to disguise a problem - does it 'feel honest' - always trust your gut feeling.

See that it goes from high to low range easily - if not, theres a little tin guard in front of the n/s rear wheel that fills with muck and doesn't allow the arm that changes range to move fully. Remove guard, clean out, replace. I have replaced the cable due to it getting stiff from spraying taties in a wet time.

Don't assume its goosed if lights flash and drive stops - the looms are a bit crap - the conduit is ridged on the inside, which wears the wires once it gets over 5-6000hrs. A gearbox loom is under £500 - change the loom rather than bodge it, job done.

I'd be more wary of one thats done a lot of heavy roadwork - check the state of the pick up hitch, the state of the tyres, ask questions. Has it been looked after? The seat will be about knackered after 10,000hrs normally, has it been replaced, is it clean and tidy, all those niggly little jobs done?

@puma power I bought a 10,000hr 7490 last spring as an extra - like you, we could probably mange without it really - it replaced a hire tractor and is back up for a fleet that does a lot of hours and isn't new. This one is 2005 (shame its not 06, data3 is a lot better than data2) and has been sat on a slurry pump for the last 4000hrs - backed up by the records in the datatronic screen, and the fact that one bonnet panel is more faded than the other! Its ready for brakes, and a few other jobs, but its done nearly 300hrs without any drama so far. Now its proved itself, we'll sort it in winter. I paid £17250 for it, which for 170hp with suspension, 4 spools, front linkage, decent 620 tyres and a Sisu engine (biggest carrot a 74 MF has over a Fendt imo) isn't bad value.

The other option we considered was a dynashift 6490 (not a d6) but the one we found had no suspension, and felt like a step back in time compared to a suspended vt. A 6490 would be a good simple, anybody can drive cart tractor though. A Case MXM I've always thought decent value too, always seem cheaper than a TM New Holland. Early 2000's Valtra even better value - legendary Sisu motor, and a brilliant gearbox - maybe not the plushest in the cab, but as a back up, is that really important?

 

[puma power]

Thanks a fair bit to think about. Some of the best tractors we've had have been high hours! A 10,000 hour arable machine is a better buy than some 2000 hour dairy machines!

@Spud not thought about a dynashift 64 series. 62 series seem to be going up in money quick so perhaps 64 with dynashift may become sort after! I dont really want a long wheel base.

Thanks all.

 

[Spud]

Thanks a fair bit to think about. Some of the best tractors we've had have been high hours! A 10,000 hour arable machine is a better buy than some 2000 hour dairy machines!

@Spud not thought about a dynashift 64 series. 62 series seem to be going up in money quick so perhaps 64 with dynashift may become sort after! I dont really want a long wheel base.

Thanks all.

Dyna shift short wheel base ended a bit before the long wheel base models, ottomh, 6480 went dyna6 after 55plate, 6490 about 07 - not certain but I'm not far off I don't think. Biggest carrot for a 6485/90 is Sisu motor - much more poke and better longevity than the Perkins. A lot of 6480's were the 'big tractor' on farms back in the day, so will of worked. A 6485, being the smallest in a big range, will be comparatively unstressed. Better ride too. Nowt like as nimble though - there's a trade off, as ever.

 

[puma power]

We have a 7618 and 7726S and as much as I love the 26 the 18 just feels nimble and agile! The 18 is more a jack of all trades!

 

[Spud]

We have a 7618 and 7726S and as much as I love the 26 the 18 just feels nimble and agile! The 18 is more a jack of all trades!

Yep, with you there, my 7618 is only 10" shorter and a ton lighter than the 7620's, but a lot more nimble.

 

[puma power]

Just spoke to a very helpful Fendt dealer who used to sell Fendt and Massey. He recons because Massey use different software to Fendt there is no engine braking on the stick, therefore Massey doesn’t put back pressure into the system. This makes the Massey unit far more reliable??? He said they’d never touched a Massey VT??? Anyone care to comment?

 

[davidroberts30]

Backpressure
How much torque do you think the engine sends through the trans under hard pulling

How much torque do you think it takes to speed up a idling enging