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Author: mineslove | Total views: 108 Comments: 0
Word Count: 1815 Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:38 PM

Top tips for purchasing your first Vintage Tractor

As you are looking at this article, then its clear that you have an interest in vintage tractors. Collecting, reconditioning and maintaining vintage tractors from yesteryear has grown over the past number of years. There are numerous reasons for this; firstly they are relatively cheap to buy, and maintain and in some cases they cost less than the tax on a newer tractor. Also, they can still be used to do some work. They are simple and understandable. Every tractor comes with its own history and can be restored to become a major source of pride and enjoyment. But how do you know how to avoid the many pit falls when you are buying an antique tractor?

There is a vast selection of antique tractors to choose from. As with many things in life, you should understand your needs as this will determine what you look for. You need to understand your needs then you will have to translate them into a list of requirements that will give you a clear picture of what you are looking for.

Depending on whether you are looking for an antique tractor for your to work on the land or you are intending to set about restoring for pleasure you will choose different machines. Collectors will tell you that some of the most sought after vintage tractors do not make very good work tractors and on the other-side elaborate refurbishment of an very common machine could not be worth the many hours (not to mention the cost of new tires which sometimes are no longer in production).

No matter which type of tractor you are looking for, you should always start your search with some detailed research. Research books are available that contain this information providing a vast array of detailed information from prices to maintenance costs.

While collectability, engine size, hitch system, etc make up the main points for choosing what size, type, manufacturer, or model of vintage tractor you want, a more straight forward list of factors must be used for selecting the exact tractor you will purchase. As covered earlier in this article, reconditioning an vintage collectible tractor will have a completely different list of criteria.

Antique tractors for day to day work

If you are looking for a day to day tractor then you will find what you are looking for easy, but be careful not to buy the first tractor you see as people often become disillusioned with antique tractors if they have not bought the right one for their needs. One of the first things you should look at is the layout of your fields, how hilly is it and also what type of farm machinery you will need to use. If you plan on using the tractor for tillage, such as barley or corn, then you should consider a Nuffield 460, a Massey Furguson T20 because other machines may be too low to the ground and cause damage to your crop. On the other hand if your land is mountainous, you may need to consider something like a Massey-Harris Pony or a Landini R4000 . If you want to use farm machinery with your antique tractor, you should first understand the horsepower requirements of this implement and make sure the tractor you select has the weight and power to do the job. If you need to use a ten foot disk harrow, then you will need more power than a Fordson N Thorough research should ensure you don't make any of these basic mistakes.

Once you have selected your tractor the first thing which gets your attention should be the mechanics of the tractor not how its looks. Many good working tractors will not have seen paint in years and will have been repaired and maintained with a range of strange materials.

Test all the basic functions of the tractor, PTO, steering, gears, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you plan to work on it straightaway, you may not be interested in a complete restoration for sometime and need to reduce the number of things to do when you get the tractor home. Your check list should included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. If you dont have these tools, dont panic as these tools can end up costing more than the tractor itself.. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.

However, having said this, you should still be armed with the a basic knowledge on the operation of the tractor you are planing to buy. You should, at a minimum beg, borrow or steal a copy of the owners manual for the particular model of tractor you are planning to inspect so you are familiar with its operation and basic specs and what to look out for.

Here is a basic checklist which you can use with any vintage tractor:

· How easily does it start from cold? - A tractor that starts easily from cold may rule out several items at once Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn't start easily from cold, it still may be a good machine but you will have to spend some time and money on it. One key thing to watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up prior to your arrival, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..

· How does it run when warm - Getting it hot is a must if you want to find out how it will work after you plowed the first row. A number of issues can cause the tractor to run poorly after it warms up. Plan on spending a half-hour running it. Look for leaks, antifreeze and both oil. Once warmed up, stop it restart it again..

· What condition are the breaks in - Although inexpensive to replace, they are difficult to get at on many tractors and will require extensive teardown to get the new ones in. You can test the brakes by locking one wheel and cranking the steering to that side. The tractor should spin and the wheel should not rotate, do this for both wheels.

· Does the tractor smoke - Blue smoke spells trouble like rings, pistons, or valve guides. White or black smoke can oftentimes be sorted out with carburetion or ignition changes but still means work.

· Does it make clunking noises from inside the engine - A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve adjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would show very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load. This may be an indication of problems with the bearings, crankshaft or piston rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.

· What condition is the oil in - After you have run it for a little while, stop the engine and check the oil for foaming or water. This is a show stopper.
· Is there head seepage - look for signs that fluids are seeping out the head gasket. If the tractor is covered with grease and oil, it may cover obvious signs of seepage.

· Is the clutch working well - the clutch is not that expensive to fix but splitting the tractor in half is outside what most collectors want to do.
· Investigate the Dynamo - There should be a small charge shown on the ammeter as the engine is running and a change in the charging level when the lights are turned on (this shows that the resistor or regulator switch and cutout is working fine). At normal running speed, no release should be displayed.

· Use the hydraulics - Check the full extent of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load stand in the hold situation for a period of time to be sure that there is no leakdown. Clacking noises from the pump while lifting indicate the pump is not getting enough supply of hydraulic oil. The pump may have experienced a lot of wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be about to fail.

· Look for cracks in the structure - It is time consuming but its well worth doing. Look for hairline cracks in all the steel components. A few spots of weld will fix the problem but it does render your tractor unusable until these cracks are fixed..
If, on first inspection the tractor fails some of these areas, you may be able to use these as bargaining points and knock down the price (since you discovered the problems). At this point you must decide if you have the time to correct what you discovered... and pocket the savings. If you need the tractor today then, don't have anything to do with this tractor.

The best option for buying a day to day tractor is either to buy one that is currently being used (but the owner needs to upgrade) or from a reputable dealer. The first category is usually someone just like you who needs a tractor for day to day work. These dealings are normally enjoyable and can even lead to a long term relationship that goes beyond the buyer/seller aspect. This type of person will in all likelihood even let you use the machine with on your land and tell you all those things they would fix if they were keeping the tractor.

Buying from dealers can also be a good idea but even at a dealer you should be equipped with your evaluation criteria rather than relying on "the warranty". Even if your dealer offers warranties, hauling a tractor back for even free repairs will list you a lot of time and effort. Also remember that the dealer is there to make a profit for himself and may not have your best interests at heart. So buyer beware!

While many of the above examples may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research make sure you are aware of the particular issues the model of tractor you are looking at before you buy.

About the Author

ASker Doughis an established net entrepreneur and has launched YouTractor.com which offers only tractor videos of antique tractors and modern muscle tractors.