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Buying my first tractor. Questions and advice needed.

M

mikestilly

New User
I could use some advice from those with more experience then me which is everyone :) I'm buying my first tractor and will be taking my father inlaw with me who is pretty experienced with tractors to help me check it out. As my level experience I can tell you I've never even driven a tractor before so I'm as green as they come. The reasons for purchasing one are the following:
- Own a horse farm need for moving manure
- Earth moving for building up low spots and other projects
- Pulling a dump cart
- Regular lawn cutting for approximately 2 acres of our property
- Maintaining our backfield for grass for grazing our horses, part of our backfield needs to be tilled and reseeded and we plan to do that next year.
- Brush hogging and preparing currently unused backfield for a grass field for grazing horses

I found a Ford 3000 Diesel which looks to be in great condition. It comes with a front end loader and a small bucket (1/4 yard) which I would want to replace with a 1 yard bucket. It has 2800 hours with a broken hours meter but that's pretty common from what I read so I have no idea what the true hours is. It comes with a nice finishing mower and has turf tires.

My questions are is this a good tractor for what I need? They are asking $5000 is that priced right? Will I be able to use it as is with the turf tires or will I definitely need to get another set of tractor tires? Where can I find tires and how much and how to I change them over? Changing the tires seems to be a huge task given the size. Also goofy question but it seems if I cut the lawn with it some tighter areas just cannot be cut with it and will need to do it with a lawnmower right? Anything I should know going to look at it? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
Couldnt edit the post but also wondering how hard it is to find a bucket and tires that would fit it? How much and where is it available? I'm looking for used not buying new parts.
 
A one yard bucket will be limited on what you can pick up with the tractor and push; what are you planning to use bucket for?
 
Its not a bad choice for the money, and there others of other manufacture that are similar, but lets stick with what you have posted for now.

Existing loader, take a close look at the front end, note the front wheels to be straight when on flat ground, (spindles compromised from heavy lifting, they can crack) The center axle section has a pivot pin, excess play there from loader useage, these are not industrial front ends but still seem to hold up well considering. You can check by raising the front end with the loader and moving the front axle, checking for excess play.

Diesel engines in these and I believe a whole range of these models are susceptible to cavitation if the coolant is not maintained properly, not sure how you determine if there is any issue unless its worn through the water jacket into the combustion chamber, that would require boring and sleeving, which may cost you like an engine overhaul. (just be aware of that with these, check the fluids for contamination)

Under the hood is a foil tag, it has the serial and component numbers of the tractor, that will confirm what trans it has and some other things, likely to have the 8 speed, but there are others, which are quite reliable.

Changing the tires while can be a little work, if not loaded and on their own rims, not the end of the world, I can still handle one of those size tires if loaded with ballast, but one must keep it straight/plumb when handling, or it will go over and you don't want to fight that, let it go over.

You'll likely be able to do most tasks, the finish mowing you would have to figure out, not the best in real tight areas, fine for most if not all open areas. You won't really know how good a fit this tractor will be until you use it at your place, depending on condition thats a fair price for one that is mechanically sound, yes the hour meter/tach cable may not be true, but look at the pedals and other things, sometimes they are, but not as a rule, given the age and useage over the years.

Check the loader pins and bushings for excess play, poorly done repairs, those arenot deal breakers if its in decent shape or has no issues. I've run a much older and much more compromised loader on an earlier series ford tractor doing much of the same work for over 13 years now, still very useful even with all the weld repairs and heavy wear, this one is likely to be in much better shape.
 
I'm thinking along the lines of David G. A 1 yd bucket is asking a lot of that front end and loader frame IMHO.
 
In addition to what Billy said, I would keep the turf tires, they work fine for mowing. They will be less effective for cleaning out manure but if you keep the bucket that is on it, everything will work better. It takes more trips, but you can effectively load a smaller bucket, and you are less likely to break the front axle. Remember it is not a bulldozer, and even with lug tires you won't be able to do a lot of earthwork. You will be able to dig and spread loose dirt, like that dumped from a truck.
 

We deal currently with a lot of mud. I'm fairly certain I'd get quickly stuck in those turf tires. I dont think I could even go near the area where the horses are at. (this is where next year I'll be working to fill in the low area with dirt). As for the smaller bucket whats the rule of thumb on size that a tractor can handle? I've seen these size tractors all day long with 1 yard buckets. My neighbor has a newer one similar size with a 1 yard bucket. I'm looking to clear out some mud muck and manuer on the ground right now. But mostly used for moving dirt dumped by a truck to the areas I need and spreading it.
 
A one yard bucket full of snow is fine, full of soil or rocks, i will ruin the tractor, and disappoint you. The tractor is right sized for your tasks. Unless you plow with it the tires are OK and less destructive of the grass. Rear weight in the 3 to 600 pound category will help with manure handling. Jim
 
Sounds like you are the target market for one of the modern compact tractors made today. I'd look at Kubota, John Deere and New Holland. Should even be able to find a low hour used unit that may even have warranty left on it. Many buy one too small and then sell it or trade it in and go bigger.
 
Those 3 cylinder 2/3/4000 Fords are the tractors I love and know the most about.
A 3000 would be an outstanding choice for the tasks you mention.
You don't say where you are located but here that is about the top end for what they go for.
Sure they ask for more but they sit for months and months.
For that money you better be getting the dual stick 8 speed transmission with live PTO.
If it is the single stick 4 speed the price is a bit high.
It's hard to say about the loader. Some loaders are all cobbled up and welded, etc and not worth much.
A good, all hydraulic that has down pressure and a hydraulic bucket that is driven from a pump off the front of the engine adds value.
An old loader with no down pressure, a trip bucket and is powered by the tractor's onboard hydraulics is not worth a lot.
If you could post some photo of it we could tell you more.
There is a very good Ford Board here if you need more info.
nnalert the Ford Board.
 
You can rig up a barrel of sand or concrete to hang on the 3 point hitch. That would help a lot for traction. If you are not going on paved highway, a set of tire chains when you need more propulsion will help immensely year round. With a good loader the price is probably in the neighborhood or a little high. Of course it all depends on condition and location. I wish I had that instead of my 1951 Case DC. I am not talking bad about the DC. I only have about $500 tied up in it, but for my needs the Ford would be handier.
 
Just saying my opinion, but buy a lawn mower to cut grass , and a farm tractor to do farm work. If you want
to dig dirt, rent a skid steer for a day or two. banging a farm tractor loader into rocks ,stumps and
carrying dirt will brake your loader , and your tractor ultimately. All this being said , those little Ford
tractors do seem to be a very good tractor, with parts still avaiable.
 
I have to agree with everything Bruce said.

I'd add the reason you don't want to cut your lawn with a larger tractor is that ag tread tires will destroy the lawn you're trying to cut, you CAN put turf tires on, but those won't be good for everything else you want to do with it. buy a lawn tractor.

For moving earth, rent an appropriate earth mover. A loader on a smaller tractor is good for manure, and that kind of lighter work.

Some will disagree, but if you're brushogging - you'll want 10hp per foot of mower.

I'd also recommend that whatever size tractor you settle on as "perfect", regardless of brand, get the next size up. Not once in the history of tractoring has anybody uttered the words "damn, my tractor's too powerful and has to much traction".
 
Have not read all answers but quarter yard bucket is manure bucket, full yard is snow bucket and have no idea if it snows where you are. Turf tires will have no traction anyplace, only good for dry ground with the lawn mower.
 
You are right. A yard of dirt will weigh several thousand pounds. I can not comment on the tractor because I can not see it and there is a lot of things to consider. Like the loader and where does it get the hydraulics to run it and does the loader have down pressure and how wide is the front bucket etc.

And then there is the other options such as does it have good power steering and do the 3point and pto work as they should? A pair of 16.9 tires will cost about $1000 and it is best to have them installed by a tire dealer. A 66 inch wide bucket will cost between 4 and 6 hundred dollars.
 
Some say the turf tires will be ok but I highly doubt that they will be useful outside of cutting the lawn. As to the guy who says use the tractor for farm stuff and a lawn mower for lawn cutting I just don't understand the comment. I had a riding mower which died in just less than 2 years because of over use. For me to buy a mower I'd need a commercial zero turn running $8-10k which is on the low price for a good commercial, otherwise I'l be replacing a cheaper one every few years. My neighbor is a landscaper whose business cuts lawns all season and for what I need it's going to cost quite a chunk of change I dont have. I weighed the option of buying a commercial zero turn over a tractor and I just don't have the thousands of dollars necessary to buy both. Our hay farmer has 8 tractors in his business and he says it's perfectly fine to cut lawns with the tractor and really dont even need turf tires if you turn properly.

I'm in Michigan and would like to also use it for snow. I can guarantee I will be screwed with turf tires bringing the tractor into mud which is our paddock throughout the fall and winter. As for tractor tires being $1k thats if I buy them new. I'm looking for used tires. I don't have 10s of thousands of dollars for equipment. For $5k I believe this is my best solution. I'd like to figure out what size buckets the tractors loader can handle. It's a stock ford loader so there has to be some specs for weight. The turf tires are weighted so that should help with balancing but a small 1/4 yard bucket I dont think will be what I need.

I'm not sure why someone thinks I need a dozer to move dirt. That's just not true. My neighbor moves dirt all the time with his tractor without issue and he has a similar sized tractor just much newer. I just need to find the specs of the loader to determine the weight capacity is. It is an 8 speed tractor. I have pictures but not sure how to post it on here yet.

For those who are questioning the specs here is a great spec sheet I found:

http://www.springfieldbiz.com/oaktree/3000back=printer.html
 
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The only other locally I could find was this and I can probably talk them down $1k.

http://www.external_link.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=9761767&dlr=1&pcid=2971887
 
The only other locally I could find was this and I can probably talk them down $1k.

www.external_link.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=9761767&dlr=1&pcid=2971887
 
The only other locally I could find was this and I can probably talk them down $1k.

tractor house dot com
/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=9761767&dlr=1&pcid=2971887
 

You are getting some good advice here, up to you to follow it or not. Despite what some say, get a lawn mower for the lawn work. Forget using the Ford for it, you'll just have a mess. You can find a used and very useful mower for not a lot of money. If you abuse any mower it will fail on you. I mow two acres once a week and have used the same cheap mower for 12 years. I don't hot rod it and do the maintenance as specified.

Do be careful with the front axle by overloading it. That bucket doesn't look too small for a tractor that size, unless you are just moving DRY dirt or mulch/sawdust/shaving. Any other use with a big bucket could break spindles or crack the center pivot. It's up to you to use or abuse your equipment as you and your wallet see fit.
 
I think the Fords are hard to beat, stay away from the older series and go with a 4 digit number.

I have a 6610 that is super dependable and useful.
 
I tried what you suggested. I paid $1200 for a decent riding mower and it's now in the trash. Did I say I abused it? I used it to cut what I said and I changed the oil and maintenance as needed. During that time I replaced a pile of parts. The investment in what you're saying would take like I said above a zero turn and those run upwords of $5-10k. I explained I cant afford that and I'm not going to run out and spend $1-2k on a mower that lasts me 2 years and have no tractor for a while. Please explain how cutting a lawn with a tractor "makes a mess"? Even our township cuts their lawns with tractors here. I agree with you on the bucket. I did say I need to specs and I won't buy a bucket thats too big for the tractor. If I had a large sum of money I wouldnt be here and I'd buy a new tractor and a lawn mower. But unfortunately I dont have the resources and I have to buy what I can afford. I refuse to spend the $5k on a lawn mower and be stuck with no tractor. I believe I'm making the right decision with that fact.
 

Ruts and tracks.
R4 are fine for lawn cutting and concrete. R1W for work requiring traction .
Our 21 yr old JD LX188 has went though some mower and drive belts, an idler arm for the mower, a set of tires, 3-4 batteries , several sets of blades, a carburator and head lamps. And the hood assembly after a kid kept dropping the hood via gravity .
 
I have a New Holland TC35 and a Bush Hog
brand rear discharge finish mower 60 inches.
My front yard is approximately 1 1/2 acres, top
yard is 1 acre, and back yard is 1 1/2 acres.
This used to take all day to mow (12 hours!)
with a 12 HP riding lawn mower. Now the whole
thing takes about 1 1/2 hours. My neighbor has
a ztr mower and zips around his yard with it, but
I'm not impressed. It takes him just as long to
do half as much going twice as fast. When we
both finish, I can put on another implement and
do something else such as grade my driveway,
grade my dirt road, bush hog the right-of-way on
my hunting lease, I even grade the potholes out
of his driveway, while he watches with his eyes
of green. Leave the lawnmowers for the small
places. Get a tractor to do your work. You can
expand your scope of operations around your
tractor with implements to do the work. A
tractor is an investment that will get the work
done. A lawnmower is a lawnmower, it cuts
grass.

Scott
 
I am experienced in trying to do everything with one
tractor I purchased a kubota B7800 back in 2007 which did
everything almost ,belly mower,loader,4x4,hydrostat ,ag
tires mean as he!! little tractor . I now have several one
for each chore and an extra for most , mowing requires
lite and nimble, loader work needs 4x4 and power steering
with some weight (not lite or nimble) working pasture will
also require weight and traction. I would try to find
2tractors that fit your uses as one isn't perfect for all.
 

As I stated in my OP the tractor has turf tires. No ruts or messed up grass. Thanks. Not only that I've seen many people use tractor tires without issue as well you just cant make tight turns because it cuts up the grass. It can be done with regular tires but extra care must be taken when turning. I plan on using turf tires which is perfect for the job.
 

THanks Scott. This is what I'm trying to do. Make the best out of the tractor which I believe can do everything I need. I think with how much money I have it's the best tool for the job.
 
I have a 2wd ford 2000 gas and run a horse farm. That 3000 setup will do most of what you want it to do. No single tractor will do everything well. There is not a lot of difference between my 2000 and a 3000. Mine has the 8 speed, power steering, hydraulics and the diff lock rear end. This one looks like it is similar. If I were in the market, I would buy it in a heartbeat. I have a larger tractor with a loader that we use for haying but the 2000 is the go-to tractor for manure work. Much more maneuverable. (Manure-able??? :roll: )

Specific comments -

The tractor will run that finish mower just fine and will work very well for larger open areas. Lots of guys use them for basic mowing. It will become a pain if you have to do a lot of tree dodging. If you are a patient person it will work with a push mower for final trim. Just depends on how much open vs. tree'd area you have.

This tractor will run a 5 foot bushhog just fine in all but the heaviest field cutting. Make sure you have a functioning slip clutch in the driveline and if it gets heavy slow down and/or raise the cutting level. I ran mine for 5 years and it worked very well. I made a bad decision and let my brother talk me out of it and wish I still had it.

You WILL NEED ag tractor tires. I had those turfs first on mine and they were way too easy to get stuck. Fill them with mud/poop and you have slicks. I looked for and ran worn used tires for 2-3 years, initially bought some AGs that I installed that lasted a year and split open. Finally got tired of not being able to find good used so bought new Akuret four ply tires. Was around $700-$800 mounted at the local farm tire store. Whoa, what a difference. This tractor really digs into the manure and muck and never gets stuck. If you can find the bottom of the mud, you will move. They will not fill up and the new cleats really dig. The 4 plys are a lot cheaper and for your defined uses, more expensive tires are overkill.

The back blade will be handy. A box blade will be even better. I find that using the box blade, with rippers installed, works much better than the loader for moving manure out of stalls and buildings. We move it out of there with the box blade and pile it up and later move it with the loader.

You should NOT get a bigger bucket. Manure is HEAVY. That bucket is the right size for the job as it is. More capacity than that will completely tear up the front end. You may even find that in the really bad stuff, you will need to make smaller loads. Best idea is to find a older manure slinger, and load it from the pile and move the manure out to the field in the trailer in larger batches and spread it.

John (7 horses of my own, and a horse rescue that daughter runs with anywhere from 5-15 additional horses - we KNOW poop)
 
(quoted from post at 01:57:20 12/30/15) I am experienced in trying to do everything with one
tractor I purchased a kubota B7800 back in 2007 which did
everything almost ,belly mower,loader,4x4,hydrostat ,ag
tires mean as he!! little tractor . I now have several one
for each chore and an extra for most , mowing requires
lite and nimble, loader work needs 4x4 and power steering
with some weight (not lite or nimble) working pasture will
also require weight and traction. I would try to find
2tractors that fit your uses as one isn't perfect for all.
Click to expand...

Ha must be nice to be able to afford 2 tractors. I have enough money for this tractor. I know for a fact 4x4 is a nice to have but very expensive in terms of cost of a tractor compared to a 4x2. My father in law has a 4x2 Ford 9N tractor and has never got stuck even after being deep in mud muck and through dirt and deep snow. Like I said above if I had a much larger supply of cash I'd get something newer but with what I can afford this will get the job done. The turf tires on this tractor I'm looking to by are weighted so I shouldnt have any issues there. I'm still considering purchasing some regular weighted tractor tires though for the winter and use the turf tires for spring, summer, an fall. Not many people I know own 2 tractors and I personally wouldnt want that much money tied up in equipment when I believe I can get the job done with what I have. Thanks.
 
Having two sets of tires/rims will work well. Run the turfs in the mowing season and run the ags for manure days. How many days you have to move manure depends on how many horses you have ... probably have the turfs on for 90% of the time.

One thing that worked well when I was running the turfs was chains. That may work just fine for you as well and remove the need for Ag tires. I could not run them much because we started to make our own hay and I also use the 2000 for raking. Running chains on pavement is not very fun.

John
 
(quoted from post at 09:00:47 12/30/15) I have a 2wd ford 2000 gas and run a horse farm. That 3000 setup will do most of what you want it to do. No single tractor will do everything well. There is not a lot of difference between my 2000 and a 3000. Mine has the 8 speed, power steering, hydraulics and the diff lock rear end. This one looks like it is similar. If I were in the market, I would buy it in a heartbeat. I have a larger tractor with a loader that we use for haying but the 2000 is the go-to tractor for manure work. Much more maneuverable. (Manure-able??? :roll: )

Specific comments -

The tractor will run that finish mower just fine and will work very well for larger open areas. Lots of guys use them for basic mowing. It will become a pain if you have to do a lot of tree dodging. If you are a patient person it will work with a push mower for final trim. Just depends on how much open vs. tree'd area you have.

This tractor will run a 5 foot bushhog just fine in all but the heaviest field cutting. Make sure you have a functioning slip clutch in the driveline and if it gets heavy slow down and/or raise the cutting level. I ran mine for 5 years and it worked very well. I made a bad decision and let my brother talk me out of it and wish I still had it.

You WILL NEED ag tractor tires. I had those turfs first on mine and they were way too easy to get stuck. Fill them with mud/poop and you have slicks. I looked for and ran worn used tires for 2-3 years, initially bought some AGs that I installed that lasted a year and split open. Finally got tired of not being able to find good used so bought new Akuret four ply tires. Was around $700-$800 mounted at the local farm tire store. Whoa, what a difference. This tractor really digs into the manure and muck and never gets stuck. If you can find the bottom of the mud, you will move. They will not fill up and the new cleats really dig. The 4 plys are a lot cheaper and for your defined uses, more expensive tires are overkill.

The back blade will be handy. A box blade will be even better. I find that using the box blade, with rippers installed, works much better than the loader for moving manure out of stalls and buildings. We move it out of there with the box blade and pile it up and later move it with the loader.

You should NOT get a bigger bucket. Manure is HEAVY. That bucket is the right size for the job as it is. More capacity than that will completely tear up the front end. You may even find that in the really bad stuff, you will need to make smaller loads. Best idea is to find a older manure slinger, and load it from the pile and move the manure out to the field in the trailer in larger batches and spread it.

John (7 horses of my own, and a horse rescue that daughter runs with anywhere from 5-15 additional horses - we KNOW poop)
Click to expand...

Great reply John. Thank you for all the great info. I ha a feeling about the tires. I'm going to buy a set of 4 ply tires as you suggested. I'll try used if I can find some that are in good shape otherwise I'll buy new. I'm going to take your advice and leave the bucket alone as most people also agreed that it was a bad idea to try an increase the size. This man has a back blade but it will depend on how much extra hes selling it for. I've seen used ones out there from $250-500 so I'm not to worried about not being able to pick one up. I'm going to take your advice also and use a box blade if I can find one. They seem to be harder to come by used. I'm going to ask around the local tractor shops and I might be able to find one.

I was thinking a decent sized dump cart for the manure but if the cost is high enough it might be worth finding a manure spreader. I found that manure spreaders are not cheap and hard to find used. If I cant find one cheap I'll probably have to use a dump cart and install a ball or pin hitch on the tractor. I don;t have another $1-2k for a manure spreader unfortunately. Let me know what you think. Thanks!
 
(quoted from post at 09:11:15 12/30/15) Having two sets of tires/rims will work well. Run the turfs in the mowing season and run the ags for manure days. How many days you have to move manure depends on how many horses you have ... probably have the turfs on for 90% of the time.

One thing that worked well when I was running the turfs was chains. That may work just fine for you as well and remove the need for Ag tires. I could not run them much because we started to make our own hay and I also use the 2000 for raking. Running chains on pavement is not very fun.

John
Click to expand...

I might try chains before I buy a new set of tires. It is a cheaper alternative and easier to switch. Oh yeah, how do you change these tractor tires? It seems like a very hard task seeing the size and weight of these things.

Mike
 
(quoted from post at 09:11:15 12/30/15) Having two sets of tires/rims will work well. Run the turfs in the mowing season and run the ags for manure days. How many days you have to move manure depends on how many horses you have ... probably have the turfs on for 90% of the time.

One thing that worked well when I was running the turfs was chains. That may work just fine for you as well and remove the need for Ag tires. I could not run them much because we started to make our own hay and I also use the 2000 for raking. Running chains on pavement is not very fun.

John
Click to expand...

I might try chains before I buy a new set of tires. It is a cheaper alternative and easier to switch. Oh yeah, how do you change these tractor tires? It seems like a very hard task seeing the size and weight of these things.

Mike
 
Changing the tires is not that bad, but would not want to do it frequently. I used boards and a bottle jack as my floor jack would not go high enough. Very tippy - dangerous.

Try the chains, will work ok. Gives you time to see if you want to go to AGs. I made my one chain by taking some old car chains and putting 2 together into one. When my used ag tire split I had to put the turf back on so I was running one chain and a turf on one side and a ag on the other. Worked ok. You can buy used chains sometimes at garage sales. New ones are not cheap but what is at this point. I still have the chain that I will give you for the postage. It fits a 12.4x28 turf tire and can be extended to fit a 13.6x28. I wont need it anymore. Can send it in a flat rate USPS box for around $12 bucks I think. Let me know if you want it and you can send me a check when you get it.

On the back blade - skip it unless you want to have one for snow. You can find back blades for $150 to $300 all day long. $500 is way too much. You need a 6 footer. The one in the pic is way too small. BTW, old rusty blades work just as good as shiny ones. Just make sure they are not all beat up and welds broken. Paint it in the summer. Prob fine one for $125 or so on craigslist. I did.

I bought a 6.5ft woods box blade for mine for $600. Nice size and heavy! You want it to be almost as wide as the tractor, less bites each time you back up. You want heavy so that the manure and hay does not roll under the blade. Make sure you have one with good rippers. Your 3-point can handle 1500lbs easy. Much stronger than a 8n. And the back blade makes good ballast for loader work.

Good thing is that you can wait for this as well until the right one comes along or more money comes along. The loader will work ok in the mean time.

Find a diesel guy if you are not one. Have him check the engine for excessive blow-by and if any signs of cavitation are occurring. These 3 cyl engines are just about bulletproof as is the transmission, if they nave not been abused. From the pics, the tractor looks well kept and is in it's original paint. That is good. I will never buy a fresh painted tractor. Way too much oppty to hide stuff.

You may well find the trans will have milky oil in it. Mine did. It came from having it outside with bad boots on the shifters. Fixed that. I would not be concerned about a bit of milky color in the trans or hydraulics. Easy to change. They are separate, by the way. Just drive it and listen for any abnormal gear train noises.

John
 


a 3000 is a pretty good choice... front spindles will break, but are very cheap.. one side is $100 and the other 25 higher. Parts are plentiful and cheap new and used. would only buy if 8 speed transmission!!! This model came with ford 730 loader with a narrow bucket.. bit of a pain but sized to work really well with that size tractor and front axle. Early models would wear out the pivot on the front axle housing, later models had a larger front axle pivot pin. Live pto option would be a plus. Power steering can be added on very cheap if not equipped.

check for good engine, no blowby, good starting when cold. Leaking rear axle seals are a bit of a paint to replace but will only need to be once every 40 years or so, but the brakes will not work well with leaking seals. Most 730 loaders crack at the front cross brace due to side pressures, but can be welded and good as new. An additional cross brace(pipe) at the top loader bend will stop the unequal pressure on the arms and stop the cracking on this model loader and most all other ford loaders. But then I work them pretty hard and set t-posts, pull post and lots of other chores that proabably arent correct.
 
(quoted from post at 09:49:43 12/30/15)
Try the chains, will work ok. Gives you time to see if you want to go to AGs. I made my one chain by taking some old car chains and putting 2 together into one. When my used ag tire split I had to put the turf back on so I was running one chain and a turf on one side and a ag on the other. Worked ok. You can buy used chains sometimes at garage sales. New ones are not cheap but what is at this point. I still have the chain that I will give you for the postage. It fits a 12.4x28 turf tire and can be extended to fit a 13.6x28. I wont need it anymore. Can send it in a flat rate USPS box for around $12 bucks I think. Let me know if you want it and you can send me a check when you get it.

John
Click to expand...

Please email me when you get a chance
 
I bought the Ford 3000 for $4200. Definitely felt it was a great deal. The tractor had no leaks from what I saw and we drove it around and looks to be in great shape. No hydro leaks or anything that stood out. Started right up but was stored in a heated garage. He said in cold temp just need to use the block heater. He said some filters need replacing and a pin and nut in the loader arm because the one there doesnt look correct and has a small amount of play. We're going to check on sunday to see if it will get stuck on the turf tires in the muck. Will use the loader to get free.
 
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