Low Hour Hesston Tractor

wbhf3 · Sep 29, 2018

I ran across an old Hesston tractor today that has been tucked away in a barn for about 14 years. The owner said when it was parked there was nothing wrong with (and I would have no reason not to believe this man) and the only reason he parked it was the John Deere dealer offered him very little in on a trade in for it. It hasn't been started, moved, nothing for 14 years and it is a very low hour tractor. There is a lot of talk about low hour, one owner, well kept tractors being of good value now days and I was wondering if that would be true for Hesston's? It is a 1580 with a cab and MFWD and in pretty descent condition. I see very few Hesston's around any more but I know some have to be out there being used.

What are the thoughts on Hesston's? Would this be a good find or something to stay away from?

SVcummins · Sep 29, 2018

See a few Hesstons around . I?ve ran them don?t seem to bad of a tractor . But where do you go to get parts a Hesston tractor is actually just a fiat with hesston decals . Fiat owns case I H but Agco owns hesston

Leroy · Sep 29, 2018

I have heard of Hesston machinery but never a tractor.

steve_in_mo · Sep 29, 2018

Tractordata said it's a Fiat.
Made from 1980 to 1984.
Fourteen years ago was 2004.

Since Fiat bought Ford-New Holland, they apparently don't sell tractors under the Fiat brand.

LAA · Sep 29, 2018

I have a 60 horse Hesston, they are good tractors but don't bring a lot of money so it needs to be cheap, sounds like the owner already knows that because he wouldn't let the JD dealer steal it 14 years ago. The bigger an oddball tractor is the smaller the market for it and the cheaper it gets, I would guess at auction a tractor that age and size would sell for about a quarter of the price of a comparable JD, Case IH or Massey.

flying belgian · Sep 29, 2018

I looked it up on tractor data. I was surprised it is a 140 hp. tractor. That's some serious power. 6 cylinder Fiat engine. If you can buy it right and everything works, I don't think I would be afraid of it.

paul · Sep 29, 2018

I believe they are very much orphans, need to buy it real cheap, run it til it breaks and sell for scrap iron.

The short time they were on the market back then they did not earn a good reputation.

It likely won?t be cheap enough.

I saw one on a consignment sale a few years ago, was the talk of the sale, no one wanted it but they sure talked about those dean tractors and that time period and not ever seeing many. It sold mighty cheap, lot of comments that it still went too high for what it was.

Paul

Eldon (WA) · Sep 29, 2018

(quoted from post at 20:21:13 09/29/18) I ran across an old Hesston tractor today that has been tucked away in a barn for about 14 years. The owner said when it was parked there was nothing wrong with (and I would have no reason not to believe this man) and the only reason he parked it was the John Deere dealer offered him very little in on a trade in for it. It hasn't been started, moved, nothing for 14 years and it is a very low hour tractor. There is a lot of talk about low hour, one owner, well kept tractors being of good value now days and I was wondering if that would be true for Hesston's? It is a 1580 with a cab and MFWD and in pretty descent condition. I see very few Hesston's around any more but I know some have to be out there being used.

What are the thoughts on Hesston's? Would this be a good find or something to stay away from?

My dad bought a new 1180DT back in the early 80's. It was kinda gutless, not much for torque rise. The crankshaft broke just out of warranty and cost over $10k to fix...kinda soured him on Fiat.

rrlund · Sep 30, 2018

If it's half the tractor that my Fiat built Oliver is,I wouldn't be afraid of it.

Texasmark1 · Sep 30, 2018

Back in the late '70's the local IH (truck-tractor dealership) decided to try Hesston as a second brand offering. That lasted a few years and dried up....completely. Haven't seen Hesston brown for longer than I can remember around here. I once had a 5560 5x6 roller.......hated it. Must have been closed throat....couldn't get a ww to start without babying it. JDs just gobble it up.

Crazy Horse · Sep 30, 2018

Sounds like a few YT'ers know of the tractor and the good and bad about them. But how could anyone really evaluate the whole thing unless a price was included in the information. Not being snoopy but in a lot of transactions, that might be the factor that makes a guy's mind up for him, including others who are passing along advice. Just my two cents ....

SVcummins · Sep 30, 2018

Fiat built the tractors then hesston put their name on the side . I always thought the hesston tractors were neat for some reason.

wbhf3 · Sep 30, 2018

The owner doesn't have a price in mind. He wants me to make him an offer on it like it sits. I would like to hear it run and see it move before I make an offer. We have a 6080 Allis Chalmers that is partially Fiat built. The AC and Hesston look almost identical from the engine back.

IanC · Sep 30, 2018

To clear up some of the time line I'll try to get this all correct as I was at Hesston then Ford/New Holland dealers in this time frame. Fiat Agri bought Hesston in the mid 80's, but before they bought the Ford/New Holland AG and Industrial, that is when Hesston got the FIAT Wheathead emblem, and went to "Autumn Prime(er)" from red. Took a lot of reaming from fellow parts guy at the Ford/New Holland dealer next town over. Then FIAT bought Ford/ New Holland from Ford Motor Corporation. My turn to tease him about spaghetti. Since they would have owned both New Holland and Hesston (as I recall about 80 percent of the hay tool market) the justice department wouldn't let it go through unless they divested either Hesston or New Holland. they chose wisely and sold Hesston IN NORTH AMERICA, not Europe. That is how the FIAT/Hesston tractors ended up with New Holland instead of AGCO. The FIAT tractor parts WERE orderable through the New Holland parts system, but the dealer would have to look then up on old micro fiche as they were not in the computerized parts catalogs. The Genesis tractors (8670-8970) were sold in Europe with the "Autumn Prime(er)" paint job and different model numbers.

2510Paul · Sep 30, 2018

My brother had one in that 80'ish range. Not reliable and parts were a big problem.

What paul said below.

Paul

rpllr · Sep 30, 2018

We have two of their utility tractors and they are pretty darn tuff. Probably about 8000 hours on one with a loader and have not touched it except for minor wear out parts and fixed a few leaks. We have gotten all the parts we need through case new Holland, but you need to help them with a part number or look it up on their parts page in their computer. There is also a company I think in Canada selling parts for them just Google Heston tractor parts. They are also very fuel efficient and start easy in the winter. I have had mine started on a 10 degree day with no heater or either

SVcummins · Sep 30, 2018

I?d offer a little less than John Deere did

ajl · Oct 1, 2018

I have a NH7635 which is a fiat built in the same plant as that tractor and it has been a good tractor. Growing up Dad had a White 1370 which is a Fiat built utility tractor also good. There are a few of these tractors in this area and I knew a guy who ran a 160-90. So I would not be afraid of it if you can get it running and the price is low. Could be the deal of the century for you and as others have stated FIAT is parent company of CNH which you might of heard of.

cam.man67 · Jan 22, 2019

I know this is kind of an older thread, but just wanted to share that we use a Hesston 80-66DT daily on the farm. Ours is an ‘84, so it appears to be a preproduction model (actual production started in 1985). That said, it’s been a very good utility tractor for us...it’s got roughly 8000 hours and we’ve had very few repairs on it. As mentioned before, getting parts can be an exercise in patience, but the upside is that it hasn’t needed much.

Spook · Jan 22, 2019

(quoted from post at 04:22:39 01/22/19) I know this is kind of an older thread, but just wanted to share that we use a Hesston 80-66DT daily on the farm. Ours is an ‘84, so it appears to be a preproduction model (actual production started in 1985). That said, it’s been a very good utility tractor for us...it’s got roughly 8000 hours and we’ve had very few repairs on it. As mentioned before, getting parts can be an exercise in patience, but the upside is that it hasn’t needed much.

A neighbor of mine has a Heston with a loader. I’m not sure what horsepower, but he bought it new, in the 80’s. Uses it on horse farm. I don’t think he’s had a real repairs on it. Are you in Canada?

BarnyardEngineering · Jan 22, 2019

The problem you have with hearing it run and seeing it drive is that the price usually goes up when that happens, and you've put a bunch of time and $$$ in on the repairs.

If there's truly nothing wrong with it, all it should need is a new battery and a quick going over to make sure there are no critters living anywhere that could potentially catch fire.

With the Internet and international markets now, parts should be easier to come by. You used to be limited to the local dealer, but now the world is your "local dealer."

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