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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Tractor Hours .... a question !

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Way Up Here

11-14-2005 11:13:51




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Friend of mine bought an early 60's MF135 gas and has just completed an engine rebuild. Wasn't particularly well maintained, at least the engine was neglected but the rest of the tractor seems very good. The hourmeter was working when he got it and it registers about 3300 hours. Does that seem reasonable or possible for a tractor that is over 40 years old? Now, it had been sitting for some time when he picked it up, just how long is hard to say. Is there any "average use" for hours that most tractors might be expected to run for in a year? Thanks for your help.

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Rimshot

11-15-2005 17:12:19




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to Way Up Here, 11-14-2005 11:13:51  
I have a 1957 JD 520. It has 1407 verified actual hours.



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Weirsdale George

11-14-2005 14:31:38




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to Way Up Here, 11-14-2005 11:13:51  
I think looking at the hour-meter reading can be misleading. It is not really the number of hours that is important, but how hard those hours were and what maintenance was (or wasn't) performed. Look at the wear on the clutch pedal, the drawbar/four-point hitch, and such. Also look for obvious weld repairs. (I was at an auction and saw a new tractor with a little over 100 hours on the meter and the rear axle casting was broken.) Abuse will age a tractor more than anything else.

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dhermesc

11-14-2005 13:20:51




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to Way Up Here, 11-14-2005 11:13:51  
You have to remember, you are talking 40 years here. The tach could easily have quit working in 1971 and finally had the cable replaced in 1988. Or as MikeM said it could just as easily have 13300 or even 23300, which only comes out to 580 hours a year - not high by any standard.

My Father-in-law was trying to figure out how many hours his D-17 had on it, figuring it was used primarily as chore tractor: 42 years at 2 hours a day came to 30,000+ hours, before he figured anytime in the field. And he was wondering why it seemed so "doggy" when it been overhauled a couple times!

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RustyFarmall

11-14-2005 12:45:41




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to Way Up Here, 11-14-2005 11:13:51  
3,300 hours in 40 years would be well below average, but not impossible. I would venture a guess that the majority of the tractors we are collecting today have seen less than average hours of use. The tractors that recieved average or above average hours have pretty much ended up as parts tractors. There are exceptions.



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Richard H.

11-14-2005 15:02:16




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to RustyFarmall, 11-14-2005 12:45:41  
Rusty I have wondered about this for a while.When my wife and "I" inherited her dad"s 801 ford the tach said 3800 hrs and it was broke. Who knows when, as from what I have learned he wasn"t the best at taking care of things. So just a thought, since I did the R&R on this thing the tach say"s it has 190 hrs on it(new tach) and I know I have been on it a lot more than that. I have been doing a lot of landscaping plus digging a pond all summer and fall. Usually run at 1100 rpm. Then I noticed on the tach at the bottom in small print "Hours at 1750 rpm". So to my way of thinking that means if it runs at 575 rpm for 3 hrs it only racks 1 hr on the tach. I guess what I"m saying is that the hrs on the meter don"t really tell any story at all. Am I thinking right? Richard

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Dr.EVIL

11-15-2005 08:15:58




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to Richard H., 11-14-2005 15:02:16  
Actually, an engine operating hour is considered 100,000 crankshaft revolutions. Low load, low RPM operation doesn't stress components like pistons, rings, rods, & bearings near as hard as full load operation at rated RPM. So shifting UP and throttling down does save wear & tear and operating hours. Back in the late 50's & early 60's Dad drove semi's, and the one GMC He spent a LOT of time in had speedometer & tach, which was rare for that time period. Tach also had an hour meter and the comment about 100,000 rev. was on the face of the tach.

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Mike (WA)

11-15-2005 08:04:27




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to Richard H., 11-14-2005 15:02:16  
Yep- When I was 16 (in 1964), my dad and I moved a house onto a corner of our property, did the foundation, septic tank and drainfield, etc., and sold it with 5 acres (for $17,000!). He rented a backhoe for a week (40 clock hours) to do the dirt work, with me operating it. He was determined to get his 40 hours worth, and had me doing every imaginable job far into the night. I remember running at a higher RPM than necessary, just to try to jack up the tach hours and get it over with.

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RustyFarmall

11-14-2005 17:14:18




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to Richard H., 11-14-2005 15:02:16  
I think you are thinking right.



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Mike M

11-14-2005 11:24:18




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to Way Up Here, 11-14-2005 11:13:51  
Anything is possible even could of turned over and be 13,300 hrs too !



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edchainsaw

11-14-2005 18:35:10




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 Re: Tractor Hours .... a question ! in reply to Mike M, 11-14-2005 11:24:18  
just to make things better for the guy..

we have an 1982 245 massey... has 700hrs... actual one owner and saw an add the other day for a sale of a 1955 wendsday with 1450 verified actual hours.



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