DeJaVu

[Mobuck]

In a somewhat surprising turn of events yesterday Son bought a 'new to us' tractor. We'd talked about this for a couple of weeks but I didn't really expect it would happen. Up to this point, I've provided the 'big tractors' for our operation since I already owned a pair of 150 horsepower JD's. The problem was that even those 'big' tractors were not suitable for some of the equipment looming on our horizon and neither of my loaders was up to Son's expectations of lifting capacity.
In a somewhat one sided thought process, Son decided he should buy something that would meet our needs for the future. We happened to meet at the Menards parking lot yesterday and he informed me we were going to look at a JD I'd seen a week ago. Looked at it, drove it, liked it, bought it--done.
Talking about the purchase later, it occurred to me that I'd done nearly the same thing in 1986. Bought a tractor that was bigger than I really needed, spent more than I should have, and as it turned out was never sorry for it. Now Son is almost the same age as I was then, has just started a new job same as I had done in 1986, bought a tractor that is nearly one of a kind in terms of age and use--so I hope this is a purchase he'll never regret.
Now, my big loader tractor is for sale with the expectation that it's appreciated in value enough to bring more than I gave for it in 1995. Buying quality stuff and taking care of it while using it conservatively is a winning combination. I still have the 1951 Ford 8N Dad bought second hand in 1957 and the Ford 4000 bought new in 1967-both worth as much or more than he paid for them.

 

[Dave P.]

So are you talking "big" like an 8400 or....?

 

[Pat-inCO]

Buying quality stuff and taking care of it while using it
conservatively is a winning combination.

A concept far to few seem to understand, any more. :wink:




I like the phrase:
Take care of your equipment, and it will take care of you.

 

[Snake45]

Buying quality stuff and taking care of it while using it
conservatively is a winning combination.

A concept far to few seem to understand, any more. :wink:




I like the phrase:
Take care of your equipment, and it will take care of you.

Buy the best and you'll only cry once. :wink:

 

[Mobuck]

"So are you talking "big" like an 8400 or....?"
It's a 7800 MFWD w/741 loader. One owner machine with around 4K hours so pretty nice as tractors that age go.
The newer tractors 'look bigger' from my perspective. The 4440 is 'big' compared to the 50 horsepower tractors I started with but even though the horsepower is similar, the 7800 looks huge in comparison to the 4440. It's almost a foot taller to the cab floor and the loader is simply massive(gotta have that to hold that much weight & traction). In modern terms, this is a medium sized loader/planter tractor but it's quite a step up from a 4440 and I wouldn't want to go any smaller pulling the 16 row no-till planter on hill ground.

 

[Dave P.]

I'd say that's a "big" tractor.
About 15 years ago I had a 7820 or 7830, forget which one in for an oddball project.
The owners had a 7 year old daughter with severe handicaps and wanted her to be able
to ride in the tractor. I took out the jump or training seat, built some mounts, cut down
a Butler sprint car race seat to fit her. We poured an AB foam and bead insert for her and
had a local shop upholster it. Full containment seat, even had some special belts stitched up.
That tractor also had a loader on it and they let me use it for about 1/2 a day. to
remove and level out my old motocross practice track. That tractor was a beast compared to
anything else I'd ever run.
Had to do all the work outside, wouldn't fit in the shop.
I understand she spent a lot of time in that tractor, both her parents farmed with it, sounded
like the mother maybe more time in it than Dad.
Dave

 

[gramps]

Mobuck, ya must have raised the young man right, to have him following in your footsteps!
gramps

 

[jimd441]

mobuck - seems you and your son know well to avoid the trap that the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten...

Jim

 

[Mobuck]

Son had been tossing out lower cost options which I'd been tactfully skirting. I'm fairly set in my ways and have serious concerns about longevity of any equipment which may be subjected to dirt, weather, vibration, and infestation by rodents in unseen/inaccessible places. Over the past decade while working on sileage chopping crews and day work for others, I've accumulated a lot of hours on various brands of tractors. I wasn't just sitting there during those hours but compiling a list of the likes/dislikes/capabilities of the units. With this compilation of information and personal knowledge of quirks/dislikes, I offered as much guidance as I could in the choosing of this machine.
Compounding this is the insurmountable problem of mixing hydraulic oil between different brands. The majority of our other tractors are running JD hyd oil. Inadvertent mixing of hyd oil might cost a $10K transmission or at minimum a $500+ hyd oil change.