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Pinpoint
the requirements you expect your tractor to fulfill. How much your
tractor will be required to lift with a loader will control the
loader size and therefore the necessary tractor horsepower. You
might want to look at our front end
loader specifications page to evaluate that factor. How wide
and how heavy the implements you wish to use will also influence
how large your tractor should be also be. Thinking about how level
your land is, you’re your weather conditions, and the type
of soil in your area, may help you decide between 2WD and 4WD. Of
course you need also to be realistic on budget. If you don’t
know what you are looking for you may find it difficult to locate.
Take aim.
SHOP
MORE THAN ONE SOURCE |
The
only way to really compare used tractors is to shop more than one
source. There are sources all over the country on the internet.
Some are good sources. Some are rip-offs. Whenever possible travel
to the seller, and inspect and test their tractors in person. The
tractor and its price might be terrific, but if you do not fit in
it, the tractor is worthless. That is only one of many reasons to
try to buy a tractor in person.
The
tractor supply company you choose to buy from can make a big difference
in the quality of used tractor you purchase, the price, and your
treatment after the sale.
TRACTOR
SUPPLIER PURCHASE QUALITY
Dealers in the US buy tractors in Japan at all
quality levels and sell them to buyers nationwide. In Japan tractors
range in quality from an “A+” quality all the way down
to a “D” parts tractor. At Best-Used-Tractors
we buy the Best quality used gray market tractors from the most
reliable yards. Some other dealers in this country also have high
standards. Some do not. On the low end one southeast Asian nation
buys “C” an “D” quality tractors, paints
them nicely, and sells them cheaply. But those are still junk salvage
tractors under the nice paint job. They usually have the hour meters
turned back to less than 50 ours. Try to discover the quality level
the dealer purchases. For information on our quality visit our Why
Us page. Take your level of research, inspection, and verification
to your comfort level.
TREATMENT
OF POTENTIAL BUYERS
Select a dealer who is open with you, and who does
not appear to be hiding important information. Look for a used tractor
supply dealer who gives you as much information as you need to evaluate
your options. If a dealer is pleasant to you before the sale, that
may carry over to the post sale treatment. If your impression of
the dealer is that he or she is not a straight shooter you will
probably be better off elsewhere.
REFERRENCES
Get some references of buyers of the dealer’s tractors. Call
them. Ask if the tractors they purchased from this dealer were as
good as the seller represented them to be. Ask if their parts needs
have been met. Ask if any warranty was honored.
PARTS
MUST BE AVAILABLE
Most gray market tractors are not difficult to
find parts for when you are properly connected. Some are a little
difficult for which to find a tractor part. And there are also some
models that are very difficult to acquire parts for. If you are
not familiar with the gray market tractor model you are looking
at you may want to contact the gray market tractor
parts supply sources on the parts page of our website to ask
them about the model you are considering. If you can’t get
parts for a tractor, don’t buy it no matter how nice it looks
otherwise. For our Oregon tractor dealership location Best-Used-Tractors
buys only the tractor makes and models for which parts are readily
available, and we have a big list of parts suppliers to draw from.
It is also helpful if that dealer can supply you with tractor manuals
to go with your tractor. Best-Used-Tractors makes
quite a few tractor manuals available
through our site.
GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Do you want 2WD or 4WD? A 2WD is cheaper, but a 4WD can perform
far better especially in hilly, muddy, or snowbound conditions.
A loader also works far better with a 4WD tractor. It is easier
to resell a 4WD too.
Do you need power steering? Probably not. Most gray
market tractors under 25hp do not have power steering. The newer
the model the more likely it is to have power steering. If you are
looking at tractors over 30hp see if you can find one with power
steering.
Most Japanese tractors come with standard transmissions.
Those are the most difficult to use, but hey are also the cheapest
and simplest to repair. In the Yanmar tractor line there are some
very nice power shift models. They are easy to operate, and they
are bullet proof.
In
used compact Japanese tractors there are some two cylinder models,
three cylinder models, and a few four cylinder models. A two banger
can do the job just fine, but it will do so with a little more noise.
Best-Used-Tractors recommends at least three cylinders
when you have the choice. A three cylinder model will resell faster.
Diesel
powered tractors are far superior to gas powered models, but if
your budget so dictates, you may be better off starting out will
an old Ford 9N until income allows you to afford a nice compact
diesel tractor.
OVER-ALL
VISUAL INSPECTION
Step back, slowly circle the tractor, get an overall impression,
and make mental notes of what might need more careful inspection.
GREASE
OR OIL LEAKS
Look not just at the tractor but underneath it. Inspect all engine
surfaces, shafts, bearings, gaskets, seals, etc. for leaks. Old
dusty grease spots are usually not a problem. Large fresh grease
spots could mean something more serious. See if beneath any greasy
engine cracks there might be a cracked block.
COOLING
SYSTEM
Look for evidence of radiator repair, and for stains revealing coolant
leakage. Check for debris on the radiator or on the radiator screen
which could lead to overheating.
WELDING
Inspect the engine, transmission, final drives, and frame for cracks
and for welded cracks. These are usually indicative of previous
rough tractor treatment.
WHEELS
Look for damage and watch the tractor drive away to look for any
wobble.
TIRES
Does the tractor have the kind of tires you need? Are they weather
checked or cracked? Look for cuts, bruises, and especially sidewall
slices. If so, you may need to replace them.
RUST
AND PAINT
Some importers paint over a lot of rust. One place to get a clue
is to inspect the underside of the hood. Some hide problems in the
engine compartment by spay painting everything in there. Watch out
for tractors that are painted where they should not be painted –
such as on seals, bolts, hoses, etc. The tractor does not have to
have a great paint job to be sound mechanically, but a sloppy paint
job could be interpreted as a warning signal. A lot of dents is
not a good sign either.
THREE
POINT HITCHES
Does the tractor have two points or three points? If your dealer
does not supply three points Best-Used-Tractors sells three
point kits. Your tractor should have three points to be able
to use standard category 1 implements such as the ones available
in our compact tractor implements section.
PTO
SHIELDS
Some used Japanese tractors have PTO shields, and some do not. It
is however easy to fabricate a PTO shield for a tractor if it is
all right otherwise.
SAFETY
STICKERS
Some US dealers add safety stickers in English
to replace the ones in Japanese. If your tractor does not have them
the parts suppliers on the parts
page of our website can sell them to you.
HOUR
METER
Check the hour meter to see how many hour the tractor has logged
so far. Use the tractor for a bit and see if the hour meter has
moved as it should for the expired time. Better quality 25hp and
under tractors from Japan will usually have less than 1,000 hours
on the meter. If an old tractor has less than 50 hours on it reject
it. Also if the tractor looks more warn out than it should for the
hours on the meter, then perhaps someone has turned the meter back.
It could have a lot more hours than on it.
COOLING
SYSTEM
Turn on the engine briefly, and immediately open the radiator cap.
See if the fluid is flowing properly. Stop the engine and look for
rusty coolant, oil in the coolant, or foam. None of these are good
signs. Also squeeze the radiator hose with the engine off to check
its condition.
ENGINE
OIL
If the dipstick is rusty on the end; if the oil is brown, gritty,
or very black, the tractor engine may be in poor condition.
TRANSMISSION
FLUID
If the dipstick is rusty, or the fluid is gritty,
brown, or smells burned these are not good signs. If allowed to,
remove a small amount of trans fluid and place a magnet in it. If
a lot of metal particles adhere to it then reject that tractor.
FRONT
AXLE
Check the dipstick to see if the seller is hiding bad seals with
grease or with no fluid at all in the front axle. If it does have
the proper fluid, check for water, dirty fluid, and especially for
gritty fluid. Gritty fluid might mean bad seals and bearings.
EXHAUST
SMOKE
Blue smoke reveals oil burning and black smoke indicates an over
rich carburetor adjustment or malfunctioning combustion in a diesel
engine.
AIR
CLEANER
For real tractor longevity air cleaners should be changed regularly.
A dirty air cleaner might mean an engine has aged faster than it
should based on hours.
OPERATING
SOUNDS
Listen carefully for knocks and other tell tale sounds when operating
the tractor. Listen while idling, changing gears, activating implements,
and when in motion. Your ears can tell you a lot about the tractor
condition.
TEST
EVERYTHING THAT SHOULD OPERATE
Test the starter, the clutch, the brakes, all the
forward and reverse gears, the range gears, the PTO and hitch system,
the steering, the lights, the horn, the gauges, the loader if it
has one, and every button and lever you can find on the tractor.
Test the implements as well.
Shop
for the best price you can get. But if that is all you consider,
you will probably end up very disappointed in your tractor. The
real goal is to get as much quality for the dollar as possible.
Find out what you get for the price a dealer is charging for his
tractor. What quality level did the dealer buy in Japan? Was the
tractor reconditioned at all? Was it given a superficial reconditioning
that was mostly a paint job, a little better one, or very careful
and thorough one? If the price you pay for your tractor is low,
but the eventual repair costs are high, then the low initial cost
will not have been worth it. For details on our reconditioning please
visit the Why Us page on our website.
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