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There is a new kid in town and it's time for Big Red to terrorize someone else's neighborhood.
First photo is her with her 1 yard gravel bucket. Second photo is her with the larger snow bucket with the big plow mounted in it. Both come with it, as does a REALLY heavy rear counterweight, tire chains and plenty of filters/manuals/etc.
New battery 2 years ago. Converted to a single 12v unit. New battery cables at the same time.
Fires right up. Engine/tranny/most everything is original with 32xx hours. 2wd with locking rear diff. 4 speeds, 2 ranges. Clutch is strong. Has hydraulic ram assist steering. The FEL has power down which will easily lift it off it's wheels but I normally leave it in float mode. 40hp diesel engine is strong and pulls exactly how you'd think a nearly 4 ton tractor should.
It WILL plow your snow. You don't have to go and plow two or three times per storm if we get 30 inches. You wait until the snow is over and the sun is shining. Then you let it warm up, drop the plow and put it into 1st gear low range. It will plow the snow. It will then plow your car out of the way. Then it will push those pesky boulders back. Lesson being, it's BIG, heavy and powerful. This is NOT a toy, nor it is a "homeowner" level piece of equipment.
Snow banks got you down? Take the plow off (two spring loaded quick pins, DONE) and take as big a bite as you want with the front end loader. She'll lift the snow.
Coming off of a Kubota last winter, I was shocked at the power this thing had and the ease at which it will move large amounts of snow compared to the little B series.
Got a long driveway? No big deal. Angle the plow and sip your coffee while it does the work. Want to plow your road? No issue. I did with this thing many times. Skidding huge trees? I've never found something I couldn't drag with this thing. It's just unstoppable.
The good:
Fires up without issue. If the battery is charged and there is fuel in the tank, she will start. 0 degrees? Still starts, although slower. It has a block heater, never used it. I just keep her on a battery tender all winter.
Tranny/clutch/3pt hitch/FEL all work as they should.
Power steering works great, though takes a few minutes to warm up when it's under 25 degrees. Oil gets thick at that temp.
Loaded rear tires with chains. 2 stage clutch (PTO/drive). PTO works great.
Sips diesel. Really efficient. I find myself going through more on the Kubota than I ever did on this thing.
2 sets of forward facing lights for plowing. One light got knocked off it's base when skidding some logs recently, so I just bought two new ones for it.
She has a ROOF and a windshield. So nice plowing out of the rain/snow. It's not a full cab, but I do have all the original snap on canvas that makes it a full cab. I never bothered using it. Even has a little electric windshield wiper. It used to work, not sure if it does anymore.
The bad:
Needs paint. Most of it is flaking off in huge chunks. I'll be scraping and painting it here and there until it sells. But hey, it's not a show piece. It's a workhorse.
Has some rust on the rear fenders. The rest of the machine is shockingly rust free other than light surface stuff here and there. Rear wheels are rusty from the ballast. Luckily, when the time comes, those are reasonably cheap to replace.
The tires aren't the best. Fronts are worn, along with the backs. With the tire chains, it isn't an issue. I wouldn't bother replacing them. It's a tractor, not a track day bike.
End came off the tach cable about 10 hours ago. I'm trying to find a new tach cable, but I still have the end and it could just be brazed back on.
Battery doesn't charge off the alternator. Just a simple GM 1 wire, but the wiring is old. I've never needed it since I just toss it back on the tender when I'm done using it. Worked this way for 9 years now.
Could use a seat. The pan is there and solid, but the padding/vinyl is toast. I just sit on a block of wood cause I'm hardcore.
Women won't leave you alone if they see you plowing out the road in this thing wearing flannel.
Your neighbors will start showing up asking for you to skid logs, grade their driveway, plow them out, marry their daughter, etc
It's going to need work. It's 53 years old, unrestored. It will from time to time need hydraulic lines replaced (I've had to do 3 in 9 years, all under $40 each). It will need paint and filters (I have a spare fuel filter, engine filter and hydraulic filter). It could use someone cleaning up the simple but old wiring.
Most parts you can buy a the local Tractor Supply. It's easy to work on. If you run it out of diesel, you'll have to bleed the system which takes about 10 minutes.
More useful than a unregistered plow truck. Great for hauling wood. Can drag a 6ft grader blade like it's not even there. Can run a PTO post hole digger easily. You could put 6-8 foot PTO snowblower on this thing and toss the snow into the next county.
What is it not? A modern, maintenance free machine. It's been ridiculously reliable for me. Like, every damn time reliable. Unless I run it out of fuel or something stupid. But you can't just think of it as an appliance. Once you get to know her, she'll treat you right.
$4k.
You'll need a trailer that can handle 8k lbs. Don't show up with a single axle, it'll crush it. This thing has some weight to it.