Toolmanbill 32 #1 Posted June 15 What do some people buy when they are just fed up with when constantly having to repair these 30 year old tractors?I am really getting tired of the constant need of repairs just to be able to use this.I own a 1994 314-8 that I bought new in 1994.tractor has always been garaged kept and caring maintenance done as my knowledge allows.It has about 1150 hours.No diesel. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,498 #2 Posted June 15 Whatever you buy is gonna need maintenance. I'm not aware of ANY modern brand worth the investment in long term ownership in comparison to products made 30 years ago. 3 to 5 years from now .. or less.. you'll be right back to where you are now with repair needs. Trina and I wouldn't use anything else but a Wheelhorse at this point. We've done several restorations. All have been very functional since. If I was looking for a machine that would require absolute minimum maintenance I'd find a gem cherry of a low hours Horse and buy that. They're out there..... 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
76c12091520h 3,620 #3 Posted June 15 Unless you plan on spending $7000 - $ 10,000 there's not really anything out there comparable, and like ebinmaine stated, anything is going to need maintenance. Anything at Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply is in the $2000-$3000 range and is considered a throw-away tractor to most people. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
midpack 866 #4 Posted June 15 My FIL has a little Kubota, IIRC he paid 17K ish for it new. It's nice with a deck and a loader on it. Last I heard his yearly maintenance cost as much as a primo WH! I'm happy with doing repairs and maintenance, my Dad was a backyard mechanic and taught me much that I'm glad for! My biggest beef with these is the deck height. Could use just a bit more 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,498 #5 Posted June 15 1 hour ago, midpack said: yearly maintenance A person I know [[ !@#$%&^ family who doesn't listen ]] bought a new green pile 2 years ago. Last month they did a repair related to the driveline. NOT under any warranty. $$$ to have it transported. $$$ to have it diagnosed. $$$$$$$ to have it repaired. Again... TWO years old with average homeowner usage. 😠😡😡😤🤬🤬🤬 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,227 #6 Posted June 15 A friend of my SIL had their 20+ year old Toro 200 series picked up, repaired, and delivered back. The transport alone was over $200 and the dealer is about 3 miles away! I tried to get them to wait until I could look it over but they wouldn’t. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,878 #7 Posted June 16 Yeah, odds are in 30 years your 314 could be still ticking and likely no new machine today will be. I’d be interested as to what the constant repairs and maintenance consist of? My go-to tractor is my 1962 502 and it can do everything but mow. It could, but it would take me a year to get my 3 acre lawn done compared to my zero turn. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,878 #8 Posted June 16 Here’s one for ya. 1947 Pond Lever Steer (the original Wheel Horse model) “Jackie” still earning his keep. 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,229 #9 Posted June 16 17 hours ago, Toolmanbill said: constant need of repairs You posted this under ELECTRICAL, what "Constant need for repairs" are you experiencing? An occasional battery replacement and cleaning and tightening ALL electrical component connections including grounds will generally be the only electrical maintenance needed. Any NEW lawn/garden tractor you buy will have a much more complex wiring system than what you now have. As for the mechanical end, annual oil changes, filter replacement and lubrication seems to work well on my 1989 310-8 and the rest of the herd which are much older. Using gas that is ethanol free and the occasional addition of some Seafoam gas treatment prevents fuel system problems. If you bur a NEW anything, regardless of brand you are going to have to do basic maintenance and newer products are cheaply built (Planned Obsolesce) with plastic bushings in place of bearings for the front wheels, and parts that can only be ordered from the dealer that are no longer available after a few years forcing you to buy a new unit because the one you bought a few years back can't be fixed. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 2,692 #10 Posted June 16 18 hours ago, Toolmanbill said: What do some people buy when they are just fed up with when constantly having to repair these 30 year old tractors?I am really getting tired of the constant need of repairs just to be able to use this. A lawn care service. 1 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,498 #11 Posted June 16 12 minutes ago, Blasterdad said: A lawn care service. Really though.... That's the ONLY way to have property maintenance and no personal machinery maintenance. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee1977 6,659 #12 Posted June 16 They haven't made anything yet that doesn't ware out, but most of us can repair a Wheel Horse. I have a 1977 C-120/180 repowered with a !8 HP Vanguard that I've been using for 47 years I added a few more Wheel Horses since 2014 to take some of the load off it. I also have an 1989 520 that was an electrical night mare when I got it. Took a couple wires out of the 9 pin connection and soldered them together added new safety switches and new seat switch. It's been trouble free since. I did have a flooding problem with the 20 Onan until I installed an electric fuel pump. i never knew whether it had the gas pulled up or it needed choke. with the electric pump Ilet it hit four or five times tune it ti start and up with the choke and back down and it's running. Electric pumps I've had good and bad, i also Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toolmanbill 32 #13 Posted June 17 Put this in electrical because the problems I encounter that I can’t fix are almost all electrical related.could use more knowledge than what I have. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,498 #14 Posted June 17 8 hours ago, Toolmanbill said: could use more knowledge than what I have. No worries there. We're all born knowing nothing. Life is a big learning curve. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
