Hour meter ethics....

[seuadr 489]

So question for you all - I recently replaced the motor in my 520H. i noticed that it doesn't appear to work, and i'm not totally sure when it stopped working as this machine has primarily been used for snow duty and i pretty much just changed the oil at the beginning of the season.

 

well, now that the motor is replaced, i am planning on using the tractor a lot more, and, as such i feel like i should probably start tracking hours.

 

so here is my dilemma:

 

obviously, while the motor has like, 2 hours on it the rest of the machine does not. so, i'm not sure it would be appropriate to start an hour meter from 0. on the other hand, Because i'm not sure when the hour meter stopped working, i'm not sure if it is accurate either. I don't have any current plans for this machine to be sold, but, you never know what might happen in the future, so, i wanna approach it as straightforward as possible if i have to explain it to a new owner in the future.

 

what do you think - get a new hour meter, start it at zero and note that the current hour meter stopped working around 750 hours, or, get a new hour meter run it up to 750 hours and go from there or am i overthinking it all together?

 

[Racinbob 11,726]

I'd say it's up to you as long as it isn't used to try to pass it off as a low hour machine. My situation was different. I put a new K341 on the 76 I purchased new. It never had an hourmeter. A couple years ago I finally saw the need to put a freshly rebuilt K341 on it. At that point I installed an hourmeter. It was easy for me. The tractor hours? I have no clus but many. The hours on the motor? Whatever is on the meter.

[ebinmaine 70,739]

I don't consider that to be overthinking. If I bought a tractor and it was represented as some such and such then I would want it to be just that.

 

I've considered putting an hour meter on our own tractors but just have not gotten around to doing it yet.

 

Trina and I do as suggested above and change the oil... Maybe three or four?? times as we think it needs it every year. 

 

[C-85 726]

Hour meters can be misleading 

 

When my family was a Wheel Horse dealer, and W/H started putting hour meters on the upper tier tractors we had some unfortunate things happen.  We always had left the keys in them while they were in our showroom, but had to start taking them out because kids would get on them and turn the key on and some of them got left on.  So, we had brand new tractors with a lot of hours on them (the hour meters) 

 

I like what was wrote earlier about keeping it simple!

 

C-85

[cafoose 3,383]

Maybe leave the old hour meter and install another one. Label the new one engine and the old one tractor. You may even be able to put the new one by the engine if you don't want to cut any holes in the dash

[seuadr 489]

@cafoose hey, i like that idea!

 

[Alex175 784]

I personally wouldn't worry about this too much, if it was already a low hour machine in mint condition that you were trying to sell for big money that would be a different story, but since this is more of a work machine the only real value I see to an hour meter is for your own personal tracking of the time spent on it for repairs and maintenance if that is how you prefer to do it.  At the end of the day though if you go to sell the machine at any point as long as you are honest with the buyer about what you did to it I don't see any issue, and because you are even asking this question it tells me you are an honest person so I am sure it will be fine no matter what you choose.

[Herder 2,354]

1 hour ago, C-85 said:

Hour meters can be misleading 

 

When my family was a Wheel Horse dealer, and W/H started putting hour meters on the upper tier tractors we had some unfortunate things happen.  We always had left the keys in them while they were in our showroom, but had to start taking them out because kids would get on them and turn the key on and some of them got left on.  So, we had brand new tractors with a lot of hours on them (the hour meters) 

 

I like what was wrote earlier about keeping it simple!

 

C-85

Agreed,

Hour meters can be misleading.

I purchased a 310-8 from a friend, he had shown me this WH the day he got it.  The day he brought it home the key was on and the battery was dead.  The meter had stop running around the 900 Hrs.  Needles to say he didn't have the patience needed for the tractor.  I agreed to buy it, he drops it off.  Same thing, the key is on and is dead, now the meter reads over 1700 Hrs.    Although I can't prove it, I do believe this WH was a rather low Hr. unit prior to being abandoned. 

 

 

        

[Pullstart 64,533]

You could document what the hours were under the hood or an inconspicuous place as to when the major changes happened.  It’s not too hard for math problems, given I can get to my toes for ‘aughts and ‘gazintas.

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 27,532]

I would not put stock in an hour meter...

 

After 29...39...49 years I’m gonna guess she’s got some hours...

 

Put one in for your convenience sure, but as a reliable history on the engine? Nope...

 

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,360]

You could do what I am planning to do on the speedo on my 1984 El Camino. I am replacing all instruments on my dash. I am going to take pictures of the speedo , sign and date and keep the old speedo to be sold with the El . Proof of mileage.

[Bill D 2,091]

My vote is to put a new hour meter in it with a sticker under the hood somewhere saying that the tractor has at least 750 more hours than the engine.  That would be a reminder to you and information for any potential future owner.  Bill

[Handy Don 13,340]

3 minutes ago, Bill D said:

My vote is to put a new hour meter in it with a sticker under the hood somewhere saying that the tractor has at least 750 more hours than the engine.  That would be a reminder to you and information for any potential future owner.  Bill

Seconded.

[rmaynard 15,916]

An hour meter is only a problem when you go to sell it. If you want to keep track of your engine's hours, put a new one in and start from zero. If you decide to sell, tell the buyer that the tractor has XXX hours, plus what ever is on the meter, which is what is on the engine.

 

I would rather have a tractor with high hours and good maintenance that a tractor with low hours and bad or no maintenance.

[8ntruck 7,383]

Or you could be up front with a potential buyer and relate the same story you've told here about the tractor to a potential buyer.

[seuadr 489]

Thanks for the input all! Still haven't decided whay i want to do, but lots of ideas are appreciated!