The Newsstand

I live in the country down James Bond quiet two-lane road that is sometimes blocked by tractors. Most of the time it’s a modern combine, the type used to harvest wheat, or create bales of hay, however today I saw something completely different, an tractor.

While I had ample opportunity to pass the tractor, in fact, the man driving pulled to the right and motioned for me to pass, instead I drove along doing barely 10 miles an hour, admiring this piece of farming history.

My uncle was a farmer, getting up every morning to milk the cows and tend the fields; it was a hard life, data raid recovery something he loved dearly. The tractor he owned was truly an ; I never found out if he kept his for economic or nostalgic reasons, but he took care of her like a favorite child.

If you’re considering purchasing an tractor for work, you’d do well to consider the type of work you’ll be doing; since owning an tractor is often times a labor of love, rather than a tractor that gets a labor done. On the other hand, if you’re a collector, someone who appreciates tractor history and machinery built to last, an tractor might be the perfect piece of memorabilia.

If you’re in the market for an tractor, and you know how to tinker with engines, this might be the perfect weekend project. However, if you’re like me, you’ll want to bring a long a good mechanic, someone familiar with farm equipment, and preferably someone familiar with the tractor you’re considering purchasing. An tractor can give you hours of fun, years of good work or it can be a mechanical nightmare.

I had the good fortune of going with a friend who was considering purchasing an tractor, and I got to see the process firsthand. Now this old farmer was savvy, and brought along his John Deere rep, he’d be getting a professional to look at his tractor, before parting with any cash. Here’s exactly what the rep did to ensure the tractor with mechanically sound.

Number one, he climbed up on the seat to see if she’d start up. He’d already said this would be the first test on the battery, compression and fuel lines, if she stated then test number one would be passed. In this case she started right up, and the rep looked at us and winked then said, “Now if she didn’t start, that don’t mean you run away, just means she needs a bit of work”.

Next thing was to ask the current owner if it was okay to take her for a spin. The old farmer nodded his head, smiling to himself probably remembering the fields he plowed and the years that had past. What I didn’t know was the John Deere rep was waiting till the engine warmed up, to check for leaks, and to find sure the old engine had good torque. He got about 100 yards away, turned off the tractor, turned in our direction, then started her up again. He smiled and shouted; “Now that’s a good sign.”

I learned more later over coffee and eggs, what he was actually doing was testing the brakes (if they had been mushy it would have indicated a brake job was due), in this case the brakes tested out perfect.

Also when he looked back at us, I’d thought he was being friendly when he was actually checking the exhaust for any blue or black smoke. This would have indicated a tune-up was needed or possibly a ring job.

He was also listening closely to the engine for any unusual noises deep inside. He told us “If I’d of heard a clanking sound, it would have been time to look for a different tractor, since that would have said there’s trouble inside.

Here’s a small piece of advice, if you’re considering an tractor, be certain to check the oil. That might seem like an oversimplification, but it’s akin to running a blood test, it shows you what’s inside. If it’s clear, that good; foamy you might have problems; dirty and it speaks to wear and tear, water might indicate a leaking head gasket.

Purchasing an tractor requires someone who knows machinery what you need to find out is this; has this tractor been treated with loving care, or is it headed for the scrap yard?

Take the time to do a through examination before signing on the dotted line. This way you’ll have an tractor that can put a smile on your face, not a hole in your wallet.

If you’re interested in learning more about www.isellantiquetractors.com/ Tractors, be sure and visit www.isellantiquetractors.com/isellantiquetractors.com/ to find up-to-date information and unique opportunities to make your own purchase.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 9:01 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.