Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Last expenditure.

Aloha All,

I have ordered a new Fiat utility tractor.  Fiat makes New Holland, Case/IH/Farmall and probably something else beside Fiat, but they are all assembled in the same plant and most parts interchange.

This one is Case Farmall branded.  It is a model 85U 4wd with ROPS.  The equivalent New Holland is a model T5040.  The equivalent John Deere is a 5085M and the equivalent Kubota is an M8540.

I could not afford a cab or an automatic transmission - this has a 4x3 12 speed, not synchronized between the ranges.   It's OK.  I can drive 4x3s.  I am getting a heavy 4-way self-leveling bucket with pallet forks and the biggest backhoe that will fit on the tractor.  Having chosen those options, I cannot afford a flail mower or a drag/ripper for cutting planting rows or a kiss from a cute girl, but I can screw up your car if you block my driveway.  :-)

I am constructing a 100 gallon 12v tow-behind liquid dispenser.  I am going to try very hard to buy a 20' 14,000gv electric/hydraulic tilt Bri-Mar down-rated to 9,999 pounds.  I can get a new gooseneck for the right price but that dedicates my truck and I am not sure I want to go that way.  I'd still have to buy and install the hitch.  And it's just out of my reach...so it will be difficult to do. 

I have no intention of tearing this up trying to do things it can't do - but it CAN do quite a few things that smaller farm tractors cannot - and it has the hydraulics and PTO to handle anything in the 80-100 hp utility tractor field.  It has standard quick-connect fittings, will handle all universal attachments and has the extra control for a 4-way bucket on the joystick as well as dual rear hydraulic systems which work independently from each other and the with the PTO which is settable to a constant speed of 540 RPM.

I am sending this email because, while this tractor isn't a 'real' construction machine, like a Case 590 Super M, it's also not a small machine and can still be transported with the truck I have.  I know it's too big for my little farm, but I also understand that many of my friends and acquaintances have both larger and smaller equipment - or none at all - and need intermediate tractor work on occasion - when I need bigger or smaller.

I see the equipment market tanking very soon for heavier gear, and I believe that people will need to use this type of tractor for that niche segment between 40 and 100hp.  This tractor will have to go out for money or barter because there is fuel and maintenance - but I am not in the rental business and I have no desire to MAKE money - just to break even on wear, tear and the payments.  I am 64.  This tractor will have to last me for the rest of my life and do the work I can't do anymore.  Since it's not going out for profit, I have no incentive to break it.

The tractor is on-island, but the bucket, backhoe and trailer are 2+ months out.  It will be housed indoors.  I have no umbrella policy at the moment and cannot rent equipment.  If you know of a good company, I'd be interested in knowing who.  Otherwise, if you need a special attachment, you will have to rent or otherwise provide it on-site.

If you are receiving this email there is a very good chance that we have established some mutual trust relationship and this tractor will therefore be available as a resource to you within it's limitations.  I had better be lucky for another couple of years.  I cancelled my health insurance to buy this - but they don't seem to be able to fix the things going wrong now, so I'd rather have a tractor.

I am linking a representative picture of the basic tractor model.  It is very close.

a hui hou
T

 

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