Sub Compact Tractors

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Except most young people can't hold a screwdriver is my observation.
That's funny you say that because it sooo true. However, my 3 year old son knows how to use a screwdriver, ratchet, wrench and an impact. When he just started playing around with them, he would watch me working in the shop and come over and help. I told him, if your gonna use it, I'm gonna teach you the right way. I may have created a monster. Luckily I keep my snap on box locked and even when it's unlocked, he hasn't figured out how to open the drawers. He'll my dad can't get them open either. So it's a win win for me. For now anyways.
 
With company's now gate keeping info and locking computers your dam right, hence all the right to repair laws that are being shot down one by one due to campaign contributions and lobbying.
In regards to AG equipment there is really only one guilty party in this, JD. Car manufacturers are being babies about it too, but not as bad as JD.
 
I’m hoping keeping it clean so that moisture doesn’t build in the connections and dirt (mostly in the F/R pedal box) doesn’t grind away moving parts. Keeping the oils and filters fresh is easy.
That's one of the beauties of modern materials, you shouldn't have nearly the same trouble with electrical connections as you had with that old tin-plated crap used in your older machines.

Except most young people can't hold a screwdriver is my observation.
I'm sometimes surprised by the utility and ingenuity of the younger generation. They've spent less hours wrenching on bicycles and go-carts than I ever did, but they can reprogram an ECM while you're standing there and swearing at the car for not having a carburetor.

Years ago, there was a huge legal case in a neighboring county, between the Amish and the PA board of education. The board of education was arguing that, by pulling their children out of school after 8th grade, they "weren't preparing these children to live in this world." The response from the man representing the Amish interest was priceless, I'll never forget it. It went something like, "we may not be preparing them to live in your world, we are preparing them to live in our world."

By the same token, I think any smart kid today will likely fare better in what's to come, than those of us comfortable in what we know about obsolete tech.
 
That's one of the beauties of modern materials, you shouldn't have nearly the same trouble with electrical connections as you had with that old tin-plated crap used in your older machines.


I'm sometimes surprised by the utility and ingenuity of the younger generation. They've spent less hours wrenching on bicycles and go-carts than I ever did, but they can reprogram an ECM while you're standing there and swearing at the car for not having a carburetor.

Years ago, there was a huge legal case in a neighboring county, between the Amish and the PA board of education. The board of education was arguing that, by pulling their children out of school after 8th grade, they "weren't preparing these children to live in this world." The response from the man representing the Amish interest was priceless, I'll never forget it. It went something like, "we may not be preparing them to live in your world, we are preparing them to live in our world."

By the same token, I think any smart kid today will likely fare better in what's to come, than those of us comfortable in what we know about obsolete tech.
I'm still willing to bet I can still make a fire engine fit into most anywhere possible and make that pump sing like a choir. Sure there are a few exceptions but that is not the norm. One of my closest friends is a Captain and I have many others who tell me the stories. I was invited and observed a live fire drill so I'm not talking out my butt.
 
"Tiny tires"? You might want to double-check your numbers, salecker. The tires on that tractor are likely larger than the Cat 426.

The stock tires on LP's Deere 4720 are 8-ply 13.6-28, or 51.6 diameter x 13.6 width. The stock tires on your Cat 426, which you're somehow implying is much larger, are also 8-ply and actually of smaller to equal diameter... at 50.6 - 52.0 inches, (depending on options). The CAT tires are a bit wider, but I believe tractor tire pricing is more dependent on diameter and ply count than width.
They look tiny and we were talking sub compact tractors
That comes to over $6000 canadien
I can buy rims with tires and have money to get them foam filled for that money.
I wasn't implying the tires were bigger,the machine is bigger which should have bigger costlier tires on it as the machine has more uses and heavy duty uses.
 
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They look tiny and we were talking sub compact tractors
Yep, the thread drifted when LP posted a picture of a decidedly not “sub” compact. ;lol

I’d argue the Cat has fewer uses than the 4720, compact tractors are truly more versatile than any dedicated loader machine. But it doesn’t matter, I get your point. The tires being shown there are far from the norm, in terms of CUT tire pricing, they at the high end of the range.
 
Had a used jd 855 for many years. Was ok, upgraded to a used kubota bx2200 w a loader. Smaller tractor, but I love it. Never knew how much I needed a loader till I got one. Couple of notes- green parts are absurdly expensive, the ones I've purchased for my kubota have been very reasonable. In fact, many times folks buy aftermarket stuff to save some money. Example would be hydraulic lines. Heck the Oem ones are cheaper than what I could get them made for.

Dealer proximity is key for parts.
 
green parts are absurdly expensive, when the age of the tractor is more than 24 years

I fixed your statement. The age of the parts from Deere is in direct proportion to the number of years the tractor has been out of production. The 855 is an antique! They’re actually quite reasonable for newer machines, by comparison.
 
John deere parts are no more expensive than. Kubota or new holland or anyone else. All parts are high. Hell even cub cadet mower parts as high or higher than deere.
 
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John deere parts are no more expensive than. Kubota or new holland or anyone else. All parts are high. Hell even cub cadet mower parts as high or higher than deere.
True 'dat. I did spend more on some parts for my Cub Cadet 123 than the same function on my Deere 855.

What's really hitting @shoot-straight 's wallet is the age of the machine. All manufacturers increase the cost of parts on very old machines, as the cost of manufacturing them in dwindling volumes and the cost of carrying that stock for decades goes up. The 855 was designed 40 years ago, and started shipping in 1986. It was a decent tractor for it's time, but it's time was more than 30 years ago. Just thank your lucky stars that Deere still makes every darn part to service such an old machine, as most wouldn't.

In some cases, particularly if you own an early model (eg. 1986 version of the 855), the repair path has a requirement to upgrade other surrounding parts to the later variants, which can add a lot of cost. This happened to me once with a front axle casting, the fixed part of a 4wd steering knuckle. Th part was originally $200, but at 30+ years past production had gone up to $600 something. Unfortunately, my variant was unique to the 1986 model, changed in 1987. To replace my casting, I'd have had to replace several other surrounding castings (essentially entire front axle assembly). Thankfully, there's enough Deere 2nd hand parts dealers out there to usually avoid these scenarios.
 
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One of the most important things I think I do is keeping the machine as clean as possible, greasing it and checking my fluids religiously. I didnt really know better until I watched a youtube video but always check your front axle oil, especially when doing a lot of fel work, if you have low oil you can break very expensive parts very easily due to heat from the additional weight, I checked mine and it was low. Another thing to do is find a dealer sticker on the machine (if there is any) and call them, ask them what brands of fluids (types and weights) they use so you can just stick to adding what they've been putting in.
 
I pick a weekend in January to go thru all of my OPE. The zero turn and CUT are the big ones, but everything gets at least an oil change, fuel filter, and grease, unless it hadn’t been run the prior year. Every manual has a table of frequency for maintenance, and I keep a spreadsheet for all of my machines, which flags me according to the schedule in each manual, and tells me which fluids and filters to order in advance. Pretty quick and simple to plow thru a dozen machines in a weekend, when all the material is on hand and organized.
 
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There are several variants of tractors that meet specific tasks and requirements. Compact tractors are ideal for heavy gardening and tasks such as digging, transporting or plowing large gardens, fields and pastures. Subcompact tractors have sufficient power and versatility to perform a wide range of gardening tasks, including mowing, moving and processing gardens. Try to purchase high-quality siromer tractors, which, I am sure, will greatly simplify your work. After all, with the help of them, you can significantly speed up the work process.
Where are you posting from? Are they sold in the US?
 
There are several variants of tractors that meet specific tasks and requirements. Compact tractors are ideal for heavy gardening and tasks such as digging, transporting or plowing large gardens, fields and pastures. Subcompact tractors have sufficient power and versatility to perform a wide range of gardening tasks, including mowing, moving and processing gardens. Try to purchase high-quality siromer tractors, which, I am sure, will greatly simplify your work. After all, with the help of them, you can significantly speed up the work process.
Great commercial! Now, back to your scheduled program.