Posted on 01/10/2020 8:59:45 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT
Tractors built in 1980 or earlier cause bidding wars at auctions.
...last bought a new tractor, he opted for an old one — a 1979 John Deere 4440.
He retrofitted it with automatic steering guided by satellite, and he and his kids can use the tractor to feed cows, plant fields and run a grain auger. The best thing? The tractor cost $18,000, compared to upward of $150,000 for a new tractor. And Folland doesn’t need a computer to repair it.
“They cost a fraction of the price, and then the operating costs are much less because they’re so much easier to fix,”
“The newer machines, any time something breaks, you’ve got to have a computer to fix it,”
“The main reason we do this is to make money,” Folland said. “Older equipment is a way to reduce your cost per bushel to become more profitable.”
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
That shouldn’t happen. My guess is that the “official” replacement made some compromises for the benefit of fleet economy. There might be some way to remap the control module, but I suspect not. I have an aftermarket ECU on a motorcycle that lets you customize ignition timing and air/fuel mix and the improvements you can get are impressive.
If I lived in the country, I’d love a PTO on the Willys.
I guess I will order a fuel tank and related tonight.
Some powder coated CJ7 came back today.
Crank windows? You’re looking for a Jeep with.... *Doors*!!
That was the manufacturers nightmare episode. over complicated POS. Beets had a giant pump that is built on an old truk bed with a Cat diesel on it. Runs like a scalded ape.
That isn’t a tractor... it’s a lawn mower!
Very true, also the small 5 watt solar panels you can leave connected as a battery saver keeping the cells from completely dying.
Whatever, FRiend
Only thing I don’t like about this 50” deck is the belt covers (which are sitting on a shelf in the shed ;-)
As long as I can keep my feet outta there, it’s a whole lot easier to keep it clean(ish).
LOL
As I say I am no mechanic.
Each time I had an old jeep or Scout I sold it to someone with an oily handshake.
Wish I had the skills!
Mine is that I have to WELD a new plate? at the bottom. I just dont have time to do it..
I don’t know how familiar you are with BMW bikes but they have a unique front suspension that almost eliminates front end dive. This combined with huge Brembo brakes makes for a system that will bang your eyeballs into your helmet shield and still give you complete control.
One of my cars is a classic BMW 5 series but I know almost nothing about the bikes. They look well engineered and it seems like they’ve usually got a horizontally opposed engine layout. And they’re called “beamers” instead of “bimmers” like the cars.
I can imagine ABS being even more important for a bike than for a car.
High School shops are the victim of poor parenting and tort lawyers.
Poor parenting resulted in disciplinary problems, providing fodder for the tort lawyers.
The equipment manufactured in the USA and Canada pre-1965 is superb.
This classic BMW bike engine is the boxer. They used to make little else and they had a r”run slow forever” reputation. They have branched out lately and have several configurations including a super bike with almost 200 HP. I rode one. The performance is incredible. I also have an older Ducati that is no slouch and this thing makes it feel like it’s tied to a post. Yes, ABS is a real asset to a bike. You can hammer the brakes with no fear of lock up. What model is your 5 series? Love the cars also, but above my budget.
That sort of reminds me of the cars, where it was always an inline six but recently they’ve gone to other configurations. I’m a little sad to see them shift away from the I6 but I understand why they’re doing it.
200 HP in a bike? That is just wild.
One hard braking situation on a slippery road and you realize the necessity of ABS. It really is a revolutionary improvement.
My car is a 1986 535i. It’s got the big 3.5 liter inline six with a five speed and I just love it. Bought it on eBay from a couple up in Vermont.
“My car is a 1986 535i. It’s got the big 3.5 liter inline six with a five speed and I just love it.”
One of the best. I love I6s. Have a more agricultural one in my Jeep. I have driven a BMW with that one and an auto trans . Would have loved to with the stick.
This is the intro add for the bike.
Time and mostly budget tends to kill me.
Haha — that’s great!!!
Yeah, I fell in love with I6s after owning an old Toyota Supra. They’re just so silky smooth and leave such useful space in an engine bay. I also owned a 1951 Chevrolet pickup truck with an inline six and loved that thing. It was borderline agricultural as you say with an oil bath air filter and manual choke etc.
I just got the 535 back from the paint shop and really looks sharp now. I debated whether it made sense to sink money into a proper paint job but the car is so good that I did it.
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