Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

I have come across (actually the wife did; yeah she is great like that!) a tractor. The Brand is Long and the model is a 310. It is approximately 30 HP and comes with several attachments including a dump bucket (hooks to 3 point), 5' box blade, sweeper, and a 5' bush hog. The tractor has about 470 hours which isn't much for a diesel and the attachments looks to be in good shape.

The primary concern is I haven't really heard of the brand Long before.

Also, they are selling this for about $4,000 which actually is cheaper then most Long model 310s without most of the attachments listed.

Any experiences with this brand out there?

Dave

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

It was built in Brassov Romania, that's all I know.

I think there were a couple around these parts they were green or blue ?

You need to check around for parts availability, and talk to some a the local tractor mechanics.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

They're blue and white, and not worth the dynamite it would take to blow them out of your misery.

I haven't seen one in at least a decade, they were sorry tractors with no support when they were new. Personally, I wouldn't buy one at any price, but 4 grand? Yikes.

In this area you could get a nice Ford for that. BTW, those attachments are pretty much give aways except for the shredder, which is only worth a few hundred.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

Do a quick search for parts. You'll need plenty of em and none will be available. Case, International, Massy, JD or even the Yanmar jippo JD is what you want. Ford made a good tractor and most of their industrial equipment was over powered but that is not a bad thing. I like Case. I have owned most of these including some old Allis Chalmers. A CA and a G great cultivator rigs for small timers.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

Avoid it unless you have a dealer close by that has been in business for many years and looks like they will be around down the road.

The best tractor ever made ( and Long sure doesn't fit that category ) will still be a boat anchor when it won't run due to lack of a 50 cent part.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

LOL - All of your replies made me laugh. My gut said the same thing but I wanted to make sure :)

To be honest, I have been seeing a lot of Kubota B7100s in my area selling for about $3000 to $4000 with a good number of attachments. Though they were only about 20HP my personal instinct is to go with one of those.

Dave

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

Kubota makes a VERY nice small tractor. I rented a 45ish HP model several years ago while my old Ford 3000 ('60s model still in use) was down. I literally closed my eyes and reached for where I thought the controls should be, they were RIGHT where I wanted them.

They're hard to beat for a little general purpose tractor. Their big ones are too light and have a bad overheating problem if you use them for serious work, plowing, discing, pulling a drag, or something that requires a lot of strain.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

BTW eat_beef, your comment about the dynamite had the wife and I laughing pretty good.

I agree, I have rented 35HP Kubota's and bush hogged about 5 acres without any problems. Naturally, I am talking about a 20HP instead which means it will just be a slower job. None-the-less, they seem like pretty well laid out tractors. I will be working about 20 acres of land. Likely maintaining about 5 to 10 acres of it with a bush hog and then discing a few acres to plant grass for pasture. Again, I am ok with slow go as long as I can avoid doing the work by hand as it wouldn't be too fun in the Florida sun.

Is there a cut off point on the number of hours on a tractor? I know, if it is well maintained I should be able to get a lot of use out of it but was curios at what point would you say a tractor has too many hours when buying used.

I hate to rehash this subject as I know it has been discussed at length but it seems there are a number of variables to consider. The only brands I really have used have been Ford, JDs, and Kubota. Perhaps I should stick with what I know considering those are all pretty good tractors.

Dave

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

Like others have said parts will be an issue. I guy I know who has one and has a hard time getting parts. Long wait for parts, long drive to find them, and hs says a long time before he buys another Long.

Stick with the big 3 - John Deere, New Holland, or Kubota.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

The best tractor ever made is the john deere 4440.
Ours has ten thousand hours and is still worth what we paid,thirty years ago.
The competitions you can find at the wreckers.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

I have to agree...4440 is a heck of a farm field tractor....

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

I wouldn't touch a used tractor with 5000 hours on it. You can probably reduce that to 2500 on a smaller late model tractor. The newer small tractors have too much dumb stuff like hydrostatic transmissions, planetary gears, computer/electrical systems, etc, which are problems when new, and sure to be worse with age/wear.

That said, I have a Case IH (pictured in the tractor pic thread) with over 6k hours that runs like a top, an old John Deere 2750 with over 10k, and the Ford 3000 with probably 15-20k (it has 8k on the meter, and it went out when I was a small child. The old tractors without all the bells and whistles tend to run forever.

The main problem is, you don't know what they've been doing with it. Maybe they mowed their 5 acre pasture once a week, running up the hours but not really hurting it. Maybe they used it to dig dirt, disc, and drag around big logs, putting a lot of stress on everything from the linkages to the bearings to the transmission.

If it was the former, and there's no bells/whistles to worry about, a tractor with a lot of hours may be OK. If it was the latter, and/or if it has a complicated electrical system (which rats LOVE) or hydro trans, etc., etc., you're probably opening yourself up to a world of hurt.

Stick with a major dealer, something made by JD or CNH (parent co of Case, New Holland, and Massey), so you can get parts. Just because there's a Long/Mahindra/Montana dealer on the corner now doesn't mean there will be two years from now, when you need them.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

i highly recommend this chat site for all your equipment/farming questions.

http://talk.newagtalk.com/category-view.asp

Theres even lots of gold chatter in the marketing room.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

Great advice on this thread...

I am trying to consider what to get and have been thinking about this for a while. I really do not have much cash at my disposal but at the same time I realize the tractor well earn it's keep rather soon.

eat_beef, you kind of hit on something I have been thinking about and that is buying an older more simpler model tractor. Something with less complex parts to break that I could fix more readily myself.

I don't need much since I am only dealing with about 20 acres of land. I don't mind slow work if that means I can only afford a smaller tractor. I am sure anything will beat doing it myself even if that means I need to buy small farm attachments for my 18hp Craftsman :)

Dave

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

Hydrostatic transmissions are awesome when finish mowing land. I could stand to use a regular tractor for that.

Other than that, I agree with simple is better.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

I probably won't use a finish mower on more than an acre or two which my Craftsman should suffice for that. Haven driven a new 35hp Kubota quite a bit, I agree the hydrostatic is nice! I don't know, I am kind of strange about things, I have a tendency to gravitate towards older equipment that I can get back in good repair. Something about that process bonds me with the equipment (or maybe because it's cheaper?? hmmm.. ) :) Sounds kind of strange but I would probably have more pride over a good working old tractor than I would a new one.

No, my house doesn't look like Sanford and Sons but I can attribute that to my tidy wife!

Besides, an old tractor might be the only left running after an EMP :biggrin:

Dave

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

I would tend to agree with this statement.

We own a 1944 Ford 2N and I can still get parts for it at the local New Holland dealer.

Caterpillar is also a reputable brand IMO.

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

Ok,

I have been looking around for either a JD, Ford, IH.

I have found a Ford 3000 Gas model for about $4,800 (seems high). Here is a link to a craigs-list add: http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/grd/1191863560.html

Also, I have found an International 254 Diesel for about $2,800. Here is a link: http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/grd/1192240028.html

Naturally, there is a lot more too this when it comes down too it. Things like, what sort of work was preformed previously, when was the last date it was used regularly, and so on.

I would love to get away with just $2,800 if possible. This makes getting an old tractor feasible.

Any ways, as always I yield to the more wise on this subject.

Dave

Re: Yet Another Tractor Question.... Brand: Long?
 

Don't forget that prices on used tractors are seldom firm.:wink:

Personally, I wouldn't have a gas tractor, but if you aren't set up for diesel already it might be OK. Just be aware that there is a LOT more to go wrong on a gas than a diesel.

My Ford 3000 has been running on 2 of it's 3 cylinders for 20+ years. It gets no fuel to the first cylinder. When I first accidentally found it out, I asked my step dad why we didn't fix it. He replied "why, it runs fine now". And it does. It's amazing how some of the old beasts just keep humming along even after years of abuse.