Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

This is a Deere 430 diesel with only 840 hours on the meter, that played tag with a tree. I saw this on another forum and the guy was asking if it is worth fixing. His description indicates the frame is bent, radiator was pushed into the fan and now leaks, front hydraulic hoses were damaged and leaking, front mower mounts are bent, and the tractor show obvious long term neglect from the crud in the radiator, dents, etc. To me it looks more like a 2000 hour machine, but I thought I'd get your opinions and relay them back to the guy. (He isn't the owner, it's his neighbor that trusts his opinion on OPE.

 

If he could find a cheap donor tractor, or all the parts he needed used I'd say go for it.  But it looks like it needs a lot of TLC to get back to the shape it should be in for a tractor of 840 hours.  Then again could it be possible that the hour meter has been changed?

Sherri

I'm sure Marty will have good input too.

Be assured... Deere parts are expensive !   YEP !   ...they are... ...price 'em 1st... !

I bought a used Deere 330 diesel... guy says... "...of the squeal from the mower deck is a $90 fix per the Deere Dealer..."

"OK"... not bad...  

Yeah... right !  Started out at $90 !!!   $1,200 later... the "squeal" was gone !  .. the entire deck "mule" drive assembly had to be replaced...

GREAT tractor though ! ... even with the additional... unexpected $1,200 in cost  ... the 21HP diesel is SWEET ! Same engine as in the Deere 750 compact utility tractor I had at the time...

The former Mrs. Dave___in___CT now owns the 330... it still  sits in the garage for four years with flat tires...!  I even offered to buy it at fair-market-value 2 years ago... ~~$3,000 - $3,500... No deal...  Anger clouds the mind I guess ! 

Things work out !   I now have the vintage '82 Gravely with a bigger five-foot cut  for a lot less $$$ !     ...oil burnin' an all !

Life is a beautiful thing... always changing !    ...sometimes totally unexpected !

Dave...

Hard to make a judgement call based on one pic, but with a bent frame I probably wouldn't consider fixing it.

AZ

How does it feels from the operators position?  If the frame is bent too much I'd sell it up, otherwise radiators are like starters and need to be replaced once in a while. 

Marshall wrote:

That tractor looks like its been through a battle or two. Just surmising here, but I bet there are many more issues that this old Deere will need besides damage from the "tree kissing". Yes, JD parts can be VERY expensive. My 2 cents? Part it out or as mentioned above, find a cheap, non running donor tractor & make one good one out of the two - then sell any leftover parts to recoup some $$$.

Marty

He has come to the conclusion that it is basically a parts machine, and not worth a BIG $$$ investment, but he is gonna try to possibly "massage" the frame close to straight so it will cut grass, but most likely loose the front hydraulics, to keep the cost down.

Here is another one that needs more than a little TLC. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing that my machine was in this condition.

Good job with the other LT! And as far as this next one goes, a little TLC? Try alot of TLC. As you so elegantly put it, people do not take care of their own machines. They wonder why their machine dies in 1 to 5 years. With my maintanance and care, my new Toro should last at least 20 years. And my new Sithl trimmer longer than that.

bontaiJoe wrote:

Some who cares should get out their 45 and put old "Dobbin" out of it's misery.

AZ