L185dt

[Sterno]

So I've been hunting for a 7100 with FEL when this L185DT appeared locally.
I'm waiting to hear back from the seller to go have a look at it.

Apart from the steering box and front axle what are the usual spots to check for wear on these?

$5800 sounds a bit high, I looked at a L1500DT with FEL and 3pt backhoe for $4500 yesterday but don't really have a need for the BH.

 

[hodge]

You would have virtually no problem selling the backhoe on the 1500, and recouping a lot of your investment. People are ALWAYS looking for a backhoe! It would be an easy sell, and they'd move heaven and earth to get it. Very little work for you.
A thought to consider as you shop is that parts are easier to get for a B7100 than they will be for the 185 or the 1500.

 

[Sterno]

A thought to consider as you shop is that parts are easier to get for a B7100 than they will be for the 185 or the 1500.

Good to know, the L1500 has some serious transmission growling in reverse, 3rd and particularly 2nd (afraid to drive it in 2nd), 1st and 4th sound fine. PTO shifter was also stuck.

If parts will be hard to come by i will likely pass on it, not interested in a huge lawn ornament/paperweight.

 

[hodge]

Good to know, the L1500 has some serious transmission growling in reverse, 3rd and particularly 2nd (afraid to drive it in 2nd), 1st and 4th sound fine. PTO shifter was also stuck.

If parts will be hard to come by i will likely pass on it, not interested in a huge lawn ornament/paperweight.

I don't have a 185 or a 1500, but I understand that parts are harder to come by. At the least, I would do my homework and find out how available parts are. I know that you can get anything for the B7100.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have done complete rebuilds on a B7100HST and a L3450GST.

Both were very easy to get parts for. The newer and more common the better!

Any tractor with transmission problems can get real costly real quick!
The L3450 I got had huge transmission problems (knew it before I bought it) and it still was not cheap to fix and took a lot of time and skill to get it all right!

The B7100 needed a motor and that was fairly strait forward of a fix, just slapped a newer motor in it and then a handful of other neglected or worn parts.

 

[Sterno]

Yeah, parts for the L1500 and L185 are far & few between, nevermind the price of them (4 digits for a used trans, $650 for one shaft!). Additionally both motors were tired (blowby) and needed a rebuild which will also run $1k+ in parts.
These 2 were too close, too good to be true and destined to be parted out IMO.

The search continues...

 

[hodge]

It's a learning experience. The key is to learn before you pay...

 

[gpreuss]

Just a caution note - the PTO horses are more like 13.5 on the L185DT. And the price does seem pretty high.

 

[Sterno]

Just an update:

I looked at a L1500DT with FEL and 3pt backhoe for $4500 yesterday but don't really have a need for the BH.

Guess who's been swinging a pick through frozen ground looking for his septic tank......


Murphy's Law I guess.