looking at a B7200HST-D

[Roots]

Hi folks.

I've been in the market for a compact tractor with a mid-mount mower that can do double duty with the snow in the winter, for not much money. I haven't decided how to tackel the snow removal yet. Possibilities include plow, snowthrower or FEL. I may want to put a small FEL on it at some point to do snow and some material moving (mulch, manure), maybe like original B1630 if I can find one, or a Woods LS72. Found something that seemed interesting, so went to look at it...

Tractor is a B7200HST-D, vintage 1984 4WD 17HP hydro trans, with mid-mount mower deck. See pics. Hour meter says 448, and owner not sure if meter works. Based on vintage and condition of tractor, I would guess meter is not working, so hours?

Tractor is not pretty cosmetically (which doesn't bother me); lights don't work, glow plug light doesn't work (but plugs do). Seat is pretty much toast. Deck blades look pretty rough (stone hits, etc.) It's also got a few dings and rust.

Battery keeps steady 12.4V. No blue or white smoke on start-up or otherwise. No apparent issues at startup. Some black smoke under load (but not at idle). Coolant was green & full. Engine oil was black, no milky or watery residue, no rust or off-color. Mid-PTO/deck and 3pt/rear PTO work. Not much play in front wheel bushings and steering seems pretty tight. 4X4, dif lock, brakes, Hi/Lo, For/Rev seem to be in working order (at least as much as I can tell from an uphill ride on wet grass).

Two things worry me about the tractor;

1) I found what appears to be old oil residue below the head/block mating surface. It does not appear to be recent. Not sure if it is oil; if it came from a spill while filling during an oil change or a bad/blown gasket or crack.

2) while everything seemed smooth with the transmission (shifting in/out of hi and lo, PTO on/off, etc), engaging the clutch pedal FULLY produces a noise I can only describe as "clanging", when pedal reaches about 75% of travel, that seems to go away at full depression. Not sure what this means?

What do you think would be a fair price to offer? Is it even worth considering, or am I getting into some expensive repair in the near future?

The owner seems agreeable to me taking it to a professional / dealer to have the tractor evaluated. What should I tell the dealer to look for? Keep in mind that I don't want to get too far into it, if I am not going to buy it.

Thanks for reading my first post, if you've read through this far.

Eric.

 

[stuart]

I can't say much about the price, as it is often a function of local supply and demand. I do have some points for your consideration.

1. Snow removal for smaller quantities can be handled by a simple plow blade front mounted, with a hydraulic or electric lift, and gravity down. Other solution is a rear blade, get one reversible so you can push or pull the snow.

2. It seems strange to see mud tires on a unit with a mower. If your grass is the least bit wet, you will not be pleased with what those tires can do to your lawn. If you want to mow, get a unit with turf tires. You can still do a lot of other jobs such as snow clearing, just not as efficiently as with the mud tires.

 

[BridgeMan]

If looks aren't important, and you're willing to gamble on the future performance of a 27-year-old machine, go for it. I'd be nervous about not knowing the hours on it, though.

Regarding snow--I plowed 5 winters worth at 7600 foot elevation in Colorado, using the 54-inch hydraulic plow on my John Deere 445. Worked like a charm, but needed wheel weights and chains for traction. Buying a heavier Kubota 4WD might not need either (445 only weighs 900 lb.). I would never blow snow if I could plow it. No shear pin parades to deal with.

 

[stuart]

Hi Bridgeman - welcome to the forum

I don't know about the weight issue, my B7001 shows a dry weight of about 450 kg, or about 1000 lbs. I think the B7100 is essentially the same, so weights may be needed.

I have a 1977 model, no guages or hour meter, just an oil light. I don't think age or hours is a big issue for hobby use.

 

[Roots]

I ended up passing on the tractor. Oil stain, potential clutch issues and unknown hours made me too nervous, even at the price they were asking...

Tractor stayed up on Craigslist for a few months longer, but eventually disappeared, so?

I did move on the purchase of a mid-80's JD 750, with MMM and 70 series FEL. It seemed to be in reasonable condition with known hours. After a couple of months, it seems to be going strong, with no surprises, and I am quite happy with it.

Big "thanks" for the replies from the orange crowd! You guys seem to have a nice forum, with people helping each other out. Nice to see...

Eric.