# How old is too old?



## TessiersFarm (Aug 30, 2009)

I run a small dairy farm in Maine. We put in a bedded pack compost building this summer, which I love. Have tried several things but the tractor I keep going back to is a 1953 ford to aerate the bedded pack. It is nimble enough to run in the confined space, starts easy (gas) has a 3 point hitch, and does a good job. I wonder if I am crazy to depend on a 70 year old tractor for daily chores, runs about an hour a day. My father says if it works go with it, plus they are a dime a dozen, if it breaks down I can replace it. I guess I don't have much to lose at this point, but wondering how old is too old?


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

If the shoe fits, wear it. If it does the job you need it to and you can keep it working (parts etc) then there is no point changing just because it is old. We run several 35 year old skid steers daily on my little farm and the dairy.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

We use a lot of old stuff like that on our dairy farm. . Should be no problem just make your it is safe to operate And also on the tractors make sure you got some kind of spark or rest or on the exhaust Road ona fire truck over the years I saw many times where those old tractors poofed out sparks And cause problems in buildings and around combustibles


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

That tractor was from a time period when tractors were built to last.....unlike today. If it fills your needs, carry on.

Regards, Mike


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## SVFHAY (Dec 5, 2008)

That's great you can do the job with so little invested. Ride that as long as you can.

I'm curious how you are are aerating with it though. Front loader?

Have had cattle on bedded pack my entire life and never aerated once, I am not composting but never too late to learn.


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## farmer97 (Oct 20, 2016)

I got a 1946 m farmall that I use to cut all my hay, and square bale, and sometimes rake if I'm feeling like taking it easy. Plan on using a 1953 super m with a f25 farmhand loader on it to put up hay and feed/push snow with. I can't afford fancy equipment trying to start a ranch, and how many cows and ewes were fed everyday with a no cab tractor and pitchfork!


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## TessiersFarm (Aug 30, 2009)

There are a couple of keys to composting, bedding has to be fine, hay/straw chopped, we are using shavings. Moisture has to be managed, I forget the moisture content but if it starts to clump and ball up, it's too wet. Then we aerate to a depth of about 12", we are using an old cultivator I had on the stone wall, I expected to tear it apart, but it is working well. The end result is clean cows, and a product that is easy to handle and ready to spread. Previously we always had clumps of bedding that were hard to handle and when spread on fields left clumps and bunches. We are very happy with the system. The cows love it too, after I aerate the pack and let the cows in they run and buck, its like turning them out in the spring, every day.



SVFHAY said:


> That's great you can do the job with so little invested. Ride that as long as you can.
> 
> I'm curious how you are are aerating with it though. Front loader?
> 
> Have had cattle on bedded pack my entire life and never aerated once, I am not composting but never too late to learn.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

TessiersFarm said:


> There are a couple of keys to composting, bedding has to be fine, hay/straw chopped, we are using shavings. Moisture has to be managed, I forget the moisture content but if it starts to clump and ball up, it's too wet. Then we aerate to a depth of about 12", we are using an old cultivator I had on the stone wall, I expected to tear it apart, but it is working well. The end result is clean cows, and a product that is easy to handle and ready to spread. Previously we always had clumps of bedding that were hard to handle and when spread on fields left clumps and bunches. We are very happy with the system. The cows love it too, after I aerate the pack and let the cows in they run and buck, its like turning them out in the spring, every day.


Maybe sometime post some pics of your bedding process and application. Sounds really interesting and I am sure many could take even more from a visual.

Regards, Mike


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

Today's tractors are also built to last, but only till they break down! ^_^


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## MT hayer (Mar 1, 2014)

I feel you should keep driving it! A golden jubilee is a great tractor. Change it to 6 volt electronic ignition, get the fluid out of the rear tires and find some cast weights to bolt on the wheels. Get the generator tuned up and use premium gas. I grew up on them and with maintainence I don't know if they will ever quit!

The only thing nicer on the newer ones is 12 volt for better lights, and fwd. Otherwise they do the same job. Does your NAA have an auxiliary hydraulic?


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## TessiersFarm (Aug 30, 2009)

Mine has been converted to 12v years ago. Has good lights, the rears are loaded and will stay that way until they need replacing, I figure the damage is done. It has remote hydraulics, also works great, a little slow on the bale wrapper but adequate for most other things.



MT hayer said:


> I feel you should keep driving it! A golden jubilee is a great tractor. Change it to 6 volt electronic ignition, get the fluid out of the rear tires and find some cast weights to bolt on the wheels. Get the generator tuned up and use premium gas. I grew up on them and with maintainence I don't know if they will ever quit!
> 
> The only thing nicer on the newer ones is 12 volt for better lights, and fwd. Otherwise they do the same job. Does your NAA have an auxiliary hydraulic?


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## Ox76 (Oct 22, 2018)

I say there ain't no such thing as too old as long as the machine does the job you need it to and you're happy using it (or at least don't despise using it!).


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Trillium Farm said:


> Today's tractors are also built to last, but only till they break down! ^_^


or the owner/operator breaks it 

just smoked my PTO clutch plates.
Turned spreader on after I unknowingly packed the spreader beaters with slightly frozen compost.


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## rankrank1 (Mar 30, 2009)

with an old tractor; a 12 volt system is by far the best way to go on a tractor that is to be counted on in a farm operation. keep using that ole tractor


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Cheapest piece of machinery to run is the one you already own.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

JD3430 said:


> or the owner/operator breaks it
> 
> *just smoked my PTO clutch plates.
> Turned spreader on after I unknowingly packed the spreader beaters with slightly frozen compost. *


I would be checking some things out beyond the PTO clutch. Assuming you have the sense not to engage the PTO with the engine at full speed (A) the engine should have stalled or the spreader driveline protection should have done its job or (B) if the PTO clutch did slip I would be wondering why the tractor PTO controller didn't see the slippage and disengage the PTO before the clutch was toast. Maybe your tractor doesn't have that feature but I know my 20 year old MX Maxxums do. It could be that your clutch was toast already. Twice now I've found out by accident when fixing something else that a tractor I was running had the PTO clutch toasted and I never even noticed.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Gearclash said:


> I would be checking some things out beyond the PTO clutch. Assuming you have the sense not to engage the PTO with the engine at full speed (A) the engine should have stalled or the spreader driveline protection should have done its job or (B) if the PTO clutch did slip I would be wondering why the tractor PTO controller didn't see the slippage and disengage the PTO before the clutch was toast. Maybe your tractor doesn't have that feature but I know my 20 year old MX Maxxums do. It could be that your clutch was toast already. Twice now I've found out by accident when fixing something else that a tractor I was running had the PTO clutch toasted and I never even noticed.


Weak PTO clutch added with a manure spreader apron that's froze to the floor= bad time.

Learned that lesson at about 10 years old hauling manure. Dad told me to make sure I bust the apron loose before I loaded it, but since I knew better I didn't listen.... It's a lot harder to pitch the manure OUT of the spreader than it is into the spreader. It's a lesson you learn ONCE.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Yeah the clutches were smoked when I took it apart. 
What happened was, I was spreading at night and left a partial load in the spreader overnight, but the temps were in the mid 30's (at least that's what I thought) but I must have left the hydraulic ram pressure on for a few seconds after I turned the beaters off. Got in it next morning, went out to field and turned on beaters. Got a dash code and noticed no compost flinging. Then I started the PTO again and nothing....

The Hagedorn spreader I was using didn't have driveline ratchet box. At least not one I noticed....

Happened on last load on last field.

previous 100+ loads went great


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

stack em up said:


> It's a lot harder to pitch the manure OUT of the spreader than it is into the spreader. It's a lesson you learn ONCE.


Brings back memories, thought I was the only one that made that mistake (of not listening to Dad, because I think he might have pitched a little himself, once or twice ).

Larry


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

Tractors from the 30's to 70's are timeless. Keep running them. They'll probably still be in service 100 years from now.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

barnrope said:


> Tractors from the 30's to 70's are timeless. Keep running them. They'll probably still be in service 100 years from now.


They were built by engineers, not marketing executives. 
Their brochures and salesmen emphasized "these tractors are built to last" as the first and foremost selling feature, not like today where the salesman emphasizes "the tractor has 68 lights and a refrigerator".


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

JD3430 said:


> They were built by engineers, not marketing executives.
> Their brochures and salesmen emphasized "these tractors are built to last" as the first and foremost selling feature, not like today where the salesman emphasizes "the tractor has 68 lights and a refrigerator".


Don't forget cup and cell phone holders.

Ralph


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

rjmoses said:


> Don't forget cup and cell phone holders.
> 
> Ralph


You mean heated & cooled cup holders?


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

JD3430 said:


> You mean heated & cooled cup holders?


Absolutely, how else do I keep my hot chocolate warm in the fall and my Mt Dew cool the rest of the time?


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