# Ih 1466 ?



## JB1023 (Feb 22, 2011)

I have found an IH 1466 for sale at a local dealership. Asking $5500 for it. It shows 8897 on the hr meter, has duals tires are in fair to poor condition, engine is clean with no visible leaks, dual pto w/ the 540 shaft having a leak, sheet metal good but paint poor. I could not crank it up or drive it because when I drove by and saw it, it was after hours and just looked it over. I know with out doing that I may not know much about the tractor. Can you guys help me out and tell me some things that I can look for when I run it, is that to many hours on it, how can I feel out the T/A, rearend, engine, to see if it is not just a worn out piece of metal, is the price about right. How many hours is alot of hours on a tractor? It will be used for on our 100ac farm to do whatever with - make hay, plow, shredd etc. I also like it because these are some old workhorses. I would appreciate any information to help me determine to buy or not so I dont cause myself a headache. Thanks in advance for you help and info.

Jason


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

All good questions. Best advice i can give you is to take a knowledgeable friend/ mechanic and go over it closely. It's an older tractor and anything could be wrong from seals to major components. If the seller is not willing to let you check all the oils, run the tractor pto on an implement etc etc walk away and keep looking. They are a pretty good workhorse. Maybe they will give you a 50/50 short term warranty or a 30 day money back warranty. I bought an 1175 case years ago that way and when the engine packed it in 6 days later they refunded my money. Never hurts to ask.


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

The 66 series and especially the 1466 tractors are becoming highly collectable. A shortline dealer near me sells restored ones in the $15,000 range regularly. Here is their website.

D & L Equipment


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## Waldershrek (Sep 13, 2010)

Usually a rebuild is recommended at around 5000 hrs but obviously there are many tractors that have gone longer. I don't know much about the TA other than they are the main problem on IH tractors so make sure you take somebody who knows about them with you. The 66 series were great tractor and if it's mechanically sound you might have a really nice tractor.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Check the oil--I bought an IH 966 at auction about 5 years ago, looked good, started good, sounded good, etc. But I didn't check the oil--it had a cracked block and coolant was getting in the oil! $6000 rebuilt engine and a better education than college! Had I looked at the oil, I would have seen the white sludge from the coolant.

Ralph


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## JB1023 (Feb 22, 2011)

I sure appreciate your responses.

Thats a good point - carcajou- about the warranty and running the tractor on a piece of equipment. Like all of you have said, you just have to look it over as best you can. Its a nice looking tractor but don't judge a book by its cover.

barnrope - thanks for the web link, the restored tractors sure are nice.

Can someone answer me this - If the T/A "goes out" dont really know what all goes on when this happens but does the tractor still function but with out the ability to have a high and low per say? Can you just leave it in high or low and then just use your transmission gears to operate off of?


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## JB1023 (Feb 22, 2011)

rjmoses - sorry to hear that, this is exactly what I don't want to happen. thanks for the info.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

JB1023 said:


> I sure appreciate your responses.
> 
> Thats a good point - carcajou- about the warranty and running the tractor on a piece of equipment. Like all of you have said, you just have to look it over as best you can. Its a nice looking tractor but don't judge a book by its cover.
> 
> ...


Yes, if your T/A goes out, it usually is out in the low side. The high side is direct drive and almost never goes out. So you will have 8 forward and 4 reverse instead of 16/8. It is also a good idea to not pull the tractor under heavy draft load in low t/a unless you have a new aftermarket heavy duty t/a. I have a 1066 with 7500 hrs that dad bought new in 1974. It is on its 3rd engine, 2nd rearend, 4th t/a, 3rd set of tires and original turbo. Wouldn't trade it for anything as I grew up driving it (I am a '72 model). Also have a 966 that we bought 10 years ago, probably got buckoo hours on it (tach been replaced) and dad added a turbo so it is essentially the same as the 1066. However, in my opinion it is junk, steering is loose, hydraulics are shot, shift linkage is wore out and it has 34" wheels which I dispise. If someone wants to trade for it, I am open.
P.S. These are good old workhorses but you will need to know how to work on them, shop labor will eat you alive. Fortunately, they are simple machines and most can master with the help of an IT manual.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

The 66 series is a classic and usually cheap horsepower. If the dealer is asking $5500 he probably has around $2500-$$3000 in it. Often they will take what they have in it just to get it off the lot. I've know a couple of dealers who will call me when they are looking at a trade in to see if I want it just to keep from messing with it. The issue really is how much are you willing to spend in parts and labor to get a reliable tractor. If you can do it all yourself it might be worth while, if you can't, and don't know anyone who has worked of them before that will help you, walk away from it. If you are patient, there are lots of good deals out there.

When you find a good deal, it's usually wise to spend a little time and money understanding just what you are getting into. See what rebuilt and aftermarket parts are available from people like: Tractor Parts-Combine Parts-John Deere-International-Case IH-Ford-Allis Chalmers-Gleaner-Massey Ferguson - Abilene Machine, Inc. Google "tractor parts" there are lots of them (some more honest than others). Unless you are a collector/restorer, if you can't get parts.....walk away.

If you're not familier with the tractor, invest in a manual. The operator and parts manuals are the cheapest and can often be downloaded. Google "tractor Manuals or Implement Manuals" You'll need them anyway and it you don't buy it you can sell them on ebay for about what you paid for them. It's a cheap investment.

Look up the model on tractorhouse and fastline see what they are going for in simular condition and hours. My rule of thumb is that if you can get it for 50% of it's compariable average price, it's worth a serious look. At an auction go up and look at the stuff the day before and decide what you are willing to pay. Don't be afraid to walk away any deal. You'll save more money on what you don't buy than what you do buy.

The two biggest problems are engine and transmission. There is really no easy way to tell if an engine is ready to go south because of cavation. Just look for the typical....bubbles in the radiator (Could be a head gasket), blowby, water in the oil, etc. Drive it to check the transmission, funny noises, slipping, hard to shift, etc. I've got one I'm looking at serious enough that I paid to have it hauled up to a dealer to have them check the powershift transmission and stick it on a dyno (I found the Service Tech Training Manual for $9 with some very interesting information). It will cost me about 30 miles of hauling and a couple of shop hours, but at the end of the day, I'll have a much better idea of my downside risk and some very good information if I want to bargin it down even more to make the deal (I usually don't go to this extreme). By the way, I've got a big equipment trailer, but I won't haul a tractor until I own it. My insurance will cover my truck/trailer but not the load unless I own it and it's on my farm policy. With an accident, you might end up owing a broken tractor.

This probably sounds like I'm a bit anal about Risk, but to me, equipment purchases are an investment. If I run it into the ground over time it's still cheaper than new. Often, I'll use something for a few years and then sell it for what I got into it or at a profit. You'd be amazed how much a coat of paint and some cosmetics will add to the price you can get for older iron.

Don't be in a hurry and don't be afraid to walk away!


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## JB1023 (Feb 22, 2011)

haybaler101 Thanks for info on the T/A. That makes sense. Yea you are correct on the shop labor, dad and I make every efffort to fix things ourselves. I guess I would assume that this engine has already been rebuilt based apon what you and others have talked about.

Mike120 You make some good points. I just have to really go over it with a fine tooth comb. If this machine would be something that I would want to buy, would I just make him an offer being that I already know what he is asking for it and see if he laughs at or accepts it? Do I ask him what is the least amount he would have to have for it? I am always curious to know how guys negociate deals to get the best deal they can.

Like always you all deliver the best help and info. Thanks again.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

JB1023 said:


> I guess I would assume that this engine has already been rebuilt based apon what you and others have talked about.


Don't ever assume.....ask!



JB1023 said:


> If this machine would be something that I would want to buy, would I just make him an offer being that I already know what he is asking for it and see if he laughs at or accepts it? Do I ask him what is the least amount he would have to have for it? I am always curious to know how guys negociate deals to get the best deal they can.


I view haggling over price as a sport and have no problem offering half (or less) of what someone is asking. The worst they can do is say no, but it breaks the ice and we can go on from there. You'll never know unless you ask. When I sell things I always set the price a little higher than what I'll accept. If someone pays it.....great! Otherwise, I can give them a lower price.....I'm happy and they think they got a good deal, so both of us are happy.

There is no magic formula for establishing a price. "Asking Price" is what the seller thinks he can get in the current marketplace. It will usually have room to negotate unless demand is high and there are lots of desperate buyers. "Sales Price" is what someone is willing to GIVE, and the seller is willing to ACCEPT. It's as simple as that and there can be a huge spread between the asking and selling prices.

In negotating the "Sales Price" you can also toss intangables into the mix: free warranty, free oil changes, free delivery, etc. Just remember that both of you are trying to get the best deal out of the transaction and ideally, you might have a new friend when it's all over. The best deals are always Win-Win. Good Luck!


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## JB1023 (Feb 22, 2011)

Mike120 I took your and others advice and called the dealership today to ask questions. Well, they sold the tractor on Sat. Thats the way it goes.

I want to thank all of you who have given me advice and help on this topic! I have learned some valuable info. that I know will help me in the future. Thanks Again.

Jason


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