[AT] Tractor Hydraulics

[Francis Robinson]

	Hi Mark:

	I usually post this a couple of times a year. Don't overlook old SP 
combines for a source of high capacity, high quality hydraulic components. 
Combines wear out in the separator and heads but almost never in the 
hydraulics or even the engine for that matter. When I got rid of a huge 
batch of old stuff this last summer I gritted my teeth and looked the other 
way when they cut up and hauled two Deere 45 combines, one with a very good 
engine and both with good hydraulics. I have almost the same situation 
coming up with my Gleaner "F" combine. It has a few fairly minor problems 
like one bearing needs replaced on the corn head, it could used a bushing 
in the main variable speed drive pulley and two turn brake master cylinders 
need rebuilding but it is still a fairly decent old combine but it is worth 
about as much for scrap as it is as a combine... It also has a lot of good 
hydraulics. It is a little too big for the guys with a few acres (the guy 
that bought my one good Deere 45 raised 15 acres of grain each year) and 
too small for about anyone in my neighborhood since most around here now 
farm between 600 to 1500 acres... It is about right for someone with 50 to 
200 acres but there just are not many of those guys left. I have three 
choices, none of them real good. Fix it up and try to sell it to some small 
farmer. Try to sell it "as is" to someone that would fix it up and use it. 
Or sell it as scrap and look the other way as it goes out the drive.
	It came here on a low-boy semi. It is too big (and tall) to haul on most 
trailers not made for that purpose. While my dealer friend delivered it to 
me for free, such hauling can be pricy which tends to limit me to someone 
close enough to drive it home.
	The depressing part of retirement...




--
"farmer"


Francis Robinson
Central Indiana, USA
Robinson at svs.net